Creating “The Changing Story”: Digital Stories, Teaching, Learning

“The Changing Story: Digital Stories that Participate in Transforming Teaching and Learning” is a digital book that will provide educators with examples of students’ digital stories, relevant research, scaffolding exercises, and interviews with colleagues about their challenges and successes with digital story assignments. Educators will be able to apply the tools and ideas to their respective disciplines and courses.

Thanks to the OIT Fellowship and my collaboration with Academic Technology Services (ATS) in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), The Changing Story will be a multimedia experience that will provide educators with a model for how to make best use of this dynamic realm. The Changing Story will be registered with Creative Commons and free to readers.

I teach undergraduate courses within the humanities for the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning (PsTL) in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Our department emphasizes best practices at the postsecondary level that is informed by an integrated, multidisciplinary approach, with an emphasis on the themes of cultural diversity and social justice.

I have integrated digital story assignments in my teaching since 2008, and have written about and presented on the use of digital stories in teaching and learning. My involvement in the College’s iPad Initiative, which is in its fourth year of providing incoming freshmen with iPads, has also given me experience in teaching with technology in a way that inspires students to engage with their subject matter and take ownership of their learning through wise use of technology.

The increasing presence of technology in the classroom requires us to be better at our vocation. The time-intensive distracting potential of technical devices require us to thoughtfully integrate the digital tools and design the assignments, proceeding from our pedagogy to our learning objectives.  In order to do this, we need technical support as well as a community of practice. Students benefit from well designed, integrated uses of technology. When taught well, the digital story assignment and other media-rich projects deepen students’ level of engagement with the subject matter, and provides students with opportunities to participate in their individual and collective transformative learning.

For examples of related curriculum as well as students’ digital stories, see: