Tell a story...a short story

I love storytelling.  I love the creative process and life that a story can take on as it is being created.  Being able to use technology is an extremely valuable tool in being able to bring a story to life.  There are many tools that you can use to do this - but they are not going to do much good without a story.  

Start simple... really simple.  Creativity through minimalism.  That is the idea.  When there is a limited amount of material to create a digital story from - the challenge will not be finishing the project.  The challenge will be using a medium to get the most out of the source material.  It will also give students a chance to experiment and learn without feeling overwhelmed. 

One of the most important things that need to happen once the stories have been created is the ability for the entire class to view the finished stories together.  This is a great way to have a conversation that allows for feedback and discussion about the stories that will allow the students to be better prepared for their next story.  As they progress with their digital storytelling skills, obviously the length of the stories becomes less of an issue - and the process will become part of their thinking.

I know that it seems like a logical progression.  The more they practice the appropriate process - the more they will be able to rely on the process to take on projects of a greater scope.  This does not mean that they should always be expected to create more as time goes on.  Putting certain constraints on a storytelling project forces them to be more creative in how they present their story.  This is always a fun and appropriate way for them to exercise their storytelling and multimedia skills.