Wednesday, August 20, 2008

What's Your Story?

I came across this touching digital story via Jim Gates (who came across it via Alec Couros who got it via Josh Spear). I can't figure out a way to describe it that does it justice, so you just need to go read/see it.

I think this is an excellent example of digital storytelling in the best sense of that phrase. It combines text and images in a way that tells a powerful story that I just don't think could be told as well with either text or images alone. I also think the presentation style that the web allows, how it transitions from one screen to the next, also adds to the impact of the story.

I think this is a story that could/should be shared in a variety of our classrooms, from Language Arts to Social Studies to Consumer and Family Studies to Art to Photography to Theater and most likely others. It should be shared because it's important, because it's a story that fits well into each of those content areas, and because it should serve as inspiration to our teachers and students to figure out their own story and then tell it in a similarly moving and graceful way.

So, what's your story?

6 comments:

  1. The site is awesome. Beautiful pics and narrative mixed with a good presentation.

    To use this kind of resources would inspire so many people in several aspects: values, art, tech skills.

    Great recommendation!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very, very moving. The little notes got me the most. This is inspiring to me as a photographer, writer, and just person in general. Not to say I'm especially good at being any of those things. Just to say that this is beautiful, and shows what's possible when we find beauty in the everyday things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a beautiful story. I love how much he values his time with his father. What a gift to be able to look at his father with so much love, instead of frustration with his aging.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for pointing me in the direction of that story Karl.

    Years ago I began researching my father's experiences as a POW. It brought us closer together. Changed my life. Changed our lives.

    What is your story Karl?
    John
    Home page

    ReplyDelete
  5. As an English teacher, I'd love to have my students use this format for a multi-genre project. How do you create such a digital story--with what tool(s)?

    ReplyDelete
  6. @justread - there are a variety of free or inexpensive tools to create digital stories with, but I don't know specifically what this guy used (and my guess is that it wasn't free). You could probably contact him and ask.

    ReplyDelete