7.2 DS: Hands On

7.2 Digital Storytelling - Hands On

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This week will be about taking time for hands-on time to tinker and play with technologies that may be useful for your finished digital storytelling product - green screen video, screen capture tools, and AR/VR. While applying 'hands on' we will do a reflection IN action - how could these tools apply to classroom integration, unit planning, culminating tasks and placing the tools in the hands of the learners.

Readings

Bernajean Porter, Storykeepers Resources wiki site
DI in a media and digital classroom
Jason Ohler, Green Screen Storytelling

Activating your Understanding

Hand in Hand

Storytelling using screen-casting and chromakey tools can enhance the imagination and extend the storytelling opportunities. Screen-casting captures your computer screen actions, synchs with a voice over and creates a video for connecting to an audience. Chromakey, aka green-screen, allows story creators to present a personal story in a wide variety of locations and contexts. Let's take a look at a few samples for each before we go to our 'hands-on' with these tech tools.

Green Screen video capture is a technique within video editing software where a unique background is layered behind the object or individual in the front of the scene. This is done using a green or blue background since it provided the greatest contrast to skin tones and most objects. View the samples from Hollywood creations and classroom presentations.

Some classroom examples:

Arctic Habitat Report

News from Jackson Florida

Additional resources and examples of students creating stories using GREEN SCREEN are available on Dr. Wesley Fryer's Resource page. This includes and example of a student planning board, and engaging "I Am Art" Vimeo video (that would WOW any audience!), and a link to a Google Site for a summer workshop for teachers.

What about screen casting

Screencasting is a video capture technique where a computer user can capture what they are doing or creating on the computer screen. This has the potential of demonstrating or creating tutorials for any computer applications, games, tools or resources. Take a closer look at the video to the right and then explore this "The ScreenCasting Handbook."

Hands ON - Activity
Now it's your turn to try some hands on green screen and screen casting. Use the tools to create a 20-30 second video clip that can be integrated into your digital story or be part of your digital collection, or an MDL4000 special project using green screen and AR/VR tools.
Using some of these 'How To' resources, take a minute to learn more about what to do.
Learning through 'trial and error' can be supported by a wide variety of resources and tips. Here are a few to get you started.

Green Screen iMovie 11 from Jonah Salsich on Vimeo.

Green Screen
in the Classroom
Here are several examples, blogs and links that will get your creative applications started. Think of your upcoming placement experience and how green screening technology could be applied to a culminating task for a unit plan.

Green Screen storytelling, Jason Ohler
Green Screen App integration
Tech Tutorials - Using a Green Screen
The Reading Roundup - two teachers use green screen to create a video about 'non-fiction' reading

Screen-Cast in the Classroom
Some considerations for teachers when creating their own tutorials or lessons using this technology as well as how to engage students in the process.