Digital+Storytelling+-+PhotoStory

Digital Storytelling with Photo Story and Xtranormal Presenter: Melissa Fleischman

Presented the free Microsoft product Photo Story 3 and how it can be used to create video presentations using pictures, text, voice, and music. This program is easy to use and could readily be infused into the existing currciculum. Completed movies can be saved as .avi or quicktime movies and later linked together using Windows Movie Maker. This bring the powerpoint presentation concepts up to the next level. This would be really good for research essays - you can import primary source pictures etc.

Xtranormal allow you to make movies using avatar-like characters. There are some sophisticated movie-making features available, for example, camera angle and zoom etc. However, there is not filter for inappropriate content so it might better be used by the teacher to make movies to support lessons or with small groups of more responsible students to keep them out of mischief.

Movies can be show on the web with a Video share program like Vimeo which allows password protection.

Good book about digital storytelling is "Bringing the Outside In" by Kajder.