Digital Storytelling Contextual Analysis

Montana Education Standards met:  With this digital storytelling project students introduce family members and friends using video, photos and internet media.  In practicing basic language skills like conjugating common verbs and introducing oneself and others, students work to fulfill Montana English Language Proficiency Standard 1, which states “English Language Learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting”.  Because students will be using many resources to create this personalized multi-media presentation, they will be better equipped to meet Montana K-12 Content Technology Standard 3 which states “the student will apply digital tools and skills with creativity and innovation to express his/herself, construct knowledge and develop products and processes”. 

Learning Outcome:  Students will properly use and conjugate the verbs “to be” and “to like” as well as one other verb for every person they introduce.

Unit Overview: The unit that this digital storytelling project would be incorporated into is a unit for beginner students that introduces basic vocabulary and verb conjugation.  Students would have learned family member vocabulary and occupation vocabulary by the time we start the unit on activity vocabulary, present tense verb conjugation and how to make introductions.  Students will be given time to explore movie making programs.  They can bring in photos to be scanned, bring in camera chips, or download photos from the internet.  Students are required to use at least two forms of media (photos, internet graphics, video, etc).  Using a digital storytelling project assignment to teach these concepts will hopefully engage students more than a more traditional presentation as well as teach students the skills to navigate movie making programs.  Rather than create a poster board or present in front of the class, students will learn to find internet graphics, use movie making programs and create a streamlined, visually pleasing digital story.  It gives the chance for students to make their friends and family a little more glamorous and exciting by making a movie/slideshow about them.