Digital Storytelling with Social Studies

By Jayma Marler

Dilemmas in teaching social studies effectively: • social studies themes and topics are not usually among statewide assessments

• often placed on the back burner and the amount of material to review in many social studies topic areas a concernAdvice:

• Try to the students involved in various historical events• Have the students engage in activities that require some historical facts• Try to make the subjects interesting by having the students do some research

before the next class

Perils of the information explosion:• ready availability of information on internet has created several concerns for

social studies educators• some believe internet info has potential to alter traditional relationship between

student and teacherAdvice:

• Try to give more info from books• Limit project research to mostly books and certain websites

Issues and problems

Digital storytellingo Relevant Advantage:

- Allows students to connect themselves with the past and present throughout history

- Represents abstract and concrete social studies concepts

- More creativity for students to work with

o Where/ when would I use this strategy?:

- I would use it at the end of units because not only would it be a fun assignment but it would allow the students to review all that was covered.

o Adaptations for students with disabilities:

- The students with disabilities won’t be denied this opportunity. So, since I plan on being an ESE teacher I hope to have enough assistant teachers to help as many as possible.

- Also, there will be groups of three or four so that others who understand the project or don’t have a disability will be able to assist them if an assistant teacher cannot be found.

o Suggestions for avoiding unintended outcomes:

- Students should be monitored every time that this project is going on

- Don’t allow any student to play around with any of the equipment or use it for anything besides creating a digital story

o Assessment:

During-

- Students worked very will during the whole project and listened to all of the instructions

- Everyone helped one another

After-

- All of stories came out nicely and quite interesting

- The students are excited to use the digital storytelling strategy for more projects.

Technology Integration Strategies

Virtual Tripso Relevant Advantage:

-Helps reinforce what they have learned on a class field trip

-They still have some of the same instructional benefits just like of simulated environmentso Where/when would I use this strategy?:

-I would use this strategy if I myself have went to an ancient city that I was discussing in my class.

-Also, I would use it so students could see various cities when they were first built.o Adaptations for students with disabilities:

-Since the virtual trips are shown online this strategy will be used to show all students so those with disabilities wouldn’t have to struggle to watch like the other students.

o Suggestions for avoiding unintended outcomes:

-Keep the computer set on only the sites for the virtual trips

-Only show the trips with the whole class at the same time to avoid students going to irrelevant sites and so students with disabilities don’t have to be bothered with extra equipment

o Assessment:

During-

-The students enjoyed this quite will

-There was no issues with students going to other sites

After-

-The students have requested to have more virtual trips

-All the students were able to have discussions about the trips as a whole group

Strategies Cont.

I used the digital storytelling strategy to create my lesson. In it the students will be creating their own stories in groups of three to four students as a project for the end of units.

Also, they are able to look at other groups stories and review for upcoming quizzes and tests.

All of the projects will be saved and be able to be accessed for exams, such as midterms and finals.

Here’s the link to my lesson plan: https://sites.google.com/a/mail.usf.edu/jayma-marler-eme-2040-eportfolio/home/10-presentation

Overview of the Lesson

The students enjoyed the project greatly and are very excited to be using this strategy again, and not only just with social studies.

However, it did take longer than expected but not that much longer.

Since all the students had such a good time with this project I plan on using more this year and upcoming years!!!

Reflection