New Digital Story Program - Just Make One!

This program as been postponed.  When a schedule is available it will be posted on this website as well as the Staff Digest.

This program will provide support to faculty and staff in creating a 3 to 5 minute digital story on one of three topics:

A common misconception in your discipline;
Your process of becoming a writer; or
Your process of becoming more globally aware.

What is a digital story?

Digital stories combine elements such as audio narration, still images, video clips onscreen text, and music to tell stories, usually in a movie file of less than five minutes. 

How are digital stories used in college courses and programs?

Digital stories created by both faculty and students are being used in higher education. Digital stories are created faculty to supplement a lesson, unit, or course or to provide students and potential majors with a personal viewpoint on a discipline. Digital stories are assigned to students to reinforce learning of course topics through review and reflection or to enrich learning through exploration of assigned or student-selected topics.

Are digital stories similar to academic essays?

Digital stories in education today tend to be works of non-fiction that use either a personal narrative or expository/documentary structure and style. Some are fictional works.

Digital stories in the personal narrative style are non-fiction stories told from an individual's perspective. The story subject's voice usually provides audio narration. Telling one's own story and the sound of the story subject's voice are key components of this style of digital story. These digital stories convey the author's process of learning or growth in a specific discipline, the author's process of choosing an academic specialization, or a powerful experience that influenced the author personally or professionally. They are most often created by individuals or by individuals with a technical consultant. The process of creating this type of digital video involves intense review and reflection, which can enhance learning and metacognition.

Digital stories that use an expository or journalistic style explore a single topic in depth or convey multiple views on a topic. They may include audio narration, audio or video interviews, still images or video clips, graphic illustrations or animations, and onscreen text. They convey information organized around a sequence of concepts or ideas rather than through narrative. Or they may begin with a personal story or anecdote (e.g. why/how I chose this topic or conducted the research), while the core of the video presents a sequence of ideas.

A third digital story structure and style used in higher education is the fictional digital story that conveys information through dramatization, example, analogy, or parody using formats such as the fake news report, the historical reenactment, or the fictional case study. 

How are digital stories assigned?

igital stories don't necessarily need to end up on the Internet, but can be shown or distributed as a video file instead if desired. They can be shown in class or assigned as homework. Internet options include placing them within a password-protected learning management system or on an open access personal or campus web page.

Interactive Tutorial: Creating a Digital Video

You are invited to use this online interactive tutorial on creating a digital video or digital story with Adobe Premiere Elements. This tutorial was created specifically for the UW-Superior campus context.

http://web-3.uwsuper.edu/cetl/tutorials/video/

This interactive tutorial guides learners step-by-step through the process of creating their first digital story by providing technical training on recommended processes. Upon completing the tutorial learners will have the technical information they need to complete a digital video and export a file ready for submission to their instructor. The tutorial includes creating a digital video with narration, still images, title, credits, and music. With the tutorial as foundation, learners can add video as source material to their project if desired.

The tutorial was created by CETL. Please send any comments on the tutorial to cetl@uwsuper.edu.

Adobe Premiere Elements software is available on the UW-Superior campus on the 30 computers in computer classroom Swenson 2020, on computers 1 - 3 in the Jim Dan Hill Library, on computers 54 and 55 in the 24-hour access lab in Swenson 1019, for faculty/staff in the Technology Training Room in Swenson 1070, and for the Mathematics and Computer Science Department in Swenson 3011. It is available at a discount to University departments and units via WISC.

Overview of digital stories at UW-Superior

On global awareness and study abroad

by UW-Superior faculty and student graduate

Travels  in a Bleak and Cheerful Land ...Or How Bosnia Tempered My Pessimism About History With Optimism About People (7:46 minutes), by Dr. Karl F. Bahm, Professor of History, Department of Social Inquiry, UW-Superior.

A Visit to Bosnia, a digital story based on a UW-Superior study abroad experience, created by Ezra Riley as a UW-Superior junior. He is a Spanish and International Peace Studies major and recent UW-Superior graduate.

Weaving with Paint:An International Collaboration of Women (4.24 minutes), by Dr. Kathy Hubbard, Assistant Professor of Art Education, Department of Visual Arts, UW-Superior.

On becoming a writer

by UW Superior students and graduates

Journey through Writing (2:24 minutes), created by Amanda Kvam as a UW-Superior senior and Writing Center Tutor. She is a recent UW-Superior graduate.

Story of Writing Development  (3:02 minutes), created by Tim Rogentine as a UW-Superior senior and Writing Center Tutor.

Links to additional digital stories

Center for Digital Storytelling:  http://www.storycenter.org/stories/

The Ohio State University: http://telr.osu.edu/storytelling/stories.html

BBC's Capture Wales Project:?http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/yourvideo/queries/capturewales.shtml

Cows and Fish: Stories from the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society: http://www.cowsandfish.org/photos/digital.aspx