Digital Storytelling Initiative
http://www.coe.uh.edu/digitalstorytelling

After the initial catalyst of Digital Storytelling was sparked by two instructional technology courses, a buzz of interest began to spread throughout the College of Education. As the interest in the uses of Digital Storytelling in the classroom began to grow in popularity in the College of Education the LITE fellows decided to offer a one-hour presentation in the LITE lab which attracted forty faculty, staff and students to attend. From this initial presentation, the buzz grew louder. More educators expressed interest in learning Digital Storytelling and the particular software most often used, Microsoft Photo Story 3. LITE offered a hands-on workshop for faculty, staff, and instructional designers in both the COE and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS). A month later, due to overwhelming interest, LITE offered a second Digital Storytelling hands-on workshop for additional faculty, staff and instructional designers from the COE and CLASS. During the past year and a half, LITE has offered numerous workshops and presentations on Digital Storytelling, including a series of summer workshops developed for K-12 teachers.

In addition to the summer workshops for K-12 teachers, and workshops for College of Liberal Arts faculty, staff, and instructional designers, LITE fellows introduced Digital Storytelling to other educators, colleges, and students through workshops and presentations. LITE fellows worked closely with a Houston Independent School District (HISD) teacher of high school world history, economics and government to give workshops in the LITE lab for the teacher’s 10th grade students during the spring 2005 semester, and again for another group of her students, in the fall 2005 semester. A total of five students from both workshops were recognized in the HISD history fair and given 1st and 2nd place awards for their Digital Stories. LITE fellows presented Digital Storytelling to University of Houston Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management faculty and staff. LITE collaborated with a local non-profit “Project Row Houses” in teaching Digital Storytelling to their after-school students. One of the LITE fellows presented at a national Digital Storytelling conference entitled “From Digital Photographer to Digital Storyteller” about using Digital Photography to create Digital Stories. Lastly, many more presentations were made, and are being planned, for Houston area schools about the uses of Digital Storytelling in the classroom.

Contact Anne Rudnicki or Alysa Cozart, HE Fellows, for more information.