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The writing process is the same. In other words, a script is required before a person can actually begin the process of moviemaking, so the familiar portion is the development of the written document – first, brainstorming ideas, putting some things down on "paper," getting thoughts together. This is the familiar writing piece of the puzzle. I emphasize this with my students in each and every writing project that we tackle throughout the school year. But what's new about it? The entire bloody affair is new! My difficulties with technology have always been in the arena of hesitancy…I am hesitant to make a mistake for fear of "losing" the whole project (even though I believe the mantra of save-save-save). What's different? Working with the iMovie medium is very different for me. I learned a lot of neat things, but I would have to jump in and attempt another project right away so I would have confidence in working in this particular medium. What's challenging? Technology is challenging to me. There are things I pick up readily, that I understand, that I grasp quickly. Then, on the other hand, there are parts that don't come as quickly…I guess it goes back to the old saying "practice makes perfect." And is it transforming? Yes, definitely. To do something like this was a very cool thing. Describe your current teaching situation, as well as the rubric(s) you might implement for digital storytelling projects. I would really enjoy doing a project like this with my eighth-graders. The problem that I would encounter is the lack of adequate technology at my school. However, there is hope on the horizon. My "Tech-Guy" told me that there is a great possibility of the district implementing a new traveling lab that will include a cart and about twenty-five new laptops! If this comes to fruition, I will be able to jump in and attempt something like this with the eighth-graders. The only other problem is that I have all of the eighth-graders…about 165 students. With these numbers, I would certainly be pulling out what little hair I have left if I took on such an endeavor. So, perhaps I will try this only with one class. It is just a matter of deciding how, when, and with whom to attempt such a task! In regard to rubrics, the main assessment would be on the development and writing of the script. I would spend time with the kids on revising their writing so that they had a very polished written document to read for their movie project. The rest of the project would be deemed a success by actually completing the digital storytelling process and coming up with an iMovie. What are your thoughts about audience and voice? My students would be encouraged to consider their audience and their voice in this type of project, just as they are in any writing that they do. I believe, after my experience with this workshop, that the audience I am exposing my movie to has the possibility of being huge. That can give anyone pause; it can be overwhelming to consider such an audience. The experience in working in this medium was very enlightening to me. I think that it is so very cool to be able to produce a "movie" and be able to share it, on the Internet, with a ton of other people. Describe your project and your workshop experience. I decided to put together something about our three kids to celebrate my wife's and my twenty-fifth anniversary. The reason I chose this topic is because we have shoeboxes full of photos of the three of them – a sort of family historical view. I thought it would be fun to look at the old photos, as we will sit and do this on selected holidays and special evenings. I had a high level of frustration putting this together due to lack of knowledge on my part of technology. So, I guess I was similar to that kid in class who just isn't as quick or advanced as others and has to struggle. It was fun writing the script, gathering the pictures, and using our new digital camera to snap the photos and get them into the jpeg format. I really did enjoy this medium and hope to be able to continue to use this new technology to improve classroom presentations! It was a wonderful experience, and I thank RCWP for putting this workshop together with the Pearson Foundation.
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