Roxie: For educators who want to start having students create digital stories, what tips or tricks do you have for them? That is, the things you know now that you wished you would have known when you first got started? Bernajena: This I know --- teachers way underestimate the pre-production stage where the thinking and writing are deliberate in creating worthy content. No amount of bells and whistles can ever lift up superficial stories or storytelling! And if storyboards are skipped because of the hassle or student lack of interest – you will get a diminished product where the technology becomes the main character. Storytelling is an artistic expression that lets others FEEL and connect – thinking of digital storytelling as tech tools diminishes the message and loses the power of influence. Roxie: Absolutely! I hate to “sit and get” when someone is using PowerPoint for that very reason. It takes so long for the words to fly in – all the animation drives me crazy! Often there is so much glitz that audiences lose their focus and the message is lost! It is the same with digital stories. When you look out on the horizon, what do you think is the future of digital storytelling? What changes do you see on the horizon based on new tools, technologies, or techniques? Bernajena: The mediums and opportunities to express ourselves are ever changing – but the basics of storytelling still create the power. Jason Ohler and I will be experimenting with a Choose-Your-Own StoryTelling Quest using Augmented Reality [QR Codes on Steroids] for ISTE 2014. Roxie: I cant wait!!!!! What has been your greatest success with digital storytelling? That one defining moment or project – something either you did or someone else produced?
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