Instructional design/DS Tools

Storyteller's Toolbox

Digital Stories are created through the use of audio, images, video, and text. The first three categories (audio, images, video) are presented below. A multitude of digital tools exist for creating and manipulating media into stories. With that fact in mind, we have chosen our favorite digital tools that we believe will be useful for a novice or expert storyteller. (Note: Ctrl+click or Command+click to open links in a new window.) If you have time and would like examples of digital stories created with each of the presented tools, click Digital Storytelling Examples.

Format	Program	Features	Link
Audio	Audacity 2.0	Free, open source audio editing program (Note: requires Lamp MP3 plugin for exporting MP3 files)	Audacity
	iTunes U	Platform for students and educators to share audio stories via computer or mobile device	iTunes
	Soundcloud	Allows users to share audio stories and embed comments for others to view	Soundcloud.com
Images	Flickr	Allows users to create collections of images to tell a story	Flickr.com
	Pixlr	Free online photo editor	Pixlr.com
Video	YouTube	Allows users to upload, share, edit, comment, and remix videos	YouTube.com
	Vimeo	Allows users to upload and comment on videos	Vimeo.com
	iMovie	Free video editor for Mac users	iMovie
	windows Live Movie Maker	Free video editor for PC users	Movie Maker
Social Media	Twitter	Microblogging platform that allows users to upload images, link to videos, and link to websites: create a story collaboratively via common hashtag create a story collaboratively via dedicated account	Twitter.com
	Facebook	Allows users to post images, videos, and text descriptions.	Facebook.com
	Storify	Curates posts from Twitter, Facebook, YouTube videos, and other social media in one cohesive page.	Storify.com
	Tumblr	Blogging platform that allows users to post images, videos, text, links, and quotes. Users can create individual blogs or collaborate on one blog.	Tumblr.com
	Voicethread	Collaborative slideshow that uses images, documents, videos, and audio; allows comments	Voicethread.com
	Prezi	Nonlinear presentation program that allows the incorporation of images, videos, text, and audio	Prezi.com

Application

Now that you have an understanding of the most common tools used in digital storytelling, test your knowledge with the following quiz. For each question, select all that apply.

1 Students will collaborate to create a digital story using both text and images. Which of these tools could they use?

	Facebook
	Audacity
	Pixlr
	Flickr

2 Students will create a digital story using only audio. Which of these tools could they use?

	Audacity
	Soundcloud
	Twitter
	Storify

3 Students will create a digital story using using text, audio, photos, and video. Which of these tools could they use?

	Flickr
	Voicethread
	Soundcloud
	YouTube

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