Instructional design/DS Tools


Storyteller's Toolbox

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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

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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

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Flickr Allows users to create collections of images to tell a story Flickr.com
Pixlr Free online photo editor Pixlr.com

Video

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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

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Twitter Microblogging platform that allows users to upload images, link to videos, and link to websites:
  1. create a story collaboratively via common hashtag
  2. 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

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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