Storytelling for the Modern Classroom

Digital storytelling is the practice of using a variety of animation tools to tell stories. This seminar will showcase the work undertaken by pupils and staff at St Michael's Primary, Dumbarton in the area of 'Digital Storytelling'. Using several packages, children have created fantastic multimedia video presentations using images combined with text, narration and music as well as high quality digital comics and short animated films.

Exciting cross curricular contexts have been used and topics that children have developed have included anti-smoking presentations, Comics; encapsulating key aspects of learning in health education as well as short animated tales , written, produced and directed by the children. These activities have encouraged children to think and work in creative and innovative ways and have further developed their ability to work co-operatively. Key aspects of a Curriculum for Excellence have been developed using digital storytelling and draft outcomes for literacy and technologies have been taken into account when planning activities.

The speakers will present various resources/methodologies currently used within the school as well as showcasing the work of the children. The work that the school has undertaken in this area was recently highlighted as an example of good practice by HMIe

Brendan Docherty, P7 class teacher at St Michael’s Primary, Dumbarton has responsibility for development/coordination of ICT within own school.

Julie Reilly, is Principal teacher at St Patrick’s Primary, Dumbarton.

Both speakers strive to ensure that ICT is an integral part of practice and that it permeates all aspects of the curriculum.  Delivered a presentation on using Smart Notebook 10 in the classroom on the Steljes stand at SLF 2008