Learning Through Creation: Lessons from a Digital Storytelling Project

 


The task of making a digital story took a lot longer than expected. Creative projects like this often take longer than expected. From experience, even something as simple as cutting paper for a matching activity can be more time-consuming than anticipated. Although this project took a significant amount of time, it was enjoyable. A task like this would be better suited to an end-of-term or end-of-year project, when students have enough time to explore ideas without feeling rushed.

One challenge that can arise is understanding copyright. If students aren't aware of how fair use or fair share works, they could unintentionally misuse content. This is an important topic that should be addressed early on, as part of introducing digital work and media use.

For my digital story, I chose to use the free version of Canva. The topic centered around a class project in which students planned a bake sale to raise money for gym equipment. They were responsible for calculating costs and projected profits using a spreadsheet. Students collaborated by brainstorming ideas in Google Docs, researching recipes online, and presenting their findings in Google Slides. They also surveyed classmates using Google Forms to gauge treat preferences. Once the sale was complete, students calculated the final profits and presented the outcome to the class.

Using Canva was a mixed experience. I used it before in the past, but it still took some time to figure out what kind of project to create and how to add elements, including a voiceover. As with all digital tools, their ever-changing and evolving nature can present a new learning curve each time. One helpful feature was the AI voiceover option, which allowed me to enter text and convert it directly into speech. However, students also have the option to record their own voice. Overall, this task showed me the importance of patience and creativity when working with digital tools and appreciate the effort behind digital storytelling.

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