Header image
  
Oral History
           
 
 
            
Teaching Oral History

In addition to the "resources" section, items below may be of help in establishing an oral history pedagogy in your classroom. Sample assignments and handouts are in Word format for easy adaptation to your teaching needs.

This includes short explanations of Dervin's Sense-Making Methodology, used in the oral history interview protocols.
1. Assignment 1: View Stories  [MS Word doc, 61 KB]
This assignment provides a structured method for students to select and view digital stories from a variety of sources.
2. Assignment 2: Read and Respond: CDS Digital Storytelling Cookbook and KQED DSI "How-To"  
[MS Word doc, 61 KB]
This assignment has students reading chapters from 2 free books on creating digital stories. They then respond in a structured format that separates author's ideas, interpretation of author's ideas, and students personal response to the readings.
3. Assignment 3: Read and Respond: CDS Digital Storytelling Cookbook: "7 Story Elements"  
[MS Word doc, 61 KB]
In this assignment, students focus on a key chapter in making their story come to life. By the time they read this chapter, the theme for the storytelling has been set and students are asked to have an idea in mind for their story.
4. Assignment 4, 5, 6: Scripts

Assignment 4 is a draft of the first script. 5 is the second draft, (with storyboard) completed after feedback from the "story circle" reading of assignment 4. Assignment 6 is the third draft, completed after the feedback from the group reading of assignment 5 has been integrated in to the revised script.

Additional "step" assignments might include: collecting and preparation of assets (photos, artifacts, music) into digital format, recording of narration, exporting media file upon completion of project, etc.

Print Resources

Frazel, Midge. 2010. Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators. 1st ed. Eugene, Or.: International Society for Technology in Education,

Miller, Carolyn Handler. 2008. Digital Storytelling : A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment. 2nd ed. Amsterdam ; Boston: Focal Press/Elsevier.

Miller, Lisa C. 2010. Make Me a Story : Teaching Writing through Digital Storytelling. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse Publishers,

Ohler, Jason. 2008. Digital Storytelling in the Classroom : New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press,