The digital story that stuck with me the most, and that i'm going to be discussing in this blog post, is Pinepoint by the National Film Board in Canada. This digital story immediately engaged me with its first line being "imagine your hometown never changed.." This really resonated with me, as someone who has lived in Lincoln, Nebraska her whole life (GBR). I could probably drive around Lincoln with my eyes closed I know it so well. I even teach at the same elementary school that I went to as a kid, and nothing about the school has changed one bit. I also loved that the story was interactive. Right away I wanted to learn more and click "Play". Throughout the interactive story, I was able to explore different photos, videos, articles, interviews, and so much more. There was information on history of the town, major events, specific locations/stores in the town, people born there, and so on. I found it extremely engaging - mainly because of the music, visuals, and interactiveness. All of these things enhanced how the audience was able to truly understand Pinepoint and what it was like. The graphics were older, neutral, calm colors, and the audio was relaxing music. There was also audio for things like bees buzzing, cars driving, wind blowing, interviews, and so on. I think there is something really powerful about music and how it can make you feel. I think the creator of this digital story thought very carefully about the music they incorporated, and how it would add to the ambiance and encaption of the town.
I think the digital story holds a strong educational value. It not only helps students bring history to life in a digital sense, but through a personal narrative of sorts. It also helps students understand the overarching theme of community and change over time. When thinking about ISTE Standards for students, I first thought of empowered learner, "Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences." (ISTE, 2016) Students engage with a digital website and bring their story to life, or in this case, the town's story. Creative communicator is also addressed, as students are challenged to think creatively by telling a story through digital images, visuals, audio, and text. Global collaborator is also addressed, students not only have to understand several perspectives of the Pinepoint, but also of a different time in history. I think this story would be best suited for grades 8-12. I think younger grades (elementary level) would enjoy the interactive concept, however some of the images and level of text are more suited towards an older (and more mature) audience. I also think an older audience would better understand the impact of living in one community for so long, and how nostalgia feels. I think my current 4th grade students would really enjoy this, however, they may need help understanding certain words, and may laugh or not take serious certain images.
I believe that the digital story, PinePoint, aligns strongly with Jason Ohler and Joe Lambert's blogs. The story has not only a strong educational value, but also helps build skills with digital tools. It connects to both reading and social studies, while also aligning with ISTE standards for students. Lambert had a strong idea of context, crisis, change, and closure, while Ohler emphasized the importance of a clear narrative to follow. I think that the story about Pinepoint established immediately, how much a close-knit and historically charged community it was. The story starts by setting the scene and helping the audience understand what the town was like, addresses the loss of the town during a crisis, talks about residents moving and going through change, and then reflects on the past through several memories. The story feels personal and historic, even to someone who isn't from that town. I think it shows how meaningful our location, community, and everyday interactions really are in our lives.
Citations :
National Film Board of Canada. (n.d.). Pine pointers. Welcome to Pine Point.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2016). ISTE standards for students. ISTE. https://iste.org/standards/students
Hello Ella,
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your blog post this week. I agree that interactive articles can create such a fun way to engage an audience, especially when they are younger. I really appreciate when authors include background music as it helps set the tone for which their story is presented. Digital stories like these definitely help show student examples of how to be creative communicators and help motivate them to try and use technology to share their own stories. As you mention, I believe each age group will interpret a story differently based on their own life experiences and understanding of concepts such as time.
Thoughtful discussion, Ella! I appreciate you for sharing the feelings of living in your hometown and the connection to the history and memories. Great connection with ISTE standards and the readings.
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