Digital Storytelling

Digital tools and a 360-degree approach to storytelling are revolutionising the creative process for kids and teens everywhere.

I was recently funded to take my digital story brainstorming app, Story Scrapbook, on tour. CAL (Copyright Agency Limited) and the University of New England supported a two-week tour of the New England Region. I did my own creative work and ran digital storytelling workshops with children, teens and adults using Story Scrapbook. Here is what happened…

Story Scrapbook is point-and-shoot with the young and computer-savvy picking the basic functions up in minutes.

Year 8 boys created stories based on their greatest fears.

Beautiful downtown Armidale where I was based for the tour. There was an earthquake during my stay! (Pic by Amber Melody.)

Me, flying, after brilliant digital storytelling sessions with the kids at a little country school, Kingstown Public.

One of the adult writing workshops at the New England Regional Art Museum. In general, children and teens are able to pick the app up and run with it a little more quickly than their elders but many at the adult workshops discovered great possibilities for using the app in their own creative and teaching work.

Many boys created sport-related stories. The app allowed them to gather video, images, music, maps and notes related to the sport they were passionate about.

Jane Austen battling a dalek on a bookshelf at the University of New England. (Not really related but difficult not to include. This may never happen again.)

This student was able to get brilliant results from the app’s drawing tool.

Each group is invited to give feedback on the app, making users a part of future development.

The Hogwarts-style dining room at TAS, The Armidale School. I dined here after  three creative workshop sessions with the boys.

The tour was a great example of creative communities in action. Huge thanks to CAL and the wonderful Elizabeth Hale from the University of New England. Liz will be touring three more children’s authors / illustrators to the region next year so, if you are a children’s storyteller, keep your ear to the ground.