Slice of Life: Battling Tech Trepidation

(This is for Slice of Life).

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This coming Friday, a colleague/friend/collaborator (Gail Poulin, whom some of you may know through blogging and Twitter) and I will be facilitating a session around digital storytelling via iMovie with the colleagues at our school. I won’t say I am nervous, but I will say that I know the range of technology comfort is wide among our staff, and there are probably more than a few that would rather do anything than work with technology during a PD day. We were asked to do this session by our principal and I do want to find ways to engage my colleagues with digital writing.

Still,  Gail and I both are aware of the trepidation among our teaching friends, and let’s be honest: iMovie is more complicated than Photostory3, but we are now a Mac school so … into iMovie we go. At yesterday’s staff meeting, as I talked about what to expect for the session (we’re going make digital stories in a hands-on session) and what to bring (Macs and images, etc.), I also tried to broaden the expectations around discovery, fun and reflective stance. I had created this presentation in Haiku Deck to help ease some minds.

Did it work? I’m not sure, and the fact that we will have a pretty large crowd on Friday for a technology session around digital storytelling means that Gail and I will be running around a bit, I am sure. But I also made clear that they will be called on to help each other, that this PD is going to be collaborative. We need one another. We’re a community of learners, too.

And my final point? They are going to make a digital story during our time together, and the story can be about whatever they want (school, family, vacation, etc.) but find and work on a story that interests them and which will result in a digital video that will be something they can be proud of. Find a passion. Just like our students. Right?

Peace (in the slice),
Kevin

7 Comments
  1. I never get more nervous to present, than I do when presenting to the staff at my own school. Funny, isn’t it? I wish you taught at my school. It sounds amazing! Making digital stories with iMovie? So cool! Have fun with it and good luck!

  2. Best to you in this, Kevin. We too have a wide range and the students have traveled farther of course. Hope you find some teachers who realize it can be done!

  3. We love the Haiku Deck you created. What a wonderful way to ease everyone’s minds and give practical information. Can’t wait to try using that in our own PD sessions.

  4. It’;s a good thing that folks like and respect Kevin. His teasers go a long way in reducing the stress in those most allergic to tech. I am confident that folks will get more out of it than they bring with them and that the learning will still be processing in the days and weeks to come. That is always cool!

  5. I checked out your presentation in Haiku Deck. Patience and a sense of humor sure are necessary!

    Are you doing any digital storytelling workshops at NCTE? Would love to take one if you are.

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