Presenters
High school Anatomy and Physiology teacher and school garden coordinator, Apple Distinguished Educator, Texas Region 10 TOY
Michael is an award-winning teacher and international speaker whose work focuses on digital and civic literacy, storytelling, project-based learning, and social justice. His book about authentic learning, “Storytelling With Purpose,” rethinks how we teach and learn by embracing student curiosity as a way to bring purpose and joy back to learning. His newsletter, podcast, and published articles help educators and policy makers embrace innovation in education. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator, and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow.
Follow him on X/Twitter: @cinehead and Instagram: @changing.the.narrative www.michael-hernandez.net
Leah LaCrosse is an 8th grade science teacher in Huron, Ohio. She integrates technology of all kinds throughout her Earth, Physical, and Life Science curriculum. From iPads to drones and robots, learning science through engineering challenges, play, and project based activities is how her students work all year. Leah has presented at many conferences including ISTE, OETC, SXSW EDU, and NSTA. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Sphero Hero, and National Board Certified Teacher.
Session description
In school and in society, science can often be a dry subject, often disconnected from our students’ lives. In this session, award-winning educators address these challenges by integrating digital storytelling projects to provide purpose for science curriculum beyond the classroom, as an authentic assessment, and to foster civic engagement.
Purpose & objective
This session reframes learning of science through the lens of digital storytelling—as a way to provide purpose for the scientific method, and as a way for students to articulate their learning to an audience beyond the classroom. By doing so, students leverage passion and curiosity to drive their learning, enhancing motivation, and providing opportunities for civic engagement and to make connections between science literacy and digital literacy. We discuss how to design lessons, how to transform existing lessons, and share case studies and activities to support these ideas. Digital resources provide additional ideas and inspiration.
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Outline
Intro (5 min)
What is digital storytelling? (5 min)
Storytelling projects for inquiry & research? (5 min)
Storytelling projects for assessment (5 min)
Case Studies: Sample stories from a variety of subject areas (10 min)
Activity: How to transform a current lesson into a digital storytelling project (15)
Workflow, Tips and Best Practices for the classroom (10 min)
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Supporting research
https://cesr.usc.edu/sites/default/files/Knowledge%20in%20Action%20Efficacy%20Study_18feb2021_final.pdf
https://www.scirp.org/(S(czeh2tfqyw2orz553k1w0r45))/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=85496
https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/joop.12064
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