Sketch to Story: Cultivating Global Skills Through Freeform

Outline

Introduction (5 minutes)
-Content: Introduce session goals, ISTE Standard 1.6 (Creative Communicator), and connections to global competencies.
-Engagement: Quick audience poll (hands up or digital) on how participants currently integrate storytelling and collaboration tools.

Why Storytelling + Global Competencies (10 minutes)
-Content: Share examples of storytelling practices that develop creativity, communication, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.
-Engagement: Peer-to-peer think–pair–share: “How does storytelling already show up in your classroom?”

3. Demonstrating iOS Freeform for Storytelling (15 minutes)
-Content: Live demo of Freeform features (visual mapping, multimodal input, collaborative boards). Show classroom-ready examples of complex idea communication.
-Engagement: Participants use their own devices to explore a sample Freeform template provided by the presenter.

4. Interactive Activity: Designing a Global Story (15 minutes)
-Content: Small groups create a quick Freeform storyboard on a global theme (e.g., sustainability, cultural identity, community connections).
-Engagement: Device-based collaboration in groups of 3–4; each group visually communicates a complex idea using Freeform tools.

Sharing & Reflection (10 minutes)
-Content: Groups showcase their Freeform boards; discussion on how the activity fosters ISTE Standard 1.6.c and global competencies.
-Engagement: Facilitated debrief—participants share strategies for adapting the activity to their own contexts.

Call to Action & Resources (5 minutes)
-Content: Summarize takeaways, highlight resources, and invite participants to implement at least one Freeform-based storytelling activity.
-Engagement: Share & Shine: “What is one way you will use Freeform to help students communicate complex ideas?”

Outcomes

-Practical strategies for using iOS Freeform to support storytelling, collaboration, and visual thinking, communication..
-Frameworks for aligning digital storytelling with global competencies (creativity, communication, cultural awareness, critical thinking).
-Ready-to-use classroom activities that inspire students to create and share stories across contexts and communities.

Supporting research

Using Pages for Storytelling (https://education.apple.com/story/250013426)

Storytelling (https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/storytelling-x/)

Storytelling & Science with James Cameron (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5d6RvbQbTg)

Global Competencies (https://www.globalcompetencies.cmec.ca/global-competencies)