I have learned mostly that it is okay to include myself in my writing rather than keeping my distance by using third person or a passive voice. I think I have always been "in my writing," but more in an "undercover" way. I was always taught to follow strict writing guidelines, but now I am trying to break free from these chains and simply write from my heart. I find it is easier to write when I am passionate about a particular subject.
Now let me clarify "easier." If I have passion for what I am writing, it is "easier" not to procrastinate. I want to write. It seems the words want to be released onto paper. However, it is not "easy" when it comes to revision and reducing the "lard factor." I have learned that a paper is never perfect and revisions are numerous. I guess the most serious revelation that I have had is that it is "okay" to walk away from a paper and return to it days, weeks, or months later.
This class has involved a lot of peer editing/reading. I have always let someone read my papers before submitting them. Most of the time my father reads them. He makes comments and corrects mechanical errors for me. This has proven to be most helpful. In addition to this, I read my papers outloud to my husband. Boy, he enjoys this! Of course, it probably helps him fall asleep, but it helps me to find errors in my paper. I will continue this practice. My family will probably be most grateful when I graduate from this program.
I have also learned that writing is a process and that every individual has his/her own process. I have somewhat identified mine as being a planner. I have spoken about my process in class. It seems outdated with pen/paper, but it works for me. This class has brought my attention to how and why I write. I appreciate that .
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
How I discovered the Power of Digital Storytelling
Donna Boston Ross
Writing Draft
September 27, 2008
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
-Plutarch
How I Discovered the Power of Digital Storytelling
I think it is rather strange that I cannot remember the day or even the year that I was first introduced to the concept of digital storytelling. However, I still, can to this day, recall the sights and sounds that were contained in the first digital story I ever watched. My ears still hear the crickets in the background and my mind recalls vivid pictures of rural Catawba County as a gentle, soothing voice narrates personal experiences and life lessons learned being a child of a fisherman. The story was entitled “A Fisherman’s Child” and it was written and co-produced by two English instructors at Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC), Ms. Kay Gregory and Ms. Joyce Steelman. Little did I know, this brief three and one half minute video production involving images, sound, and narrative would be the spark that would ignite a passion which would become the focus of my doctoral dissertation.
The viewing itself was an emotional experience that required deep introspective and reflective practices from myself as the listener. However, at the time, I must admit I did not see the profound implication it had for adult learners. Like most of my colleagues, I saw this as a passing technology fad and simply thought that lack of funds to purchase necessary software and computers would extinguish any hopes of implementing digital storytelling at CVCC. Historically, in the state of North Carolina, funding at the community college level has always been an issue in the implementation of innovative ideas.
Then, as Ms. Gregory and Ms. Steelman, concluded their presentation, they enthusiastically announced that they had applied for a grant; and, as a result, had received full funding to equip one classroom as a digital storytelling laboratory. Thanks to their persistence and their strong belief in the power of story these two became CVCC’s first digital storytelling pioneers. They willingly shared with other colleagues in the institution with the hopes of fanning the flame across the campus and across disciplines.
The year 2003 was the infamous year of preparation for the institution’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaffirmation. I am able to recollect this year because it was the beginning of more than seventy-eight meetings that I would attend as the recording secretary of the CVCC Leadership Team. Together the Leadership Team carefully documented the 2004-2005 compliance certification while attempting to interpret vague, ambiguous SACS guidelines. As fate would have it, CVCC’s reaffirmation was occurring at a time SACS was initiating new procedures for the reaffirmation process. As part of the new procedure, SACS required the institution to develop and implement a Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) that focused on enhancing student learning. The three QEP interventions chosen at CVCC were Digital Storytelling, Team Teaching and the development of a Writing Center. Each intervention was implemented in a staggered pattern from 2005-2006 and was continued in successive semesters. Now, the administration was formally introduced to digital storytelling and the word started to spread across the campus.
However, in my opinion, by involving digital storytelling as a QEP focus the flames were not fanned, but rather it was though digital storytelling was put in an airtight container. As education has moved towards “data driven decision-making,” educational practices, which typically do not fit in the empirical arena of measurement, are thought of as having no educational value. It is true that my institution gathered valuable comparative data on student success rates of English students involved in digital storytelling in contrast to those students who were not. This satisfied the SACS requirement of measurable outcomes, but totally ignored student growth in the affective domain. Dr. Parker Palmer, in his book entitled The Courage to Teach, writes, “The intuitive is derided as irrational, true feeling is dismissed as sentimental, the imagination is seen as chaotic and unruly, and storytelling is labeled as personal and pointless” (p. 52). To limit the measurement of academic growth only to a set of numbers detracts from the power of digital storytelling as related to individual and collective constructed meaning.
I have essentially felt negatively towards the method numerical measurement as the only means of assessing student academic growth throughout my educational experiences as a student, teacher, and administrator. I have managed to hide the beast of resistance and have reluctantly conformed to the system of measurement and objectivism. It was not until I became a student in the doctoral program that the beast began to rear its ugly head. It was through the readings that I did in Dr. Dale’s class that resurrected the intense emotion of being the true teacher and the notion of interconnectedness. This is the reason I became a teacher. I wanted to cultivate relationships and unite in the learning experience with my students. The experience of being a student in his class brought me back to life. Life in education can be emotionally draining which ultimately forces one into a day-to-day survival mode. Dr. Dale’s class breathed new life into the lifeless veins of my educator self. Now, I can share my story and value the stories of others. Stories are the threads that keep humanity connected in this tapestry of life. Each thread is a vibrant addition and equally important in creating a beautiful piece of artwork. What better way to weave a tapestry than with a loom called digital storytelling? Technology used in this manner awakens the soul with images, sounds, and narrative to unite and strengthen by transforming and empowering both the student and teacher spirit.
For me, my story of how I became aware of digital storytelling began as a glowing ember. It was a fiery, red ember that needed to be kindled. Both professional and educational opportunities provided the breath that was needed to awaken this ember, spark a flame, and ignite a fire. What started out as a simple sharing session among colleagues has become much more. I will continue to spin my stories around an intense, internal fire keeping myself warm in the belief that digital storytelling fosters self-consciousness, exposes the individual as part of a larger whole, promotes a collective search for understanding, and ultimately seeks to improve the human condition.
Writing Draft
September 27, 2008
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
-Plutarch
How I Discovered the Power of Digital Storytelling
I think it is rather strange that I cannot remember the day or even the year that I was first introduced to the concept of digital storytelling. However, I still, can to this day, recall the sights and sounds that were contained in the first digital story I ever watched. My ears still hear the crickets in the background and my mind recalls vivid pictures of rural Catawba County as a gentle, soothing voice narrates personal experiences and life lessons learned being a child of a fisherman. The story was entitled “A Fisherman’s Child” and it was written and co-produced by two English instructors at Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC), Ms. Kay Gregory and Ms. Joyce Steelman. Little did I know, this brief three and one half minute video production involving images, sound, and narrative would be the spark that would ignite a passion which would become the focus of my doctoral dissertation.
The viewing itself was an emotional experience that required deep introspective and reflective practices from myself as the listener. However, at the time, I must admit I did not see the profound implication it had for adult learners. Like most of my colleagues, I saw this as a passing technology fad and simply thought that lack of funds to purchase necessary software and computers would extinguish any hopes of implementing digital storytelling at CVCC. Historically, in the state of North Carolina, funding at the community college level has always been an issue in the implementation of innovative ideas.
Then, as Ms. Gregory and Ms. Steelman, concluded their presentation, they enthusiastically announced that they had applied for a grant; and, as a result, had received full funding to equip one classroom as a digital storytelling laboratory. Thanks to their persistence and their strong belief in the power of story these two became CVCC’s first digital storytelling pioneers. They willingly shared with other colleagues in the institution with the hopes of fanning the flame across the campus and across disciplines.
The year 2003 was the infamous year of preparation for the institution’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaffirmation. I am able to recollect this year because it was the beginning of more than seventy-eight meetings that I would attend as the recording secretary of the CVCC Leadership Team. Together the Leadership Team carefully documented the 2004-2005 compliance certification while attempting to interpret vague, ambiguous SACS guidelines. As fate would have it, CVCC’s reaffirmation was occurring at a time SACS was initiating new procedures for the reaffirmation process. As part of the new procedure, SACS required the institution to develop and implement a Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) that focused on enhancing student learning. The three QEP interventions chosen at CVCC were Digital Storytelling, Team Teaching and the development of a Writing Center. Each intervention was implemented in a staggered pattern from 2005-2006 and was continued in successive semesters. Now, the administration was formally introduced to digital storytelling and the word started to spread across the campus.
However, in my opinion, by involving digital storytelling as a QEP focus the flames were not fanned, but rather it was though digital storytelling was put in an airtight container. As education has moved towards “data driven decision-making,” educational practices, which typically do not fit in the empirical arena of measurement, are thought of as having no educational value. It is true that my institution gathered valuable comparative data on student success rates of English students involved in digital storytelling in contrast to those students who were not. This satisfied the SACS requirement of measurable outcomes, but totally ignored student growth in the affective domain. Dr. Parker Palmer, in his book entitled The Courage to Teach, writes, “The intuitive is derided as irrational, true feeling is dismissed as sentimental, the imagination is seen as chaotic and unruly, and storytelling is labeled as personal and pointless” (p. 52). To limit the measurement of academic growth only to a set of numbers detracts from the power of digital storytelling as related to individual and collective constructed meaning.
I have essentially felt negatively towards the method numerical measurement as the only means of assessing student academic growth throughout my educational experiences as a student, teacher, and administrator. I have managed to hide the beast of resistance and have reluctantly conformed to the system of measurement and objectivism. It was not until I became a student in the doctoral program that the beast began to rear its ugly head. It was through the readings that I did in Dr. Dale’s class that resurrected the intense emotion of being the true teacher and the notion of interconnectedness. This is the reason I became a teacher. I wanted to cultivate relationships and unite in the learning experience with my students. The experience of being a student in his class brought me back to life. Life in education can be emotionally draining which ultimately forces one into a day-to-day survival mode. Dr. Dale’s class breathed new life into the lifeless veins of my educator self. Now, I can share my story and value the stories of others. Stories are the threads that keep humanity connected in this tapestry of life. Each thread is a vibrant addition and equally important in creating a beautiful piece of artwork. What better way to weave a tapestry than with a loom called digital storytelling? Technology used in this manner awakens the soul with images, sounds, and narrative to unite and strengthen by transforming and empowering both the student and teacher spirit.
For me, my story of how I became aware of digital storytelling began as a glowing ember. It was a fiery, red ember that needed to be kindled. Both professional and educational opportunities provided the breath that was needed to awaken this ember, spark a flame, and ignite a fire. What started out as a simple sharing session among colleagues has become much more. I will continue to spin my stories around an intense, internal fire keeping myself warm in the belief that digital storytelling fosters self-consciousness, exposes the individual as part of a larger whole, promotes a collective search for understanding, and ultimately seeks to improve the human condition.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
How does my story connect to my research topic?
Several years ago, I was asked to serve on my intitution's Leadership Team during our process of SACS/COC reaffirmation. I considered this an honor and a priveledge because it gave me an opportunity to learn from and dialogue with senior administrators at the college. As we were trying to muddle through the new requirements of SACS/COS, we learned that the institution would be required to develop a campus-wide quality enhancement plan (QEP). After a lengthy discussion, it was decided that the school's focus would be digital storytelling. It was during these discussions that I actually learned about the concept of "digital storytelling."
As the QEP developed, faculty were offered the opportunity to attend digital storytelling workshops. I was chosen to participate. It was a whirlwind professional development in the sense that the digital storytelling required hours of my time. Time, that I did not have while teaching a full load and serving as department chair of Foreign Languages. I did attend the sessions and developed my narrative and gathered my pictures, but I am still in the process of putting it all together. However, I did complete enough of the project to experience the power of personal narrative. I think it is so ironic that we are taking a class on the power of the personal voice because this is exactly what is needed and most valued in digital storytelling. The technology is a secondary component. The emphasis of digital storytelling is on the writing process in general.... carefully crafting your story to contain only a specific number ofwords, revision, peer readings, editing, etc. Since it is writing intensive, CVCC has chosen to incorporate digital storytelling in our ENG 111 classes. However, it is our hope that personal narrative/digital storytelling will find its way into other disciplines.
If I can discover how to post a digital story, I will try to do that so everyone can see what a powerful teaching tool it is. I have watched several digital stories developed by my students. They truly help you know the "story" of the student.
As the QEP developed, faculty were offered the opportunity to attend digital storytelling workshops. I was chosen to participate. It was a whirlwind professional development in the sense that the digital storytelling required hours of my time. Time, that I did not have while teaching a full load and serving as department chair of Foreign Languages. I did attend the sessions and developed my narrative and gathered my pictures, but I am still in the process of putting it all together. However, I did complete enough of the project to experience the power of personal narrative. I think it is so ironic that we are taking a class on the power of the personal voice because this is exactly what is needed and most valued in digital storytelling. The technology is a secondary component. The emphasis of digital storytelling is on the writing process in general.... carefully crafting your story to contain only a specific number ofwords, revision, peer readings, editing, etc. Since it is writing intensive, CVCC has chosen to incorporate digital storytelling in our ENG 111 classes. However, it is our hope that personal narrative/digital storytelling will find its way into other disciplines.
If I can discover how to post a digital story, I will try to do that so everyone can see what a powerful teaching tool it is. I have watched several digital stories developed by my students. They truly help you know the "story" of the student.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Posting of Autobiography Paper-Sept.11
Classmates of EDL 7065,
Due to technical difficulties, I was not able to post my entire writing autobiography. However, Betsy did manage to get it posted as a comment. Feel free to take a look. See everyone this afternoon.
Due to technical difficulties, I was not able to post my entire writing autobiography. However, Betsy did manage to get it posted as a comment. Feel free to take a look. See everyone this afternoon.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My Autobiography as a Writer
I have decided to post a portion of my autobiographical essay that I have written for the Sept. 11 writing assignment. I enjoyed this assignment. It beats statistics reading:) Donna
Webster defines "writing" with many definitions, but the one that speaks to me as a writer is the definition that suggests the "leaving of marks, signs, or evidence." For me, writing has been somewhat of an emotional release. Just as my children are truly my bridge to immortality, I view my writing in the same way. Regardless of the nature of my writing, whether it is an expression of the heart or an expression of academia, it will remain after I have long left this world. It will be a part of someone or something. I will in some sense have left my mark. As I have reflected on my life as a writer, I have taken some time to revisit some of my writings. I have them saved in various places in my home. My journals (one from my freshman year in high school, 1983, and one from my semester in Spain, 1990) remain packed aside my many photo albums. For me, these contain precious memories just as my photos, but the words are my illustrations. The words paint pictures of my experiences during transitional times in my life's journey. Still today, as I reread my entries written years ago, I can recall difficult as well as joyous events in my life. Someday, I will share these with my children.
Again, this is only a portion of my paper. I look forward to sharing the rest on Thursday. See you then. Donna
Webster defines "writing" with many definitions, but the one that speaks to me as a writer is the definition that suggests the "leaving of marks, signs, or evidence." For me, writing has been somewhat of an emotional release. Just as my children are truly my bridge to immortality, I view my writing in the same way. Regardless of the nature of my writing, whether it is an expression of the heart or an expression of academia, it will remain after I have long left this world. It will be a part of someone or something. I will in some sense have left my mark. As I have reflected on my life as a writer, I have taken some time to revisit some of my writings. I have them saved in various places in my home. My journals (one from my freshman year in high school, 1983, and one from my semester in Spain, 1990) remain packed aside my many photo albums. For me, these contain precious memories just as my photos, but the words are my illustrations. The words paint pictures of my experiences during transitional times in my life's journey. Still today, as I reread my entries written years ago, I can recall difficult as well as joyous events in my life. Someday, I will share these with my children.
Again, this is only a portion of my paper. I look forward to sharing the rest on Thursday. See you then. Donna
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
September 4, 2008 Assignment
Well, it is almost near the end of the week and I am just now posting. My schedule has been incredible since I have assumed this new position. As they say in Spanish... "Más vale tarde que nunca" (Better late than never).
I must say that I was very impressed with the virtual world we explored on our first night of class. I was disappointed to learn that I was unable to access it from my office due our firewall. I am still trying to work on this issue so I am optimistic that my technology issues will improve. I have spent the better part of the week trying to get a high speed internet connection at my home. So far,I have not had any luck. My mother and father, who live a mile away, can get charter cable internet. I may just have to commute to their house if necessary. When I say I live in the country, I truly live in the country away from civilization. I did get a chance to work in the AET zone with Dr. Miller after class. We had a chat in the Coffee House.
As far as my writing is concerned, I feel I am too restricted by rules of what good writing should look like. You know all the stuff about organization,thesis statements, three sentences to a paragraph,conclusion, etc. I find it very difficult to include the word "I" in my writing. I have always been taught to write from a third person point of view. I also find it difficult to include the feminine pronouns in my writing...I was taught to only use the masculine pronouns. I know it sounds silly, but these are the underlying issues of why I find written expression difficult. I wish I could simply WRITE without hesitation or question.
This summer I read a dissertation very close to the topic I want to research. It was a pleasure to read. It was not laborious or intense reading. Much of it was written from the first person point of view and seemed to be more of a reflective commentary. It was not filled with difficult vocabulary which made it easy to follow.
I am looking forward to this class and having a completed portfolio. I also look forward to working with my classmates in a collaborative fashion. See you on Thursday.
I must say that I was very impressed with the virtual world we explored on our first night of class. I was disappointed to learn that I was unable to access it from my office due our firewall. I am still trying to work on this issue so I am optimistic that my technology issues will improve. I have spent the better part of the week trying to get a high speed internet connection at my home. So far,I have not had any luck. My mother and father, who live a mile away, can get charter cable internet. I may just have to commute to their house if necessary. When I say I live in the country, I truly live in the country away from civilization. I did get a chance to work in the AET zone with Dr. Miller after class. We had a chat in the Coffee House.
As far as my writing is concerned, I feel I am too restricted by rules of what good writing should look like. You know all the stuff about organization,thesis statements, three sentences to a paragraph,conclusion, etc. I find it very difficult to include the word "I" in my writing. I have always been taught to write from a third person point of view. I also find it difficult to include the feminine pronouns in my writing...I was taught to only use the masculine pronouns. I know it sounds silly, but these are the underlying issues of why I find written expression difficult. I wish I could simply WRITE without hesitation or question.
This summer I read a dissertation very close to the topic I want to research. It was a pleasure to read. It was not laborious or intense reading. Much of it was written from the first person point of view and seemed to be more of a reflective commentary. It was not filled with difficult vocabulary which made it easy to follow.
I am looking forward to this class and having a completed portfolio. I also look forward to working with my classmates in a collaborative fashion. See you on Thursday.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
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