Digital Storytelling

One of the Digital Storytelling tools I explored was storyjumper. It was very easy to use, especially after watching the helpful 5-minute tutorial. The tool has the user typing their text first, but the user can go back to this section if they would rather design their scene first. There are many options under ‘props’ and ‘scenes’ and if the user does not see what they want, they can conduct a search and even more options come up. A user can even design their own character to look like them under ‘options.’ I thought that was a unique aspect of the storyjumper because the user can just design all their characters. However, users cannot change the facial structure (nose, eyes, hairline, etc.) of the designed characters, so they all have the same face. A user can use their own photos when creating the background for their story, which can help bring a personal narrative to life. One of my favorite pieces about storyjumper is the audio piece. A user can record their own voice reading their story and even add background sounds to make the reader feel like they are in the scene. Users can also turn their creation into a physical book with payment.

The other Digital Storytelling tool I explored was Book Creator. Book Creator offers teachers various grade level lesson plans, templates, and other resources to guide students on their book creator journey. This tool took more playing around to figure things out than storyjumper. Options included background colors, patterns, textures, a way to insert images, text to write stories, and the ability to record your voice reading the story. One unique option was the ability to make a video, which could be added to the book. Book Creator also offers many different book sizes and styles, including a comic style. If using Book Creator with a class, all students in that class have the ability to share their book with their peers.

Comics

One of the Comic tools I explored was Pixton. This was a very user-friendly tool when making my Comic. There was also an abundance of options from which to choose. It was easy to add new frames when creating a comic. Some unique options for backgrounds were the various weathers and users could also make it day or night. Users also have the ability to create their own character from scratch. Characters can be placed into different action positions. The words of the comic can be put into lots of different bubble types (speech, whisper, etc.), or be a caption, or even the typical sounds a reader would find in an action comic, like POW! I think students can see the comics of their classmates if they are attached to the same class, so the comics can be enjoyed by the entire class.

I also explored Make Beliefs Comix. I did not find this tool to be super user friendly. I felt the site to be very busy and somewhat overwhelming. There did not seem to be as many options available compared to Pixton. I did like the Comic Starters for kids to use if they are having trouble creating. There was also a helpful tab for Teachers with Lesson Plans, Writing Tools, and Creative Comix Ideas.