The document discusses how to make digital storytelling through mobile phones. It begins with background on creativity, narrative, and mobile devices. Mobile storytelling is defined as stories conducted through mobile devices and social networks. The main steps of design, development, implementation and dissemination are outlined. Design involves generating ideas and selecting a theme, characters, setting, plot and conflict. Development includes storyboarding, acquiring multimedia content, and selecting content. Implementation uses apps for editing content and publishing stories. Dissemination shares the final stories. Examples and hints for effective storytelling are also provided.
1. How to make digital storytelling
through mobile phones
October 8th, 2013
Maria Ranieri
Department of Education and
Psychology,University of Florence
maria.ranieri@unifi.it
2. Table of Contents
Background - Creativity, Narrative, Mobile
devices, storytelling
Definitions – Mobile storytelling
From theory to practice: design,
development, implementation,
dissemination
Examples
Some hints for effective storytelling
7. Background/01 - Creativity
Creativity entails originality, novelty and
value (Sternberg, 1999)
Creativity is not limited to individuals, but it
lies in the interaction between them and the
socio-cultural context (Gardner, 1995)
Creativity as transformative process of both
culture and the self (Vygotsky, 1931/1978)
9. Background/02 - Narrative
Narrative is a fundamental structure of
human meaning making (Bruner 2002)
“Stories not only help us make sense of the
actions of others, they serve to shape our
own identities” (Bird 2007)
“There have been great societies that did not
use the wheel, but there have been no
societies that did not tell stories” —Ursula K.
LeGuin
10. Background/03 – Mobile phones
Multi-
functional
Portability,
Always available
Digital
memory
Cultural
resource
11. Mobile storytelling.
A definition
Mobile storytelling, a subset of 'digital
storytelling', conducted through mobile
devices in combination with social network
sites (Ranieri & Bruni, 2013).
Digital storytelling was used in California in the
late 1980s to connect communities through
stories. Nowadays, it is adopted for
educational purposes as a technique to
produce multimedia narratives.
14. Design – The process
Generation of ideas through collaborative
brainstorming
Selection of ideas
Connections between ideas
“A good story has
single theme which
is well defined with
a good plot”
http://www.storytellingday.net
15. Design – The content
Character - A person (or a group) who takes
part in the action
Setting - Time and place in which the story
happens
Plot - A series of events and character actions
that relate to the central conflict or problem.
Conflict - A struggle between two people or
things
Theme - The central idea
16. Development
Create a storyboard of the story
Acquiring multimedia contents (images,
sound,video etc.)
Selecting multimedia contents
18. Implementation
Selection of the editor
Editing and implementation
2 3 4 5 6
Start a
new project
1
Select content
or develop
content
Modify contents
(cut, copy, paste,
move, delete, or
resize content etc.)
Save
Publish
Share
19. App for iOS
iOS is the operating system developed and distributed by Apple
for iPhone, iPad etc.
Story Kit (free) See features here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storykit/id329374595?mt=8
Sonicpics (free light version, $2.99 full version) See features
here: http://www.sonicpics.com/public/index.php
Storyrobe ($0.99) See features here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storyrobe/id337670615?mt
=8
Splice – Video editor (free) See features here:
https://itunes.apple.com/it/app/splice-video-editor-
free/id409838725?mt=8
20. App for Android
Android is the Linux-based operating system
Animoto (free 30 second videos) See features here:
http://animoto.com
WeVideo (free) [also available for iOS] See features here:
http://www.wevideo.com/
Storyrobe ($0.99) [soon available for Android] See
features here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storyrobe/id337670615?
mt=8
or any other app that you found/like/prefer useful to
create digital stories
27. App for iOS
7. The final product can be shared through Youtube!
28. An example
Personal picture Home country University
Mobile self-presentation
Designed and developed within the workshop Mobile 2.0 to support visibility and job search, realised in the context of
the project MyMobile-Education on the move, Grundtvig Programme 2010/2012. Further information available at:
http://www.mymobile-project.eu, and http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-DE2-
GRU06-04703 [European Shared Treasure].
29. Some hints for effective storytelling
Focus on one idea/theme
Develop a well defined plot
Give an idea of persons and setting
Take care of the rhythm
Remind that “more” doesn’t mean “better”,
that is avoid to combine too many media
elements
Have a look at some technical tips:
http://desktopvideo.about.com/od/homevideotips/
tp/phone-video.htm
31. Some references
Ranieri, M. and Pachler, N. (forthcoming) ‘Inventing and re-
inventing identity. Exploring the potential of mobile learning
in adult education.’ Submitted to Prospects
Ranieri, M. and Bruni, I. (forthcoming) ‘Empowering creativity in
young people through mobile learning: an investigation of
creative practices of mobile media uses in and out of school.’
Submitted to IJMBL
Ranieri, M. and Bruni, I. (2013) ‘Mobile storytelling and informal
education in a suburban area: a qualitative study on the
potential of digital narratives for young second generation
immigrants.’ LEARNING, MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY, 38(2),
217-235.