Snap Studies: How Brands Can Connect with Snapchat Fervent User Base

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

When Snapchat first burst onto the scene in 2012, it attracted millennials and Gen Z-ers in droves. But brands (for the most part) stayed away - they were still trying to harness the power of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And millennials and Gen Z-ers loved having a network all to themselves, a space where they could communicate with their friends all day without any brand interruptions. This peaceful paradise didn’t last too long, however, as brands quickly took notice of Snapchat’s impressive user stats. Younger generations were living and breathing snaps, and brands wanted in. Now with a daily video view rate of 10 billion daily views, brands are experimenting with various storytelling and ad formats to serve always-on content to their growing audiences. 

Today, Snapchat is a publicly traded company with an IPO boosted by the network’s ability to secure consistent user engagement. And brands boast features tailor made for brands, including Discover Stories and custom filters and geotags to promote specific events. As of 2016, advertisers were coughing up a minimum of $100,000 to run ads on the platform; a cost well worth the advantage of connecting with two generations aging up and gaining spending power.

In addition to paid promotion, brands are also investing more in their organic content on the brand. Through regular behind-the-scenes stories and influencer takeovers, the platform is giving brands the opportunity to share more relaxed and playful content with audiences. However, some features and storytelling strategies are proving to be more valuable than others. Here are a few lessons you can learn from some of the most successful campaigns and brands on Snapchat. 

The Good

Real-Time Marketing: Netflix (Gilmore Girls)

To garner even more excitement for the Gilmore Girls Netflix revival ahead of its November 2016 release, the Netflix team enacted a massive offline-meets online Snapchat campaign. Netflix took over 200 cafes and effectively turned them into Luke’s Diner, the Gilmore Girls casts’ main hangout on the show. Each cafe distributed cups with a Snapchat QR code that gave customers access to a custom Luke’s Diner filter on the app. The one day stunt was a massive success as the branded filter was viewed over 880,00 times.

GE: Storytelling

Since 2014, General Electric (GE) has been a brand that has used Snapchat’s storytelling capabilities to the fullest extent. From launching geo-targeted travel filters over the holidays to all-star story appearances from Buzz Aldrin, GE uses Snapchat to educate and entertain their followers about the wonders of science. In 2016, the company even livestreamed a 1,200 foot descent into a volcano on the platform. The channel is not devoted to selling GE products, but rather, its primary intent is to teach audiences interesting lessons - lessons that often entice to audiences to visit GE’s social profiles for more explorations. GE continues to push the boundaries of creative education and video storytelling by utilizing all of Snapchat’s features. 

Taco Bell: Sponsored Filters

To celebrate Cinco De Mayo in 2016, Taco Bell launched a giant Taco filter. While the images of people’s heads as tacos were frightening, the filter’s stats were anything but scary. The viral filter racked up 224 million impressions for Snapchat throughout the one-day only marketing campaign. Taco Bell has always been on the cutting edge of Snapchat because it never took itself too seriously on the platform; their ongoing platform success stems from a willingness to get content creative and take risks. It’s content is filled with hand-drawn illustrations and playful copy. And as the Giant Taco filter proved, funny and playful content on Snapchat can generate big brand results.

The Bad

Discover 

Snapchat Discover has had a difficult time resonating with the platform’s primary demographics. Perhaps it’s because the intention of Snapchat Discover, to bring news, entertainment, and pop culture coverage to the platform, is so disconnected from why people use Snapchat in the first place: to connect with people through playful fleeting stories. But Snapchat Discover is enticing for brands, because it gives them an opportunity to slip more traditional ads between publishers’ content. Some argue that the wave of publishers is diluting the app, as the more publishers that get added, the less spontaneous Snapchat feels. Since Discover’s 2016 redesign, publishers have seen a 28% drop off after the first story. However, a decrease in engagement has stopped partners from signing up. 

While time will only tell if the Discover section becomes less disruptive for Snapchat users, one thing is for certain today: there are other, effective ways to engage with audiences on the network.

 What's the Conclusion?

In the coming years Snapchat will only become more valuable to brands. Snapchat is quickly attracting older audiences, which means that the platform’s diversity should attract brands across verticals. The brands that can constantly utilize Snapchat’s features to their fullest extent and experiment with ongoing storytelling angles will be the ones best positioned to transform on-platform engagement into off-platform results. 

WHAT'S NEXT: The Evolution of Social Platforms and Their Influence on Daily Life

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*by andreascy*

5 Animation Trends to Watch Out for in 2017

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

For anyone working within animation, or with an intention to, in 2017, it helps to know what you are likely going to be coming into. As technology continues to change and improve to ever higher levels, it helps to know the current major design and planning trends.

With the help of the right information, you can make sure that when you enter the market you make an immediate impact. 

The year 2016 was a time for stop-motion animation to make a comeback, as brands sought to connect more emotively with their clients. Stop-motion animation gives a great look, and is a wonderfully persuasive art style, but new technology means that it can now be done more effectively than it was ever done in the past. 

So, what can we expect to see for animation trends in 2017?

1. Stylish 3D 

3D animation has long been a staple in making animation come to life and portraying the most beautiful look and feel possible; that is likely to continue in 2017. As political skullduggery probably means that businesses will continue with minimal budgets in an increasingly constrained yet creative world, stylish 3D skills will be a major boon for any animator who wants to make a sterling impact this year. 

Stylish 3D design is making a big comeback in the world of animation and it’s not going to slow down anytime soon. If you want to get a good idea of the next major factor for all animators, it will use a more high-concept style of 3D than ever before. 

Hopefully, this will mean that animators can use their talents to the best of their ability whilst receiving fairer budgets to operate with! 

2. Marketing Collaboration 

Another major impact that is likely to be on the market in the near future is more collaboration between big brands and entertainment industries. We’ve seen it outside of animation this year, with the X-Men-themed adverts, and we’re likely to see more Star Wars themed editions soon as well. These marketing collaborations are making their way into animation now, too; how long until we see characters from the likes of Overwatch appearing in banking adverts? 

After all, big companies are now using famous cartoon characters and animated heroes to sell their goods. From Fred Flintstone buying a mortgage to Top Cat moving out of his bin, many markets are using cool and iconic characters to build their brand. 

The reason why animators should be expecting this trend to continue so vigorously is quite simple—collaborations are making big bucks for both sides of the party. As companies wind up trying to combine two purchases into one advertisement, it’s likely that 2017 is going to see more companies engaging in these crossover promotional styles. 

It’s effective, as it helps to portray events by using characters that people can identify with far more than with actors. 

3. Web-Related Animation 

Animation won’t only be appearing in more adverts and in more 3D styles than ever—it’s becoming a major part of online marketing. It all started a few years ago with the creation of the (awesome) whiteboard systems that everyone loves using and engaging with. Animated explainer videos went a long way towards helping people forge and plan the right kind of way to tell their story—and animators should be ready to deliver more of this in 2017. 

Website animation designs will become far more effective for businesses as they combine content with cool animations and looks. Rich, full-screen animations can be used either as the focal point, the explanation, or as the cool extra that delivers the sale. Whatever the reason, 2017 is going to see far more interest in businesses using the power of animation to sell their websites and products. 

4. Continued Illustration 

This was huge in 2016 and it was so popular we reckon it will be a huge hit in 2017, too. Design trends tend to last quite a long of time and this is no different. Animators who enjoy the illustration style will be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of illustration becoming a significant part of the market long-term. 

It’s the best form of animation to use when telling a story, so it’s likely to stay as a staple in a world where everyone wants to have their story told and heard. The fact that illustration allows us to literally take any animation idea and make it so means that for many people, the ongoing presence of illustration as a vital form of art in animation can only be a good thing. 

The story matters, and illustrating it is important for added authenticity. 

5. VR Explosion 

Animation is about to take a wonderful step into a rather unknown future thanks to the mainstream growth of virtual reality. The end of 2016 saw the likes of the PlayStation VR arrive, and VR is about to become the latest trendy technology that everyone loves using. 

For this reason, it’s going to play a massive role in the world of animation for the years to come. It’s a form of projection that lends itself well to animation, allowing quality animators to take people inside their design and let them live within it closely. 

The idea that animation can become more immersive by placing us front row and center is obvious, and it’s about to be tested by a market that shows no signs of slowing down. For one guaranteed animation trend in 2017, stick to VR.

Conclusion 

As you can see, there’s plenty to look forward to and be excited about when it comes to being a young animator. With so much potential in your hands, you can help people to take a whole new approach to the way they sell their vision, their business and their ideas.

READ THIS RIGHT NOW:  5 Cool Things You Can Do With The Leading Video Editing Software Programs

You and other people like you have brought us closer to our goals. Thanks ever so much! 

*by andreascy*

6 Ways to Nurture Learning for Digital Natives

Posted by Dr Stephania Savva

Description :

For many people, the term ‘digital native’ might sound a little strange. It’s not literally someone who lives on the internet, as that might be a little bit impossible. What it does offer, though, is a term which has become increasingly popular in the last decade and a half. Coined by the excellent Marc Prensky in 2001, this term – the digital native – describes the inability to help the next generation, namely the digital natives who were born in the millenia learn in and through technology. Teachers and educators are increasingly finding it more difficult to relate and understand the needs of the generations that preceded them.

Today, as the infographic below shows, people like digital natives tend to get their information through the web and have a different means of learning and then processing information. Therefore, academics are often confronted with the challenges that traditional methods of education that they once employed with such success no longer hold the same ideals.

So, what are some other ways can ‘digital natives’ be taught?

1. Multiliteracies and Multimodal Learning

Supporting meaningful teaching and learning for the 21st century requires to adhere to an expanded view of literacy, which reflects the multimodal meaning making of digital natives and not alone. It has been proposed to promote a pedagogy of multiliteracies involving learning using not only spoken and written words, but also images and symbols of all kinds, sounds and music, bodily gestures and movement, and physical and virtual objects. Educators therefore have a new charge in the new era, to teach these competencies and multimodal literacy practices that students need to acquire and utilize in various contexts in order to succeed in the postmodern world.

2. Collaborative Learning

Probably the most striking way in which we can help the next generation learn to change and grow academically is through collaborative learning. Instead of expecting everyone to dig their noses into academic books and read from the same select sources, we should prepare for digital natives to have more diverse sources and opinions on certain subjects.

It’s important that it is realized how collaborative learning is probably the major secret to making the digital natives out there more comfortable to learn. There are lots to consider about the value of learning as a member of a group and by actually taking part in the learning process through up taking different roles. No longer do people get the same enjoyment from just reading from a book and taking cues from there. To add another bow to the way that the next generation will be learning, we have to appreciate that their means of education differs.

3. Avoid Pretension

One of the major flaws in digital native learning is when a ‘digital immigrant’ (those of an older generation without the same comfort and thought process in digital learning) tries to pretend they are from a more modernized background. It comes across as false and cannot be a valid source of helping to stimulate and improve the level of learning that students can do in general.

This is a major issue and one that has to be addressed. A teacher must find a way of working as the core organizer of the subject, and the person who helps the students to learn. What they no longer have to be, though, is the font of all knowledge and fact. Teaching has moved beyond the head of the classroom being the holder of all the facts. Digital natives find it easy to topple the academics and the experts, so it’s important that schools take this into account as it will majorly determine the next steps in the industry.

A teacher must find a way of using the knowledge they do have to offer the information in a way that can be used a supplement, not as the only fact available.

4. Keep Teaching Human

However, whilst it’s important that teachers avoid going down the route of trying to become false in their educational style, they also need to find a way of making sure that they can keep the human interaction side of things burning as bright as it possibly can.

The human element of learning from a teacher is never going to be going away anytime soon. Teachers have to accept that now students can learn from them even if they are not face-to-face. The rapid growth of distance education means that the education process has to be respected as having changed so dramatically.

Keeping the human element – acting as the person to throw logic into arguments and debates – is a key of being good at teaching the digital natives. They need to know they can learn from multiple sources, but also that their teacher does hold information that they can learn from.

5. Provide a Purpose

Nobody wants to learn from you, no matter how humanized you can be and how far away from the authoritarian image of a teacher you can be, if you do not have a purpose to the learning. Students struggle to just listen to you talking on for an hour and a half – if they want to read a massive wall of text or listen to an interview they do not participate in; they will find it.

The days of memorization (thankfully) are gone in the classroom – it’s now madness to expect that students will just put up and let you make your point these days. Students now read into topics that engage them and interest them, rather than always constantly looking to the power of the teacher to help them learn in the first place.

Give a native control, though, in other words encouraging self-directed learning and they will make the most of that. Let them dictate the learning path in the room and they can find their own way there. Students want to know what they are doing, and why they want to know that in the first place. Act as a facilitator, make your ideas interesting, and students are more likely to want to listen and make that a lesson worth hearing.

Try and just narrate from a book and expect them to learn though? You’ll be shocked.

6. Square Pegs, Square Holes

Many teachers fear that learning through hybrid – typical teaching and eLearning – is the wrong way to go. However, this comes from experience personally as they never had this extra side to their education. As such it’s probably something worth avoiding. That’s the train of thought that many teachers go with – and it’s also why many teachers fail to excite or adapt.

Provide a research-based approach to your learning together. In class, use supplementary content from the web that backs up your point but is put in a more “interesting” tone. Digital natives care not for just your take on things, but back it up with some cool content online they can review themselves? They’ll be far more likely to actually listen. In this sense, different approaches have been employed, for instance, using WebQuests to excite and motivate students through extensive use of online resources.

With so many of the digital native generation in need of technology to feel stimulated now, it’s important that teaching does not fall behind long-term. Sticking with the old ideas and refusing to adapt the way that students are asked to learn, though, will create a chasm that cannot be bridged.

BE SURE TO READ ALSO: Three Ways to Protect Your Students From the Dangers of Technology

Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and comment below if you have any questions. Happy Holidays, from all at THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY!! 😃

The Potential of Blended Learning for Steering Education

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description: 

Think about all of the ways that technology has influenced and infiltrated nearly every aspect of your life. Paying by check? You can do that online or just with your phone. Making a reservation at a restaurant? No need to call - an app will do it for you. Want to turn off the lights and lock your door? Your smart devices can help connect you.

That technological influence extends to our learning environments, too. Classrooms have undergone a centuries-long change that’s only been speed up with the advent of technology. What used to be one-room schoolhouses in the late 1800s are now redesigned spaces which invite students and teachers to engage in learning using tablets, whiteboards, and more.

One of the most prominent ways in which technology is changing classrooms is through impact on what we think of as the traditional learning environment. One classroom with one teacher standing in front of multiple students as an authoritative figure has given way to a concept known as blended learning. The latter is an instructional approach that capitalizes on the best of both worlds - education and tech. 

Blended learning, is a learning trend driving education which in some form, is currently available in nearly every state. In a nutshell, this strategy or approach to teaching and learning involves the student learning through at least partial online delivery of content. In this sense, it offers both traditional instruction - a teacher in front of students - and digital or online content that’s accessible at any time. 

The conceptualizations behind blended learning adhere to the notion that students are not uniform, and learning shouldn’t be either. Based on learning theories such as Gardner’s on multiple intelligences, and multiliteracies pedagogy, it is considered that students have different learning styles and come for culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds which should be taken into consideration when planning a lesson. In this respect, it is suggested that enhancing students’ learning through digital content can be a personalized response to students’ needs and desires, allowing them to learn at their own pace through means that are relevant to their lives.

In relation to the different strategies for undertaking a blended learning approach, six models have been proposed for its implementation: Face-to-Face Driver Model, Rotation Model, Flex Model, Online Lab Model, Self-Blend Model and Online Driver Model. More recently, other alternative blended learning models have been brought to the surface of educational cycles: 

a) The traditional brick-and-mortar blended learning model:

An approach where the instructor uses online platforms to add resources, assign and gather homework, as well as encourage online discussions and other asynchronous learning activities beyond classroom hours

b) The hybrid learning model:

Students attend live events physically or online (for example webinars) while also work in virtual online environments. There could be an arranged schedule where some days students attend the class and others are optional however students must attend online.

c) The flipped learning model:

Teachers and other instructors record their online lectures and students are obliged to watch them before class. During the lesson, they can work on different tasks and in this sense the teacher has more time to work with challenging topics and addresses students’ difficulties. 

Regardless of which type of blended learning model one chooses to adopt, there are certain misconceptions and considerations needed to be addressed. For instance, people often assume that blended learning equals all education online, but that isn’t true. It might be that the focus is on a technology rich environment, nevertheless, there is ‘hands on’ learning. In addition, unlike it is commonly believed, in blended learning students do not work individually only. The can undertake projects in groups with their peers to produce collaborative work online.

Furthermore, blended learning in contrast to the myth that it requires less work than traditional face to face instruction, doesn’t cut down on the amount of work that needs to be done by either students or educators. In fact, both sides may need to work at a more systematic basis. Instructors still need to prepare and students still need to do the work. But blended learning allows those learners to engage with information more frequently in order to fully grasp concepts that may have been more difficult with just one go-round.

Based on these characteristics of blended learning, in summary, the advantages from engaging in such practice have been identified as being:

- The meaningful combination of interactive face to face instruction and digital content through a differentiated personalized based teaching approach

- The use of digitally mediated content such as digital storytelling that has been found to motivate students’ interest and increase students’ learning and affective outcomes

- Access to the instruction such as an online session many times, with stops and pauses to the discretion of the learner.

- Researchers and practitioners suggest that blended learning can encourage students to continue learning outside the classroom. It can expand beyond the traditional school walls to connect with students’ lives.

- Blended learning can maximize the potential for acquiring 21st century skills.

Despite the promising features of this approach, the excitement about the possibilities of blended learning and the ways that technology can better prepare our students and assist our educators needs to be tempered with some serious questions about the process. It’s not a match for every person or every situation. Students need to know what the physical, in-class requirements are, and instructors need to be upfront and proactive about their availability and roles through digital means. 

For instance, the technology that’s a given in a traditional classroom may not be available in each student’s home, which can impact learning and pacing. Students and instructors must have a shared understanding about assignments and work - what files are usable and which are not. And there should be practice and testing so that everyone understands the accessibility and usability of that particular online environment.

Whilst there is no fixed recipe for meaningful teaching and learning instruction, it appears that technology enhanced learning is the present and future of 21st century education. Blended learning could be a flexible and dynamic approach through the meaningful engagement with technology. 

Whatever the end result, it’s important to understand how blended learning cannot guarantee success. It requires commitment on behalf of the educator and careful use of digital means. And therefore it is important to be aware of its different aspects. This graphic is a good place to start.

Source: Quill.com

Conclusively, it appears that exciting times lay ahead for educators and students all together. Now, more than ever, we are in a position to offer the most engaging form of education that will empower students as dynamic and active learners. Blended learning, as it is proposed in this article, is one powerful approach which could change the education game and will be around for many years to come.

READ NEXT: 8 Ways Digital Storytelling Transforms Learning in 21st Century Education: The Research Evidence

I’m all eyes and ears for your comments.

*by andreascy*

15 Ed Stories to Read Over the Weekend

Posted by Dr Stephania Savva

Description :

Finally, the first weekend of September is here and the educational world is preparing for yet another challenging year. Taking inspiration from this we have pulled together a useful list with articles that draw on all levels of education, from Primary to Higher Education and life-long learning such as online courses.

So, time to get some rest and catch up on some reading. Here we round up 15 key educational articles from around the web that caught our attention this week. Hope you find them interesting as much as we did.

1. Spaces for Learning. This excellent piece explores the significance of learning spaces of today by addressing the basic features of an emerging concept: ‘flexible’ learning spaces as environments that are catering for students’ different learning styles and needs while bringing an air of innovation and playfulness in the learning process. A glimpse to the classrooms of the future. 

2. Growth Mindset: How to Normalize Mistake Making and Struggle in Class. Everybody makes mistakes. In terms of mistakes made during the learning process at school, this article addresses Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset to explain how teachers should create the appropriate classroom atmosphere that supports student’s efforts and promote “productive failure”: student develop a growth mindset as they cope with challenges and overcome failures.

3. 8 Ways Digital Storytelling Transforms Learning in 21st Century Education: The Research Evidence. Digital storytelling is a buzzword in the educational world. Read this interesting article about the transformative impact of digital storytelling for learning based on empirical research findings conducted in the last decade. 

4. Myths and Realities of Online Training. Online training is one of the key ways that adults choose to learn nowadays. This useful article clarifies some of the misunderstandings and prejudice surrounding this revolutionized way of life-long learning. 

5. Assessing the Potential of Gamification in Higher Education. Gamification, a term which refers to applying game-design thinking in different situations to make them more appealing is rising as an approach to teaching and learning in Higher Education. Know how it has been implemented in different universities across USA and what its benefits are.

6. Applying Learning Theory to Mobile Learning. Explore the latest issue of TD at work and know the basics of m-learning, drivers and barriers for its implementation, relevant learning theories and how to use them in practice as well as informal strategies to utilizing m-learning. A great resource. 

7. 6 Learning Trends Driving Education in 2015. Want to know the key teaching and learning practices and strategies that will influence education from 2015 onwards? This article compiles a list with learning trends including blended learning, maker education and four more that are changing the face of schools.

8. Learning Theory v5 - What are the established learning theories? An amazing graphic to get insights on the learning theories and key concepts surrounding them that have emerged in the past centuries. This is probably one of the most comprehensive summaries we’ve seen in a while on learning.

9. 12 Ways to Support ESL Students in the Mainstream Classroom. One of the best reads recently with great tips on how to support English as a Second Language (ESL) for your students, which is a reality of most mainstream classrooms today.

10. Learning Power: new research identifies Mindful Agency as central to resilience. Research findings published this week from Professor’ Crick investigation using the Crick Learning for Resilient Agency Profile (CLARA) suggest that Mindful Agency is a key learning power dimension. Know more about what this term involves and how it can affect research and practice around learning.

11. Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Elementary Students. Critical thinking is one of the most incremental and essential competencies that students should possess in the 21st century. Find out how to develop critical thinking in the classroom through the advice in this article. Includes an infographic and videos.

12. Harvard Launches 'Virtual Classroom' for Students Anywhere. Fascinating stuff happening in Harvard university by introducing a futuristic classroom through using HBX Live to teach its business students who won’t be physically able to attend lessons. Great read.

13. Using New Technology to Rediscover Traditional Ways of Learning. This is an excellent article with an alternative view of technology, discussing how it can enable engagement and traditional forms of learning through embodiment and observation strategies.

14. Museum-based Multiliteracies and Learning for 21st century skills: a preliminary study. This academic paper addresses findings from a doctoral study that employs a conceptual framework for museum teaching and learning drawing on multiliteracies pedagogy, an approach that takes into consideration students’ cultural and linguistic diversity and the demands of an increasingly multimodal and digitally mediated world to promote learning of 21st century skills.

15. “We shouldn’t assume people know what digital citizenship is”. Get top insights from educators organizing the first annual Digital Citizenship Summit on what the concept of digital citizenship actually entails and possible ways to address the gap of knowledge for its implementation by the greater educational community.

These are all! Let us know your insight and suggestions down below. 

Have an awesome weekend!

8 Ways Digital Storytelling Transforms Learning in 21st Century Education: The Research Evidence

Posted by Dr Stephania Savva

Description :

Following the proliferation of technology and multimedia an evolution in making and telling stories has resulted in digital storytelling (DST). 

Here we get into the basics of DST and how research findings in the past decade suggest it works as a transforming tool for learning in 21st century education. 

What is Digital Storytelling?

Digital storytelling is a constructivist approach to learning that emerged in the late 1980’s at the Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS) in California. This technique is a “modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling” (The Digital Storytelling Association 2011). Storytelling throughout the centuries has been a popular and compelling way to communicate and share knowledge and experiences, and has been used as a pedagogical tool long now. 

In today’s digitized world with teachers entering classrooms with digital natives (Prensky 2001), digital storytelling emerged as a consequence of a more systematic use of educational technology for learning. Although there is not a single definition for the term, the basic understanding is that digital storytelling uses digital tools and means such as video, audio, social media, blogging to share and communicate ideas and information effectively (Robin 2008). 

How Does it Work in the Classroom?

Digital storytelling could be integrated in the curriculum across a number of subjects despite it is seen as more useful in lessons such as Language Arts. Drawing on the principles of “learning by doing” and Dewey’s conceptualisations of education, to implement digital storytelling in the classroom students are actively engaged as creators to make original products that can be shared with their peers and the broader community, allowing for audience interaction and feedback. In other words students are put in the driver’s seat as they navigate their way through the following four phases of the digital storytelling process: 1) Pre-production; 2) Production; 3) Post-production; and 4) Distribution. 

The Center for Digital Storytelling is known for developing and disseminating the Seven Elements of Digital Storytelling: Point, Dramatic Question, Emotional Content, Pacing, Gift of your Voice, Economy and Soundtrack. These are often cited as a useful starting point for effective instructional use of digital stories in the classroom. A more recent adaptation of the Seven Elements is found in Samantha Morra’s (Google certified teacher) explanation and visual on the process of digital storytelling. This process comprises 8 steps (Figure 1):

• Begin with an Idea

• Research/Explore and Learn

• Write/Script

• Storyboard/Plan

• Gather/Create images, Gather/Create Audio, Gather Create Video

• Put it all together

• Share

• Feedback and Reflect 

Figure 1: Digital Storytelling Process by Samantha Morra

Little empirical research has been conducted to date that investigates the benefits of digital storytelling in the classroom although it has been acknowledged as a technology-integrated approach for meaningful and engaged student learning. In the rather limited research that is available, the overarching agreement is that digital storytelling enhances students’ uptake of essential 21st-century literacy competencies or 4Cs of Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity (Partnership for 21st century learning) and enables a deeper understanding in all areas of the curriculum.

How Digital Storytelling Transforms Education: Research Findings 

In the following paragraphs we summarize eight ways that illustrate the transformative impact of digital storytelling for learning based on comparing findings from a number of empirical studies (e.g. Dreon, Kerper, & Landis 2011; Malita & Martin 2010; Robin 2008; Smeda, Dakich & Nalin Sharda 2014; Yang & Wu 2012) that were conducted in the last decade. 

1. Embraces Learning of 21st Literacies 

It is the responsibility of policy makers and educators to design and deliver curriculum that engages students in learning experiences that address the increasing demands of a multicultural, constantly evolving multimedia-based world. Literacy pedagogy and research are incremental towards such a direction: literacy refers to a repertoire of practices learners use to engage in meaning making that derives from spoken, print, and multimedia. Various literacies have been identified such as media, visual, global and digital literacy. Research suggests that students who engage in creating digital stories develop deep understanding of these literacies through the different steps needed to create their digital stories and thus gain knowledge on how to employ literacies in a way that is meaningful and empowers them as learners in a postmodern world.

2. Advances Critical Thinking and Deeper Learning 

Another main learning influence of digital storytelling as the research points out is in advancing students' critical thinking and deeper learning. The research skills needed as students explore their topic to create their digital stories, require higher level thinking skills such as evaluating evidence, editing and curation, and production timelines. Students have to critically reflect on sources by using databases and combine tools in meaningful ways to create their work. Through this process deeper learning is promoted as students master core academic content drawn from the curriculum and learn to solve complex problems that arise during the production of the digital story. In many occasions the research findings suggest, students were able to reach to metacognitive understandings through engagement in digital storytelling. 

3. Enhances Academic Achievement and Student Outcomes

A crucial indication of the impact of digital storytelling is the effect on students’ academic performance or as often stated student outcomes. The findings from evaluation of students’ performance through means of both qualitative and quantitative methods exemplify how digital storytelling in particular is effective for language learning for example for second language learners, as it enhances their writing, communication and listening comprehension skills. Such evidence complies with reports published by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which suggest that the educational uses of technology produce improved student learning outcomes.

4. Boosts Students’ Engagement and Motivation

A definite conclusion for digital storytelling that is found across research findings is how the use of digital media and other tools to engage in creating digital stories, highlight the increased levels of student engagement and motivation. Technology-rich classrooms are in general producing higher levels of engagement amongst students and digital storytelling is one compelling method to achieve such performance. The perceived usefulness students see in digital storytelling as they are challenged to actively participate and complete different tasks, lead to higher levels of learning motivation. The use of appropriate resources and editing tools is instrumental to reach student motivation and possible beneficial effects this can have. 

5. Empowers Students as Creators and Individuals

As creativity is acknowledged to be a critical competence for young learners to survive and succeed in today’s societies, the creative use of technology through means of digital storytelling is of the most significant ways that research posits transform the student learning experience. Students as creators are given the freedom and power to select their own topic and create their digital story from scratch, using an array of tools such as apps and other software. This process allows for their expressive potential to nourish in a number of ways through design, photography, writing their story and presenting it. Students are empowered and feel more confident as they use their own voice and foster a sense of individuality and “owning” their creations. They are encouraged to expose their identity and show features of their personality. 

6. Fosters Collaborative Project Based Learning

Research evidence suggests that digital storytelling can effectively promote collaborative work in the classroom. Students develop team spirit and leadership through actively working in groups to carry out their digital stories. They practice social skills as they organize their ideas together and manage their time and activities while they engage with digital content. Thus digital storytelling is a means to have students meaningfully collaborate and interact as part of an engaged community of learners. 

7. Provides an Alternative Form of Assessment

One other significant indication of the transformative effect of digital storytelling is found in its use as an alternative method of assessment. An issue that has puzzled the education sectors for years and is currently undergoing change, assessment as it is derived from findings in recent research, could benefit significantly from the use of digital storytelling. A natural fit for e-portfolios, digital storytelling could be a powerful tool for a formative form of assessment rather than the mere summative which is interested in measurable skills and scores through a test or essay. Digital storytelling allows students to assemble a meaningful piece of work that is indicative of their understanding or the content they were taught and the competencies they possess. Students demonstrate their learning and growth through presenting their digital story to a real audience in a compelling manner and receive feedback in a way that is interactive and interesting to both themselves and the teachers and their peers.

8. Offers a Personalized and Authentic Learning Experience

The importance of engaging students in meaningful and authentic learning tasks that are personally relevant according to individual needs and background is only recently gaining momentum in formal learning institutions through policy making and relevant instructional approaches. Digital storytelling is such an approach to learning as it provides authentic scenarios for students to work with and accommodates for their needs and personal learning styles and background experiences, making the lesson seem valuable and impactful through concrete products. In this sense digital storytelling caters for the diversity among the student population, whether this results from cultural, linguistic or other difference.

Conclusion 

Digital storytelling is seen as a vehicle for implementing innovative teaching and learning practices. In this article we explored how research in particular suggests it works as a powerful pedagogical learning tool for students. However, further investigation is required to establish a more holistic picture of the impact of digital storytelling in education. 

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FiftyThree Introduced Paper - An Amazing New iPad App

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Paper by FiftyThree is a brand new iPad application that combines the simplicity of free-hand illustration with an elegant interface. The app opens to a welcome screen that tells all you need to know to use the app. It's as simple as that.

Moving on from the welcome screen, you see three journals. The first one - titled "Making Paper" - showcases various illustrations purportedly drawn within the app. Feel free to ruin these illustrations with inane drawings at the most inappropriate places like we did. Sadly, those screenshots didn't make past the Editor. 

The other two journals, titled "Ideas" and "Sketches" are blank. You are free to add your own journals, choose a name/ color and/ or cover for these journals. You can of course add/ delete pages to a journal or delete an entire journal (careful, there's no undo for that!). Navigation is simple as long as you remember the basic rules mentioned on the welcome screen.

You can enter drawing mode by tapping any page. The app offers the solitary "Draw" tool and an option of paltry eight colours for your masterpiece. Drawing is as simple as moving your finger around on the screen, with the thickness of the area of contact determining the width of the line drawn on screen. This meant we were literally trying to draw with our fingernails when we wanted to draw a particularly thin line. 

The only other option in the drawing mode is the interestingly implemented undo method. You hold down two fingers and move them counter-clockwise to invoke the "Rewind" option that lets you undo the most-recent drawing or go all the way back to the blank page you started with.

Did someone say too simple? You can buy additional tools like Sketch, Outline, Write or Color to give you additional options. Each tool is a $1.99 in-app purchase or $7.99 if bought together as the "Essentials" pack (that's 3 cents more than buying everything individually, for those doing the Math at home). The interesting part is the ability to test each of tools before taking the plunge.

Once it's ready, you can share your masterpiece to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or via plain old email. 

What can be improved? While the "Rewind" option is useful, the ability to quickly and precisely undo only one change, especially once you have a long series of operations that can be undone, can be tricky. Perhaps a dedicated undo button/ gesture would be nice. And the app is definitely crying for more than eight colours.

We hope the developers have a backup policy in place for deleted pages/ journals that we didn't see. Otherwise they can expect their inbox to be flooded with emails from customers, after their two-year old deleted the journal that contained months of hard work. What if someone accidentally deletes the app? Perhaps iCloud can be used to answer these questions? We'll definitely be keeping an eye out for these answers. 

All in all, while we loved the simplicity of the app, those looking for more in an app than, well, a pen paper will be disappointed. But then, it's right there in the name!

ANOTHER INTERESTING READ: Top Educational Apps For All Ages
Curious to hear what you think.

*by andreascy*