In The New Digital Storytelling, Bryan Alexander succinctly defines story as, “For a given audience, a story is a sequence of content, anchored on a problem, which engages that audience with emotion and meaning” (13). Let’s accept this definition — a good outline of the basic elements a story needs in order to be. But let’s also take it further by asking:
Beyond what a story needs in order to be, what does a story need in order to be good?
Over the last few weeks, we’ve read about the theory and practice of storytelling, its roles and impacts in our brains and in our societies. We’ve explored strange, playful, and compelling stories. What, in your experience, has made any of these stories worth engaging with?
Details
Due by 8pm on Monday, 2/8. Please review this checklist of post requirements.
PART 1:
Tell us a good story! Use Adobe Spark’s free video tool (or a similar tool of your choice) to create an engaging, visual, digital story in the style of The Story Center’s approach to digital storytelling. Videos should be no longer than 5 minutes. Link to or embed your video in the post you create for Part 2.
PART 2:
Please compose a focused, engaging response to the question, “Beyond what a story needs in order to be, what does a story need in order to be good?” Post your response, with your Adobe Spark story, to our shared “Travel Blog.”
Posts should be ~1500 words, should reference the Adobe Spark story (what makes that story “good”?), and must include linked references to at least 3 external sources. External sources must include at least 1 course reading, and may also include class discussions (quote your peers’ Slack comments! But be sure to ask them for permission first), or independent research.
If you are a student in this course, you are already registered as an author on this website. You may login using the main menu and create your post from the WordPress Dashboard. Need help? Try eCampus’s “Help for Students” site or ask in Slack.
Upon completing your post, please self-assess your work using this form. Kendell will connect with you via Slack to discuss your story, post, and assessment.