Long, long ago, before the invention of the printing press, there were bards, minstrels, and scops. These individuals were the original storytellers, singing stories and poems to royal audiences. Equipped with nothing more than a lyre and an imagination, masterful storytellers were in high demand by the courts. Their stories of war and conquests, dragons and dragon slayers were embellished with each retelling.
At the time, the oral tradition was the only way to pass along stories from generation to generation. There were no records, and many times stories would die with their storyteller. The epic, Beowulf, is the oldest surviving poem.
Throughout the ages, grandparents have passed stories along to their grandchildren. Children, before they can even read, have come to enjoy story time and bedtime stories. Through stories, we learn about different cultures and traditions. As an added bonus, storytelling is cheap entertainment enjoyed equally by the young as by the old.
With the advent of the digital era came new ways to share stories. Although nothing quite beats a well-told tale around the campfire, students are becoming more aware of this new medium. Teachers are using digital storytelling to not only share information, but also to make an impact. Carefully selected images and audio tracks can pack a powerful message about historical events. Images and music may be used to summarize literary classics. They can even be used to demonstrate how to perform tasks in science and mathematics.
But teachers are not the only ones creating digital stories. Students have become quite adept at authoring digital content featured on the Net. Students who make digital stories use critical thinking and information literary skills to compile images and music for maximum effect. As they master the technology required to compile such artifacts, they are using their imaginations to tell a story of their own.
I know you might be thinking, “Wow, this is great!” The digital age makes so many things easy that were not even possible before. What if, however, some time in the future all content went digital? What would happen to library shelves filled with literature representing the written tradition? Even though I don’t see books ever disappearing, it is obvious that e-books are becoming increasingly popular.
In fact, I was channel surfing a couple of nights ago, and on pops a commercial for Amazon.com’s Kindle. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been eyeing these with keen interest. I am enamored by the concept of being able to download books in less than a minute. But the Kindle is expensive, and I can’t justify it. I’m even thinking they could be a trend. Their best sellers may only run between $7 and $13, but why spend money when there are resources out there such as ICDL and Project Gutenberg which are absolutely free. I thought storytelling and reading stories were suppose to be relatively cheap entertainment, after all.
I think there is a definite demand for e-books. I see media centers with online reference databases such as GALILEO. But after much thought, I really do not think that electronic resources and e-books are going to be replacing print books anytime soon. The main reason I feel this way is because not everyone will have access to digital resources outside of a school setting. To me, it seems impossible that a segment of the population will be totally denied when putting a book in a child’s hands is so easy.
Wow…what a very well written blog post Theresa! I especially liked the concise but informative review on the history of storytelling and how it relates to the current era of technology and digital storytelling. Additionally, I was astonished to see that I was not the only person who was concerned about the possibility of all published material going digital. As I have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of music. I own thousands of CD’s as well as some vinyl and I continue to purchase in both of those formats. However, I own an ipod for the convenience of carrying my entire music collection around in my pocket. My good friend Tammy who travels frequently says the same thing about her Kindle. She owns numerous books and continues to purchase more, but likes the convenience of throwing her Kindle in her carry on and hoping on a plane. However, I often wonder what would happen is all published material went digital especially from the perspective of a media specialist. Not only would that threaten the media specialist’s job, but it would also allow our access to digitally published materials to be drastically restricted. As we discussed in our internet filtering papers, our access to the sites on the internet are currently controlled through broad filters that often cut off our access to valuable instructional sources. My fear is that the same filters would then be utilized to control the access of all students and teachers to any digitally published materials such as eBooks. It would be like Fahrenheit 451, but instead of a flamethrower all that one would need is a keyword. Although I do not believe that this will come to fruition, the thought of it definitely gives me pause…
I agree with you, Theresa, when you said, “But after much thought, I really do not think that electronic resources and e-books are going to be replacing print books anytime soon.”
I, too, have toyed with the idea of purchasing a Kindle, but at $259.00 and even with the “free Super Savings Shipping” that amazon.com offers, I am still not convinced that I would like to continue buying the materials to put into it. Like so many other products, as each updated version of Kindle emerges, older models become dinosaurs ditched for newer “apps” or completely re-vamped. Older forms don’t work with the “new and improved” editions as the software gets upgraded, too.
I like the idea that Project Gutenberg books are free, and while they aren't the latest titles, obviously, they do include the classics and rich literature that we need to know and preserve. There are SO MANY of them in PG available! The idea of “free” always trumps buying materials, for me, at least. (Public Library, anyone?) Like you and Holly, I feel there IS something about holding a real book in your hands—even if it’s a paperback. I like taking my time to read without worry of batteries going out or other glitches associated with mechanized, electronic gadgets.
Another use of electronics is intriguing to me—digital story-telling. In digital story-telling we can make use of what we already have—still and moving images, oral history, and traditions. Paper and film materials that can fade away with time can now be preserved in virtual “scrapbooks” that will not likely ever weaken, become brittle, or crumble away. Without the potential ruin from weather or fire and stored on various computer servers throughout the country, these electronic materials can show us lives lived with and without fanfare. Digital stories put the indelible voice of the story-teller on an electronic record that can live forever. How wonderful that future generations will hear and see their own ancestors telling their stories or hear Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech, John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, or the thrilling moment of man walking on the moon. Digital stories produced by teachers can enliven lessons, highlight and expand learning objectives, and bring authentic use of the computer directly into the classroom. Digital stories made by students today will become the heirlooms of their children to be treasured and passed on as original accounts of their lives and times. As an educational tool, digital stories allow students to make a school learning objective personal and meaningful and allow them to share feeling for what they learn. In digital story-telling, we, as educators and media specialists, help students link information with a very personal connection—that is the education students remember and that we strive to achieve.