The final option for a component in your portfolio is a digital story. A digital story can mean a lot of different things, but it is typically a slideshow or video that combines multiple forms of media, such as music, images, video and/or written text. As with all of your portfolio items, the topic of your digital story can be whatever you would like. However, I would like you to take into consideration the following criteria.

Evaluative Criteria

• Your digital story should say something. It should tell a story, have a point, or make an argument. It should be designed to have a rhetorical impact on your audience.
• Your digital story must include visual images (still photos or moving video) taken by you or someone else..
• Your digital story must include some alphabetic text written by you–the amount amount, as well as where and how you locate it within the story, is entirely up to you.
• Your digital story must include an audio component, which might be spoken word or music written/composed by you or someone else.
• You must include a slide/image that cites your sources, which might include images or audio used and/or sources consulted for written content.
• Your digital story should be between 2 and 5 minutes. Five minutes is the maximum length.

Technology

I would like for you to use Windows Movie Maker because it is available on all of our classroom computers. However, if you would like to use a different program (like iMovie or something else), please check with me in advance.

Examples

Students in my course from last year created multimedia texts, some of which might qualify as a “digital story.” Though their assignment was slightly different than yours, these might give you some ideas to get you started.

• Mapping Atlanta: Public Housing Edition
• Animal Shelters in Atlanta
• These Three Remain
• Georgia Gems

Peer Review

Instead of receiving feedback from me on your draft digital story, you will share your draft online with 3 of your peers who will give you feedback, and you will respond to their draft. I will give you more detailed instructions for this process next week.

Submission

I prefer that you post your video to YouTube (as public or unlisted). However, if you’re having trouble posting it to YouTube, I will accept the Windows Movie Maker completed video file. The final draft of your digital story is one component that you could consider including your digital portfolio.