I've always enjoyed a good story and I've always been intrigued by new technology so this foray into the world of digital storytelling has been a fascinating experience so far.
I particularly liked the collection of digital stories from Next Exit Digital Drive. The storyteller does a nice job of incorporating digital tools without losing track of the elements that make for a good story. And I believe that is the key. Just like in the visual arts, the medium should never detract from the message. Rather, it should complement and enhance the message.
Finding that balance will be a challenge for teachers trying to use digital storytelling with their class. It would be very easy for students to get caught up in using video, audio and other graphic tools and lose sight of the elements of good storytelling.
The elements of good storytelling and good, or at least better, presentations are things that make them "sticky" according to this week's reading from Garr Reynold's Presentation Zen. I think the "stickiness" concepts of concreteness, credibility, simplicity, emotion and unexpectedness apply equally to stories and presentations.
I can envision using digital stories in my role as marketing manager for iQ Academy. One of our biggest challenges is communicating the value of virtual schools to families who in many cases have never been exposed to anything other than traditional public education. To that end, digital stories told by students, parents and teachers could be particularly valuable. They are also easy to distribute to prospective families via email or posted on our website.
I never thought about using the Presentation Zen in a "selling" way, but that is exactly what the book is supposed to help you do. I'll be interested to hear about how you incorporate this all in the marketing of the iQ Academy and if you think that the book has directly lead to an increase in enrollment. Here is hoping that it does!
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