Digital storytelling to come into focus at workshop

Historically, a good storyteller was someone who could paint a picture, whether for pleasure or education, with spoken or written words. With the onset of digital media, this art can be taken to new levels. And when blended with academia, the intended audience can be enlightened and enlivened in ways never experienced before. But that's only if the story is presented well.

The Center for Faculty Development (CFD) recognizes the importance of digital storytelling as an educational tool. Because of this, the center is encouraging all who are interested to take part in a Faculty Digital Storytelling Workshop offered May 16-18 in Denver by the Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS). The center is offering to pay half of the workshop session fee for full-time faculty who want to use the strategy in their teaching.

"The Digital Story Telling Workshop was requested by faculty last spring," said CFD Director Ellen Stevens. By coincidence, Joni Dunlap, from the CFD and School of Education and Human Development, was contacted by the workshop organizers in the fall. "It seemed like the propitious moment, but the three-day workshop is expensive."

The center's advisory board approved scholarships to help offset the cost. The workshop will enable faculty to gain hands-on experience in creating a digital story. The CDS has worked with universities around the world to help faculty and staff create digital stories as well as encourage their students to produce stories.

"Faculty will come away with a completed digital story," Stevens said. "Our focus is on using these in the service of student learning. Faculty might use digital stories in their online courses to increase their social presence. Or they might teach their students to create one as a class assignment."

Workshop details:

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 16 through May 18, location in downtown Denver to be announced.
• Cost is $495 per person before the scholarship.
• Continuing education credit will be available for an additional fee through CU Denver.

The scholarship application for full-time faculty is posted on the Center for Faculty Development website. Once the scholarship is approved, or if you are not a full-time downtown faculty member, contact Daniel Weinshenker at CDS: daniel@storycenter.org.