MCC ESL Digital Stories

ESL Digital Stories - Spring 2010

2010-05-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Take a look. Winning digital stories on the Spring 2010 blog. Great work, students, under the guidance of your excellent instructors, Eli and Ruth.

Enrique wins Ozkar for Best Digital Story, Fall 2009

2009-12-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Enrique!
Bravo for your story about Chicano-ism.
See Enrique's blog posting with his digital story.

Congratulations to the Class of Fall 2009

2009-12-10T17:46:00.000-08:00

See their work on their blogs, linked on the class Web page. Good work everyone!

Deep Language Learning Presentation - MCC, Fall 2009

2009-08-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

Digital Storytelling

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by reyesk | Upload your own presentation

Congratulations to the Students of Summer 2009!

2009-07-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

June - July 2009:

The students in the Summer term of ESL Digital Storytelling once again created incredible digital stories on topics ranging from their experiences coming to the USA to special life changes and memorable family experiences. The students posted a digital story on their favorites, other computer projects, and their final narrative digital stories on blogs, listed on the class Web page.

Special thanks to aide Sue Otis, who also made a digital story on the effect of yoga in her life, which you can see on her blog (also posted on the class Web page).

Congratulations, Gelacio!

2009-07-19T20:38:00.001-07:00

Gelacio Sanchez won an "Ozkar" for Best Overall Digital Story in the ESL Digital Storytelling class for the Summer 2009 term. His story, "Overcoming Obstacles in My Life," recounts his modest upbringing in Oaxaca, Mexico, and tells how he came to live and work in the U.S.A. in his youth, and celebrates how far he has come.

Gelacio's advice: Work hard and stay positive, and you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way.

See his digital story, also posted on his blog (listed on the class Web page).

Well done, Gelacio! Best wishes in your pursuit of an education at MiraCosta College.

Gelacio's "Overcoming Obstacles in My Life"

2009-07-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Class of Spring 2009!

2009-05-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, everyone, on a job well done! Your stories were wonderful. Wishing you all the best.

-- your instructors,
Zakia and Kristi

Isaac's Digital Story Chosen as Best!

2009-05-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

ESL Digital Storytelling student Isaac Ramirez's digital story was deemed the Best Overall Digital Story by his classmates. See his story, about a memorable experience communing with nature and bonding with his best friends on a camping trip in his native Oaxaca, Mexico:

Congratulations and best wishes for continued success, Isaac!

Your instructors,

Zakia and Kristi

Congratulations, Academy participants!

2008-07-18T08:32:00.001-07:00

Your digital stories were fantastic! I was very impressed by your skills and progress. Best wishes to all of you for continued success. – Kristi

And the "Ozkar" goes to ....

2008-07-18T08:29:00.001-07:00

Neier Rodriguez, Best Story; Shaghayegh Hajian, Best Overall Digital Story; Lorenzo Sanchez, Best Technical. Congratulations, winners! Remember us little people when you are famous.

Thanks to instructors Eli Clarke and Ruth Gay who helped judge the digital stories.

Note: Since the posting of this entry, Lorenzo has created a second digital story about his first bike ride to Del Mar.

Shaghayegh's Wedding Story

2008-07-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Neier's Life Change

2008-07-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Lorenzo's Hometown in Puebla, Mexico

2008-07-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Sue!

2008-07-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

Only two years ago instructional aide Sue Otis was learning to navigate email and make PowerPoint presentations, but before the summer term began, she enthusiastically learned the computer programs used in the ESL Digital Storytelling class and even made a digital story entitled “Little Samurai,” recounting the early life of her great grandfather in Okinawa, Japan.

Thanks, Sue, for sharing your fantastic digital story and for assisting in the ESL Digital Storytelling Summer Academy 2008!

Sue Otis' Digital Story: "Little Samurai"

2008-07-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Students of MCC ESL Digital Storytelling Summer Academy, 2008

2008-07-11T12:17:00.001-07:00

And the "Ozkar" goes to ....

2008-05-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Diana Pinedo!

Congratualtions to Diana! Her digital story, Scuba Story, was voted as "Best Digital Story" by the second class of ESL Digital Storytelling at MiraCosta College, Spring 2008.

Second Class of ESL Digital Storytelling at MiraCosta College

2008-05-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations!

Your digital stories were awe-inspiring! Pictured here: Eric Hernandez, Hooshang Nayak, Vang Vu, Diana Pinedo, Isabel Bazan, Instructional Aide Adriana Machuca, Instructor Ruth Gay, Instructor Kristi Reyes, Takae Contreras, and Oscar (Oscarin Chapulin) Carrasco. Not pictured: Hellena Cha.

Diana Pineda "Scuba" Story: Best Digital Story, MCC ESL Digital Storytelling Class, Second Showcase

2008-05-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Kiyoko Ando Wins MiraCosta College Noncredit ESL Brooke Brummit Scholarship

2008-05-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kiyoko Ando, a graduate of the noncredit ESL program and former student in the ESL Digital Storytelling class, who has made the transition to credit ESL classes at MiraCosta College! She recently was awarded a $500 scholarship, (shown here with Dean of Community Education Lynda Lee) named for and founded former noncredit ESL instructor Brooke Brummit, whose death was untimely.

Kiyoko has demonstrated the maturity, perseverence, and drive to succeed in college and in whatever she does. She is definitely a talented person, whose artistic, esthetic sense is depicted in her class work. I had the privelege of having Kiyoko in VESL class, where I learned that an injury derailed her fledging career as a professional dancer. Her current goal, as shown in the digital story she created for a career research project for VESL class, is to apply her talents and artistic skills in the field of floral design.

However, if the floral design career doesn't work out, watch out Steven Speilberg. Check out Kiyoko's digital story about a Turning Point in her life.

Kiyoko Ando's Turning Point Digital Story

2008-05-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Student Spotlight

2008-05-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

The morning ESL program is gifted by the presence of Hooshang Nayak, a retired diesel locomotive engineer, who moved to the United States from his native Iran more than 20 years ago.

Hooshang got his feet wet with using computers as a tool for practicing English when he made a video resume in the Vocational ESL class. His interest was sparked, and Hooshang was hooked, spending late nights at home learning more about PowerPoint and Movie Maker. Hooshang’s natural abilities with and interest in technology led him to enroll in the ESL Digital Storytelling class, which was first offered Spring 2008.

Hooshang’s father himself was an immigrant in Iran, having come from India, and owned a movie theater there. As a young boy, Hooshang helped his father, much like the father and son in the Italian film “Cinema Paradiso.” Now, at the age of 85, Hooshang said his boyhood dream of “making movies” is a reality.

In his first digital story, “Good or Bad Story,” Hooshang narrates an Iranian folk story his mother told him, whose message is universal: What goes around comes around. Hooshang has since translated and remade the digital story in his native language, Farsi, and has shared it with his grandchildren, who also live in the U.S., as a way of preserving the story. More recently Hooshang has collaborated long distance with his daughter, an artist living in New York City whose artwork he featured in the digital story, to tell the story of his own father.

As Hooshang demonstrates, it is never to late to learn English, learn to use computers, and use digital storytelling as a means to capture, safeguard, and commemorate the past and the people who have shaped who we are.

Hooshang Nayak's "Good or Bad Story"

2008-05-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

And the "Ozkar" goes to ...

2008-03-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

The first class ESL Digital Storytelling culminated in a showcase on March 6, 2008, in which participants voted for the best digital stories.

The following students received "Ozkars" for their digital stories, pictured here:

Milena Landwerlen, best story for "A Change in My Life"; Myrna Guttierrez, best overall story for "A Miracle"; and Sachicko Bynes, best technical digital story with "Fan Letter."

Congratulations to the winners and to all students in the class!

Your digital stories were impressive!

Myrna's Winning Digital Story: "A Miracle"

2008-03-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Milena's Winning Digital Story: "A Change in My Life"

2008-03-12T10:21:00.001-07:00

Completion of First Term of ESL Digital Storytelling Class at MiraCosta College, Spring 2008

2008-03-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the first graduation class of MiraCosta College's ESL Digital Storytelling Class.

Your digital stories were awesome!

Pictured here: Hooshang Nayak, Instructor Ruth Gay, Jose Meza, Vitaly Pirozmenko, Myrna Gutierrez, Milena Landwerlen, Eduardo Mariano, Instructional Aide Adriana Machuca, Kiyoko Ando, Satomi Ward, Sachiko Bynes, Takae Contreras, and Chika West.

Best Option for Getting Images from the Web

2008-03-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Flickr.com has high quality photos, but with FlickrStorm http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/, you can access and organize Creative Commons copyright-free images. At the CUE Conference, the presenter of a workshop I attended shared his wiki, which has video and print tutorials for using FlickrStorm and attributing sources, available at http://newtools.pbwiki.com/dst2.

Ideas for Digital Stories

2007-12-01T14:56:00.001-08:00

A digital story can be serious, funny, sad, shocking ...

it's about you, using your own ideas and words.

Here is a long list of ideas for stories to help you get started:

Tell a story about…

A bad habit you quit
A big life change
A biography of someone interesting
A blessing in disguise
A coincidence
A cultural conflict
A cultural custom or tradition
A day in the life of an immigrant
A deception
A disappointment (when you disappointed someone or someone disappointed you)
A failure
A family custom
A family heirloom
A family member
A folk story
A ghost story
A great vacation
A legend
A letter or dialog with someone you love, someone you want to forgive, or someone whom you want to ask forgiveness
A lie
A miracle
A misunderstanding (due to language or cultural differences)
A mixed blessing
A movie trailer of your life
A mystery
A myth
A painful experience
A painful experience
A person who you admire
A place that is special to you
A place you would like to visit
A poem you like
A proverb or dicho
A Public Service Announcment (PSA)
A rite of passage
A sacrifice you or someone you know made
A secret
A societal or environmental problem that concerns you
A song you like
A special friend
A special holiday
A special place
A story about words that someone said to you that impacted you or changed your life
A story from your childhood
A story of courage
A story of discrimination or unfair treatment
A superstition
A time when someone helped you or when you helped another person
A time when someone hurt you
A time when you experienced prejudice or stereotyping
A time when you had to make a big decision
A time when you learned a new skill
A time when you lost someone
A time when you lost something
A time when you made a difference in somebody’s life
A time when you overcame an obstacle
A time when you reconnected with someone
A time when you used your intuition
A time when you were healed
A time when you were helped by helping somebody else
A time when you were honest
A time when you were lost
A time when you were scared
A time when you worked (or played) as part of a team
A transformation
A tribute to someone
A very important journey that you undertook
Acceptance
Advice for newcomers to the USA
An event in your community, city, country, or the world that changed your life or your views
An event that taught you a lesson
An important person in history
An important person in your life
An important relationship
An unexplainable experience
An urban legend
Becoming an adult
Disapproval
Doing your own thing
How and what you appreciate in your life
How to … (anything you know how to do well)
How we are all connected
How you are lucky
How you changed for the better
How you met your spouse, best friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend
How you or someone you know took a different path in life and the results
How you used to be
How you want to inpires others
Interviewing a special person
Learning English
Something special about your community
Something you fought for
Symbols of your culture, country, or hometown
The best advice you ever received
The best day of your life
The best gift you have received
The history of (fashion, a sport, a monument) -- a subject that interests you
The origin of your family
The origin of your name
The worst day of your life
Welcome to your school, your community, your home, or your hometown
What freedom means to you
What happened in history on the day of your birth
What makes you happy
What makes you proud
What worries you
What you are hopeful about
What you are willing to die for
What you believe in
What you used to believe
What you used to believe
What you want others to remember you for
What you would do if you could change yourself, your life, or something in the world
What you would say to someone if you could say anything (who, what)
Your (hidden) talent(s)
Your (or someone else’s) wedding day story
Your __________ experience (scariest, happiest, unique, most interesting, most exciting, life-changing, special/first time, most rewarding, saddest, most embarrassing, etc.)
Your American dream
Your autobiography in three parts (past, present, future)
Your big success
Your birth story
Your blessings
Your coming-to-America story
Your definition of respect, loyalty, or faith
Your earliest memory
Your goals for the future
Your greatest fear
Your hero
Your hometown
Your hopes for your children
Your inspiration
Your life in the future (plans, goals, dreams, wishes)
Your life’s purpose
Your most prized possession(s)
Your mother country
Your personal story of loss
Your position in your family

Movie Maker

2007-12-01T14:08:00.001-08:00

Movie Maker is a free video editing program that comes standard on Windows XP and Windows Vista.

It's easy to use, and it is the program we will primarly use to make digital stories in the ESL Digital Storytelling class at MiraCosta College.

To download Movie Maker
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx

Online Tutorial: Movie Maker 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsxp/default.mspx

Atomic Learning Tutorials:
http://www.atomiclearning.com/moviemaker2

See my booklet for OTAN at http://kreyes.mcc.googlepages.com/eslbuffet

Photo Story

2007-12-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

Photo Story 3 is a free Microsoft download for creating digital stories from photos.

To download Photo Story 3, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspxPhoto

For a Photo Story Tutorial, see
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/tips/firststory.mspx

Adobe Premiere

2007-12-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

Adobe Premiere is a software that is on MCC's computers in the labs.

You can see tutorials for using this program at

http://www.mediacollege.com/adobe/premiere/pro/
and http://www.techtutorials.info/adpremier.html
and video tutorials (plus AdobePhotoShop)at http://www.wrigleyvideo.com/videotutorial/tutorials.htm

Free Sources for Photo Editing and Effects

2007-12-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Picasa is a free Google download for photo editing.

To download Picasa, go to http://picasa.google.com/download/

A free online Picasa video tutorial can be viewed at
http://www.ewiza.com/misc/picasa-video-tutorial.html

Free online photo editing and altering (special effects) sites (no download required, but registration is required with some sites):

Be Funky http://www.befunky.com/
FotoFlexer http://fotoflexer.com/
Graphita http://www.graphita.com/
Phixr http://www.phixr.com/
Picnik http://www.picnik.com/
Pixenate http://pixenate.com/

Photo Editing with Picassa

2007-12-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

Picasa is a free program from Google which has sufficient features for basic photo editing and is fairly easy to use:
Google Picasa (free to download and use!)To download Picasa, go to http://picasa.google.com/download/

A free online Picasa video tutorial can be viewed at http://www.ewiza.com/misc/picasa-video-tutorial.html and above.
Other Picasa Tutorials:
Picasa Photo Editor Software Training - Very clear, FREE streaming tutorial videos for Google Software from LearningElectric.com. (Check out in particular the section on Editing Photos)
Using Picasa - Part 1 (Free video tutorial, 7.15 mins) from HelpMeRick.com
See also Google's own help page on Editing Photos in Picasa

Uploading Video to Share with the World

2007-12-01T13:51:00.000-08:00

Many sites allow free video uploading. Some allow registered users to choose private or publish postings.

Here are some of the most popular sites:

Blip.tv http://blip.tv/
Crackle http://crackle.com/index.aspx
DropShots http://www.dropshots.com/
Freevlog http://www.freevlog.org/index.php/category/tutorial/ (set up your own video blog)
Google Video http://video.google.com/
MetaTube http://www.metatube.com/
Motionbox http://www.motionbox.com/ Make a flip book!
Next Vista for Learning http://www.nextvista.org/ For posting educational videos. Also An online library of free videos for learners.
Photobucket http://photobucket.com/
Revver http://revver.com/
School tube http://www.schooltube.com/
TeacherTube http://www.teachertube.com/
TinyPic http://tinypic.com/
Viddler http://www.viddler.com/
Yahoo! Video http://video.yahoo.com/
YouTube http://www.schooltube.com/
ZippyVideos http://www.zippyvideos.com/

Color

2007-12-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

There are important factors one must consider when choosing colors to illustrate and enhance a story. These sites inform about color theory, color as therapy, color meanings and symbols, color meanings in various cultures, and color effects on mood.

http://myth.com/color/meaning.html
http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/color/a/symbolism.htm
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm
http://www.sibagraphics.com/colour.php
http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/aa072604.htm
http://www.colormatters.com/symbolism.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html

Digital Photography

2007-12-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Here are some good sources for learning how to take better photos:

Kodak Photo Tips
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=39&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=856

Microsoft Digital Photography Tips
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/learnmore/composition.mspx

Photography Tips
http://www.photographytips.com/

NPR and Affliated Program

2007-12-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Many NPR programs are also broadcast or at least archived online.
These make great bases of ideas for students when crafting their own stories.

Here are my favorite:

“This American Life” http://www.thislife.org/
"This I Believe"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138
with Educators’s section http://thisibelieve.org/educationoutreach.html (downloadable curricula)
American Radio Works documentaries
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/documentaries.php
Human Kind http://www.humanmedia.org/catalog/home.php

Latino USA http://www.latinousa.org/

Dandelife

2007-12-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

Create a "Lifecast."

Dandelife http://dandelife.com/ is a very cool site for telling life stories with your photos, videos and blog mixed with your friends, family and feeds.

Check it out!

Mojito

2007-12-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is a delicious, refreshing drink made of lemonade, mint, and rum. However, it's also a cool site you should check out!

Mojiti.com http://mojiti.com/
Lets you annotate online video.

Zentation

2007-12-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

Zentation http://www.zentation.com/ is a tool for merging Google video with PowerPoint.

Download a handout with directions for ESL projects from my Google Page: http://kreyes.mcc.googlepages.com/eslbuffet

Here's an example: http://www.zentation.com/viewer/index.php?passcode=692291

Place-Based Storytelling

2007-12-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

Google Earth allows for geo-tagging, that is, place-based storytelling.

Here are some online sources for making place-based stories:

Community Walk http://www.communitywalk.com/ Create interactive maps
Murmur http://murmurtoronto.ca/about.php Geographic digital stories
Storymapping http://storymapping.org/Geo-tagged based stories.
Wayfaring http://www.wayfaring.com/ Create personalized maps.

Upload PowerPoints to the Web

2007-12-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

There are a few sites where PowerPoint slideshow can be uploaded to the web for sharing.

Here is a list:

authorSTREAM http://www.authorstream.com/
Myplick http://www.myplick.com/
Scribd http://www.scribd.com/
Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/

You can even upload PPTs to YouTube see how at
Slideshare video tutorial and Video tutorial on YouTube

Make Slideshows Online

2007-12-01T13:20:00.001-08:00

There are numerous websites that allow users to upload photos, arrange them, narrate or type captions, and save online as "movies."

Here is a list:

Animoto http://animoto.com/
BubbleShare http://www.bubbleshare.com/
DigitalStoryteller http://www.digitalstoryteller.org/
Empressr http://www.empressr.com/
Eyespot http://www.eyespot.com/
Fabrik http://filmloop.myfabrik.com/
Flector http://www.flektor.com/create/slideshow
Fliptrack http://www.fliptrack.com/make-slideshow/
Flypaper http://www.flypaper.net/ (download required)
Imageloop http://www.imageloop.com/en/index.htm
Jumpcut http://www.jumpcut.com/
MixerCast http://www.mixercast.com/_commonGallery.jsp
Mogopop http://www.mogopop.com/ Create and share multimedia for ipods.
MyPlick http://www.myplick.com/ (like Scribd – can upload many types of docs to share)One True Media http://www.onetruemedia.com/
OurStory http://ourstory.com/ make and save online stories with timelines.
Photobook http://www.mixbook.com/
PhotoShow http://www.photoshow.com/home
Picturetrail http://www.picturetrail.com/
PreZentit http://prezentit.com/
Primary Access http://www.primaryaccess.org/
Rock You http://www.rockyou.com/
Showbeyond http://www.showbeyond.com/show/home
Slide http://www.slide.com/ (see a couple of examples I made: My Life in the Future, and Who Am I?)
SlideFlickr.com http://slideflickr.com/
Slideroll http://www.slideroll.com/
Spresent http://www.spresent.com/v2/
Toufee http://www.toufee.com/ make flash movies
Viewbook http://www.viewbook.com/
VoiceThread http://voicethread.com/#home Create and comment. Very cool
Vuvox http://www.vuvox.com/
Xtimeline http://xtimeline.com/
Zoho Show http://show.zoho.com/jsp/zoho_login.jsp?serviceurl=%2FHome.do
Zude http://www.zude.com/index.html

Plus: See 50 Digital Story Web 2.0 tools on the Story Tools wiki (including audio, presentation, video, comics, and mapping tools) at http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools

Teacher Tube Video on Movie Maker

2007-12-01T13:19:00.001-08:00

Advanced Audacity Tutorial on Teacher Tube

2007-11-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

Audacity Sound Recorder (The Basics) Teacher Tube Video

2007-11-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

Teacher Tube Video on Audacity

2007-11-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Blog for MiraCosta College's ESL Digital Storytelling Course

2007-09-28T10:34:00.001-07:00

Feel free to leave comments. If you have questions, email me, the instructor, Kristi Reyes.

Thanks for visiting this blog!

My Teachable Moment

2007-09-26T20:45:00.000-07:00