Digital storytelling for Montreal and Canadian students
Posted February 10, 2022 12:38 pm.
From learning how to edit, to producing their own soundtracks, Hands On Media Education (HOME) is empowering students from across Canada with media literacy skills. The non-profit is launching a new online digital storytelling workshop allowing students to share their personal stories about living through COVID-19.
A class from Montreal’s Galileo Adult Education Centre recently experienced the organization’s workshops, and loved it so much, they even had their very own film festival.
“What’s so amazing is that students can learn really important critical media and digital literacy skills through play and through creation,” says Jessie Curell, the executive director of Hands On Media Education.
“The foundation of the workshops is all about trying to inspire youth to become digital citizens,” she adds. “We want everyone to be using technology and the internet for maximum potential and while causing minimum harm.”
(CREDIT: Lisa Trotto)
Since the pandemic began, the non-profit moved to a fully virtual experience. Their new workshop is an opportunity to share the impacts of COVID-19 via online digital storytelling.
“The students get to learn about each other, the teachers get to learn about each other,” says Curell. “And most importantly the students have an opportunity to reflect on how they are right now.”
The workshop is intertwined with the instructors teaching schedules, creating story boards, discovering photo composition, voice recording, music creation, and editing.
“For example, when we talk about inclusivity, it was just amazing for them to show off their abilities,” says Lisa Trotto, a teacher at Galileo Adult Education Centre. “It was something. It was one of my proudest teaching moments for them honestly.”
(CREDIT: Lisa Trotto)
Alex Ponte, a student from Galileo Adult Education Centre is one of the many students that participated in a Hands On Media Education workshop.
He says the most important aspect of the program was that he got to show the world “autism is a superpower.”
Once their videos are complete the students, now true filmmakers, get to have their own film festival.
“We had an Oscar’s ceremony, where students were literally dressed up, and received an award,” says Trotto.
“I find it’s just so incredibly rewarding to see how effective storytelling can be,” says Curell.
