Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 8.03 Education
Presentation #1 Title
Building New Connections to Old Memories: Accessing Northern Appalachian History through Digital Storytelling in the College Writing Classroom
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
In fall 2013 my honors writing students at California University of Pennsylvania collaborated with the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh to create digital storytelling projects for five local historical societies. Through the History Center’s Affiliates Program (HCAP), my students set out to document stories that are meaningful to northern Appalachians, specifically southwestern Pennsylvanians. My students began the semester by creating individual digital stories that helped them situate themselves in the Appalachian region. Later, they formed small groups and chose five local historical societies with which to work with the broad goal of creating digital stories from archival material to encourage visitors to the centers. The semester culminated with the premiere of each story at the designated society with local citizens and dignitaries present. My presentation will discuss the theory and methodology behind using digital storytelling in the honors writing classroom. I will also showcase student work and explore the pitfalls and successes of this pilot project. My presentation will conclude with implications for use by others.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Christina Fisanick is an Associate Professor of English at California University of Pennsylvania. Her teaching and research interests include writing, rhetoric, digital storytelling, Appalachian studies, northern Appalachia, women's studies, and body studies.
Building New Connections to Old Memories: Accessing Northern Appalachian History through Digital Storytelling in the College Writing Classroom
Harris Hall 446
In fall 2013 my honors writing students at California University of Pennsylvania collaborated with the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh to create digital storytelling projects for five local historical societies. Through the History Center’s Affiliates Program (HCAP), my students set out to document stories that are meaningful to northern Appalachians, specifically southwestern Pennsylvanians. My students began the semester by creating individual digital stories that helped them situate themselves in the Appalachian region. Later, they formed small groups and chose five local historical societies with which to work with the broad goal of creating digital stories from archival material to encourage visitors to the centers. The semester culminated with the premiere of each story at the designated society with local citizens and dignitaries present. My presentation will discuss the theory and methodology behind using digital storytelling in the honors writing classroom. I will also showcase student work and explore the pitfalls and successes of this pilot project. My presentation will conclude with implications for use by others.
