The Watson School of Education is getting young minds excited about school through the use of technology.

The Wilmington Community Digital Storytelling Collaboration began as a seven week summer program at the Wilmington Boy’s and Girl’s Club. It was funded by a dropout prevention grant from the NC Department of Public Instruction. The money was used to purchase enough laptop computers, iPads, voice recorders, GPS units, headsets, digital cameras and tripods to serve about 25 students, giving them hands-on experience with technology they otherwise would not have access to.

Chandra Roughton, a UNCW graduate student, said a goal of the program is to “change the mindset of our students from, ‘I’m just going to get a job after high school’ to ‘I think I want to go to college.'”

Sixth grade poetry students at Williston Middle School used iPads to capture images that visually represented their poems and then used various applications to create short stories and videos.

In addition to familiarizing students with modern technology, the program also strives to create good role models through a process Roughton dubbed “generational mentoring.” College students mentor middle school students, who then go to elementary schools and teach the children how to use iPads. Roughton believes the process provides students with positive role models while simultaneously empowering them to be role models themselves.

Surprisingly, children today seem to have no problem using modern technology.

“You wouldn’t believe how fast they pick it up,” said Roughton, commenting on elementary school students using iPads. “They run a finger across the screen, moving characters and playing music and it gives them instant gratification.”

Roughton added that the success children have with technology improves their self-confidence. 

The Wilmington Community Digital Storytelling Collaboration puts major emphasis on the collaboration aspect of the program. Roughton explained that in the current economy, when government funding for innovative education programs is scarce, collaboration between like-minded groups is essential.

“We have the iPads and computers, but we don’t have the resources to feed the children when they get here,” said Roughton.

A $1,000 runner-up prize in the Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation and a new partnership with the national non-profit theatre company, Turning the Wheel, have helped to accommodate the food issue and expand the curriculum so the students can express themselves physically as well as digitally. 

The next step for the program is a plan to conduct an intensive two week digital storytelling program on the UNCW campus.

“We would like to invite kids from the Community Boy’s and Girl’s Club and Williston Middle School (as well as others in the community) to participate,” said Roughton. “We believe that once they visit the campus they will be able to envision themselves going to college one day.”