This talk will introduce basic digital storytelling strategies and demonstrate how students and teachers can incorporate digital media projects in a variety of disciplines, such as Native American Studies, English, film and media studies, visual anthropology, and more. Such high-impact educational projects encourage creativity; demand research, planning, writing, and collaboration; and inspire students to see the value in representing the people and places from which they come. To illustrate various approaches, we will screen selections of Indigenous short films, such as the documentary Dr. Nelson made to highlight archival collections in University of Oklahoma library collections and narrative shorts by filmmakers Steven Paul Judd (Kiowa-Choctaw) and Sterlin Harjo (Seminole-Muscogee/Creek). In compact, engaging stories, these films represent local tribal communities, contribute to cultural rejuvenation, and demolish stereotypes, all on shoestring budgets.

This public lecture by Ida Beam Distinguished Visiting Professor Joshua B. Nelson is sponsored by the departments of Mathematics, English, Cinematic Arts, Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies, History, and Anthropology, as well as the Native American and Indigenous Studies program.