Blog #2 Building a Voice in the Digital Space
Creating this digital media piece was both challenging and exciting, as I explored how various elements such as images, music, pictures, and videos could work together to strengthen my message. Crafting in an electronic environment allowed me to experiment with sound, visuals, and layout in ways that traditional writing alone could not. Each component added depth, emotion, and clarity to the story I wanted to tell. This is what led me to shape my final composition around a monologue to the Minister of Health, a form that gave my grief a destination and my voice a purpose. By blending text with multimedia tools, I was able to express my pain, my hope, and my demand for change in a way that felt powerful and deeply personal.
One of the most important things I learned from composing with multiple modes is how inclusive and accessible multimodal storytelling can be. A digital piece does not rely only on printed words. The images, music, and pacing help carry the meaning, so even viewers with literacy challenges can still follow the message. Through visuals and sound, they can feel the emotion of the piece and understand what is happening without needing to read every line. This showed me how multimodal texts can reach a wider range of people and make communication more humane and more universal.
Working in a digital space also felt very different from writing only on paper. Digital tools gave me a kind of creative freedom that paper cannot match. Instead of crossing out lines and starting over, I could rearrange clips, adjust transitions, try new images, and test different sounds until the piece matched the feeling I wanted. The digital environment offered suggested music, suggested images, text styles, and layouts that made the process more fluid and less stressful. Writing on paper can feel slow and laborious, but working digitally felt flexible, open, and full of possibilities.
Through this process, I gained several new skills. My typing has improved, but beyond that, my ability to design and organize digital content has grown. I learned how to match images with text to create emotion, how to pair music with message, and how to structure a piece that keeps the viewer engaged. I also improved my ability to connect ideas in ways that speak to different personalities and learning styles. This project helped me move beyond traditional writing and step into a space where storytelling feels more dynamic, layered, and expressive.
Looking ahead, I recognize several opportunities to enhance my future digital compositions. I intend to continue exploring animation tools, voice recordings, and interactive visuals to increase audience engagement and strengthen the communicative impact of my work. As an educator, these skills will allow me to design digital lessons that integrate activities, imagery, sound, and movement to support a wide range of learners, including those who may not respond as strongly to traditional print-based materials. In future projects, I also hope to incorporate recorded narration so that viewers can both read the message and hear its emotional undertones. Additionally, I plan to experiment with animated text, as this feature can make content more dynamic, accessible, and appealing to today’s students.
This assignment showed me that digital composition is not just another format, but it is a powerful way to communicate, connect, and create impact. And now that I understand its possibilities, I feel better prepared to use digital storytelling both in my own work and in my classroom.
Let me firstly share my process of creating this digital media text.
Hello Decima, I share your sentiments on the writing using digital media. Though it can be intimidating, the boundaries are endless. There is so much to explore, allowing your creativity to be limitless. Viewing your notebook and seeing how you used the digital space to keep track of your writing and present your final piece (your monologue) is mindblowing. Your creativity in presenting such a heartfelt piece of writing is commendable. Thank you for sharing something so personal and painful. I am truly sorry for the loss of your mother and for the failures in the medical system that caused you and your family so much hurt. Your monologue was powerful, and the love you have for her came through so clearly. It takes real courage to express those emotions, and I admire the strength it took to share your story. Your feelings of grief and anger are completely valid and understood. Thank you again for sharing your story. Continue to find spaces where you can honor your mother’s memory and take care of yourself through the healing process.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words, Kelisha and for taking the time to engage with my piece. It means a great deal to know that the emotions I poured into my monologue were felt and understood. The process was not an easy one! Sharing something so personal was not easy, but your encouragement reminds me of the power of storytelling, how it can connect us, even through my pain.
DeleteI truly appreciate your recognition of the creativity and courage it took to bring this work into a digital space. Exploring multimodal composition opened new ways for me to express grief and hope, and I am grateful that it resonated with you. Your empathy and acknowledgment of my mother’s memory bring comfort, and I will continue to honor her by using my voice to advocate for change and to inspire others through my teaching and creative work.
Thank you again for your support. It strengthens my resolve to keep creating, keep sharing, and keep finding healing through both words and digital media.
Decima, your shared experiences were really revealing and touching. The process, even though it was able to speed up writing, seemed to be quite tedious. However, it is evident that every step taken allowed you to fully capture the essence of your anger at the system and grief that she is gone. Hugs. Step by step we were able to see your struggles to really express what you wanted to say. The change from a simple monologue to a dramatic one encapsulated the dept of your emotions excellently.
ReplyDeleteHello Mrs. Dee,
DeleteI must commend you on this week’s blog. You did an excellent job capturing your journey in the digital environment. Though emotional, your digital notebook was truly captivating, and I can definitely relate to the issue you highlighted in your monologue. I have also had my own challenging experiences with Princess Alice Hospital and its poor healthcare services.
Moreover, I agree that this platform provides a level of freedom that the traditional environment simply cannot match. Canva especially stands out; its icons, images, colours, and templates are remarkable and allow writers to fully explore and express their creativity.
Great post!
@Barbz!! Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, it really does mean a lot and for recognizing the emotions behind my work. The process was indeed challenging, but every step helped me shape the monologue into something that truly expressed both my grief and my anger. I appreciate your support and the way you acknowledged the depth of my emotions, it encourages me to keep using creative forms to give voice to difficult experiences and I honestly think the change was necessary in reaching my audience.
DeleteHi Kash!! Thank you so much for your kind words and for connecting with my blog. I appreciate you sharing your own experiences with Princess Alice Hospital and this reminds me that these struggles are not mine alone, and that our voices together can call for change. I’m glad the digital notebook resonated with you, and I agree that platforms like Canva open up so many creative possibilities. I LOVE IT there! Your encouragement means a lot and motivates me to keep exploring digital storytelling as a way to express both personal emotions and broader issues.
DeleteMost creative Deci,
ReplyDelete"A digital print does not only rely on printed words." this sentence speaks volumes, because someone can also use music or images to express more than what they can when using words. i am happy that you got to experience writing using both the digital print and writing on paper. i am patiently waiting to see what next your creative hands and mind would do with the new skills you have developed while enhaging in writing using the digital print. Awesome blog my friend
Curlynnnnn, I love that name lol, it speaks volumes!!! Thank you so much for your thoughtful words and encouragement. I’m glad that line resonated with you, it truly reflects how powerful multimodal storytelling can be. I strongly believe it is something we should include in our education system also....Exploring both digital and traditional writing has opened new doors for me, and your support motivates me to keep experimenting with these skills. I appreciate your kind feedback, my friend.
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