Whether a story is intended to entertain, inform, enlighten, connect, unite, or incite change, the way it gets shared with others can be as important, if not more important, than the story itself. With the advent of personal devices as well as modern video and sound recording tools, the way we document stories has undergone a fundamental change.
In the digital era, the shape and delivery of stories has shifted dramatically, too. Formal narratives in the form of conventional journalism now share the stage with the self-narratives of social media, where Twitter posts of 140 characters or less, Facebook groups, and YouTube clips reign supreme. If we so desire, the digital world helps us to share our stories with more people, in more places, faster than ever before.
Just as there are many ways and means for documenting and sharing a digital story, each with their own features and idiosyncrasies, there are many purposes as well.
Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their life stories. The media used may include the digital equivalent of film techniques (full-motion video with sound), animation, stills, audio only, or any of the other forms of non-physical media (material that exists only as electronic files as opposed to actual paintings or photographs on paper, sounds stored on tape or disc, movies stored on film) which individuals can use to tell a story or present an idea.
"The idea of merging traditional storytelling with today's digital tools is spreading worldwide." Anybody today with a computer can create a digital story simply by answering such questions as "What do you think? What do you feel? What is important? How do we find meaning in our lives?"
Most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. "These topics can range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in one's own community to the search for life in other corners of the universe and every story in between (Sverko, 2016)."
In the pages that follow, we hope to offer inspiration and a springboard for some of the dynamic ways digital stories can be used to further student learning and development and to provide richer opportunities for educational assessment.
In the digital era, the shape and delivery of stories has shifted dramatically, too. Formal narratives in the form of conventional journalism now share the stage with the self-narratives of social media, where Twitter posts of 140 characters or less, Facebook groups, and YouTube clips reign supreme. If we so desire, the digital world helps us to share our stories with more people, in more places, faster than ever before.
Just as there are many ways and means for documenting and sharing a digital story, each with their own features and idiosyncrasies, there are many purposes as well.
Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their life stories. The media used may include the digital equivalent of film techniques (full-motion video with sound), animation, stills, audio only, or any of the other forms of non-physical media (material that exists only as electronic files as opposed to actual paintings or photographs on paper, sounds stored on tape or disc, movies stored on film) which individuals can use to tell a story or present an idea.
"The idea of merging traditional storytelling with today's digital tools is spreading worldwide." Anybody today with a computer can create a digital story simply by answering such questions as "What do you think? What do you feel? What is important? How do we find meaning in our lives?"
Most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. "These topics can range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in one's own community to the search for life in other corners of the universe and every story in between (Sverko, 2016)."
In the pages that follow, we hope to offer inspiration and a springboard for some of the dynamic ways digital stories can be used to further student learning and development and to provide richer opportunities for educational assessment.
Who Can Tell Digital Stories?
As the examples below demonstrate. whether in kindergarten, high school or beyond, digital storytelling can be used to encourage creativity, engagement, and learning regardless of age or level of technical experience.
Early Years |
Primary/Junior School |
Secondary School |
To continue your digital storytelling journey, please click the link below.