Digital Storytelling Pedagogy in Educational Contexts
Summary
Digital storytelling pedagogy integrates narrative composition with multimedia tools to engage learners in active knowledge construction. Rooted in constructivist theory, it positions students as authors who research, script, image, record and edit short digital narratives, thereby fostering critical thinking, creativity and communication skills. In diverse educational contexts—from early childhood settings to tertiary-level courses—digital storytelling offers a flexible framework that can be adapted to subject matter, language proficiency and technological infrastructure. Key pedagogical objectives include amplifying student voice, developing multimodal literacy, supporting collaborative learning and promoting reflective practice. Educators guide learners through iterative cycles of planning, production and peer feedback, often using simple authoring platforms that lower barriers to entry. By blending traditional storytelling elements (plot, character, conflict and resolution) with digital affordances (audio, video, animation and interactive elements), this approach nurtures 21st-century competencies such as digital fluency, empathy and self-regulated learning. Globally, practitioners have leveraged digital storytelling to bridge cultural divides, contextualise local knowledge and personalise learning pathways. Practical applications range from language acquisition and science communication projects to community-based heritage documentation. As access to mobile devices and cloud-based editing tools expands, digital storytelling pedagogy is poised to become a core strategy for inclusive, technology-enhanced education that aligns with curricular goals and learners’ lived experiences.
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Digital Storytelling Pedagogy in Educational Contexts publication trend
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Technical terms
Digital storytelling: The practice of creating short, multimedia narratives that combine text, images, audio and video to convey personal or curricular content.
Constructivism: A learning theory positing that knowledge is actively constructed by learners through experience, reflection and social interaction.
Co-creation: A collaborative process in which learners jointly develop and produce digital artefacts, sharing responsibility for planning, execution and evaluation.
Multimodal literacy: The ability to interpret, create and critically evaluate meaning across diverse modes such as visual, auditory and textual media.
References
- The effects of using collaborative digital storytelling on academic achievement and skill development in biology education. Education and Information Technologies (2024).
- Digital storytelling in health professions education: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education (2018).
- A Systematic Review of Digital Storytelling in Improving Speaking Skills. Sustainability (2021).
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