Digital Storytelling

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What is digital storytelling? 🧠

Digital storytelling has been defined by Robin (2006) as “the art of telling stories with digital elements including text, graphics, sound, and video” (cited in Chan et al., 2017, p. 2). In educational settings, digital stories can vary in length; a typical DST narration usually lasts between 2 and 10 minutes, depending on the project’s purpose, learning goals, and the time allocated by the teacher.

Research and impact in education 🕵🏼‍♀️➡️👩🏻‍🏫

Digital Storytelling has been widely explored in K–12 educational contexts. Research reports have highlighted positive outcomes in both technological skills and linguistic development across subject areas (Frazel, 2010; Gubrium, 2009; Hill et al., 2014). More recently, Ng et al. (2024) have investigated Digital Story Writing (DSW) as an inquiry-based approach in primary education, noting its effectiveness in supporting students’ literacy growth and engagement.

Benefits of DST in language education ⬆️

By embracing DST, language teachers can create dynamic, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences that empower students as autonomous, collaborative, and plurilingual users of language, promoting cultural understanding and inclusion in the language classroom.

By integrating DST, language educators can design dynamic, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences that:

  • Foster autonomy, collaboration, and creativity
  • Encourage plurilingual and pluricultural expression
  • Promote inclusion and intercultural understanding

In collaborative DST projects, students also develop valuable 21st-century skills and multiliteracies:

Digital literacy: The ability to communicate with an ever-expanding community to discuss issues, gather information, and seek help.

Global literacy: The capacity to read, interpret, respond, and contextualize messages from a global perspective.

Technological literacy: The ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity, and performance.

Visual literacy: The ability to understand, produce, and communicate through visual images.

Information literacy: The ability to find, evaluate, and synthesize information.

Empathy and perspective-taking: DST activities allow viewers to share the experiences of the storyteller and enlarge their perspectives.

Community-building: DST activities facilitate connections with others through shared experiences

            Adapted from Robin (2016, p. 21)

Want to Learn More?

Check out Robin’s article: The Power of Digital Storytelling to Support Teaching and Learning

Considerations for digital storytelling and Generative AI tools 💻🐲🤖

When implementing DST, it’s essential to:

  • Define clear learning outcomes
  • Critically assess the use of technology, particularly Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)
  • Discuss affordances (See AALE infosheet Introduction to Affordances for additional information) and limitations of AI tools with students
  • Promote ethical and responsible digital creation

To maintain a clear focus and a critical mind regarding technology and the incorporation of DST within a plurilingual and action-oriented approach in your specific context, keep in mind the following list of questions (and others) that you might consider relevant for your context:

Reflective questions for planning DST in the language classroom 💭❓

  • How can I implement DST meaningfully in my lesson plan?
  • Does this fit a particular unit or theme in the curriculum?
  • Do students have access to devices and software at school and/or home?
  • What formats will be used? (e.g., podcasts, blogs, videos, slideshows)
  • Will students publish their digital stories online? If so, where and how?
  • How can I connect DST to students’ linguistic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds? (See AALE infosheet Introduction to Plurilingualism for additional information).
  • Are students making connections to real-life issues or community concerns? (See AALE infosheet Introduction to the Action-oriented Approach for additional information).
  • What social topics are relevant to explore in their local contexts?
  • What kind of impact can this project have on their cultural identities or in their own communities?
  • Am I fostering critical reflection throughout and after the project?

Recent plurilingual digital storytelling projects 🗣️🔠🐲

More recent research explores storytelling in plurilingual and intercultural education using Augmented Reality (AR) (Bellinzona et al., 2024). This research addresses a gap in the literature, as AR’s application in plurilingual and intercultural education remains understudied. The study leverages authentic migrant stories from the DiMMi project (Diari Multimediali Migranti), which collects autobiographical testimonies of migrants in Italy, to create immersive, game-based learning experiences.

Phases of the intervention:

  1. Warm-up: Students engaged in an AR “treasure hunt” using the Metaverse Studio app to explore a Bolivian migrant’s letter.
  2. Analysis and Comparison: Groups reconstructed the story collaboratively.
  3. Reinforcement: Interactive quizzes (Kahoot, Quizlet) reinforced content.
  4. Reflection and Synthesis: Students created digital self-narratives (videos, PPTs, texts) about their cultural/linguistic backgrounds.

It was found that students’ engagement and motivation increased significantly. The game-based approach increased participation, especially among typically disengaged students. Students also valued collaborative learning and the novelty of AR.

Furthermore, students produced plurilingual outputs (e.g., texts in Italian, English, dialects) and shared personal migration experiences. These DiMMi stories effectively promoted reflection on migration, linguistic diversity, and cultural identity. Teachers noted improved empathy and awareness of linguistic rights.

The use of AR in DST:

  • Enhanced memorization through multimodal input (videos, 3D elements, quizzes).
  • Fostered inclusivity: AR leveled participation, empowering students with lower academic performance.
  • Fostered real-world connection: AR bridged digital and physical learning spaces (e.g., school scavenger hunts).

Thus, AR, combined with migrant narratives and Game-Based Learning (GBL), is a promising tool for plurilingual and intercultural education. It fosters motivation, collaboration, and critical thinking but requires institutional support (teacher training, infrastructure). Still, future research should explore AR’s scalability across diverse educational contexts.

Impact and creative potential of DST 🆙

Through DST, students can explore their curiosity and creativity to produce original digital artifacts that reflect their interests and voices. In collaborative settings, they also develop key competencies such as negotiating meaning, problem-solving, and peer mediation.

When published through open-access platforms like blogs, podcasts, or video-sharing sites, DST creations can extend beyond the classroom and foster participation in authentic online learning digital communities.

Recommended Platforms for Professional Development:

For a more comprehensive understanding, these academic resources offer deeper insights into DST and its integration in second and foreign-language education.

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