Digital Storytelling: A World of Possibilities

Digital storytelling is becoming the "buzzword" when it comes to incorporating technology and online resources with narratives.  According to "7 Things You Should Know About Digital Storytelling", digital storytelling is the practice of combing narrative with digital content, including images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component.  In general, these digital stories can be instructional, persuasive, historical, or reflective.  Therefore, this leads to a world of possibilities for teachers to implement this in our classrooms, especially since this allows the "storyteller" (our students) to work with technology and be creative.


by  digistorytellin  

Why use this type of approach to storytelling in our classroom?  Telling stories is a key part of our culture because we want to "teach beliefs and values to others" (7 Things...).  Having our students create digital stories, allows this once oral tradition to take on a dynamic media approach... adds a whole other level to what storytelling is.  This digital format makes the story more personal and more relate-able for those listening/looking at it.  For example, I (as a Spanish teacher) could use digital storytelling for my students as a way to introduce themselves at the beginning of the school year- in Spanish with photos.  This type of assignment through the digital means of presentation, allows to make the once written narrative more personal and focuses more on the individual.  The storyteller can make the story more authentic and his/her own through the use of pictures, as well.