From the beginning of human history, storytelling has transcended every area of life. Over the centuries, the means for telling such stories has evolved as the world becomes increasingly interconnected. Digital storytelling, for example, uses computer-based tools to share stories in compelling, interactive ways. In education, especially, this can play a vital role in engaging students of the digital generation and archiving today’s important moments for tomorrow.
Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
Kimberly D. Hellerich, Ed.D has spent over two decades as a teacher, administrator, and lecturer for middle school, high school, and college. In 2021, she became a semi-finalist for Connecticut State Teacher of the Year. During the unusual hybrid 2020-21 school year, she introduced digital storytelling to her eleventh-grade English students to engage them with their academic materials in a new way. Her students, whether attending class in-person or remotely, explored various frames of reference, chose personal stories to share through digital media, and practiced empathy, all while studying poetry.
The unit began with an analysis of Walt Whitman’s “A Noiseless Patient Spider.” Students formed their own viewpoints before looking at three different digital representations and readings of the poem. As they experienced these visual depictions, they considered how the story was told, what elements or strategies contributed to the telling of the story, and which one they preferred. The activity demonstrated how an author can use modern media to convey a message in an array of formats.
Students then watched “The Danger of a Single Story,” a TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Through this, they gained a base understanding of how various individual experiences can lead to different perspectives and frames of reference, a key element in developing empathy. As they discussed the concept of empathy, they adopted the following definition: “The capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from their frame of reference.” Using this definition, they explored pieces of literature from an empathic lens, questioning whether the author wrote from a single-story narrative. Students would choose a moment from one of the literary readings to analyze further for both existing frames of reference and potential alternative perspectives. Hellerich then asked them to rewrite said moment from a new vantage point, avoiding the reduction of characters to a single story.
For the remainder of the unit they examined literature and artwork from the perspective of an identity different than their own. The process of viewing such works from another frame of reference solidified the lessons on empathy and its importance in storytelling. Each student then selected a story from their own life to share with an intended frame of reference and digital medium.
As Hellerich showed in her class, the rise of technology allows people to connect more with others across the world. We can now read stories, hear about experiences, and learn about cultures we never could before. Globalization opens the door for new types of empathy and exploration. Society can take a page from Hellerich’s book and discover new frames of reference because people are no longer confined to their own communities. They can now share with and learn from others, regardless of their location.
The Importance of Storytelling
From the beginning of human history, storytelling has played a vital role in how we engage with one another and with the world around us. For as long as language has existed, so has oral storytelling. Using vocals and gestures to pass on stories, whether through prose, poetry, song, dance, or other forms, became a core piece of ancient societies. Over the centuries, a once spoken practice took to paper as written word spread, transforming the ways such fables, anecdotes, and traditions were archived for history. Now in the twenty-first century, storytelling continues to evolve as it enters the digital age. The tools available for creating stories and the platforms for sharing them have progressed to fit today’s world.
The preservation of storytelling reveals its importance to humankind and how we commune with each other. A few reasons stories matter include:
- How they help us cope – We make sense of life through the stories we learn and tell ourselves, especially as kids. Even tales which frighten us help us cope because the hero’s journey often turns out well in the end, teaching us hope and perseverance in the face of challenges. Expressive writing can also help us process trauma and deal with stressful situations.
- How they help us solve problems – We constantly create stories. Whether in our head or shared with others, stories shape our entire days. They entertain us, help us process events, and allow us to solve problems better. Modifying existing stories, role playing potential real-life scenarios, and creating fictional worlds can pave the way for trying on a variety of solutions to existing problems or potential future challenges. Through this process, we can test actions and imagine possible outcomes.
- How they help us understand others – Through stories we learn about others in a way that grows our understanding of and empathy for them. Hearing a compelling story can evoke feelings in us and help us to relate, even to those we do not know and whose experiences or perspectives differ from our own.
Stories serve many important roles in our cognitive and emotional development. As social creatures, humans regularly affiliate with strangers. Storytelling allows us to transmit valuable information from one person or group to another. Emotionally compelling stories engage the brain more and therefore are remembered better than facts. Building an effective narrative that accomplishes this kind of stimulation requires capturing the person’s attention and transporting them into a different world.
Since attention is a limited resource, a good story needs the right medium, length, and degree of intensity for the situation, subject matter, and audience. After experiencing sustained attention for long enough, people become emotionally invested. The exchanging of stories acts as a central connector for humanity. Social interactions reward our evolved brain systems, in turn developing higher empathy. Individuals with this skill positively engage with others and display helping behaviors. Such actions make all involved parties happier.
Storytelling also serves as one of the best tools for persuasion, a key to successful communication. A politician looking for support on an issue, a brand asking people to buy their merchandise, or an individual hoping for more likes on their post all engage in persuasive communication. The nonprofit industry, specifically, has long used stories to paint pictures of why their work matters. They share stories about the people they help to raise awareness and gain support. Pathos, a form of emotional appeal, permeates good storytelling because making issues personal inspires others to become more invested. Feeling connected to a story causes people to get involved, whether it be donating to a charity, buying a product, or clicking the next episode of a TV show.
What is Digital Storytelling?
While the value of storytelling has stood the test of time, the means for doing so continue to evolve as the world becomes increasingly interconnected. Digital storytelling is a relatively new practice of using computer-based tools to share stories in compelling, interactive formats. It includes the process by which diverse groups of people share their life experiences and creative imaginings with others.
With the advent of accessible production techniques, hardware, and software, the development of digital and interactive stories has grown tremendously. But the practice first began in the early 1990’s with Joe Lambert, the co-founder of the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkeley, California. His nonprofit, now called the StoryCenter, aims to build a just and healthy world through the creation of spaces dedicated to stories. They combine the art of storytelling with a variety of multimedia, including graphics, audio, video, and Web publishing. Today the use of digital storytelling has expanded into every area, such as community centers, schools, libraries, and businesses. Anyone, whether a technology novice or expert, can now implement these tools and methods.
Educational Uses for Digital Storytelling
One space ripe for the benefits of digital storytelling is education. Whether teachers create their own digital stories or ask students to do so, the integration of multimedia into the classroom helps engage a generation fully immersed in technology. Research shows students better retain new information and comprehend difficult material under such circumstances. Presenting educational materials to them in a compelling, media-rich format can capture their attention, increase their interest, facilitate discussions, and clarify abstract content.
Furthermore, students benefit from sharing stories themselves. As seen through the example with Dr. Hellerich’s class, these projects provide an opportunity for students to research a topic and choose a particular point of view to present. Digital storytelling capitalizes on the creative talents of kids accustomed to integrating technology into every part of their lives. The use of such assignments improves communication and empathy skills, while teaching how to collect, analyze, and synthesize a range of information into one clear, compelling story. In addition, when a class shares their stories, they gain valuable experience in both providing and receiving constructive criticism, which promotes emotional intelligence.
The Wall of Fame’s New Storytelling Services
At the Wall of Fame, we believe in the power of stories. While we continue to expand our presence in the EdTech space, we also plan to enhance the services we offer to embody our stories matter promise. Historically, our product has displayed everything from trophies and plaques to banners and record boards. But this only scratches the surface of what our system can do. As a digital content platform, we want to unlock its potential in sharing the stories which matter most to your community in new, compelling ways.
To make this possible for our customers, we decided to put together an advanced Content Services Program with this purpose in mind. We have a staff of writers and designers who take raw content provided by a school and turn it into a compelling digital story for that person, team, or event. The final output can then be used on the Wall of Fame, as well as repurposed for press releases, social media posts, game programs, or any other place the school would like. We want to further transform how we come alongside you in building engaging tributes by offering more than just technology as we help you bring your school’s legacy to life.
Sources:
https://www.edutopia.org/article/exercise-digital-storytelling
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain
https://tophat.com/glossary/d/digital-storytelling/)
https://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=27&cid=27&sublinkid=29
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