Student Interests

Digital Storytelling & Research Interest

~ trhightower7

Kordaki, J. & Psomos, P. (2012) Pedagogical analysis of educational digital storytelling environments in the last five years. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences. Vol. 26 pp. 1213 – 1218.

This article explores Educational Digital Storytelling Environments (EDSE) and the multiple benefits that they offer for educators and learners. Digital storytelling is a progressive form of storytelling that has evolved from ancient storytelling practices. Digital storytelling offers a form of engaging storytelling that adheres to the interests of 21st century learners in the digital age. This article suggests that much of the research regarding digital storytelling has focused on its technical aspect. However, this research focuses on the pedagogical aspects and best practices that can maximize digital storytelling instruction and production. According to Psomos and Kordaki (2012):

Barrett (2006) found that digital storytelling facilitates the convergence of four student-centered learning strategies: student engagement, reflection for deep learning, project-based learning, and the effective integration of technology into instruction. Building on modern social and constructivist views of learning (Piaget, 1952; Bruner, 1960; Vygotsky, 1978; Jonassen, 1999). DS is a great channel to apply these theories in practice. Moreover, according to Di Blas (2009, 2010):  (a) DS in an educational process that helps students work in groups and strengthen the bonds between children in class, and at the same time between students and their teacher, (b)  As far as digital literacy is concerned, students acquire several technological skills through storytelling, (c) Another social benefit is that creating digital stories helps the integration of disabled students or students with learning difficulties through taking with this opportunity an active role, and (d) Last but not least, a major educational benefit gained with DS, is the ability to narrate.  (p. 1213)

This article also discusses various evaluation models and criteria for the best pedagogical strategies of digital storytelling. Psomos and Kordaki synthesized this information, and also developed a new evaluation tool for digital storytelling entitled, the “DS Pedagogical Evaluation Star.” Psomos and Kordaki (2012) explain the components of this digital storytelling evaluation model as follows:

In fact, sixteen dimensions are proposed for the evaluation of the pedagogical soundness of EDSE, namely: collaborative learning, creativity and innovation, multiple representations, motivation, cultural sensitivity, gender equality, cognitive effort, feedback, learner control, flexibility, learner activity, valuation of previous knowledge, sharply-focused goal orientation, experiential value, knowledge organization and metacognition (fig. 1). The typical 4-grade Likert scale for measuring each dimension is used (low, medium, high, very high). (p. 1214).

The article goes on to provide an extensive list of digital storytelling software such as Storytelling Alice and Shadowstory, that have had success in education by engaging students, promoting technology integration and/ or collaboration. They also evaluated the software based on the “DS Pedagogical Evaluation Star” to determine their pedagogical strengths and areas for improvement.

This research is definitely needed to enhance the reliability of the body of educational research regarding digital storytelling. Focusing on the pedagogical strategies and evaluation tools in digital storytelling can assist educators with selecting the best digital storytelling software to implement with learners. In addition, the criteria of the “DS Pedagogical Evaluation Star” can guide educators with pedagogical strategies when creating their own digital storytelling activities.

As an educator, writer and educational technology doctoral student, this article offered me interesting insight regarding the needs for pedagogical strategies to enhance the field of digital storytelling research. This article as well as other digital storytelling research has sparked my research interests in the field of educational technology. As a result, I will continue to review literature regarding this topic and conduct research regarding digital storytelling.

Related Articles:

Campbell, T. (2012) Digital storytelling in an elementary classroom. International Conference on Education & Educational Psychology. Vol. 69 No. 24 pp. 385 – 393.

Conrad, S. (2013) Documenting local history: A case study in digital storytelling. Library Review. Vol. 62 No. 9. pp. 459 – 471.

Frazel, M. (2010) Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators. ISTE Publishing.

Richmond, J. (2015) Digital Storytelling. The Wired Library. Vol. 54 No. 5

Digital Storytelling Research Interests & Questions

 

Video Games as Forms of Viable Digital Literacies

~ trhightower7

Steinkuehler, C. (2010) Video games and digital literacies. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. International Reading Association. Vol. 54 No. 1 pp. 61 – 63.

This article explores the perceptions and misconceptions of video games in the field of education. Many parents and educators prefer traditional pedagogical strategies for literacy instruction via the use of conventional print texts because video games may decrease literacy. However, a growing body of research suggests that video games are a viable instructional tool to assist with literacy and a significant component of students’ learning ecologies. Video games provide high levels of interactive narrative and questions in a digital literacy setting, which should be considered as effective options for literacy. Furthermore, online video gaming communities provide multimodal options of creating and receiving various enriching communication, which adheres to learners’ interests. Since teenage boys are some of the most avid gamers, Steinkuehler (2010) conducted research regarding them and discusses it as follows: “The goal of our program was not to build curriculum around games per se but to create a quasi-natural lab space in which we could study this disconnect between the in-school versus in-game literacies of teen age boys (and generate ideas for bridging them).” (p. 62) One particular eighth grade male student exhibited success in online writing regarding gaming. However, he only read on a fifth grade level based on standardized measures and did not like his teacher’s literacy instruction. However, when he was given the choice to select a reading passage, he chose a twelfth grade passage and successfully read at that level. This study revealed that choice and interest had a positive impact on literacy acquisition and reading level performance.

This article is significant to the body of educational research because it reveals the disconnect that many teenage boys who enjoy video gaming literacy feel to traditional literary instruction. The student in this research felt that the instruction was geared towards girls’ interests and minimized his interests. Educators must teach standard literacy curriculum and direct instruction regarding reading comprehension, writing, grammar and mechanics to ensure that students can perform at or above their grade levels. However, it is also important to add choice, student interests and multimodal instruction that appeals to a variety of learners. Therefore, the findings of this research can help to facilitate strategies that can reach a broader group of students.

As an educator, I believe that video games can be an effective instructional strategy. However, it should also compliment direct instruction of curriculum standards. Therefore, students should receive instruction infused with best practices, and also incorporates video gaming that correlate to standards, is age appropriate and engages students into literacy instruction. Education must continue to find ways to effectively maintain traditional instruction while incorporating students’ growing interests in video games to reach a broader range of learners.