Stories That Click: Exploring Digital Storytelling

 


I had never heard of digital storytelling before and initially struggled to understand the concept. At first, I thought it was simply a presentation made with PowerPoint or Google Slides. Although digital storytelling can use presentation software, it involves telling an emotional story that shares a journey, incorporating facts and knowledge gained.

Having understood the definition, I realized I have experienced many digital stories through films, documentaries, and YouTube. Whether they were biographies, stories of overcoming illness, or narratives told from the perspective of an object using anthropomorphism, they all used storytelling to convey an emotional and informative experience. Personal stories tend to be more engaging to tell and to hear because they create a deeper connection with the audience.

There are different ways to tell stories digitally, including videos, blogs, podcasts, and more. Videos are becoming especially popular with the rise of video-sharing platforms. The term vlogging is a combination of video and blogging.

I believe there are many benefits to digital storytelling. Not only does it build students’ digital skills, but it also supports a more engaging and student-centered approach to learning. Students can think creatively to develop ideas and present their thoughts through digital media. They have opportunities to collaborate, brainstorm, think critically, and research ways to improve processes or solve problems. Time spent crafting their presentations also helps develop effective communication skills. Digital storytelling encourages deeper understanding of concepts rather than rote memorization, relating learning to real-life problems or situations.

From a teacher’s perspective, it provides an alternative way to assess students who find written tests difficult. It also integrates various skills and offers opportunities to work across different subject areas.

I think digital storytelling definitely has a place in the classroom. However, it can be very time-consuming. That said, I believe students would enjoy participating in a project to create their own stories connected to topics they are currently learning. Ideally, it would be part of a final term project, allowing students enough time to explore ideas and express themselves fully.

This project shares the story of how a student’s day (or week) plays out. Graphs visualize time spent on various activities, allowing students to draw conclusions about their habits and consider ways to better manage or rearrange their time.

 Graphing My Week

  • Grade Level: Upper elementary and up
  • Activity: Students collect data from their week (e.g., hours of sleep, screen time, steps walked), create graphs, and tell the story of their habits using visuals and analysis.
  • Skills: Data collection, graphing, interpreting data.
  • Tools: Google Sheets + storytelling in Slides or video format.

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