The most interesting piece to come across my google alert digests this week was a Master's Thesis entitled, “Put it in your Story”: Digital Storytelling in Instagram and Snapchat Stories" in which the author explores the narrative structure and patterns of digital stories created through Snapchat and Instagram. The author identifies several typical story topics, including eating, animals, people, self-portraits, environment, interacting, and demonstrating emotions. When I read through this list, I immediately thought of how these basic categories cover much of what constitutes an individual's culture, and as such reflect the societal culture in which the stories are created. If this is true, then to my mind this paper lends even more credence to the idea of using digital storytelling in the L2 classroom, since it not only represents an effective way to explore cultural identity but one that is organic to the lifestyles of many of our socially-connected students.
Further on, the paper describes the ways in which the stories are created, via images and photos, text, video, emoji, doodles, instant information and filters. While much of the academic digital storytelling I've experienced has dealt with a number of those same elements, I wonder how much more engaging it might be for students if things like emojis, doodle and filters were also presented as optional parts of the creation process? Of course some "judicial oversight" on the part of the teacher would be needed or our L2 students' genuine language learning experience might be thwarted by too heavy a reliance on pictograms (emojis) but still I believe adding in these additional elements could cause some students to invest themselves more genuinely in the act of expression.
All in all, this paper reminded me that any time we can easily add more layers of choice both in terms of content and process, we stand a greater chance of students engaging meaningfully in their learning.
Further on, the paper describes the ways in which the stories are created, via images and photos, text, video, emoji, doodles, instant information and filters. While much of the academic digital storytelling I've experienced has dealt with a number of those same elements, I wonder how much more engaging it might be for students if things like emojis, doodle and filters were also presented as optional parts of the creation process? Of course some "judicial oversight" on the part of the teacher would be needed or our L2 students' genuine language learning experience might be thwarted by too heavy a reliance on pictograms (emojis) but still I believe adding in these additional elements could cause some students to invest themselves more genuinely in the act of expression.
All in all, this paper reminded me that any time we can easily add more layers of choice both in terms of content and process, we stand a greater chance of students engaging meaningfully in their learning.
I enjoyed reading about the article that came up in your Google Alerts, especially since our assignment to create a digital story is my first experience using this technology tool. From the readings and more research I've done on digital stories I agree that the more 'layers' we can have students add the more benefits they receive from it. This is why I feel that throughout the process, feedback and revision are critical as it will keep the students thinking and expanding on their stories.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great article to further the positives that Digital Storytelling can bring to the L2 classroom. I think this or an article like it popped on my alerts too, but I didn’t get a chance to write one on mine. I like though that there are a ton of articles and resources to help teachers introduce DS into their classroom and give them encouragement to do so. I too would worry about an overreliance on emojis or other media in the DS creation. If done for a grade, perhaps in a rubric for students, it could state how many of each they could use without losing any credit.
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