The value of digital storytelling as an L2 narrative practice

The Value of Digital Storytelling
as an L2 Narrative Practice
Heyoung Kim
Chung-Ang University,
Seoul, Korea

Reference
Kim, H. & Lee, J. (2018). The value of digital
storytelling as an L2 narrative practice. The
Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 27(1),
pp. 1-9.

practice of using computer-
based tools to tell stories

A multimodal approach to
narrative practice
(Lambert 2013)

DST is evolution of narrative
practice where multimedia tools are
used to enhance a story, critical
thinking, and media literacy (Ohler ,
2005; 2006)
‘Meaning-making’ through
visual/verbal synergy
(Royce, 2002),
DST affects the author’s voice and
intention (Nelson, 2006).
DST reflects cultural, social,
and diverse values (Shin &
Cimasko, 2008).
Adapting multimodality would cater to the needs of second or
foreign language learners, who are increasingly involved in the
consumption and production of multimodal texts” (Hafner 2014).

Does DST really make an
effective instructional method
for L2 narrative practice?
What are the (unique) characteristics of
L2 learners’ narrative practice in digital
storytelling mode in terms of ‘good story’?

What are the (unique) characteristics of L2
learners’ narrative practice in DST mode?
• Few of those studies have investigated the
characteristics of L2 learners’ narratives within the
‘good story’ framework
• Previous DST studies have largely relied on a small-
scale case-study approach, focusing on the benefits
and pitfalls of using DST predominantly from affective
and socio-cultural perspectives (e.g., Castañeda
2013; Thang et al. 2014).

to investigate the value of introducing digital
storytelling (DST) into second language (L2)
narrative practice by examining
1) its unique characteristics compared to
traditional storytelling (inclass oral speech)
2) in terms of the “good story” framework.
Purpose of This Study

“What are the unique characteristics of L2
learners’ narrative practice in digital
storytelling mode in terms of the good
story framework?”
Research Question

The Study
Participants
• 50 Korean college freshmen whose major is English
education at a university in Seoul
• 33 female, 17 male students
• Their English proficiency varied from low intermediate to
advanced.
• 10 students reported more than one-year study
experience in English-speaking countries.

The Study
Materials
The 50 participants’ narrative practice set, two types of storytelling scripts:
inclass storytelling and digital storytelling.
Inclass
Storytelling
Digital
Storytelling
compare

The Study
Materials
The fifty participants’ narrative set, two types of storytelling scripts: inclass
storytelling and digital storytelling.
IST (Inclass Storytelling Script) DST (Digital Storytelling Script)
Activity week
(number of data)
Week 4-6
(50 writings)
Week 12
(50 writings)
Presentation type Oral speech (3 minutes) Recorded oral speech (3-4 minutes)
Task type
(direction)
Storytelling I: Tell your story to your clas
smates in class for 3 minutes.
Storytelling II: You need to create 3-
minuites mini movie of your story.
Writing type Digital texts posted on the individual writ
er’s blog before the presentation
Digital texts posted on the individual
writer’s blog with a movie

The Study
Materials
The fifty participants’ narrative set, two types of storytelling scripts: inclass
storytelling and digital storytelling.
IST (Inclass Storytelling Script) DST (Digital Storytelling Script)
Activity week
(number of data)
Week 4-6
(50 writings)
Week 12
(50 writings)
Presentation type Oral speech (3 minutes) Recorded oral speech (3-4 minutes)
Task type
(direction)
Storytelling I: Tell your story to your clas
smates in class for 3 minutes.
Storytelling II: You need to create 3-m
inuites mini movie of your story.
Writing type Digital texts posted on the individual writ
er’s blog before the presentation
Digital texts posted on the individual
writer’s blog with a movie

The Study
Materials
The fifty participants’ narrative writing set, two types of storytelling scripts:
inclass storytelling(IST) and digital storytelling(DST).
• most of the participants wrote a shorter script when producing
digital stories.
 The average word count of the DST scripts was smaller than
that of the IST scripts (mean = 399.3 for IST, mean = 325.7
for DST)
 the sentences in IST were longer than those in DST, with the
average sentence length being 11.41 words in IST and 9.84
words in DST.

The Study
1) Qualitative and quantitative story analysis
Analysis
This saying has
given me big help
since I was in
middle school
I hate
all kinds
of
insects!
This time
you are lucky,
because you
can hear my
song
Favorite things
Family, my friends

The Study
1) Qualitative and quantitative story analysis
Analysis
• Qualitative Two types of scripts were coded in the
good story framework and the story elements were
repeatedly compared in terms of 1)how different two
narratives from the same person were and 2)whether
there are any common pattern for each type.
• Quantitative The coded units in each storytelling
type were also quantitatively counted, averaged, and
statistically compared using a series of paired sample t-
tests.

The Study
3) Data Triangulation
– Video review
The coded DST text data were repeatedly reviewed together with
the images and other multimedia effects integrated into their DST.
– Corpus Analysis
A corpus analysis program (Concordance 3.1.) was used to
compare the word choices between the IST and DST scripts, Based
on the categorization of metadiscourse (Crismore et al. 1993;
Hyland 2005) and close analysis of the participants’ scripts,
Analysis

The Study
3) Language (Analysis)
Analysis
Concordance 3.3

Results
More variety of topics in DST
the range of topics was immensely extended in DST,
because of the availability of multimedia options in
expressing their stories
Fashion style or a favorite singer’s voice
1 Point of Story

Results
More variety of topics in DST
the range of topics was immensely extended in DST,
because of the availability of multimedia options in
expressing their stories
Fashion style or a favorite singer’s voice
All DST subjects and contents were closely related to
the availability of multimedia elements (i.e., image,
sound, or movie).
1 Point of Story
As you can see, there is a pipe, but
underneath the pipe there is a saying that
‘this is not a pipe’. Isn’t it interesting? This is
the painting which is my favorite. (S7’ DST)

Results
No significant difference between IST and DST
IST (frequency) DST (frequency)
M SD M SD t df p
Authentic Voice 9.11 5.38 8.77 5.21 0.31 49 0.761
Feeling 2.64 2.24 4.06 3.02 -2.97 49 .005**
Audience Awaren
ess
0.20 0.45 1.30 2.00 -3.99 49 .001**
Table 1 Statistical comparison of total frequency of authentic voice, feeling
and audience awareness
** p < .01(two-tailed)
2 Authentic Voice

Results
1) More open to revealing their personal life story in DST
• “I was betrayed by one of my best friends and also suffered
from many adversities and troubles.” (S3)
• “Honestly, I took Suneung (the college scholastic ability test in
South Korea) about three times.” (S19)
• “Second thing is my family. But we were separated by divorce.
I am so sad.” (S43)
DST seemed to lower their cultural and affective filters, and elicited self-
disclosure in their personal narratives.
2 Authentic Voice

Results
2) More concrete and powerful voice in DST
[S29 IST]“I applied to English Education because I’m positive to English
and I’m having fun in studying English and I have an interest in teaching.
Also, I think I will study English more enthusiastically as English is the best
equipment to communicate with various, many people from all over the
world.”
the simultaneous use of music and image in this scene reinforced the verbal
description of her vision, which helped to embellish her story further.
2 Authentic Voice
[S29 DST] “I applied to the department of English education because I am
positive in English and I am having fun in studying English and also
teaching. I think I will study English more enthusiastically as English is the
best equipment to communicate with various many people all over the
world. My motto is ‘Young man, make your name worth something.’
When I read this quote, I felt like I should try it every moment to train
myself to achieve more things I wished.”

Results
2) More concrete and powerful voice in DST
2 Authentic Voice

Results
M SD M SD t df p
Authentic Voice 9.11 5.38 8.77 5.21 0.31 49 0.761
Feeling 2.64 2.24 4.06 3.02 -2.97 49 .005**
Audience Awareness 0.20 0.45 1.30 2.00 -3.99 49 .001**
‘Feelings' were found significantly more often in DST
3 Feeling

Results
• Multimedia options seem to have effectively triggered the writers’
emotions
• (showing friend photo) She had great
personality. We hung out together a lot. I love
her so much.
• I hate all kinds of insects. Oo hoo! (showing
insect photo) They are just horrible.
• (showing cafeteria food) These are REAL lunch
of OO high school. I love them because they
really delicious.
3 Feeling

Results
• Emotional words were more frequently in DST
IST DST
Word % N % N
love(d) 0.24 47 0.47 77
hard 0.18 35 0.35 57
happy 0.12 23 0.22 35
beautiful 0.04 8 0.15 24
enjoy(ed) 0.13 26 0.16 26
Emotional
Table 2 Comparison of emotional words between IST and DST
3 Feeling

Results
• “Feeling’ was concerned with their uses of humor
usually aided by funny-looking pictures
You’re so
immature and
foolish to play
this kind of trick
Get lost!
3 Feeling

Results
1) The participants were more conscious of their audience in DST
M SD M SD t df p
Authentic Voice 9.11 5.38 8.77 5.21 0.31 49 0.761
Feeling 2.64 2.24 4.06 3.02 -2.97 49 .005**
Audience Awareness 0.20 0.45 1.30 2.00 -3.99 49 .001**
They demonstrated audience awareness 6.5 times more in their DST scripts than in
their IST scripts.
4 Audience Awareness

Results
2) Pronouns such as ‘you’ and ‘we’, which refer to
audience, were used more frequently in DST
you and we, respectively, occurred 120 and 51 times in DST, and 91
and 33 times in IST

Results
3) more active interaction with their audience in DST
by directly addressing the audience or raising a question to them.
[S11’s awareness of audience quoted from her IST]
• “…To briefly talk about my type.”
• “… Lastly, I will briefly talk about my dream.”
• “…Then what’s next?”
[S11’s awareness of audience quoted from her DST]
• “…If you want to go on a trip this summer vacation, let’s go together.”
• “…These are pictures of the children that I teach during Sunday school.
Aren’t they adorable?”
• “…Can you take a guess?”
• “... If you guessed an English kindergarten teacher, you’re absolutely
correct.”
• “Did you have fun? I wish you could enjoy this.”
[S11’s awareness of audience quoted from her DST]
• “…If you want to go on a trip this summer vacation, let’s go together.”
• “…These are pictures of the children that I teach during Sunday school.
Aren’t they adorable?”
• “…Can you take a guess?”
• “... If you guessed an English kindergarten teacher, you’re absolutely
correct.”
• “Did you have fun? I wish you could enjoy this.”

Results
4) Richer details in DST
The images they used seem to have evoked their memory more vividly than
words alone
[S7’IST]: "I went to P elementary
school and I middle school and high
school.”
[S7’DST]: “I went to P elementary
school. And I graduated I middle school
and high school. The building with
green roof is my favorite building ever
because there is a dining room. Every
day I ate dinner and I’ve never had such
a delicious dinner in my whole school
year.”

Results
4) Richer details in DST
3 Awareness of Audience
The images they used seem to have evoked their memory more vividly than words
alone. These kinds of enriched details in the script, along with images, could
create a new meaning for the authors and their audience
[S26’IST]: “We are a family of 4: father, mother, a younger sister and me. I get
along with my sister well.”
[S26’DST]: “I live with my family: father, mother, younger sister and me. My
parents are very thoughtful. They devote themselves to my sister and me so I
always thank to them. This is my younger sister, Soo-min. I get along with her
very well.”
[S28 IST] “My mother is a science teacher in high school.”
[S28 DST] (showing mother zoom-in image) “My mother is a high school teacher.
And she is very cool and funny. But she can be very strict sometimes. I depend
on her very much. She can be my guide, best friend, or teacher.”
[S26’DST]: “I live with my family: father, mother, younger sister and me. My
parents are very thoughtful. They devote themselves to my sister and me so I
always thank to them. This is my younger sister, Soo-min. I get along with her
very well.”
[S28 DST] (showing mother zoom-in image) “My mother is a high school teacher.
And she is very cool and funny. But she can be very strict sometimes. I depend
on her very much. She can be my guide, best friend, or teacher.”

Discussion
 DST could enhance L2 students’ narrative in two
different ways:
1) L2 students’ narrative become better stories
when they are practiced in DST(Ohler
2005/2006; Powell 2005).
2) multiple modes of expression can generate
visual/verbal synergy (Royce 2002),
specifically third-meaning (Hull and Nelson
2005; Jewitt 2006; Kress 2003)
Does DST really make an effective instructional
method for L2 narrative practice? What’s the value
of DST?

Limitations
 the students were asked to develop their narrative
in the IST mode first, and then in the DST mode.
The results might be different if the sequence of
these two modes would have been reversed
 the participants were all English Education majors,
presumably having a relatively higher proficiency
level in English than average learners. The results
of the findings cannot be generalized to other
learner groups with lower proficiency levels

Conclusion
• Implementing DST in L2 classrooms could contribute to
the enhancement of L2 learners’ understanding of
narrative genre.
• The findings of this study will be valuable in facilitating
the decisions of L2 teachers to add DST to their c
• Longitudinal studies in the future would give better
understanding of the effect of DST

The value of digital storytelling as an L2 narrative practice

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