This document discusses digital storytelling and its use in 21st century classrooms. Digital storytelling uses computer tools to combine images, text, audio, and video to tell multimedia stories that are 2-10 minutes long. It promotes 21st century skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, literacy, and communication. The document provides examples of how teachers can incorporate digital storytelling by telling their own stories, enhancing lessons, or having students create their own digital stories. Students benefit by becoming producers of information and learning actively. Effective planning tools like storyboarding and resources from websites can help guide digital storytelling projects.

1. DIGITAL STORYTELLING
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
CLASSROOM
Paola V. Clark © 2016

2. What is digital storytelling?
 Digitally storytelling can be simply defined as the use
of computer-based tools to tell stories (University of
Houston, 2016).
 These stories contain a mixture of digital images, text,
audio, narration, video excerpts and/or music which
typically are around 2-10 minutes long. They are also
known as multimedia stories (University of Houston,
2016).
 Digital storytelling is an effective teaching and learning
tool for the classroom, as it promotes the acquisition
of 21st century skills like critical thinking, creativity,
collaboration, literacy, and communication, among
others.

3. Digital Storytelling & Teaching
 Teachers can incorporate digital storytelling in the
curriculum in a variety of ways. These are a few
examples:
 To tell their own stories about a particular topic, or
opener for a lesson and promote engagement.
 They can be used to enhance a unit or lesson, and
help deep understanding of somewhat abstract
concepts (University of Houston, 2016).
 Promote discussion and educational conversations in
the classroom.
 Have students create their own digital stories and
acquire key 21st century skills in the process (New,
2005).

4. Digital Storytelling & Learning
 Digital storytelling can be used to change the role
of students from consumers to producers of
information in a relevant and engaging manner.
These are a few examples:
 Express their point of view about a particular topic.
 Creatively tell stories of their own.
 Communicate findings of an investigative report or
project-based learning instructional activity.
 Organize ideas, communicate with different
audiences, connect globally, and collaborate with
others.
 Use storyboarding as a pre-planning tool to facilitate
formative feedback.
 Encourages active and deep learning, as well as
acquisition of 21st century skills.

5. Planning
 Multimedia storytelling requires the use of a
planning tool to ensure its effectiveness as
teaching and learning strategy (Thompson,
2016).
 Storyboarding offers a quick way to visualize a
story in sequence and plan effectively for its
transformation to digital format.
 Common Craft videos are a great resource to
guide teachers and students in the creation of
high-quality digital stories.

6. Resources
 Useful digital storytelling resources for the 21st
century classroom:
 Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything
 Discovery Education: Digital Storytelling
 Digital Storytelling by Dr. Couros
 Storyboards and Graphic Organizers
 Digital Storytelling Rubrics

7. References
 New, J. (2005). How to use digital storytelling in
the classroom. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/digital-storytelling-
classroom
 Thompson, K. (2016). Module 08: Integrating
Digital Media and Educational Software
Applications. Retrieved from
https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/1167483/page
s/module-08-integrating-digital-media-and-
educational-software-
applications?module_item_id=8988244
 University of Houston. (2016). What is digital
storytelling? Retrieved from
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/page.cfm?id=2
7&cid=27