Digital Storytelling: An Integration of Participatory Culture, Education and Narrative

Abstract

Engaging students who depend more than ever on digital technology and the Internet is an increasing burden for higher education in the 21st century. What rules today is a highly participatory culture relying on being “plugged-in” constantly. This project proposes Digital Storytelling (DST) as a cross-disciplinary activity to harness digital technology for educating media literate citizens able to put technology to use productively and meaningfully. In short, digital stories are brief narratives constructed digitally that combine the power of storytelling with still and moving imagery and a soundtrack to and convey meaning creatively.