Stories

What is a ‘digital story’?

Most basically, a digital story is a short (3-5 minute) movie which uses images, voice, and music to tell a story. There are a variety of media that can be used to create digital stories and a variety of reasons for creating them. We have taken our cue about what digital storytelling is from Joe Lambert of the Center for Digital Storytelling. In particular: “What best describes our approach is its emphasis on personal voice and facilitative teaching methods.” Digital Storytelling is a way of talking about something that conveys not only information, but emotion and significance as well.

Why tell stories?

Stories are the bedrock of every culture. They help define a nation, a tribe, a community, a profession. They tell its history, they convey its wisdom and perspective. Stories allow us to understand someone else’s experiences in a deeply personal way, creating empathy. Stories can help us care about something we might not otherwise care about.

In academics, stories provide affective learning that can lead the learner to a desire for more cognitive learning. It takes deep understanding to tell your own story about an event, place, person or thing. Hearing someone else’s story can cause the listener to care more about what is being told than if facts alone were conveyed. Stories can provide unique ways of building community in your own discipline, or in reaching out to other disciplines.

Storytelling is a valued method of communication in a variety of academic fields and professional venues. View this selected Bibliography/Webliography (pdf) if you are interested in knowing more.