Literature Review Digital storytelling: Examining the process with middle school students

2Everyday communication involves telling, listening, and responding to stories. Storytelling has evolved throughout history. The first stories were told through pictures on walls. Then, stories were passed down orally from generation to generation. Now, stories are told using electronic technology. Storytelling is prevalent in K-12 schools as students communicate daily with others by sharing their own stories. Educators utilize storytelling as a means for students to implement the writing process as students compose their own stories. Storytelling, more specifically digital storytelling, has the potential to become a valuable educational tool for students when taught in an effective manner. This review of the literature addresses several topics associated with digital storytelling. First, storytelling is defined, followed by a description of the importance of using storytelling in K-12 classrooms. The next two sections focus specifically on digital storytelling —definitions of digital storytelling and specific examples where digital storytelling has been used in K-12 classrooms. Next, educational connections of digital storytelling are examined. The final section focuses on successful instructional approaches used with middle school students, since this action research project takes place in a middle school classroom