VII. Conclusion
In this article, we have examined many of the critical components faced by students and
participants in our digital storytelling courses and workshops. Based on this work with large
numbers of new digital story creators, we have provided a set of specific recommendations and
guidelines based on the lessons we have learned. We feel that these recommendations provide
useful guidance for educators who would like to begin teaching digital storytelling to their own
students, either in formal classroom settings or more informal workshops. The guidelines are categorized within the ADDIE instructional design framework and are presented as starting points
that educators should consider when they begin to integrate digital storytelling in their classrooms.
These lessons include a strong focus on preparation and organization before the physical creation
process begins and stresses the importance of key components of the digital storytelling process,
including selecting a meaningful topic, developing a well-crafted script, working with high quality
media files and including students in an ongoing evaluation process. In actuality, our experience
has taught us that every aspect of the digital storytelling process, from the initial design through
the final development, are all important and each one has the potential to enhance or detract from
the final digital storytelling project that a student creates. It is our hope that educators who
undertake the task of teaching digital storytelling will benefit from our mistakes and our acquired
knowledge in using this technology to improve their teaching and ultimately, improve their
students’ learning.
The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling Website is online at:
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/