II. Analysis
In the analysis phase, the designer of the instruction identifies an instructional goal and analyzes
the learners, the learning context, and the tasks that should be performed. The guidelines related
to this ADDIE phase include analyzing aspects of the digital story related to the topic and script, as
well as analyzing the potential audience for the story.
Guideline 1: Distinguish the characteristics of an educational digital story
With so many different types of media files available online, including digital photo essays,
slideshows set to music, instructional videos, and an ever increasing number of animated projects
created with Web 2.0 tools, we have found that many students are not able to clearly differentiate
between what is and what is not a digital story. Almost all of the accepted descriptions of digital
storytelling define this technology as a way to combine different types of multimedia, including still
images, text, video clips, audio narration and music to tell a short story, usually just a few minutes
in length, on a particular topic or theme. Most educational digital stories are classified within a
general list of categories that include personal accounts that tell stories about significant events,
people and places in our lives; stories that examine or retell historical events; and stories that
inform and instruct, often with some overlap between categories.
A comprehensive overview of the defining elements that make a digital story suitable in the
classroom can be a useful topic for educators to discuss with their students, especially when
working with students who are new to this type of technology. This discussion should include
watching example digital stories together and exploring various questions that may arise from the
viewing, including:
1. What is the topic of the story?
2. What is the main purpose of the story?
3. Who created it?
4. Were educators and/or students involved in the creation of the story?
5. Who is the intended audience?
6. Is the information presented in a clearly organized and logical manner?
7. Does the story contain narration that is easy to hear and understand?
8. If music and video clips are included, do they significantly improve the story?
9. What educational value, if any, does the digital story contain?
10. Are there distinct ways that the story could be improved?
These are just some of the items that educators and their students might consider when they
embark on using digital storytelling in the classroom. These items may be used as a starting point
to begin the digital storytelling process, and other questions should be added to this list as needed.