TITLE:
Digital Storytelling for 21st-Century Skills in Virtual Learning Environments
AUTHORS:
Hannele Niemi, Vilhelmiina Harju, Marianna Vivitsou, Kirsi Viitanen, Jari Multisilta, Anne Kuokkanen
KEYWORDS:
Digital Story Telling, Learning, 21st-Century Skills, Videos, Collaboration, Engagement
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.5 No.9,
May
26,
2014
ABSTRACT:
This article finds that the
new virtual learning environments comprise more spaces and practices in which
digital resources, tools, and applications are used. The article introduces how
digital storytelling can create virtual learning environments when it is used
for learning 21st-century skills and competencies needed in students’
future working life. The study describes how students (n = 319) in three
countries and their teachers (n = 28) value digital storytelling and what they
think students have learned. Their experiences are analyzed using a theoretical
conceptualization of the global sharing pedagogy that sets categories of
processes or tools as mediators: 1) learner-driven knowledge and skills
creation, 2) collaboration, 3) networking, and 4) digital literacy. Analyses
have been quantitative and qualitative. The article describes students’
experiences when they created their digital stories and how they engaged in
learning. The major findings are that students enjoyed creating their stories,
and they were very engaged in their work. They learned many 21st-century
skills when creating their digital stories.