Enhancing Student Engagement with Their Studies: A Digital Storytelling Approach

Eunice Ivala, Daniela Gachago, Janet Condy, Agnes Chigona

Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.
School of Education and Social Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.

DOI: 10.4236/ce.2013.410A012                

Abstract

Higher education institutions in South Africa are faced with low throughput rates, and the need to enhance students’ interest in their studies is a key objective for higher education institutions. Student engagement is one of the factors shown empirically to enhance student success at higher education institutions. The paper reports on the potential of digital storytelling in enhancing student engagement with their studies, amongst 29 final year pre-service student teachers at a large University of Technology in South Africa, as part of their assessment in their final year professional course. The reason for doing this research was due to the limited adoption of digital storytelling in conventional educational settings globally and the fact that little research has been done internationally and particularly in South Africa, into how digital storytelling can be a vehicle for expanding learning. The study was framed around the engagement construct involving qualitative methods of collecting data. Focus group interviews were conducted with the students and the facilitators of the project to elicit whether the production of digital stories led to student engagement. Focus group interviews were analyzed using inductive strategy. Results showed that the production of digital stories enhanced student engagement with their studies which led to high levels of reflection on the subject matter, which as a result led to a deep understanding of the subject matter. Findings of this study will contribute knowledge in the field which may be valuable in increasing student engagement with their studies.

Keywords

Student Engagement; Engagement Construct; Digital Storytelling; Digital Stories; Digital Literacy Skills

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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