PART A: Context for Digital Story Telling Project

Throughout the year, libraries celebrate a number of events (book week, Earth Day etc.) to support the learning of students across all ages. These annual events are typically matched with activities or information on the particular topic. Moreover, these awareness days are able to bring light to a number of issues. The context for the nonfiction digital story telling project is a story telling session at a public library for World Habitat Day. The intended purpose of this digital storytelling project is to provide a non-fictional story in order to educate patrons about the impact of 2021’s World Habitat Day theme.

The digital storytelling project is a for story-time session at a public library to support World Habitat Day and provide context to patrons and learn more the 2021 theme. The intention is to present the video during this session and upload so it can be viewed on the library’s website and Facebook page. Keeping in mind the intended audience has a variety of ages, and diverse learning needs, the video uses a combination of video, photos, maps, music, and minimal text to engage viewers. Bearing this in mind, the video length is kept short, so users do not get bored or distracted. Furthermore, due to the diversity of the intended audience, an attempt is made to use images, music, and animation to progress through the story and not rely solely on text.

The tools Microsoft PowerPoint and YouTube were used to create the project, due to access to the software and a personal desire to develop and improve presentation skills. Furthermore, Microsoft PowerPoint allows the user use free templates, and the ability to add images, video, music, animate art etc. In addition to the storytelling element, Rosenthal Tolisano (2015, para.6) mentions digital storytelling should further be about developing skills in the process (writing, speaking, communication skills, information literacy, publishing etc.) which is something I am striving for.

The digital storytelling project created has value for program implementation as it can support New South Wales school curriculum, particularly Stage 5 Geography and Stage 6 Earth and Environmental Science. Stage 5 Geography covers areas such as investigation of human-induced environmental changes across a range of scales and a comparative study of Australia with another country (New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA), n.d-a.). Stage 6 Earth and Environmental Science content focuses on scientific evidence of anthropogenic climate variation and the acidification and warming of oceans impact on marine life, and evidence of rising sea levels impact on human communities in low-lying locations around the world (NESA, n.d-b.). The project has the potential to be useful in this regard to the library’s school aged patrons.  Smeda et al. (2014) add digital storytelling can be a helpful education tool.

Furthermore, the project aims to be beneficial to other members of the community by providing further information on the topic; Malita and Martin (2010, p. 3061) describe digital storytelling as having the same purpose traditional oral stories do, “to invoke an emotional effect and/or to communicate a message to its audience.” Based on the theme of the project, it has the potential to fulfil this. Additionally, Nosrati and Detlor (2020) describe the use of digital storytelling by cultural organisations as having the potential to improve end user experience. This is partly due to its versatility which can incorporate elements such as audio, video, animations, and graphics, across various media channels allowing for easier access by larger audiences (Nosrati and Detlor, 2020).

As Fernandez (2015, p. 4) states much of the information libraries collect and distribute to their communities is in the form of novel bound stories; in today’s media rich, and technologically empowered environment, libraries have the opportunity to collect and share stories that with the community.  In relation to the story telling project, Fernandez (2015, p. 4) adds that autobiographical stories can preserve elements of a person’s life and the world they inhabited. Aside from supporting the curriculum, the digital storytelling project can add value to the library by sharing such stories with a diverse community.

 

Part B: Digital Storytelling Project

https://youtu.be/ud9Nf3X2Ijw

 

PART C: Critical Reflection

At the start of this subject, I had a very limited view on what I believed digital literature to be; this is very evident from my first blog post. Since then, I have discovered through the modules unexpected types of digital literature, from Lizzy Bennet Diaries, Little Red Riding Hood video info-graphics (Nilsson, 2009) to interacting with immersive multimedia articles such K’gari (SBS, n.d.-a) and My Grandmother’s Lingo (SBS, n.d.-b) and Riding the New Silk Road (Hill, 2013). These in particular allowed me to see the variety of ways in which stories could be told (or retold). They further inspired me to try out tools such as Twine, MapMe and Vimeo in effort to see if I could recreate aspects of these digital stories that I enjoyed viewing (I am not quite there, but I am enjoying using these tools).

Throughout this subject I have grown to understand the value of digital storytelling moving beyond enjoyment or leisure, but for education and supporting the needs of diverse learners. Clarity on the diverse needs of learners further was provided by Takvic’s (2012) article, in particular the experience of their students “loving the experience of having digital images to use when planning and writing.” I realised this was the same reason I enjoyed experience the various new types of digital literature and this played a part in the creation of my own digital story.  Takvic (2012) further adds the use of technology and the many digital tools that are available today has added a positive dimension to traditional literacy.

Moreover, I have learned that digital storytelling creation can be beneficial across various age groups. Through studies such as that by Parsazadeh et al. (2020) which discussed that the storytelling process can help develop a student’s language skills in the areas of reading, listening, writing, and speaking and the incorporation of technology provides a deeper learning as the learner is able to synthesise imagery in their own ways. Additionally, these digital storytelling tools can be utilised by not only teachers, but within libraries, this can be experienced with the offering of online storytelling sessions or libraries giving virtual tours on YouTube to libraries offering sessions on how to use technology.

While participating in digital storytelling is fun and engaging, it is important to consider copyright in the digital environment. In the creation of my digital storytelling, I sourced a number of images, videos, and audio that I wanted to include. Upon closer inspection of these resources, I found not all of them had Creative Commons Licensing which I then I deleted from the project and reference list. Issues may arise for younger creators of digital literature if they are not taught about copyright issues and licensing and share them on platforms such as YouTube or other social media.

Depending on the age group of students being taught about the creation of digital stories, it can be valuable to incorporate information highlighting the challenges surrounding copyright. Copyright and licensing are also an issue for librarians. This is discussed in Colebatch’s (2013) article, which provides insight on the topic of academic eBooks. As a future librarian, digital rights management and copyright feels overwhelming and frustrating. On one hand, going digital allows for greater access, but is complicated by licensing. Furthermore, I question whether this could dampen future developments in the area of digital literature?

Delving further forward into the realm of digital literature provides libraries with a number of opportunities and challenges. Libraries will need to be able to provide appropriate resources. As indicated by O’Connell et al. (2015) on the topic of eBooks, developing digital collections for libraries such as school or public libraries will be challenging regarding supporting curriculum requirements through to meeting the needs of their communities, along with acquisition and technological access issues. The article by O’Connell et al. (2015) further discusses the definition of an eBook, embracing the definition to explore multi-modal texts when considering the acceptance of eBooks in schools and their place within the digital reading environment.

While there a number of positives associated with digital storytelling, Kasami (2018, p. 133) highlights disadvantages such as narration difficulties, time constraints, technological issues, and copyright issues for students. Gaille (2019) further adds costs associated with developing relevant text, audio, and video media (para. 18) and the challenging nature of digital storytelling as further disadvantages (para. 19).

To conclude, it has been valuable learning and experiencing digital literature outside of the box I had initially put it in. While there are challenges, there are a number of emerging opportunities for the library sector to able to support the diverse learning needs of patrons who are not just in school, but across all ages.

 

References

ABC News. (2013, April 18). Climate change affecting Solomon Islands crops. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-18/an-climate-change-changes-food-in-solomons/4636602

Alex’s Anderwelt. (2020). Fossil age [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/82800593@N04/50418054967/

Appel, M. (2016). Coral [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/FLJmoS

Biology Online. (2021). Habitat definition and examples – biology online dictionary. Biology articles, tutorials & dictionary online. https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/habitat

– Bjornsphoto -. (2013). Forest [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/eZF1Ag

Butterfield, S. (2006). Library [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/9L4DC

Colebatch, C. (2013). Pick your digital lock battle: Is it the law or licenses we should be worried about? Feliciter, 59(1), 15. http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=85444929&site=ehost-live

CoastAdapt. (2017). Ocean acidification and its effects. Ocean Acidification. https://coastadapt.com.au/ocean-acidification-and-its-effects

Chapman, A. (2019). View of islands, Solomon Islands [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/arthur_chapman/48507188112/

Englart, J. (2013). Yes to Renewables | No coal export rally 10 Dec 2013 [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/iegyNe

Fairey, W. (2012a). Soup gardens in Malaita, Solomon Islands. Photo by Wade Fairley, 2012. [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/dBSmkk

Fairey, W. (2012b). Unconcerned by crocodiles. Malaita, Solomon Islands. Photo by Wade Fairley, 2012. [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/theworldfishcenter/8313763868/

Fairey, W. (2015). WorldFish fish aggregating devices, Solomon Islands [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/theworldfishcenter/16848466591/

Falkenberg, L. J., Bellerby, R. G., Connell, S. D., Fleming, L. E., Maycock, B., Russell, B. D., Sullivan, F. J., & Dupont, S. (2020). Ocean Acidification and human health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4563. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124563

Fernandez, P. (2015). “Through the looking glass: envisioning new library technologies” telling stories with technology. Library Hi Tech News, 32(9), 4–7. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn-09-2015-0061

go_greener_oz. (2008). Rising sea levels [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/go_greener_oz/3046225225/in/photostream/

Goulding, A., Shuker, M. J., & Dickie, J. (2018). Apps on laps: digital storytimes in public libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand. Library Hi Tech, 36(2), 252–269. https://doi.org/10.1108/lht-02-2017-0040

Hill, J. (2013). Riding the New Silk Road. Interactive Feature – NYTimes.Com. https://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2013/07/21/silk-road/index.html

Howe, N. (2018). Sydney [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/24oUKFy

ILO Asia-Pacific. (2015). Solomon Islands – Subsistence Farming [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/qLdvns

Ivers, S. (n.d.). Synapse [Song]. https://www.silvermansound.com

Kasami, N. (2018). Advantages and disadvantages of digital storytelling assignments in EFL education in terms of learning motivation. Future-Proof CALL: Language Learning as Exploration and Encounters – Short Papers from EUROCALL 2018, 130–136. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2018.26.825

Krasowski, S. (2012). Mataniko Falls [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/dis9H2

Malita, L., & Martin, C. (2010). Digital Storytelling as web passport to success in the 21st Century. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 3060–3064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.465

NASA. (n.d.). Climate Resource Center. Earth Minute Videos. Retrieved 29 September 2021, from https://climate.nasa.gov/climate_resource_center/earthminute

Nayuki. (2015). Suburban Toronto skyline [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/NbbFKE

NESA. (n.d-a.). 1192 | NSW Education Standards. Environmental change and management stage 5. Retrieved 29 September 2021, from https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/hsie/geography-k-10/content/1192

NESA. (n.d.-b). 2075 | NSW Education Standards. Module 7: climate science Year 12. Retrieved 29 September 2021, from https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-science/earth-and-environmental-science-2017/content/2075

Nilsson, T. (2009). Slagsmålsklubben – Sponsored by destiny [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/3514904

Nosrati, F., & Detlor, B. (2021). The power of stories for impression management: evidence from a city cultural digital storytelling initiative. Information Technology & People, ahead-of(ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/itp-06-2020-0400

O’Connell, J., Bales, J., & Mitchell, P. (2015). [R]Evolution in reading cultures: 2020 vision for school libraries. The Australian Library Journal, 64(3), 194–208. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2015.1048043

Pacific Food. (2015). Solomon Islands flag [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/137395320@N05/23713024781/

Parra, P. Y., Hare, B., Fuentes Hutfilter, U., & Roming, N. (2019). Evaluating the significance of Australia’s global fossil fuel carbon footprint. Climate Analytics. https://mateanalytics.org/media/australia_carbon_footprint_report_july2019.pdf

Parsazadeh, N., Cheng, P. Y., Wu, T. T., & Huang, Y. M. (2020). Integrating computational thinking concept into digital storytelling to improve learners’ motivation and performance. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 59(3), 470–495. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633120967315

Purple Planet Music (n.d.) The New Dawn [Song]. https://www.purple-planet.com

Rosenthal Tolisano, S. (2015, August 19). Digital Storytelling: What it is. . . And. . . What it is NOT. Langwitches Blog. http://langwitches.org/blog/2015/08/18/digital-storytelling-what-it-is-and-what-it-is-not/

Santiago, A. D., Sampaio, P. N., & Fernandes, L. R. (2014). MOGRE-Storytelling: Interactive creation of 3D stories. 2014 XVI Symposium on Virtual and Augmented Reality. Published. https://doi.org/10.1109/svr.2014.21

SBS. (n.d-a.). K’gari | SBS interactive documentary. Retrieved 5 October 2021, from http://www.sbs.com.au/kgari/

SBS. (n.d.-b). My Grandmother’s Lingo. Retrieved 5 October 2021, from https://www.sbs.com.au/mygrandmotherslingo/

Sebastian, L. (2012). Malaita, Solomon Island [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/137269534@N06/22673161764/

Smeda, N., Dakich, E., & Sharda, N. (2014). The effectiveness of digital storytelling in the classrooms: a comprehensive study. Smart Learning Environments, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-014-0006-3

Torda, G. (2016). Dead corals Oct 2016 [Photograph]. https://flic.kr/p/24XmxRZ

United Nations. (n.d.). World Habitat Day. Retrieved 5 September 2021, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/habitat-day

Wolf, F., Filho, W. L., Singh, P., Scherle, N., Reiser, D., Telesford, J., Miljković, I. B., Havea, P. H., Li, C., Surroop, D., & Kovaleva, M. (2021). Influences of climate change on tourism development in small pacific island states. Sustainability, 13(8), 4223. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084223

Yeo, S. (2020). How climate change losses could open the Solomon Islands’ old wounds. International Institute for Environment and Development. https://www.iied.org/how-climate-change-losses-could-open-solomon-islands-old-wounds

Zerpe, R. (2018). Paine’s flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus paineorum) [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/krokodiver/40420276722/