Degree Name

MA in International Education

First Advisor

William Hoffa

Abstract

Digital storytelling is a form of storytelling that combines short, finely edited oral narratives with images, video clips and music. Digital stories are usually three to five minutes in length, shared through the Internet, and often used in theatre and for therapeutic and educational purposes. The researcher facilitated a digital storytelling project for six World Learning students and group leaders as a tool for reflection after short-term study abroad programs. All digital storytellers participated voluntarily, and spent weeks, and sometimes months, working with the researcher to write, edit, and create their digital stories. The researcher evaluated the experiences of the storytellers based on World Learning’s reentry manual, which highlights the importance of academic, emotional, professional and civic reintegration after study abroad. The researcher used participant observation, narrative research and phenomenological interviews to assess the experiences of the digital storytellers. In the end, the researcher discovered that the editing and reflection that takes place during the storytelling process provides students with the opportunity to evaluate and integrate their international experiences. Digital stories can also help those reentering to seed discussions about their experiences with friends, family and classmates.

Disciplines

Instructional Media Design | International and Comparative Education

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