Track A: Digital Storytelling

TRACK A – Using Digital Storytelling to Enhance Student Skills in Thinking About Quality Improvement in Public and Community Services

Trish Hafford-Letchfield and Asanka Dayananda’s well-attended workshop on digital storytelling proved stimulating, enjoyable and a really hands-on experience. Trish and Asanka have developed digital storytelling as an assessment tool on the Service Development and Quality Improvement module – attended by a range of professionals in public and community services as part of their CPD. The brief includes ‘creativity’ as well as ‘enhancing skills in communication technology’ so Trish ditched the conventional essay format for the more exciting and innovative ‘digital story’.

Students are encouraged to take one aspect of an issue to do with improving public services and, using images, music and voiceover, to create a resource for others to access. Unsurprisingly, the students actually look forward to carrying out their assessment, just as we enjoyed the practical workshop.

The course is delivered and structured through OASISplus, using weekly online activities and discussion boards. Students download the free ‘Photo Story 3’ software and, with supported sessions in the lab, create their own digital stories.

After looking at some impressive examples, we split into groups and tried to storyboard a short video. Unfortunately time ran out but it was abundantly clear what a creative, motivational and useful tool this was – albeit with some ethical and copyright issues to iron out with respect to photos and video clips.

Celia Cozens
Centre for Learning and Teaching Enhancement