By Dr. David Freitas, Dr. Janet Buckenmeyer, and Dr. Emily Hixon

Digital stories are “short, personal multimedia tales told from the heart” (Daniel Meadows). A new (2010) book from ISTE, Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators, shows you how to unleash your students’ creativity and imagination. 

According to its author, Midge Frazel, “Digital storytelling brings new life to the ancient craft of written or oral storytelling through computer-generated text and multimedia content. In this book, you’ll discover how K-21 students can blend text, music, images, sound, and audio narration to produce, in video format, the digital story.”

Telling you what digital storytelling is all about here in written form is obviously highly hypocritical. Therefore, you must start here - http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/index.html  to feel, hear, and see the story of digital storytelling. (Be sure to click on the video box arrow half way down the page.) The Introduction to Digital Storytelling is only six minutes long.

As you can see, digital storytelling is a powerful tool with mass appeal. It also has broad application possibilities in your classroom. It can actively engage students in all grade levels by varying content depth and technological complexity. It’s also adaptable to virtually every academic discipline. Here are only a few illuminating samples.

How to Animate a Rolling Ball (Middle/High School)

Strange Feelings (Middle School)

Monarch Butterflies: From Egg to Adult (Elementary School)

Digital storytelling is easily adaptable to individual and group work. Students creating personal digital family histories as part of a middle school unit on legal immigration, for example, can independently explore vast resources as they complete this authentic and meaningful learning experience. Digital storytelling is also ideal for instructional activities requiring collaboration, including cross grade level instruction and interdisciplinary collaboration. The possibilities are endless.

Yes, digital storytelling is fun and entertaining. It’s not an excuse, however, to substitute it as a replacement for purposeful learning. Instead, it’s a conduit to achieve formally approved curricula goals and objectives. Responsible educators will obviously resist the temptation to “teach” curricula-free digital storytelling. Remember, it’s an instructional tool!

Now that you’re motivated, you probably want to know what to do next. Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators is aptly titled. It is your “guide”.

Part I describes digital storytelling and its use in classrooms. Then, Midge Frazel leads you, step-by-step, though the various stages of creating a digital story in three essential steps - preparation, production, and presentation. Her directions and insights are concise with vivid examples.

Each chapter ends with relevant, revealing, and thoroughly vetted resources. Pragmatic supplementary information, as well as links to best practice vignettes, inform and stimulate.

Part II, Applying Digital Storytelling, contains three engaging chapters: Building Enthusiasm for Learning; Digital Storytelling and Family History; and Digital Storytelling-A Bridge to the Community.

Novice and veteran educators/digital storytellers will equally benefit from this book. Given the wealth of information and resources cited, it’s an essential book for all digital storytellers.

Imagine a learning experience, supported and extended by the application of technology, that empowers students to create and contribute, all within the context of what they are expected to know and be able to do in the 21st Century. Imagine that this learning experience provides students with a compelling and competitive voice and enlarges the boundaries of their ability to communicate, potentially to a worldwide audience. That learning experience is digital storytelling.
David S. Jakes
Instructional Technology Coordinator
Downers Grove, Illinois

Dr. David Freitas has served in a number of leadership positions throughout his career including College Dean at three Universities, Tenured University Professor, University Vice Provost, Public School Teacher/Administrator, State of Illinois Teacher Certification Board Member, State Department of Education Official, and Elected City School Board Member. He is a frequent national and international author and presenter.


Janet Buckenmeyer, Ph.D., a former elementary school teacher, is currently a tenured Associate Professor and Chair of the Masters of Instructional Technology Program at Purdue University Calumet. She has published and presented nationally and internationally about various topics, with a primary focus on instructional technology and design.

Dr. Emily Hixon is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology at Purdue University Calumet. Her research projects have focused on the effective integration of technology at both the K-12 and higher education levels.