Digital storytelling in Australia: Academic Perspectives and Reflections

This project explored the experiences of a small sample (N = 6) of Australian academics with the use of digital storytelling as a pedagogical tool in higher education contexts. This article describes two case studies of academic uses of digital storytelling, along with interpretive analysis of six semi-structured interviews of academics working within media and communication studies and their reflections on the potential of digital storytelling to enhance student learning and the student experience. Three consistent themes emerged, based around issues of definition, the need for 'constructive alignment', and resource and planning requirements. Academics regarded digital storytelling as a complement to, not a substitute for, conventional methods of learning and assessment such as the critical research essay. Overall, reservations exist regarding the promise of digital story-telling as a pedagogical tool that some academics have recently claimed for it.