Digital Storytelling within the

Common European
Framework
Dr. Carmen Gregori Signes
Universitat de València
Carmen.gregori@uv.es

Interac
Valencia, Septiembre 2008
Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.
Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DIGITAL STORYTELLING
 Emerged from the work of Joe Lambert
and his colleagues at the Center for Digital
Storytelling in the 1990’s

“Digital Stories are short, personal

multimedia tales told from the heart"
(Meadows 2000)

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DIGITAL STORIES
 created by the storyteller without professional
mediation.

 Participants are taught new skills to enable them to

tell their story.

 They use mainly still images processed and compiled

with software like Adobe Photoshop, Photostory 3,
Windows Movie maker, Adobe Premiere or iMovie.
Stephenson (2008)

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 WHAT IS A DIGITAL STORY?
 A narrative genre that

 combines traditional means of telling stories

with a wide variety of available multimedia
tools, including

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 MULTIMEDIA TOOLS

Graphics
animation
Audio

DS
Web
publishing Video

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DIGITAL STORYTELLING
UVEG

http://www.uv.es/gregoric/DIGITALSTORYTELLING/DST_videos.html

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 ELEMENTS OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING
1. Overall Purpose of the Story
2. Narrator’s Point of View
3. A Dramatic Question (or Questions)
4. Choice of Content
5. Clarity of Voice
6. Pacing of the Narrative
7. Meaningful Soundtrack
8. Quality of the Images
9. Economy of the Story Detail
10. Good Grammar and Language Usage

(Robin 2006 adapted from the CENTER FOR DIGITAL

STORYTELLING )
Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.
Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 TYPES OF DIGITAL STORIES
Any traditional genre that:
 allows being illustrated with multimedia effects

 can tell stories that revolve around a theme and

often contain a particular viewpoint;
 can be meaningfully told in a short interval of
time (4-5 minutes).

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 BASIC CATEGORIES

Stories that Personal

inform or Narratives
instruct

Historical Robin 2007

Themes and
Events

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
WHY EDUCATIONAL (INSTRUCTIONAL) DIGITAL
STORYTELLING? WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THEM?

Digital stories
[…] can be created that deliver instructional content on
many different topics, including: Math, Science,
Language Arts, Medicine, etc
(Robin 2005-2008)

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 Educational/ Instructional Stories

are created with educational purposes in mind

are used as educational tools

are evaluated as educational material

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 WHY CAN DS BE AN EFFECTIVE
INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL
Literacy
 Digital Literacy
 Global Literacy
 Technology Literacy
 Visual Literacy
 Information Literacy
 Research Skills
 Writing Skills
 Organization Skills
 Technology Skills
 Presentation Skills
 Interview Skills
 Interpersonal Skills
Skills
 Problem-Solving Skills
 Assessment Skills

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 Digital Storytelling
within the
Common European Framework

The Common European Framework of

Reference for Languages.

Cambridge University Press

ISBN Hardback 0521803136 Paperback:
0521005310.

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DS & THE COMMON EUROPEAN
FRAMEWOK
The Council of Europe has three basic principles
with regard to modern languages:

I) protect the rich heritage of diverse languages and

cultures;
II) facilitate communication and interaction among
Europeans;
III) establish appropriate arrangements for ongoing co-
operation and co-ordination of policies:

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS/
GOVERNMENTS
In the pursuit of these principles the Committee of Ministers of
the Council of Europe established that:

(F14) national and international collaboration should

be promoted ……… in the production and use of
materials, including institutions engaged in the
production and use of multi-media materials

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DS within the CEF

• is an adequate type of multimedia activity

because:

• its easy production and the possibility of web

publishing implies a fast exchange of information
and access to the final products thus facilitating co-
operation and communication between cultures

• By using this tool the cultural heritage of

different cultures can add an alternative voice
for the development of education

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 • It’s a mode of •It’s a new way of •can be used It
communication and communication •as a tool by both
personal reflection between both: teacher and student
teacher & student

g
lin
el
yt• It fosters creativity • The final product is
or
attractive to
St

students
l
ta
gi
Di
d…

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

An

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza

de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 WHY IS IT MORE ATTRACTIVE
THAN OTHER ACTIVITIES?
The presence of one’s own voice
and style: the student / teacher is
presenting something in his/her own
voice and style.
(CDS, Barrett, Robin 2003-2007)

Flexible and versatile: used for a

wide variety of purposes and subjects.
Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.
Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 Technology & content
 The fact that the software is easy to handle, makes
it easier to work hand in hand with both technology
and content during the whole process.

 Additionally,it allows emphasising either of them or

both at the same time depending on the type of
student, level, subject and purpose with which the
DS is created (script/content or technology/
computer literacy).

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DIGITAL STORYTELLING
&
TEACHERS & STUDENTS
Integrating the old and the new
Elaborating an ePortfolio
Developing new teaching/learning material
Learner's motivation and deep learning
Self-assessment and team-work

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 COMMON EUROPEAN
FRAMEWORK

Promotes self-directed learning, the planning of

which includes:
a) raising the learner’s awareness of his/her present
state of knowledge.

 In Digital Storytelling: previous to elaboration:

self-evaluate their knowledge of the topic and
their command of technology.

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 b) Self-setting of feasible and worthwile objectives:

 Digital Storytelling: the students establish their own

limits (length of the story, amount of information, etc).

c)Selection of materials:

 Digital Storytelling : the student plans carefully what

should be included in the DS.

d) Self-assesment:

 Digital Storytelling: continuous self-assessment during

the elaboration of the digital story.

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DIGITAL STORYTELLING WITHIN
THE CEF
Knowled
materials
objectives
ge

Assessment
Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.
Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 COUNCIL FOR CULTURAL
CO-OPERATION
&
DIGITAL STORYTELLING

DS promotes exchange of ideas between

students (easier access to their work),

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DS can become an easy way to exchange
information on certain intercultural aspects: about
everyday life in another country etc., understand different points of
view (e.g. useful for Erasmus/ International exchange students)

Intercultural skills and know-how:

The ability to bring the culture of origin and the

foreing culture into relation with each other
(p.104)

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 DS helps other students learn directly from
other student’s views and help
communicate their feelings and their
thoughts.

DS is one type of material that enables

different classes and types of student to
develop his proficency in the language
(with different expectations at different
levels: basic user, independent user,
proficient user)

Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 The First/ Second Summit of Heads of
State
To promote methods of modern language
teaching which will strengthen independence
of thought, judgement and action, combined
with social skills and responsibility.

Digital Storytelling
Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.
Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 PROJECTS IN FILOLOGIA INGLESA
UNIVERSITAT DE VALÈNCIA

A)Personal Digital Stories

English Language I:
Character
 Stories
Memorial Stories


Stories about events or places in our lives,



Stories about what we do



Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.

Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
 B) Instructional/Educational digital story
◦ English Language I: "The Day of the
Triffids "
◦ Lexicology
◦ Stylistics
◦ History of the English Language
◦ New 2008-2009: Phonology

C) Intercultural
Erasmus/ International Exchange
Programmes
Gregori-Signes, C. 2008. Digital Storytelling within the Common European Framework.
Talk presented at “ I Congreso Internacional de Interacción Comunicativa y Enseñanza
de Lenguas”. Valencia 2008.
www.uv.es/gregoric