DML2014: Ignite Talk - Christine McCaleb
3Digital Storytelling: Building Empathy for Systemic Change
Digital Storytelling has been praised for its inter-disciplinary learning opportunities and diverse applications to promote 21st century skills and technology literacy. But it is rarely referenced for its contributions to psycho-social development or community building. I propose that educators leverage the affordances of digital storytelling to tackle bullying in schools and build more emphatic learning communities. Learning to tell the story of another can be a transformative exercise that requires empathy, team work, understanding and finding value in the "other". Combine this with the creativity of multimedia, interpersonal communication blossoms. Reflecting on my experiences facilitating multiple digital storytelling workshops to groups of intercultural youth in Ghana, Qatar, and Turkey, I demonstrate how youth can begin to cultivate healthier learning environments, both in their own schools and their communities.