Launch of new digital storytelling community of practice
The community provides a dedicated space for educators across FE and HE to share experiences and collaborate.
Jisc has partnered with experts from Durham University and Ulster University to launch a new community of practice designed to support educators and students in the use of digital storytelling.
Digital storytelling uses multimedia tools such as video, images and audio to construct compelling, immersive narratives and bring content to life. Students and staff are increasingly using digital storytelling as a powerful tool for expression and communication. However, there has been no dedicated space for sharing best practice across the UK higher and further education (HE and FE) sectors - until now.
Richard Beggs from Ulster University, Teti Dragas from Durham University and experts from the teaching, learning and assessment team at Jisc identified this opportunity and have created a new community of practice to help shape the future direction of digital storytelling in tertiary education.
Richard Beggs, senior lecturer in higher education practice, Ulster University said:
“Storytelling has always played an integral part in my professional life. From being a graphic and interactive designer in my younger years to my current role in academia, I have used storytelling to sell products, to get others to understand difficult concepts, and to get colleagues to critically reflect on their research or pedagogic challenges.
“Without storytelling, I simply would not be where I am now, and I want others to benefit from the practice of storytelling so that they too can thrive.”
Teti Dragas, associate professor (education), Durham University said:
“For me, storytelling is where I have found most value professionally, creatively and personally as it allows the weaving together of all these areas in surprising, unique and extraordinary ways.
“A story’s unique capacity to teach, inform, enthuse, entertain, educate and so much more affords it an important place in education: it is arguably humanity’s first ‘teacher’.
“In the context of higher education, it has brought - and continues to bring - this abundance to all who work with it, and this is where the magic lies!”
Chris Thomson, programme lead, teaching, learning and assessment at Jisc said:
“We’re sometimes guilty of ignoring storytelling as an important part of learning.
“Stories are how we allocate meaning to experience and create connections with other people.
“I think as our society becomes more and more automated thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), those people who are able to communicate effectively, build empathy and engage each other on a human level are going to become more important than ever, and we will see storytelling play a huge part in this.”
Further information
Find out more about our digital storytelling community and join the conversation.
Register for Digifest 2024 and visit the Jisc community hub for bespoke networking and collaboration opportunities, and more information on how to get involved with the many Jisc communities of practice.