Digital Storytelling: Personal Narratives for a Public Audience
Ohio State’s Digital Storytelling initiative has been working with faculty and staff to foster storytelling for a digital age. Over the last few years, the group—a collaboration between TELR, the Digital Union, University Libraries, and FTAD—has sponsored workshops and showcases to encourage use of digital stories in teaching, research, and community outreach.
So what are digital stories? Liv Gjestvang, Digital Union coordinator, describes them as "a collection of images paired with a story or personal narrative that talks about an idea or an experience." Personal narration draws in the listener.
The core of a digital story is an idea or message. Never mind the technology barrier – the Digital Union provides training and equipment. "[Digital storytellers] can show up with an idea," Gjestvang says, "and that's really all they need to get started."
Although the hallmark of digital stories is a personal narrative, the stories and their ultimate use need not be personal. Ohio State's Digital Storytelling program has been focusing on stories related to academic research, teaching, or outreach. Gjestvang says, "There are ways to tell stories about research using the personal voice that deeply engage audiences."
Dr. Joe Bonnell and Anne Baird, both from the School of Natural Resources, participated in last year's digital storytelling workshop. Each developed stories relating to environmental conservation awareness, however, their final products illustrate very different storytelling approaches.
"[Digital Stories are] an easy way to transmit ideas and knowledge," says Baird. She chose to tell the story of an Ohio farmer who is doing extraordinary things in his community concerning water and wastewater management. Her finished work is featured on a website for sharing success stories in watershed management.
Bonnell produced a deeply personal – and yet professionally-relevant – digital story. "I did my project about my dad," he says. "That was something I never expected, going into it."
In his digital story, Bonnell goes walking on his father's farm as he contemplates how he and his father view the land differently. "It's one of the questions I struggle with in my work," Bonnell explains. "How can we get people who see the land and its resources so differently to come to an agreement to protect it, or at least use it in a way that doesn't destroy it?"
For more information:
Ohio State's Digital Storytelling initiative continues this summer with a 3-day workshop in June. A public showing follows on June 13. Visit the Digital Storytelling website for details about time and location.
Article by Robert H. Karn