III.1 - Introduction to theory

Digital storytelling is a relatively new term that refers to stories that include multimedia elements such as photographs, videos, sounds, texts and also narrative voices, and this has found its way into the classroom in a number of contexts.

Digital stories often present in compelling and emotionally engaging formats and can be interactive. The term “digital storytelling” can also cover a range of digital narratives (web-based stories, interactive stories, hypertexts, and narrative computer games).

The most important characteristics of a digital story are that it no longer conforms to the traditional conventions of storytelling because it is capable of combining still imagery, moving imagery, sound, and text, as well as being nonlinear and contain interactive features. The expressive capabilities of technology offer a broad base from which to integrate.