Integrating Narrative Structures into Teaching and LearningLearning technology consultants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have observed when faculty and students are crafting digital stories, they are most helped by three main activities:
1. ReflectionWhen we reflect on our own experiences, we make connections between data and events, thereby deriving meaning and retaining content. When students are given the opportunity to reflect on how their personal experiences integrate with course content and then use multimedia to help communicate their message, they engage with the material at a higher level. This results in a higher level of retention. When students make connections between personal experience and course content, they build understanding that surpasses “going for the grade” and encourages application beyond the classroom. 2. Guidance and FeedbackDetermining specific project milestones during story production gives story producers a guideline for moving through the process and motivates them to meet deadlines. Examples of milestones that are good points for guidance and feedback are the first draft of the narrative, the storyboard, the rough video edit, and the final video. ![]() Giving constructive feedback during story construction is practiced through a process called story circles. During digital storytelling workshops at University of Wisconsin, Madison, attendees are given guidelines for giving constructive feedback, then attendees participate in a story circle. During the story circle process, story drafts are shared and clarifying questions are asked to help the storyteller define the moment of transformation and articulate the core message through the use of images, movement, and sound. Receiving peer feedback builds group respect and trust and inspires storytellers to engage in the story production process. When students critique other students’ stories, referring to a narrative structure may be helpful. A story need not conform exactly to a structure, but it should align in at least a few ways. Referencing narrative structures and giving students general guidance on how to give feedback will help keep the critiques constructive. Regularly reviewing other students’ work during multiple stages of production will improve critical thinking and group skills and inspire ideas for the reviewers’ own projects. For more information on critique guidelines and effective group work visit the Engage Technology Enhanced Collaborative Group Work website at http://engage.doit.wisc.edu/collaboration. 3. Sharing![]()
Closing CommentsAs students engage in the authoring process, narrative structures can serve as an inspiring resource. If your students are creating a digital narrative, the narrative structure models can help them get started or improve existing work. Considering how their story aligns with all or part of a narrative structure can enhance the clarity and emotional impact of the story. In the digital storytelling workshops at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, participants walk through a simple writing activity that begins to align story structure stages with their own story ideas. Once participants identify a structure for conveying their message, a remarkable shift occurs in their desire to write and in their confidence to convey their intended message. There are a variety of cultural structures ready to be used in the classroom. While Western narrative structures can sometimes dominate our scholarly methods of writing, the use of other cultural structures can inform and enrich students’ writing comprehension and cultural awareness. Additional UW-Madison story examples and resources can be viewed at https://tle.wisc.edu/digitalstorytelling/ or at the Sharing Learning Stories community forum. CreditsThis online resource was created by Cheryl Diermyer, Susan Simmons, and Chris Blakesley with additional support from David McHugh, Emmanuel Contreras, and John Thomson. Special thanks to the Engage Program and DoIT Academic Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for support of this resource. If you questions regarding a have a narrative structure contact Cheryl Diermyer at diermyer@wisc.edu. ReferencesCampbell, J., with Moyers, B. (1991). The power of myth. New York: Random House. Campbell, J. (2008). The hero with a thousand faces (3rd ed.). Novato, CA: New World Library. Chopin, K. (1975). The story of an hour (1894). In S. Cahill (Ed.), Women and fiction: Short stories by and about women. New York: Signet Classics. Freytag, G. (1900). Technique of the drama: An exposition of dramatic composition and art (E. J. MacEwan, Trans., 3rd ed.). Chicago: Scott, Foresman. Iuppa, N. V., & Borst, T. (2006). Story and simulations for serious games: Tales from the trenches. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Kishōtenketsu (n.d.). In Wikipedia online. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kish%C5%8Dtenketsu Madej, K. S. (2008, May). Traditional narrative structure–not traditional so why the norm? Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Narrative and Interactive Learning Environments, Edinburgh, Scotland. Maynard, S. K. (1997). Japanese communication: Language and thought in context. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press. Ohler, J. (2008). Digital storytelling in the classroom: New media pathways to literacy, learning, and creativity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press Wise, C. M. (1962). The structure of classic tragedy. Academic Annual, 4, 39–46. Vogler, C. (2007). The writer's journey: Mythic structure for writers (3rd ed.). Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions. |