Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Digital Storytelling to Improve English Narrative Writing Skills

Shirley Ngoi, Kim Hua Tan, Jamsari Alias, Norazila Mat

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i4/21249

Open access

This study investigated the impact of digital storytelling on narrative writing skills among less successful using a quasi-experimental design. Amidst the evolving educational landscape shaped by technology, digital storytelling emerges as a powerful method to address challenges faced by struggling learners. The study explored the foundational role of narrative writing in language development, recognizing the multifaceted challenges encountered by less successful young learners. These challenges, including vocabulary limitations, story structural issues, grammatical complexities, and motivation struggles, were addressed through a tailored solution—digital storytelling. The study involved two groups, one receiving a digital storytelling intervention and the other not. Pre and post-tests used standardized rubrics to identify significant differences between the two groups. Convenience sampling selected 30 participants from a Chinese primary school, focusing on less successful young learners with low to low-intermediate English proficiency. Results indicated significant improvements in mastery levels for both genders, supporting the positive impacts of digital storytelling on narrative writing skills. The study contributed insights such as recognising digital storytelling can effectively engage less successful young learners in the narrative writing process. It is beneficial for teachers to harness digital storytelling tools to improve narrative writing skills for less successful young learners.

Abderrahim, L., & Plana, M. G. C. (2021). A theoretical journey from social constructivism to digital storytelling. The EUROCALL Review, 29(1), 38-49. https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2021.12853
Addone, A., De Donato, R., Palmieri, G., Pellegrino, M. A., Petta, A., Scarano, V., & Serra, L. (2021). Novelette, a usable visual storytelling digital learning environment. IEEE Access, 9, 168850-168868. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3137076
Al-Shaye, S. (2021). Digital storytelling for improving critical reading skills, critical thinking skills, and self-regulated learning skills. K?br?sl? E?itim Bilimleri Dergisi, 16(4), 2049-2069. http://dx.doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v16i4.6074
Asiatidou, K. (2021). Teaching Writing to Non-Native English Majors: A New Sophistic Approach to the Purpose and Syllabus of First-Year Writing. Journal of Narrative and Language Studies, 9(18), 397-411.
Bagdi, H., Bulsara, H. P., Sankar, D., & Sharma, L. (2023). The transition from traditional to digital: factors that propel Generation Z’s adoption of online learning. International Journal of Educational Management, 37(3), 695-717. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-01-2023-0003
Beck, M. S., & Neil, J. A. (2021). Digital storytelling: A qualitative study exploring the benefits, challenges, and solutions. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 39(3), 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1097/cin.0000000000000667
Bekar, N. C. (2019). Exploring the effects of digital storytelling on young learners’motivation, vocabulary learning and retention in foreign language teaching. Çukurova Üniversitesi, Adana
Belda-Medina, J. (2022). Promoting inclusiveness, creativity and critical thinking through digital storytelling among EFL teacher candidates. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(2), 109-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2021.2011440
Bland, J. (2022). Compelling stories for English language learners: Creativity, interculturality and critical literacy. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Boyd, R. L., Blackburn, K. G., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2020). The narrative arc: Revealing core narrative structures through text analysis. Science advances, 6(32), eaba2196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba2196
Burroway, J., Stuckey-French, E., & Stuckey-French, N. (2019). Writing fiction: A guide to narrative craft. University of Chicago Press.
Camacho, A., Alves, R. A., & Boscolo, P. (2021). Writing motivation in school: A systematic review of empirical research in the early twenty-first century. Educational Psychology Review, 33(1), 213-247. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1007/s10648-020-09530-4
Chen, H. L., & Chuang, Y. C. (2021). The effects of digital storytelling games on high school students' critical thinking skills. Journal of computer assisted learning, 37(1), 265-274. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12487
Chen, H. J. (2023). Multimodal digital storytelling presentations in EFL contexts: learning outcomes, positive/negative affects, and perception between high-/low-achieving learners. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2023.2255977
Chen, Hsieh-Jun. "Multimodal digital storytelling presentations in EFL contexts: learning outcomes, positive/negative affects, and perception between high-/low-achieving learners." Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching (2023): 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2023.2255977
Churchill, N. (2020). Development of students’ digital literacy skills through digital storytelling with mobile devices. Educational Media International, 57(3), 271-284. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523987.2020.1833680
Covarrubias, R., & Laiduc, G. (2022). Complicating college-transition stories: Strengths and challenges of approaches to diversity in wise-story interventions. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(3), 732-751. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211006068
De Benetti, S. (2023). Using Storytelling in the Primary EFL Classroom: A Pilot Project to Promote Motivation.
de Brún, C. (2023). A Critical Approach to Overcoming Resistance to Academic Writing and Building Confidence in Third Level Students. All Ireland Journal of Higher Education, 15(1).
Di Blas, N. (2022). Authentic learning, creativity and collaborative digital storytelling. Educational Technology & Society, 25(2), 80-104.
Djonov, E., Tseng, C. I., & Lim, F. V. (2021). Children’s experiences with a transmedia narrative: Insights for promoting critical multimodal literacy in the digital age. Discourse, Context & Media, 43, 100493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2021.100493
Elizabeth Su Xin-Li, Hamidah Yamat, Nur Ehsan Mohd Said, Tan Kim Hua (2022). Hots questions and narrative writing ability of lower primary pupils in a vernacular school. World Journal of English Language, 12(5):148-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v12n5p148
Giannakou, O., & Klonari, A. I. (2019). Digital storytelling in education using Webgis. European Journal of Geography, 10(3).
Hadi, M. S., Izzah, L., & Paulia, Q. (2021). Teaching writing through Canva application. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 9(2), 228-235.
Hamilton, A., Rubin, D., Tarrant, M. A., & Gleason, M. (2019). Digital storytelling as a tool for fostering reflection. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 31(1), 59-73. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v31i1.443
Hava, K. (2021). Exploring the role of digital storytelling in student motivation and satisfaction in EFL education. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 34(7), 958-978. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1650071
Heinemeyer, C. (2020). Storytelling in participatory arts with young people: the gaps in the story. Springer Nature.
Hiver, P., Al-Hoorie, A. H., & Mercer, S. (Eds.). (2020). Student engagement in the language classroom (Vol. 11). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788923613
Hung, S. T. A. (2019). Creating digital stories. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 22(2), 26-37.
Hwang, G. J., Zou, D., & Wu, Y. X. (2023). Learning by storytelling and critiquing: a peer assessment-enhanced digital storytelling approach to promoting young students’ information literacy, self-efficacy, and critical thinking awareness. Educational technology research and development, 71(3), 1079-1103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10184-y
Ismail, M. E., Zakaria, A. F., Ismail, I. M., Othman, H., Samsudin, M. A., & Utami, P. (2019). Design and development of augmented reality teaching kit: in TVET learning context. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 8(1), 129-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v8i1.1.24792
Kim, D., & Li, M. (2021). Digital storytelling: Facilitating learning and identity development. Journal of Computers in Education, 8, 33-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104040
Kristiawan, D., Ferdiansyah, S., & Picard, M. (2022). Promoting Vocabulary Building, Learning Motivation, and Cultural Identity Representation through Digital Storytelling for Young Indonesian Learners of English as a Foreign Language. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 10(1), 19-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.30466/ijltr.2022.121120
Lantz, J. L., Myers, J., & Wilson, R. (2020). Digital storytelling and young children: Transforming learning through creative use of technology. In Handbook of research on integrating digital technology with literacy pedagogies (pp. 212-231). IGI Global.
Liang, W., & Fung, D. (2021). Fostering critical thinking in English-as-a-second-language classrooms: Challenges and opportunities. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 39, 100769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100769
Mamduhan, R. H., Fitriati, S. W., & Sutopo, D. (2019). Coherence in the narrative texts of Eastvaganza story writing contest for senior high-school students. English Education Journal, 9(1), 84-32. https://doi.org/10.15294/eej.v9i1.25900
Miller, C. H. (2019). Digital Storytelling 4e: A creator's guide to interactive entertainment. CRC Press.
Moradi, H., & Chen, H. (2019). Digital storytelling in language education. Behavioral Sciences, 9(12), 147. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fbs9120147
Moses, R. N., & Mohamad, M. (2019). Challenges faced by students and teachers on writing skills in ESL Contexts: A literature review. Creative Education, 10(13), 3385-3391. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.1013260
Nair, V., & Yunus, M. M. (2021). A systematic review of digital storytelling in improving speaking skills. Sustainability, 13(17), 9829. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179829
Nicoli, N., Henriksen, K., Komodromos, M., & Tsagalas, D. (2022). Investigating digital storytelling for the creation of positively engaging digital content. EuroMed Journal of Business, 17(2), 157-173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EMJB-03-2021-0036
Nur'ainy, S. A., Johan, A. N., Masykuri, E. S., Dewi, P., & Tusino, T. (2023). Capitalization and Punctuation Used in Writing Narrative Text. Scripta: English Department Journal, 10(1), 59-66. https://doi.org/10.37729/scripta.v10i1.2396
Özüdo?ru, G., & Çak?r, H. (2021). Non-linear digital storytelling: Effect on technology utilization and writing self-efficacy. Technology in Society, 67, 101798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101798
Palioura, M., & Dimoulas, C. (2022). Digital Storytelling in Education: A Transmedia Integration Approach for the Non-Developers. Education Sciences, 12(8), 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12080559
Palmer, J. (2022). Underachievement in story writing: Using psychological theories to investigate boys’ perceptions and experiences.
Parsazadeh, N., Cheng, P. Y., Wu, T. T., & Huang, Y. M. (2021). Integrating computational thinking concept into digital storytelling to improve learners’ motivation and performance. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 59(3), 470-495. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0735633120967315
Qian, D. D., & Lin, L. H. (2019). The relationship between vocabulary knowledge and language proficiency. The Routledge handbook of vocabulary studies, 66-80.
Quintão, C., Andrade, P., & Almeida, F. (2020). How to Improve the Validity and Reliability of a Case Study Approach?. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 9(2), 264-275. https://doi.org/10.32674/jise.v9i2.2026
Rahiem, M. D. (2021). Storytelling in early childhood education: Time to go digital. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 15(1), 1-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40723-021-00081-x
Rahmawati, I. N., & Latifah, N. (2019). Teaching and learning narrative text writing through story mapping. English Education: Jurnal Tadris Bahasa Inggris, 12(1), 78-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.24042/ee-jtbi.v12i1.4428
Rashid, A., Rasheed, R., Amirah, N. A., Yusof, Y., Khan, S., & Agha, A. A. (2021). A Quantitative Perspective of Systematic Research: Easy and Step-by-Step Initial Guidelines. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry, 12(9).
Rodríguez, C. L., García-Jiménez, M., Massó-Guijarro, B., & Cruz-González, C. (2021). Digital storytelling in education: A systematic review of the literature. Rev. Eur. Stud., 13, 13. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/res.v13n2p13
Rong, L. P., & Noor, N. M. (2019). Digital storytelling as a creative teaching method in promoting secondary school students’ writing skills. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 13(7), 117-128. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v13i07.10798
Shin Yee Lim & Kim Hua Tan. (2022). Teaching Descriptive Writing Via Google Classroom Stream: Perception among Year 6 Primary Students. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 12 (4), 647-65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1204.04
Singh, N., Bernal, G., Savchenko, D., & Glassman, E. L. (2023). Where to hide a stolen elephant: Leaps in creative writing with multimodal machine intelligence. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 30(5), 1-57. https://doi.org/10.1145/3511599
Smyrnaiou, Z., Georgakopoulou, E., & Sotiriou, S. (2020). Promoting a mixed-design model of scientific creativity through digital storytelling—the CCQ model for creativity. International Journal of STEM Education, 7, 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-00223-6
Syarifah, E. F., & Emiliasari, R. N. (2019). Project-based learning to develop students'ability and creativity in writing narrative story. Indonesian EFL Journal, 5(1), 85-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.25134/ieflj.v5i1.1627
Tabieh, A. A., Al-Hileh, M. M., Abu Afifa, H. M., & Abuzagha, H. Y. (2021). The Effect of Using Digital Storytelling on Developing Active Listening and Creative Thinking Skills. European Journal of Educational Research, 10(1), 13-21. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.10.1.13
Tinialishel Laie Gostine Tinggie, Kim Hua Tan, Nazri Muslim, Lim Kar Keng (2023). Peer Scaffolding among Primary ESL Learners’ Writing Task: Learners’ Behaviors and Triggering Factors. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(3), 191-208. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.3.12
Towndrow, P. A., & Kogut, G. (2020). Digital Storytelling for Educative Purposes. Springer Singapore.
Van Galen, J. A. (2023). Power and Precarity: First Generation Students Compose Digital Stories of Class Mobility. Social Sciences, 12(11), 593. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110593
Wang, Y. (2020). Developing advanced CFL learners’ academic writing skills: Theory and practice. The Palgrave Handbook of Chinese Language Studies, 1-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6844-8_57-1
Wu, J., & Chen, D. T. V. (2020). A systematic review of educational digital storytelling. Computers & Education, 147, 103786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103786
Yan, D., & Wang, J. (2022). Teaching data science to undergraduate translation trainees: Pilot evaluation of a task-based course. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 939689. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.939689
Yang, Y. T. C., Chen, Y. C., & Hung, H. T. (2022). Digital storytelling as an interdisciplinary project to improve students’ English speaking and creative thinking. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(4), 840-862. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1750431

(Ngoi et al., 2024)
Ngoi, S., Tan, K. H., Alias, J., & Mat, N. (2024). Digital Storytelling to Improve English Narrative Writing Skills. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(4), 546–560.