Digital Storytelling
For this and the following blogpost there shall be a focus on the usage of digital storytelling in dementia treatment. This first part will explain the fundamentals of the concept of digital storytelling whereas the second part will concern itself with the contents of a study that applied the method in a project with persons living with dementia in order to gain a more detailed insight into possible use cases.
As mentioned in the very first blogpost, dementia is a progressive neurological condition primarily seen in older people, including symptoms like memory loss and difficulties in managing everyday life. (Fels, 2011, 535-536) Interestingly, while people with dementia often struggle with recalling or speaking about current events, it is easier for them to access memories from their earlier lives. (Fels, 2011, 536) Alongside other methods, there is the approach of including digital storytelling into the treatment of people suffering from dementia. Findings of a 2022 literature review indicate that most commonly, digital storytelling is being used as a way of supporting a patient’s memory, identity, reminiscence and their self-confidence. (Rincon, 2022) It also indicates, however, that the level of evidence for the effectiveness in terms of improving emotional, cognitive or affective skills through digital storytelling is rather low and needs to be considered by clinicians when trying to reach certain treatment goals.
Still, digital storytelling can be a useful tool in upholding an individual’s personality. Various studies indicate that the key factors in the usage of digital storytelling are, as was already mentioned above, the support of a person’s memory, identity, reminiscence or self-confidence and follow an approach based on personal experiences.
In order to understand how these methods are being used, it is necessary to explain the term digital storytelling and the significance of storytelling itself further.
Storytelling in general has always been used for passing on the knowledge connected to a peoples’ history, heritage and traditions from one generation to the next, and has therefore always been a powerful technique to exchange experiences and communicate knowledge. (Smeda, 2014)
It is an important method of communication – and is also recognized as such in many fields of study such as sociology, nursing research, folklore, and communication studies – in all of life’s stages, as sharing narratives provides people with the possibility to connect with others and convey lived experiences and events through conversation. Stories can emerge in various forms, be it myths, fictional, autobiographical or other narratives. (Fels, 2011, 535)
With the evolution and development of digital technologies people continued to tell stories with the help of new multimedia tools, such as digital cameras, computers or editing softwares. (Smeda, 2014)
Simply put, digital storytelling happens when digital technologies are being used to create or tell stories. (Rincon, 2022) The concept of digital storytelling emerged at the California Center for Digital Storytelling in the late 1980s as a method used by community theatre workers to record, produce and disseminate stories. Generally, there is no one definition of the term “digital storytelling”, however most explanations emphasize the usage of multimedia tools such as video, audio, animation and graphics. The association defines it as a “modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling” (The Digital Storytelling Association, 2011). A definition by Normann describes digital storytelling as “a short story, only 2–3 minutes long, where the storyteller uses his own voice to tell his own story. The personal element is emphasised, and can be linked to other people, a place, an interest or to anything that will give the story a personal touch” (Normann [2011]).
There are also other definitions that vary in their details, such as a more technology-focused definition by Meadows that suggests digital storytelling uses cost-effective cameras, computers and non-linear authoring tools in order to produce short multimedia stories that fulfill the social components of storytelling. (Smeda, 2014)
The process of digital storytelling involves active contribution of the individual participants who are invited to construct digital stories in the form of short movies that make use of various media technologies such as images, narration, music, or text. The content consists of personal perspectives on experiences and narratives. (Sitter, 2024, 907) It can be especially useful as a means of combining an individual’s context based experience with meaningful content. Digital storytelling is often mentioned in an educational context, as the concept has been more and more incorporated into the educational systems of the Global North such as North America and Europe. The term Global North describes societies and countries that “are developed in terms of democracy, technology, wealth, and politics.” (Sonday, 2021, 1) The usage of this format in a learning environment can foster qualities such as problem solving ability, critical thinking, collaborative skills. (Sonday, 2021, 1)
Sources:
- https://onlinelibrary-1wiley-1com-1n4h52i2p014a.perm.fh-joanneum.at/doi/epdf/10.1155/2021/2463916
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40561-014-0006-3
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51866094_Storytelling_as_a_Model_of_Conversation_for_People_With_Dementia_and_Caregivers
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385557442_Building_Connections_The_Impact_of_Digital_Storytelling_on_Communication_and_Leadership_Skills_Among_Disabled_Young_Adults
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07334648211015456
