Running Head: STORYTELLING AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Storytelling as an Instructional Strategy for Fostering Empathy in at Risk Males in an Online

Learning Environment
Tracey A. Salas
George Mason University

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Abstract
This one year study will adopt a pretest and posttest quasi experimental design to measure
affective and cognitive empathy levels of adolescent males ages 14-16 that are at risk and
participate in creating a digital story in an online classroom environment. The research will be
conducted in two English classes in Loudoun County throughout the year with a comparison
group of public high school adolescent males and an experimental group of adolescent males in
an alternative high school. The independent variable is the information technology instruction.
A Basic Empathy Scale (BES) will be administered pre and post class online to measure the
dependent variable which is student empathy levels. Teachers will scaffold the process for the
participants and provide them an online tutorial of the technology. Students journals,
observations, and teacher interviews will be thematically coded and analyzed by researchers and
compared against the quantitative results of the BES.
Keywords: empathy, journaling, storytelling, and adolescents.

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Storytelling as an Instructional Strategy for Fostering Empathy in at Risk Males in an Online
Learning Environment
Empathy is the capacity for one human being to recognize emotions that are being
experienced by another. It is a helpful skill in our interpersonal and social interactions because it
allows a mechanism for one person to validate the message of the other. Teenagers are using
online environments more and more as both formal and informal ways to communicate.
Communication in a virtual environment often diminishes our capacity for empathy by limiting
the ways we can engage with each other (Ives, 2012). Recent evidence of cyber bullying has
increased concern in educators that online mechanisms for communications have desensitized
teenagers to the feelings of their peers. Because online environments are becoming more
frequently used mechanisms, for peer-to-peer communication and social connections, educators
are looking for instructional strategies that use the online environment to build a culture of
sensitivity and empathy among adolescents especially for those groups of adolescents whose
empathy levels appear to be diminished. Studies have shown those adolescent males who are at
risk from graduating high school may have lower empathy levels. The student characteristics for
being at risk range from truancy, delinquency, and academic failure to expellable offenses as
noted by school records. One instructional strategy that has proven to build social cohesion in
face-to face classroom environments is storytelling (Nelson, McClintock, Perez-Ferguson,
Shawver, & Thompson, 2008). Storytelling which can take place either one-on-one or in groups
is a means for sharing and interpreting experiences (Angay-Crowder, Choi, & Yi, 2013).
Traditionally, storytelling has been used as an improvisational method to teach ethics, values, and
cultural norms. Contemporary storytelling has extended to include Digital Storytelling, which is
the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories.

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Literature Review
A three pronged approach was taken in exploring literature that had relevance to Digital
Storytelling as an effective instructional strategy for eliciting empathy in at risk males. First it
was essential to find studies that explored the target audience of at risk males and their capacity
for empathy. Second it was important to determine methods of measuring empathy levels both
quantitatively and qualitatively. The combination of these two types of data can improve the
study by ensuring the limitations of one type of data are balanced by the strengths of another.
Finally Storytelling in the digital story realm needed to be investigated as an effective
instructional strategy.
Extensive research has been done with groups having similar psychosocial histories to
determine both the negative aspects of current behavior and chances for resiliency. Disregard for
formal responsibilities, aggressive behavior, and lack of empathy were all characteristics found
in those adolescents cited in the research. The literature made strong arguments for the lack of
empathy as being an indicator of this antisocial behavior. In a study by Kimonis, Cross, Howard,
and Donoghue (2013) over 227 juvenile offenders in southeastern United States were tested
using four psychometric instruments. One of those instruments, the Inventory of Callous
Unemotional Traits-Youth version or (ICU), measured several unemotional traits of adolescents
including empathy. Caputo et al. and Gretton et al. argued that (as cited in Kimonis, et al., 2013.
P.165) compared to antisocial youth scoring low on CU traits, those scoring high show greater
violent and sexual offending, and also general, violent and sexual recidivism. Some limitations
of the study include self-report measures of bonding, maltreatment, and CU traits and a sample
population that does not allow for the effective exploration of gender and race differences
(Kimonis, et al., 2013). The quantitative data gathered from four different psychometric

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instruments Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), Childhood Maltreatment and Sexual
Victimization (CTQ), Callous-Unemotional Traits-Youth Version (ICU), and the Peer Conflict
Scale (PCS) allows researchers to determine several common characteristics between the
participants, but does not allow in-depth analysis of participants behaviors, emotions, and
personalities. Because of this reason, the study might benefit from longitudinal research to
understand if low maternal care leads to the development of CU traits (Kimonis, et al., 2013).
Conversely, the pro-social behavior of 18 juvenile males living in a low-security correctional
environment was studied by Feinstein, Baartman, Buboltz, Sonnichsen and Solomon (2008)
using qualitative data collection. Data was collected from interview questions developed by the
lead researcher using a review of Bronfenbrenners Ecological Subsystems and the Search
Institutes Risk and Resiliency Theory. Ecological Systems Theory, which is the understanding of
human development within the context of the system of relationships, and this theory provided a
framework for resiliency theory to be examined (Feinstein, et al., 2008). Data analysis included
identification of significant quotes of the juveniles that were collaboratively organized them into
themes by the researchers. The study substantiated both internal and external resilient factors
that contributed to the positive behavior of the participants (Feinstein, et al., 2008). The results
of the study found the characteristics of bonding with adult individuals administering the
program, goal setting, and promoting both social skills and empathy fostered resiliency in these
individuals (Feinstein, et al., 2008). The limitations of this study also included gender
differences. A qualitative study such as this one allows probing for information gathering that is
more reflective of the sensitive issues of the participants.
The literature review will be extended to examine both methods of data collection that are
relevant to empathy in adolescents. Hoffman argues (as cited in Albeiro, Matricadi, Speltri, and

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Toso, 2009, p. 394) that empathy is thought to reach its highest development in late adolescence
and contributes to positive interpersonal relationships. A quantitative measure which has
demonstrated empirical relations between many forms of prosocial behavior and empathy is the
Basic Empathy Scale or (BES). The BES has been validated in several studies against other
psychometric instruments for measuring empathy. In an Italian study by (Albiero et al., 2009),
the BES was administered to 655 Italian adolescents in the sixth and seventh grade in two
northeastern towns and results were measured comparatively against the Hogan Empathy Scale
(HES), the Questionnaire Measure of Emotional Empathy (QMEE), the Balanced Empathy
Emotional Scale (BEES), and the Interpersonal Reaction Index (IRI) and found to be reliable. A
confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to verify the factorial structure of BES scores;
reliability estimates were determined; and scale and subscale mean scores were checked for
gender differences (Albiero et al., 2009). An interesting component of the research was that on
both cognitive and affective scales of BES females scored significantly higher than males
(Farrington, & Jolliffe, 2006). The study limitations include test-retest reliability and further
tests with other populations such as criminal offenders, bullies, counsellors or educators has not
been conducted (Albiero et al., 2009). According to the literature, the BES differed from the
other instruments in that it measured both cognitive and affective empathy and specifically
targeted the empathic responsiveness in adolescence, which the other instruments did not.
Because of this reason, the literature suggests that the BES may helpful to develop targeted
interventions for adolescents (Albiero et al., 2009).
While the BES offers a collective snapshot of the participant characteristics, it does not
offer students a way to actively participate in the improvement or integration of best practices
that enhances prosocial behavior with regards to empathy. Journal writing is often a great way to

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gather data to make a qualitative assessment of a process and make students responsible for their
own learning. In the importance of guiding questions in reflective journaling, the process of
journal writing was used to bridge the practical and theoretical applications of student teaching
(Onemi, 2012). Participants were the 15 student teachers enrolled into the EDUC 420- Practice
Teaching course, which was a 14 week course with several weeks of teaching and observation in
secondary schools. The student teachers had to write ten reflective journals, one after every
teaching experience considering four points given to them as guidelines. A qualitative paradigm
was used whereby salient responses were coded, categorized and organized into themes and then
analyzed. The data was first categorized as a benefit or a weakness and then parsed out
thematically. Student teachers indicated that journal writing created awareness of the self as a
teacher in terms of weaknesses and the strengths (Onemi, 2012). However; student teachers
wanted more guidance from their mentors to identify weaknesses and produce solutions for them
(Onemi, 2012). The questions for the reflections didnt provide the student teachers the guided
framework they felt they needed to identify and improve their performance (Onemi, 2012). The
students felt that there was no opportunity integrate the theoretical framework into their
discoveries, and implement action based on the theory. Student teachers needed additional
scaffolds implemented at every phase of the teaching practicum, which included feedback from
their mentor and peers with more structured questions in their journals to help them provide a
deeper analysis of the experience. (Onemi, 2012). The literature makes a strong case for journal
writing as an effective assessment strategy only when it is implemented a structured framework
and opportunities for practice. By integrating a qualitative method of assessing student behavior
that strengthens the data collection, there are also opportunities to allow students to be

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responsible for their own learning or in this case allows them to take part in creating prosocial
behavior.
The interactive collaboration between the storyteller and the audience participants has the
potential to be an effective instructional strategy to for promoting prosocial behavior because
students have opportunities to bond and connect with their peers. Rebecca Morris (2013) in her
study used a mixed method approach, primarily participant observations, in three school settings
of teachers and librarians who were teaching the curriculum and students in the creation and final
presentation of the students digital stories. The sessions differed in each school ranging from 613 sessions to complete the learning activity. Field notes, focus groups, surveys, interviews of
teachers and librarians, and learning artifacts were all a part of the comprehensive data
collection. A non-probability sample of available students ages 9-13 studying social studies,
technology and language arts respectively that had been garnered through professional contacts
were used for the study (Morris, 2013). Data analysis included parent and child coding of data
into themed categories. Because narrative data can be analyzed using existing conceptual
frameworks or assessed for emergent themes, it also offers opportunities for qualitative analysis
(Nelson, et al, 2008). Differences in tasks, technology, age, and grade level were noted.
Triangulation of the data was accomplished through member checking and peer debriefing. The
theories of Strum and Mackey were used to illustrate how the digital environment helped to
increase this engagement and response of students as both audience members and creators of
their own story. Strum (as cited in Morris, 2013p. 58) says the trancelike state induced by the
story helps to keep listeners more engaged. Margaret Mackey (as cited in Morris, 2013 p. 58)
says that when people are creating stories using multimedia they tend to switch across and this
kind of tinkering can induce a state of play. Through analysis of data collection, the role of
creating and telling a story and, viewing a digital presentation were determined to be less defined

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in digital storytelling environment than in the traditional mode. Students were able to view
presentations for engagement or enjoyment. When they were creating presentations, they
applied a much more critical filter, which allowed for unsolicited self-reflection (Morris, 2013).
The limitation of the study was that the format and genre of the digital storytelling were not a
part of the research design (Morris, 2013). Different formats or genre could lead to different
outcomes. The implications for future research in the area of self-reflection emerged from the
fluid role of the student as both creator and viewer of the digital story.
The technology itself creates a transformative environment that has the potential to
enhance problem solving skills of the students. Several studies have shown that Digital
storytelling or DST goes beyond the capabilities of traditional storytelling by helping students to
comprehend complex learning content, and present knowledge in an adaptive and meaningful
manner (Yang & Wu, 2012). A longitudinal study was developed which illustrates the value of
technology to transform the learning of 110 Taiwanese students from the 10th grade who were
learning English as a second language (Yang & Wu, 2012). Two groups, a comparison group and
an experimental group respectively, were provided a lecture type environment and an
environment where the instructor served more as a facilitator to students creating and presenting
their digital stories. The authors cite the theories of Hughes who says that technology can be
used in 3 ways that have relevance to teaching and learning (a) replacement, (b) amplication, or
(c) transformation (Yang & Wu, 2012). While all three ways of using technology in a classroom
serve a purpose, it is the latter of the three that may enable a social constructivist environment.
Digital storytelling offers a potential for deeper learning experience than traditional storytelling
because the technology offers flexible non-linear affordances so students can collaborate,
explore, organize, and assimilate new ideas in ways that help them be more engaged and develop
their critical thinking. There were three different instruments that were used to measure the

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dependent variables. An English Achievement Test(EAT), which measured reading, writing,
vocabulary and grammar of the participants, a Critical Thinking Test(CTT-I), which measured
various critical thinking skills including induction, deduction, interpretation and evaluation and
the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire(MSLQ), which uses a Likert scale to
measure self-efficacy in learning (Yang & Wu, 2012). Descriptive statistics were used to
describe the means, standard deviation and adjusted means for three tests (EAT,CTT-I, and
MSLQ) between two groups (Yang & Wu, 2012). The researcher and instructor designed a 22
week plan for the two groups using the subject matter traditional Chinese festivals and applying
the same instructional goal of learning English as a second language. The two groups presented
their stories over the course of two weeks and were asked to reflect about the process with their
classmates. The integration of the digital story as a technology into social constructivist
environment showed both qualitative and quantitative evidence of increases in academic
achievement, critical thinking, and learner motivation based on the summary of the data
collection (Yang & Wu, 2012). Also explored in the literature are the concepts of selfassessment and feedback from peers. Future research may consider if it is an effective strategy
for introverts as well as extroverts and whether it promotes creative thinking, problem solving
and global literacy (Yang & Wu, 2012)
Based on the review of existing literature, lack of empathy creates the potential for
antisocial behavior. When opportunities are created for students to bond with their peers in a
way that fosters empathy, behavior can improve. The BES is a valid instrument for measuring
empathy in adolescents. It provides characteristics of the target audience in a quantifiable
measurable way. Data that is quantifiable offers a portion of analysis that is helpful in providing
an intervention for the target audience. Qualitative data offers a way to collect data on the social
interactions of the target audience. Journal writing is an effective way of collecting qualitative

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data because it helps focus on the process and offers learners opportunities for self-reflection. It
is a helpful in assessing storytelling because it is a way of providing a structured framework for
assessment on a flexible and evolving process. Digital storytelling extends that process by
allowing a more fluid role that engages the storyteller as both listener and creator. The
technology also offers ways to transform the learning by allowing learners to organize and
readdress material in a way that elicits more problem solving skills. Thus, the proposed study
will use digital storytelling with a mixed method of data collection, but unlike the previous
studies, all work will be done in a digital environment. Specifically, this study will compare the
student questionnaire responses and student journals to see if the empathy levels are improved
and students perceptions of their own behaviors are consistent with the data collection and
analysis. It is the hypothesis of the researcher that meta-reflection on the digital stories will
further enhance or develop the empathy levels of the participants.
Research Purpose and Questions
The purpose of this research is to investigate if digital storytelling can be used in a
synchronous online learning environment to increase empathy in adolescent males ages 14-16
that are considered at risk. The target audience was chosen because adolescent males in general
tend to score lower in both cognitive and affective empathy than adolescent females on the BES
questionnaire. This study hypothesizes that the student participants in the public school
comparison group will have higher levels than the alternative school experimental group. Both
groups may have lower empathy levels then the general population of adolescents and their
empathy levels will improve after the course.
Does digital storytelling improve the empathy levels in those adolescent males ages 1416 at risk in an online classroom environment?
Method

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A longitudinal study will be conducted over the course of a year using a mixed method of
data collection. A sample of 20 students from two English classes in Loudon County will meet
weekly in an online learning environment to create digital stories around three scenarios that are
designed to increase their empathy levels. Both groups will use the same course content
instructor and schedule, but will be accessing the course online from two different classroom
environments. One class of 10 students will be accessing the class from a public high school and
will serve as the comparison group, while the other class of 10 students serve as the experimental
group and will be accessing the class from a classroom in an alternative school. The
independent variable will be the instructor led training and the dependent variable will be the
empathy levels of the participants, which will be measured using the Basic Empathy Scale or
BES. Additional qualitative measurements will be used to thematically organize responses from
weekly online journal reflections and observations by the researcher of the online sessions.
Follow up interviews may be scheduled by the researcher with the students if responses need to
be clarified.
Participants
Participants were chosen for the digital storytelling protocols by a convenience sampling
of groups that were readily available of adolescent males age 14-16 that were attending two
different 10th grade English classesa public high school and an alternative school in Loudoun
County. The students in the public school have no known disciplinary problems and the students
in the alternative school have disciplinary problems, which include but are not limited to truancy,
delinquency, and academic failure to expellable offenses as noted by school records. The groups
were identified through professional contacts with teachers, principals and school board
members. The study will go before the George Masons University Review Board and hardcopy

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permission slips will be signed and provided by Parents or Guardians for both the students
participation in the study and the use of responses in the recording of the online video sessions.
Setting
The pretest, posttests, will also be administered via schools blackboard content
management system. While the intent is to create an environment that is different from the
traditional classroom face-to face environment, weekly online sessions in the students English
classes of no more than an hour will be accessed via the web from a computer room at each
school. These synchronous sessions will be held on blackboard collaborate by the instructor. The
instructor will be accessible online during these sessions or also available to students who need
additional help through scheduled meetings held on blackboard collaborate. Students will write
weekly reflections in online journals with privacy restrictions that allow access privileges to the
student, the instructor, and the researcher.
Instruments
The Basic Empathy Scale (BES), a 40 item questionnaire measuring affective and cognitive
empathy will be administered pre and post class to the students to self-report their empathy
levels. Samples of the questions are shown in Appendix A. Students will be asked to rate each
statement on a 5-point scale with 1=strongly agree and 5=strongly disagree. A schedule will
provided to students to outline the recursive production process. A sample has been provided in
Appendix B. Weekly online journals with guided questions will help provide a framework for
students to reflect on the process. Samples of the questions are shown in Appendix C.
Research Design
The study will take place over a course of school year approximately 36 weeks. The
students begin the process by taking the BES questionnaire to measure their empathy levels. See
appendix A. The teacher will scaffold the digital storytelling process by first sharing a digital
story and facilitating a discussion with students. The students will be provided a scenario, which

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they will discuss with the class and be independently tasked to create and share stories of their
own. The students will have to complete three digital stories, which include a narrative about
themselves, a narrative about another person and a narrative about a community of people. The
narratives are designed to gradually shift student focus from themselves to other people so that
students have many opportunities to empathize. A recursive process, which will take place over
several weeks, includes development of a written concept; storyboard and completion of a
finished production of no more than 5-10 minutes in length. When completed, projects will be
uploaded to Blackboard and will be presented synchronously using adobe collaborate for a
facilitated discussion. Online student journals with guiding questions will offer students
opportunities to reflect on and evaluate the shared experience. At the end of class students will
once again take the BES questionnaire to measure their empathy levels. Students will be graded
on their assignment using a rubric. Qualitative data will be collected from a variety of sources to
include observation of the online sessions, interviews of teachers, and, as well as, online student
journals, and the digital story as a learning artifact.
The process will be iterative for each story following a typical, pre-production,
production, and post production process. Pre-production process will include concept
development, scriptwriting, and storyboarding. The production process will include videotaping
and graphic design. Post production will be the final assembly of the recorded narrative and
auxiliary video and graphics. See appendix C. Two to three weeks will be allotted for each phase
of production. Students will be asked to write in their online journals weekly using guided
reflections about the subject matter and the process. See appendix B. Students will also have
access to online tutorials for technical tools that are available to them which include, but are not
limited to, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft PowerPoint.

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Data Collection Procedures
The BES questionnaire will be administered pre and post class and scores of the
participants will be compared. Online journals, which will be read every week, teacher
interviews and online discussions will be transcribed and summarized by the researcher. Salient
responses will be highlighted and thematically recorded. Data will be coded with a unique
numerical identifier that is attached to the name of the student/teacher, description of the data,
and the student/teacher comments itself. Follow up interviews may be scheduled by the
researcher if journal entries, teacher interviews or comments in the facilitated discussions seek
further clarification. All data will be summarized and organized in a data summary chart
Data Analysis
Both quantitative and qualitative data will be collected for this study. The BES questionnaire
was used in evaluating the participants empathy levels. The test was scored using a 5 point
Likert with 1=strongly agree and 5=strongly disagree. Cronbach Alpha will be used to compute
internal consistency reliability estimates for the pretest and posttest value scale. The researcher
will calculate the total number of student participants and adjust the data to measure means and
standard deviation for pre-and post-test questionnaires to assess whether the training produced
positive changes in the empathy levels of the two groups participating in the same activities.
Analysis of the covariance (ANCOVA) will be used to compare the results of the two groups
after 36 weeks of instruction. The qualitative data, which consists of teacher interviews, journal
reflections, and discussion observations, will be thematically sorted and categorized. The central
phenomenon to be explored would be male adolescent empathy levels as they are creating digital
stories.
Validity

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Several steps will be taken to increase the reliability and validity of the study and reduce
bias. The study will be using the Basic Empathy Scale, an instrument that has been crossreferenced in studies against other psychometric instruments for measuring empathy including
by not limited to the Hogan Empathy Scale (HES), the Questionnaire Measure of Emotional
Empathy (QMEE), the Balanced Empathy Emotional Scale (BEES), and the Interpersonal
Reaction Index (IRI) and found to be reliable (Albiero et al., 2009). To ensure stability reliability,
a pretest-posttest design was selected, which will be administered within the 36 weeks allotted
for the class. The test, which will be administered online and will also have directions posted to
ensure consistency in the procedures. Identities will be protected and this anonymity should
reduce outside influences on student questionnaire self-reports and online journals. Participants
identities will be coded by assigning a unique ID number and providing them a unique password
to access the form online. Online journals with guided questions and privacy restrictions with
access privileges by the student, the instructor, and the researcher will also be provided students
in this online environment. Although it is an online environment students will be accessing the
class from a computer lab in the school. The school also provides technical support so this
should alleviate potential technical issues. A large amount of student absences could prevent a
student for participating in all the activities and facilitated discussions. For those students may
have 1-2 absences online sessions will be available for review on Blackboard Collaborate.
Students missing more than 2 absences will be rendered exempt from the study so as not to skew
the data.
External Validity

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It would be ideal if this study would be generalizable to all adolescent males ages 14-16.
However, because this is a convenience sample from both a public and alternative school a
potential bias may exist so the results may not generalizable to this greater population.
Internal Validity
Internal validity will be enhanced via member checking and triangulation of the data.
The researcher will also ensure credibility by cross-referencing teacher interviews, observations
and student reflections with evidence from other data sources, including the quantitative data
from the BES questionnaire.

Limitations
Because this study is taking place in an exclusively online environment, it will be difficult to
determine if empathy levels do not improve whether the online environment is a deterrent to
digital storytelling being an effective instructional strategy. Comparative groups not available
for this study include the same demographic groups in a face-to-face situation versus online or
female versus male may serve to eliminate other dependent variables. Cross-program and crossinstitutional studies with larger sample sizes of the population would be required to make the
results of the study generalizable.

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References

Feinstein, A. Baartman, J., Buboltz, M., Sonnichsen, K., & Solomon, R. (2008). Resiliency in
adolescent males in a correctional facility. Journal of Correctional Education, 59(2), 94104.
Albiero, P., Matricardi, G., Speltri,D., & Torso, D. (2009). The Assessment of empathy in
adolescence: A contribution to the Italian validation of the Basic Empathy Scale. Journal
of Adolescence, 393-408.
Angay-Crowder, T., Choi, J. & Yi, Y. (2013). Putting Multiliteracies into practice: Digital
storytelling for multilingual adolescents in a summer program. TESL Canada Journal.,
30(2) 36-45.
Farrington, D., & Jolliffe D. P. (2006). Development and validation of the Basic Empathy Scale.
Journal of Adolescence, 29 589-611.
Ives, E. (2012). iGeneration: The social cognitive effects of digital technology on teenagers.
Online Submission, M.S. Thesis, Dominican University of California. , 1-107.
Kimonis, E. R., Cross, B., Howard A. & Donoghue, K. (2013). Maternal care, maltreatment and
callous-unemotional traits among urban male juvenile Offenders. Journal of Youth
Adolescence, 42, 165-177.
Morris, R. (2013). Creating, viewing, and assessing: Fluid roles of the student self in digital
storytelling. School Libraries Worldwide, 18(2) 54-68.

STORYTELLING AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

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Nelson, A., McClintock, C., Perez-Ferguson, A., Shawver, M.N. & Thompson, G. (2008).
Storytelling narratives: Social bonding as key for youth at risk. Child Youth Care Forum,
37, 127-137.
Onemi, Y. G. (2012). The importance of guiding questions in reflective journaling . H. U.
Journal of Education, 2, 282-292.
Yang, Y.C., & Wu, W.I. (2012). Digital Storytelling for enhancing student acadmeic
acheivement, critical thinking and learnng motivation: A year-long experimental Study.
Computers & Education , 59, 339-352.

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Appendix A BES Sample Questionnaire (Albiero et al., 2009)
Please rate each statement on a 5-point scale with 1+strongly agree and 5=strongly disagree
1. My friends emotions dont affect me much.
2. After being with a friend who is sad about something, I usually feel sad.
3. I can understand my friends happiness when she/he does well at something.
4. I get frightened when I watch characters in a good scary movie.
5. I get caught up in other peoples feelings easily.
6. I find it hard to know when my friends are frightened.
7. I dont become sad when I see other people crying.
8. Other peoples feelings dont bother me at all.
9. When someone is feeling down, I can usually understand how they feel.
10. I can usually work out when my friends are scared
11. I often become sad when watching dad things on TV or in films.
12. I can often understand how people are feeling even before they tell me.
13. Seeing a person who has been angered had no effect on my feelings
14. I can usually work out when People are cheerful.
15. I tend to feel scared when I am with friends who are afraid.
16. I can usually realize quickly when a friend is angry.
17. I often get swept up in my friends feelings.
18. My friends unhappiness doesnt make me feel anything.
19. I am not usually aware of my friends feelings.
20. I have trouble figuring out when my friends are happy.
Appendix B
Digital Storytelling Protocol Schedule
Date
1st week

Phase of Production
BES questionnaire

Task
Students log on and complete

2nd week

Pre-Production

questionnaire.
Teacher provides background
on digital story process ,

rd

3 Week
4th week
th

5 Week

Production/Post Production
Production/Post Production

presents digital story

Tutorial on adobe photo shop.
Camera Operations and

Production/Post Production

Editing Aesthetics
Tutorial on adobe premiere

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6th Week

Pre-Production

Concept Development Digital

Pre-Production
Pre-Production
Production

Narrative about yourself

Script
Storyboard
Graphic development,

Post Production

acquisition and/or videotaping

Assemble/Edit final

12th &13 week

14th&15th Week

Post Production

production
Review student projects;

16thWeek

Pre-Production

facilitated discussion.
Concept Development Digital

Pre-Production
Pre-Production
Production

Narrative about someone else

Script
Storyboard
Graphic development,

th

th

7 &8
9th
10th&11th

th

th

17 &18
19th&20th
21st&22nd

acquisition and/or videotaping

22nd&23rd week

Post Production

Assemble/Edit final

24th&25th Week

Post Production

production
Review student projects;

26thWeek

Pre-Production

facilitated discussion.
Concept Development Digital

27th&28th
29& 30th
31st &32nd

Pre-Production
Pre-Production
Production

Narrative about a community

Script
Storyboard
Graphic development,
acquisition and/or videotaping

33rd & 34th

Post Production

Assemble/Edit final

35th

Post Production

production
Review student projects;

36th

Post Production

facilitated discussion.
Students log on and complete

STORYTELLING AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

22
questionnaire.
Appendix C
Guided Reflection Sample Questions (Nelson, et al, 2008)
1. What are some things that you want people to know about you?
2. What are the difficulties that you face?
3. Who are the people who help you?
4. What is your life like now?
5. How do you affect other people
6. What are some things you want people to know about this person?
7. What are the difficulties that they face?
8. Who are the people who help them?
9. What is their life like now?
10. How do they affect other people?
11. What are some things you want people to know about this community?
12. What are the difficulties that the community faces?
13. Who are the groups or people who help them?
14. What is life like for the community?
15. How does this community affect other communities?