Text Mentor 2
Text Mentor 2
Fatih Tanrıkulu
To cite this article: Fatih Tanrıkulu (2020): Students’ perceptions about the effects of
collaborative digital storytelling on writing skills, Computer Assisted Language Learning, DOI:
10.1080/09588221.2020.1774611
Article views: 34
ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
This study aims to identify the students’ perceptions about Action research;
how collaborative digital storytelling use in writing class collaborative digital
affects their writing skills. Having a qualitative research storytelling; writing skills;
digital storytelling
design, the research has utilized an action research model.
The research was conducted in two different classes with
first-year university students studying at the Department of
Turkish Education (N ¼ 61). Students have produced two
different digital stories (DSTs) throughout the course. The
first DST was created individually, and the second collab-
oratively. Students actively participated in producing and
criticizing the phases of digital stories. The researcher and
students’ diaries and focus group interviews were used as
data collection tools. Data were analyzed through the
Nvivo 12 qualitative data analysis program. During the ana-
lysis process, data were first converted into codes, and the
obtained codes were divided into themes and sub-themes.
Findings indicated that students have a perception that
DST improves their writing skills. It is reflected in the stu-
dent views that DST positively affects the internal and
external structure of the text. The multimedia feature and
the script have positive effect on writing and help to har-
monize technology and writing.
1. Introduction
In the digital age, students who use digital environments frequently
should be encouraged to write (Bumgarner, 2012) and alternative writing
methods should be sought (Saunders, 2014). One of these methods, digital
storytelling (DST) writing offers a high-quality learning experience as an
alternative method for developing digital content in education (Jakes,
2005). DSTs provide opportunities for students to be actively involved in
the learning setting by helping them acquire educational objectives (Figg
& McCartney, 2010). This technology-based method enables the 21st
century students to utilize technologically advanced resources in order to
2. Literature review
2.1. Digital story
There are many definitions of DST writing in the literature (Meadows,
2003; Bull & Kajder, 2004; Banister, Hodges, & Michalski, 2005; Robin,
2006; Dogan, Robin, et al., 2008; Jenkins & Lonsdale, 2007; Skinner &
Hagood, 2008; Casta~ neda, 2013). These definitions revolve around the
idea of writing DSTs by combining various multimedia sources such as
images, audios, and videos. More generally, DST writing is described as
creating a short film through combining the multimedia artefacts pro-
vided by technology using software for a story or event axis. The aim is
two-fold; to make the knowledge much more effective and lasting by
making use of the plot of the story, and to urge students to be active
participants in the learning setting through technology. DST process con-
sists of seven stages:”writing an initial script, planning a storyboard, dis-
cussing and revising the script, sequencing the images through video
editor, inserting the narrative track, adding special effects and transitions,
and adding a soundtrack providing time permits”(Bull & Kajder, 2004:
COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING 3
49). These stages offer activities where students can develop different
skills. Language can be used effectively in these activities. The process
contributes to the development of students’ different language skills
(Yoon, 2016). Research on DST indicates that these types of activities
develop students’ reading and speaking skills and communication skills
(Kajder, 2004; Banister et al., 2005; Davis & McGrail, 2009; Gubrium &
Scott, 2010; Morgan, 2014; Kurudayıoglu & Bal, 2014; Miller & Kim,
2015; Del-Moral-Perez, Villalustre-Martınez, & Neira-Pi~
neiro, 2019). In
DST, which supports the development of different language skills
(Yuksel, Robin, & McNeil, 2011), as an important stage revising the
script has been found to have a positive effect on the writing ability
(Sevilla-Pav
on, 2015). During the DST process, writing skills and other
language skills are used effectively. Using DST in writing class can be
expected to improve not only students’ writing skills but also their other
language skills.
Therefore, studies have shown that the use of DST in the writing class-
room has positive effects on writing skills. Although there are many stud-
ies on individual DST, collaborative research is limited. This study aims to
determine students’ perceptions about the collaborative DST’s effects on
their writing skills. To serve this aim, an answer to the following question
has been sought in the present study:
What are the students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the collaborative digital
storytelling on writing skills?
3. Method
This research has been conducted as an action research. Action research
is a method aiming at improving education by changing the educational
environment and managing the implementation process (Kemmis &
McTaggart, 1992). There are a few models for employing action research,
the basic one consists of four steps: identifying an area of focus, collect-
ing data, analyzing and interpreting the data, and developing an action
plan (Mills, 2007:20). Figure 1 depicts the steps of progressive action
research below:
3.2. Participants
The implementation was conducted with a total number of 61 students
in two different classes (n ¼ 30, n ¼ 31 at each) at the Department of
Turkish Education at a state university. Participants of the research are
researcher, validity committee, students and focus interview group stu-
dents. The researcher had roles both as a participant and researcher. The
researcher is responsible for planning and carrying out the implementa-
tion (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1992; Koshy, 2005). The validation commit-
tee was formed to observe and provide advice on the research process.
For the validation committee, three academics from the Department of
Educational Sciences were selected. The committee held holds regular
meetings throughout the research and followed the process. The partici-
pants of the study consist of 61 undergraduate students from the
Department of Turkish Education. The ages of the students ranged from
19 to 20. The students are 40 female and 21 male students. The focus
group students consisted of volunteer students selected from two classes.
3.6. Ethics
A written consent form was obtained from the participants who volun-
teered to take part in the research. Participants were given the right to
leave the research at any time at their will (Taylor et al., 2006).
classified codes were collected under themes. In the second column, the
number of sources” indicates how many different data sources were
obtained from the codes. In the third column, “the number of codes”
indicates how many times the same or similar views were repeated.
Table 2 displays themes, sub-themes and codes for language skills. 36
codes were obtained from 7 different sources in total.
The students’ opinions in the code ‘Developing Writing Skills’ reflect
that DST is effective in writing: ‘It improves writing skills and I can make
more beautiful writings day after day (F_G_I_1). While creating the
digital story, it contributes to the development of writing (S_39).’ The
results of previous studies have similarly shown that DST is effective in
improving writing skills (Campbell, 2012; LoBello, 2015; Sarıca-Çıralı &
Koçak-Usluel, 2016). Balaman (2018) has revealed that DST is effective
in improving students’ writing skills.
The students stated that collaborative DST is more effective in writing:
‘Especially in the second manuscript, DS progressed further, and good writ-
ings appeared (F_G_I_2). There were positive differences between the first
and the second (F_G_I_2).’
10 F. TANRIKULU
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes on contributor
Dr. Fatih TANRIKULU is a assistant professor at the Department of Turkish Education,
Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University. Dr. Tanrikulu completed his Ph.D. in Turkish
Education at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University in 2014. His academic interest areas
are computer assisted language learning, e-learning, L2 language learning and children
literature. He has over than 4 journal articles published in national and international
indexes, papers submitted to international meetings.
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