Storytelling and Technology
"As digital media becomes increasingly woven into the fabric of our lives, young people readily invite the language of interactive technologies into our creative spaces..." (Alrutz, 2015, pg.7). Not only does technology represent potential, it also represents a means to engage youth through a medium they integrate into their own identity.
As we move forward into the 21st century, students are no longer as engaged with traditional forms of pedagogy and delivery (Alrutz, 2015). A textbook is no longer representative of a student's primary means of knowledge or communication; this has instead been replaced with the digital world. To further engage learners and prepare them with the skills and competencies required throughout their lives technology and storytelling should be woven together. Not only does the inclusion of technology speak to students in their own language, it also provides a means some students to communicate in what they feel is a safer space. Alrtuz (2015) suggests that the implementation of digital media in the classroom provides a familiar means of communication for students with characteristics, such as anonymity and asynchronous dialogue, that foster a sense of safety and comfort when discussing otherwise challenging issues. Rather than presenting students with testimony or facts on a troubling piece in a purely classroom discussion, the implementation of digital media allows for communication in forms students may feel more comfortable with; allowing those students who would otherwise choose not to participate an outlet for engagement.