Digital storytelling for reflective practice in communities of learners

This paper will present the use of digital storytelling in community development settings to promote reflective practice and foster connections in communities of learners. Through digital storytelling, individuals learn to tell a story, and in doing so, become more effective actors in collaborative work environments. This particular form of digital storytelling encourages participants to communicate meaning on multiple levels (voice, point, emotional content, tension, story arc), and it allows storytellers to take fresh perspective on their work. Participants abstract meaning, but also give it a concrete form, as story, which can then be shared. We consider the benefits of this approach as a way to strengthen ties among participants in the creative and social outreach work in which they engage.