Learning Through Storytelling: Enhancing Engagement through Vlogs and Podcasts

Framework

This project is grounded in a sociocultural framework, emphasizing that learning and cognitive development occurs through social interactions, cultural practices, and the use of mediating tools lie language and technology. Drawing from Vygotsky’s work and Vasquez (2015) work on “Podcasting as a Transformative Work” . It explores how creating podcasts enhances students’ understanding, engaging, and identity formation. Through the process, students leverage cultural and semiotic resources, engage in sophisticated research, and participate in meaningful activities, while we investigate how they interact with these elements to create content for young children.

Methods

This is a qualitative research design focusing on the process, the experiences and reflections of the college students while creating educational content for young children. Using a case study approach, we will be documenting the group experiences as they navigate the creating process and analyze their learning outcomes.

Results

The expectations of this project is to promote increased student engagement and learning, the development of communication skills, the refining of their technological skills as they use their own personal resources, and do some identity work as they experience a shift of identity from being students to be creators of educational experiences for young children.

Importance

The project represents a way of integrating technology into higher education pedagogy that mirrors what current college students are familiar with as they engage with content creation. It also fosters creativity and critical thinking skills. This project allows for an exploration of how cultural and linguistic resources can be leveraged in education and create learning environments for both college students and young children.Hopfully becoming a transformative learning experience for the participants.

References

Alrashidi, Oqab & Phan, Huy & Ngu, Bing. (2016). Academic Engagement: An Overview of Its Definitions, Dimensions, and Major Conceptualizations. International Education Studies. 9. 41-52. 10.5539/ies.v9n12p41.

Budge, K. (2016) Learning to Be: The Modelling of Art and Design Practice in University Art and Design Teaching The International Journal Of Art & Design Education.

Carroll, L.; Leander, S. (2001) Improving Student Motivation through the Use of Active Learning Strategies. Master of Arts Action Research Project, Saint Xavier University and SkyLight Field-Based Masters Program

McHugh, S. (2022). The power of podcasting: Telling stories through sound. Columbia University Press.

Misseyanni, A. & Papadopoulou, P. & Marouli, C. (2018). Active Learning In Higher Education: Instructors’ Perspectives And Practices On Pedagogy, Teaching Methods And Assessment. 1642-1652. 10.21125/edulearn.2018.0491.

Ohler, J. (2006). The world of digital storytelling. Educational leadership, 63(4), 44-47.

Robin, B. R. (2016). The power of digital storytelling to support teaching and learning. Digital education review, (30), 17-29.

Vasquez, V. M. (2015). Podcasting as transformative work. Theory Into Practice, 54(2), 147-153.