Promoting inclusiveness, creativity and critical thinking through digital storytelling among EFL teacher candidates
Jose Belda-Medina
Abstract
Storytelling is an essential component in language learning and acquisition but it has changed over time from early oral tradition to modern digital literacy. Although digital storytelling (DST) has become an important tool in language development inclusive and diverse stories are still underrepresented. The novelty of this article is that it reports the findings of a two-year research about the design and use of DST by 244 teacher candidates and their attitudes toward inclusiveness and diversity in Education. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through a pre-test/post-test, class presentations and semi-structured debates. The results revealed statistically significant differences after the treatment as regards inclusiveness and diversity among participants, who demonstrated their creativity and openness to transformative technology pedagogy, and unveiled the early presence of stereotypes among children. The teacher candidates widely supported the integration of inclusive DSTs in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom but advocated for a better pedagogical and technological preparation in their transition from digital native students to digital native teachers.