Local History Archives: Digital Storytelling as a Public History Re-Narration Tool

Local History Archives: Digital Storytelling as a Public History Re-Narration Tool

Author Alexandros Kapaniaris
Co-Author Spiros Sakarelos
DOI

Country : Greece
Subject : Folk Culture, Educational Programs, E-Learning

Keywords : Digital Storytelling, Information and Communication Technologies, Archive Ethnography, Archive Material, General State Archives, Local History, Public History

Abstract

The subject matter of this paper is the junction between Digital Storytelling and Public History. Contemporary theories of Digital Storytelling, along with its educational exploitation, are briefly examined and presented. Specifically, reference is made to Digital Storytelling as well as to its relationship with Education, Creative Writing, and the utilization of modern technological means, offered by Information and Communication Technologies. Moreover, the teaching of Local History in Primary Education is also examined. The learning theory of Constructivism, which is related to the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies in the specific teaching intervention (educational scenario) and in education in general, is analyzed and utilized. The main objective of the research is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of teachers regarding the use of Digital Storytelling in education and propose a didactic utilization of their local archives in order to reconstruct and narrate a story they will later be able to teach to the students. On-site research was carried out to collect material that could be exploited as educational material and to compose an original interdisciplinary lesson. An educational scenario was created, involving different subjects. Archival material and Digital Storytelling have been utilized as a means of re narrating Public History. The archive material emerged was used not only as a teaching material for the educational scenario, but also as a material that generally compiles a story that has something to teach children and that has the potential to be presented digitally, as a means of Digital Storytelling.

Download