Storytelling vs. Digital Storytelling in Primary and Secondary Education. Systematic Review
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study presents a systematic review that examined the application and effectiveness of traditional and digital storytelling in Primary and Secondary Education. The methodology used adopted the criteria of the PRISMA 2020 protocol, with a classification and final distribution of 154 studies selected from a search in the Scopus, Web of Science, Dialnet, and Scielo databases. The evolution and trends of both storytelling techniques during the period 2013 to 2025 were examined, as well as their main thematic contributions in the field of education. The results show that traditional storytelling favours the development of socioemotional skills, narrative creativity, and cultural literacy, while digital storytelling has a significant impact on the improvement of digital skills, computational thinking, oral expression, and student motivation. Both forms of narrative represent complementary and valuable resources for contemporary education, being applied across various subject areas and through multiple formats, making their integration into the classroom an effective means to enrich teaching and learning processes and to meet the educational demands of the current school context.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The articles published at Ocnos will have a Creative Common Licence Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported
Downloads
References
Almufarreh, A., & Arshad, M. (2023). Promising emerging technologies for teaching and learning: Recent developments and future challenges. Sustainability, 15(8), 6917. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086917 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086917
Booker, C. (2004). The seven basic plots: Why we tell stories. A&C Black.
Booth, W. C. (1978). The rhetoric of fiction (Vol. 3). Bosch.
Bruner, J. (1991). The narrative construction of reality. Critical Inquiry, 18(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1086/448619 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/448619
Campbell, J. (1959). The hero with a thousand faces: psychoanalysis of myth.
Chubko, N., Morris, J. E., McKinnon, D. H., Slater, E. V., & Lummis, G. W. (2019). Engaging adolescent Kyrgyzstani EFL students in digital storytelling projects about astronomy. Issues in Educational Research, 29(4), 1107-1130. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/7170/
Clark, M. C., & Rossiter, M. (2008). Narrative learning in adulthood. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 119, 61-70. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.306 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.306
De-Jager, A., Fogarty, A., Tewson, A., Lenette, C., & Boydell, K. M. (2017). Digital storytelling in research: A systematic review. The Qualitative Report, 22(10), 2548-2582. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2970 DOI: https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2970
Del-Moral-Pérez, M. E., Villalustre-Martínez, L., & Neira-Piñeiro, M. R. (2017). Competencias comunicativas y digitales impulsadas en escuelas rurales elaborando digital storytelling. Aula Abierta, 45(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.17811/rifie.45.1.2017.15-24 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17811/rifie.45.1.2017.15-24
Egan, K. (1989). Teaching as story telling: An alternative approach to teaching and curriculum in the elementary school. University of Chicago Press.
Faraniza, Z. (2021). Blended learning best practice to answers 21st century demands. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1940(1), 012122. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1940/1/012122 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1940/1/012122
Genette, G. (1980). Narrative discourse: An essay in method (Vol. 3). Cornell University Press.
Godin, S. (2005). All marketers are liars: The power of telling authentic stories in a low-trust world. Penguin.
Hamilton, M., & Weiss, M. (2005). Children tell stories: Teaching and using storytelling in the classroom. Richard C Owen Pub
Haven, K. (2007). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Bloomsbury Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5040/9798216019312
Hurtado-Mazeyra, A., Alejandro-Oviedo, O. M., Núñez-Pacheco, R., & Cabero-Almenara, J. (2023). El Digital Storytelling en la modalidad 2D y con realidad aumentada para el desarrollo de la creatividad en la educación infantil. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), 23(73). https://doi.org/10.6018/red.536641 DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/red.536641
Isbell, R., Sobol, J., Lindauer, L., & Lowrance, A. (2004). The effects of storytelling and story reading on the oral language complexity and story comprehension of young children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32(3), 157-163. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:ecej.0000048967.94189.a3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ECEJ.0000048967.94189.a3
İspir, B., & Yıldız, A. (2023). An overview of digital storytelling studies in classroom education in Turkey. Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi, 23(35). https://doi.org/10.14689/enad.35.1714 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14689/enad.35.1714
Jiménez, M. G., Rodríguez, C. L., Guijarro, B. M., & González, C. C. (2021). Systematic review on digital: Storytelling in education. En Innovaciones metodológicas con TIC en educación (pp. 254-272). Dykinson.
Kajder, S., Bull, G., & Albaugh, S. (2005). Constructing digital stories. Learning and leading with technology. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
Law, Y. K., Lam, S. F., Law, W., & Tam, Z. W. (2017). Enhancing peer acceptance of children with learning difficulties: classroom goal orientation and effects of a storytelling programme with drama techniques. Educational Psychology, 37(5), 537-549. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2016.1214685 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2016.1214685
McKee, R. (1998). Story: Substance, structure, style and the principles of screenwriting. Methuen Publishing.
Mendoza-Hidrovo, M. E., & Hermann-Acosta, A. (2023). Storytelling una herramienta digital en el ámbito educativo: revisión sistemática en el contexto suramericano. Polo del Conocimiento. https://polodelconocimiento.com/ojs/index.php/es/article/view/5317/13021
Miller, C. H. (2014). Digital storytelling: A creator's guide to interactive entertainment. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203425923 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203425923
Molan, S., Weber, D., & Kor, M. (2022). Shaping children’s knowledge and response to bushfire through use of an immersive virtual learning environment. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(6), 1399-1435. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211054569 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211054569
Montanero-Fernández, M. (2019). Métodos pedagógicos emergentes para un nuevo siglo ¿Qué hay realmente de innovación? Teoría de la Educación. Revista Interuniversitaria, 31(1), 5-34. https://doi.org/10.14201/teri.19758 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14201/teri.19758
Nair, V., & Yunus, M. M. (2021). A systematic review of digital storytelling in improving speaking skills. Sustainability, 13(17), 9829. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179829 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179829
Nair, V., & Yunus, M. M. (2022). Using digital storytelling to improve pupils' speaking skills in the age of COVID 19. Sustainability, 14(15), 9215. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159215 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159215
Núñez-López, A. (2007). Será mejor que lo cuentes: Los relatos como herramientas de comunicación (Storytelling) (Ed. ilustrada). Empresa Activa.
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. The BMJ, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Parsazadeh, N., Cheng, P. Y., Wu, T. T., & Huang, Y. M. (2021). Integrating computational thinking concept into digital storytelling to improve learners’ motivation and performance. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 59(3), 470-495. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633120967315 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633120967315
Pérez-García, Á. P., & Sacaluga-Rodríguez, I. (2023). El storytelling como recurso didáctico-comunicativo para fomentar la lectura. Texto Livre: Linguagem e Tecnologia, 16. https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-3652.2023.40452 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-3652.2023.40452
Rajendran, V., & Yunus, M. M. (2021). Interactive Learning via Digital Storytelling in Teaching and Learning. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 9(3), 78. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.9n.3p.78 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.9n.3p.78
Ramalingam, K., & Jiar, Y. K. (2023). The impact of KaniMani storytelling mobile application (KM-SMA) on Tamil students’ speaking skills and motivation in learning Tamil. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(1), 129-142. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.1.8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.1.8
Robin, B. R. (2008). Digital storytelling: A powerful technology tool for the 21st Century classroom. Theory Into Practice, 47(3), 220-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802153916 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802153916
Sage, M., Singer, J. B., LaMarre, A., & Rice, C. (2018). Digital storytelling: Tools, techniques, and traditions. En L. Goldkind, L. Wolf, & P. P. Freddolino (Eds.), Digital social work: Tools for practice with individuals, organizations, and communities (pp. 90–108). Oxford University Press.
Salmon, C. (2008). Storytelling: The story-making and mind-formatting machine. Grupo Planeta.
Sarasqueta, G. (2021). Técnicas de la comunicación política ante la era de la infoxicación y la interrupción: del storytelling al storydoing. Comunicación y Hombre, 17, 73-84. https://doi.org/10.32466/eufv-cyh.2021.17.648.73-84 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32466/eufv-cyh.2021.17.648.73-84
Sarıca, H. Ç., & Usluel, Y. K. (2016). The effect of digital storytelling on visual memory and writing skills. Computers & Education, 94, 298-309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.016
Schroeder, M., Tourigny, E., Bird, S., Ottmann, J., Jeary, J., Mark, D., Kootenay, C., Graham, S., & McKeough, A. (2022). Supporting Indigenous children’s oral storytelling using a culturally referenced, developmentally based program. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 51(2). https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v51i2.50 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v51i2.50
Smeda, N., Dakich, E., & Sharda, N. (2014). The effectiveness of digital storytelling in the classrooms: a comprehensive study. Smart Learning Environments, 1, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICALT.2013.157 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-014-0006-3
Villaustre-Martínez, L., & Del-Moral-Pérez, M. E. (2014). Digital storytelling: a new strategy for storytelling and skills acquisition by future teachers. Complutense Journal of Education, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_rced.2014.v25.n1.41237 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_RCED.2014.v25.n1.41237
Yangin-Ersanli, C. (2023). The effect of using augmented reality with storytelling on young learners' vocabulary learning and retention. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 17(1), 62-72. https://novitasroyal.org/download/the-effect-of-using-augmented-reality-with-storytelling-on-young-learners-vocabulary-learning-and-retention/
Zabelina, D. L., & Robinson, M. D. (2010). Creativity as flexible cognitive control. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 4(3), 136-143. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017379 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017379