Manuela Franceschini, Adobe Pedagogical Evangelist
Journalist, Digital Storyteller & Educator
When was the last time a story changed the way you think?
- What did that story make you realise or see differently?
- Was it the content of the story… or the way it was told that moved you?
- Did it help you understand something complex more easily?
- Did it shift your perspective, even in a small way?
Drop a word in the chat that captures the feeling that story left you with
"To be is to be in relation to the world and to others"
Paulo Freire, 1968.
Students at the centre of their learning
Storytelling in Education
When our students tell stories, they are not just describing what they know - they are positioning themselves in relation to knowledge, to their peers, and to the wider world. They are relating knowledge to context, to self, and to society in meaningful, demonstrable ways.
- Making learning personal
- Making learning memorable
- Making learning meaningful
An authentic approach
The documented journey
Storytelling, in contrast, invites students to walk the land. They become explorers of meaning, narrators of their own journey. Instead of just pointing to a destination, they show us how they got there:
- What they discovered
- What they struggled with
- How they connected it to the world beyond the classroom
- How they connected it with their own story
The newest literacy
Digital Storytelling
Each shift has expanded what counts as literacy:
- Oral storytelling tradition → communal, memorable, relational.
- Written storytelling tradition → permanent, analytical, critical.
- Digital storytelling → multimodal, interactive, transferable.
Digital storytelling is the newest literacy: combining creativity, critical thinking, and digital fluency in action.
Storytelling makes learning personal, memorable, and meaningful.Digital storytelling takes this timeless practice and equips students with the skills they need to thrive in a digital, AI-enabled world.
A toolbox of skills
The soft power
Digital Storytelling as the developmental space where students practice and perform transferable skills in context. The lens through which learning is shared.
The use of narrative, supported by digital tools, to express ideas, share experiences, or make meaning of complex topics. Allowing students to communicate knowledge through:
- Digital Reports
- Video essays
- Photo essays
- Infographics
- Podcats
- Web narratives
- Narrative-driven: rooted in story structure - there’s a beginning, middle, and end, often with a personal or reflective voice.
- Multimodal: combines text, image, audio, video, and/or interactivity to convey meaning.
- Public-facing: often intended for real audiences beyond the lecturer (peers, professionals, community).
- Reflective: encourages metacognition - students must explain, interpret, or translate ideas in meaningful ways.
Why it matters:
- Communication: students craft clear, compelling messages tailored to specific audiences and formats
- Empathy: storytelling requires perspective-taking, whether reflecting on personal experiences or representing others’ voices with care.
- Creativity: generating ideas and expressing them in novel, impactful ways.
- Collaboration: students will often work in teams to plan, produce, and refine their work.
- Critical thinking: students make deliberate choices about what to include, how to interpret content, and how to present it meaningfully.
- Technological literacy: students gain hands-on experience with digital tools
- Reflection: storytelling and multi-modalities encourage students to look inward - considering their growth, values, and learning journey.
The result is a learning product that is both personally meaningful and professionally valuable.
To say goodbye
Think of a moment in your subject where students often feel stuck. How could storytelling (a digital narrative, a podcast, a visual storyboard, AI reflection) reframe that?
Thank you!
Credits:
Created with images by kwanchanachai - "Creative visual of Security Lock on Book with Gears and Icons" • studio clever - "Creative Fantasy World with Open Book - Trophy - and Globe - Generative AI" • Lustre Art Group - "Contemporary art collage of woman, ballerina with antique statue head isolated over yellow background" • Wallap Puraya - "Lifelong Learning - Flat vector illustration of an open book transforming into a staircase leading to a glowing lightbulb on a white background with minimalistic shapes." • Anat art - "Vintage map with compass and pencil inviting exploration and adventure in uncharted territories. Generative AI" • Torkiat8 - "Miniature people: Group of backpacker on vintage world map using as business trip traveler adviser agency or explorer on earth background concept." • btiger - "Dynamic Influencer Collaboration for Marketing Engagement and Social Amplification with Bold Visuals" • Anat art - "Visitors marvel at the colorful virtual gallery, featuring captivating artworks and digital avatars in a stunning immersive environment.,Generative AI" • tiger - "3D Customer Segmentation Digital Marketing Tool Cartoon Style Illustration for Target Audience Analysis and Advertising" • beast01 - "Artificial intelligence concept in healthcare with a character resembling a doctor and a television for a head" • NongEngEng - "AI generated surreal artwork of a transparent light bulb with a colorful human brain glowing in rainbow hues on a soft pink background symbolizing creativity imagination and inspiration"