A systematic literature review on significant and sustainable impact on teaching and learning in the 21st Century classroom

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive examination of the teaching and learning benefits of digital storytelling in the 21st-century classroom, as well as the prevailing theoretical and methodological trends in digital storytelling research in school education. A systematic literature review encompassed 59 articles published between 2000 and 2021, sourced from databases such as Google Scholar, ERIC, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Social Science Index. Digital storytelling has a significant positive impact on the 21st-century classroom. The literature highlights that digital storytelling is an invaluable instructional tool for teachers to develop the essential 21st-century skills and competencies required to meet the demands of the global economy. The active involvement of learners in the creation and presentation of their own digital stories has been found to foster the development of these skills. The review also identifies the prevailing theoretical and methodological perspectives observed in digital storytelling research over the past two decades, which predominantly revolve around the theoretical framework of social constructivism and the use of interviews as a data collection method. Furthermore, more than 50 per cent of the studies focused on the second-grade level, indicating a concentration of research in this educational context. The findings of the literature review highlight essential areas for future research in digital storytelling. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive overview of the teaching and learning benefits of digital storytelling in the 21st-century classroom. It also identifies research gaps and areas for further exploration, facilitating the advancement of knowledge in this field and informing future research endeavors.