An Exploration of Digital Storytelling Creation and Media Production Skill Sets in First Year College Students

Though recent advancements in media and computing technologies have fostered greater instructor adoption of student media assignments, few studies have examined the role these projects play in the development of student media production skill sets. This study surveyed 12 first year college students in a postsecondary education class, each responsible for producing a digital story project communicating issues related to water sustainability. Students responded to a self-efficacy survey questionnaire before and after the production process, rating their confidence on ability to perform specific required and optionally suggested production tasks related to media components in the assignment. A paired t-test was employed to compare student responses from the pre and post self-efficacy survey questionnaires. Results from this study indicate significant gains in student self-efficacy beliefs on media production tasks that were required, while response changes for the optional tasks were found to be not statistically significant. Findings from this study suggest that digital storytelling projects can be beneficial in the development of student media production skill sets. To optimize opportunities for this development, instructors are encouraged to consider specific required media components with relevant production tasks and skill sets when designing a digital storytelling assignment.