The use of digital storytelling to address school-related burnout among 10-11 grade students

Abstract

The paper presents how digital storytelling was used as an empowerment tool among high school\nstudents diagnosed with school-related burnout (N = 13) in Hungary. The aim of applying digital\nstorytelling was to change students’ time perspective, which was measured with Stanford Time\nPerspective Inventory before and after the digital storytelling intervention. The creative method\nallowed students to express their personal school experiences on verbal and visual levels while using\ndigital technologies. The outcomes of the digital storytelling process were first-person video\nnarratives, which presented the school career and self-reflections of students in a very expressive\nand touching way. Students’ temporal profile changed after the digital storytelling intervention;\nthey became future-oriented. In most cases, students reflected on their past and present experiences\nat school, and they found a solution and developed a perspective for their future educational career.\nDigital storytelling as a complex arts-based method had a positive effect on students. While working\non the project, the change of students’ time perspectives (Zimbardo & Boyd, 2008) from pastnegative and present-fatalistic to future-oriented was measured, which helped all the participants\nfind a way to be more determined and optimistic.