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Open research questions in Digital Storytelling and Education

101 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 2,553 Digital Storytelling and Education papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Based on the study’s conclusion, the study made following recommendations: i. There is a need for public private partnerships to leverage existing digital agricultural infrastructure and means in collaboration among government and private agencies. ii. Constant training and capacity-building programs developed to enhance digital literacy among rural farmers in Nigeria. By providing workshops, street theatre, clip demonstrations, and user-friendly interfaces for increased awareness and adoption for subset utilization and improved productivity. iii. Agro-ecological devices should be subsidized for target users (farmers) in rural Nigeria so that, more farmers would be able to participate for increased results.

    Utilizing Multimedia Storytelling to Promoting Agroecology Practices in Curbing Climate Change in Rural Nigeria · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, limited research has explored how students in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, particularly within non-English disciplines, perceive AI-assisted language learning and the pedagogical as well as ethical implications of its integration.

    English students’ narratives of AI integration in learning: Cognitive benefits, ethical challenges, and impact on student autonomy · 2026 · DOI

  • This contributes to the underexplored area of DST in international higher education by providing empirical evidence of how students with limited disciplinary background and intermediate English proficiency engaged with a multimodal, production-focused assignment.

    Digital Storytelling in English-Medium Undergraduate History Teaching: A Case Study from China · 2026 · DOI

  • In light of the findings, several recommendations can be made for the effective integration of Dede Korkut narratives into digital educational environments. First, in terms of pedagogical design, teachers should supplement simplified digital adaptations with guided discussions, comparative textual analysis, and contextual background in order to preserve cultural depth. Curriculum developers, likewise, need to integrate comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, and value-based prompts alongside digital resources so that cultural transmission is accompanied by measurable learning outcomes. From the perspective of platform-specific strategies, future research in digital folklore must take into account the algorithmic mediation of platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and EBA. Visibility, interaction, and access conditions directly shape how learners encounter cultural materials, and therefore platform-appropriate sampling strategies should be adopted, recognizing that each digital environment produces its own narrative ecology. In terms of cultural fidelity, developers of gamified applications should balance interactivity with narrative integrity, ensuring that hero archetypes, symbolic motifs, and moral dilemmas are preserved. Official institutions such as TRT and the Ministry of National Education should also establish clear quality standards for digital folklore adaptations, particularly those intended for early childhood and primary education. Future research should conduct comparative analyses between institutional and user-generated adaptations in order to assess differences in cultural authenticity, pedagogical effectiveness, and learner perception. Further investigation is also needed into virtual reality and immersive technologies, as experiential learning environments like Dede Korkut Chronicles offer opportunities to expand cultural literacy while simultaneously posing the risk of homogenization. In addition, framing e-ISSN: 2536-4758 http://www.efdergi.hacettepe.edu.tr/ 210 digital storytelling as a pedagogy of belonging can help sustain multi-voiced participation and culturally safe classrooms in practice (Thomas, 2025: 5).

    The Integration of Dede Korkut Narratives into Educational Environments as Digital Stories · 2026 · DOI

  • Conclusion, implications and limitations The current study demonstrates the potential of utilizing DNC for enhancing students’ speaking performance through combining elements of social constructionism, discourse analysis, discursive psychology and narrative analysis in class activities.

    Exploring the impact of discursive narrative construction-based instruction to enhance English majors' speaking performance · 2026 · DOI

  • Matters U. (2002). “A change of (Clevedon). in doi: dynamic model of psycholinguistics,” 10.21832/97818535 Hertel, S., and Karlen, Y. (2021). Implicit theories of self-regulated learning: interplay with students’ achievement goals, learning strategies, and metacognition. Br. J. Educ. Psychol. 91, 972–996. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12402 Hiver, P., Zhou, S., Tahmouresi, S., Sang, Y., and Papi, M. (2020). Why stories matter: exploring learner engagement and metacognition through narratives of the L2 learning experience. System 91:102260. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2020.102260 (2024). Theoretical considerations on the Hofer, B., and Spechtenhauser, B. literacy-metacognition nexus: exploring the linguistic-cognitive landscape of young multilingual minds. Brain Sci. 14:979. doi: 10.3390/brainsci14100979 Horwitz, E. (1999). Cultural and situational influences on foreign language learners’ beliefs about language learning: a review of BALLI studies. System 27, 557–576. doi: 10.1016/S0346-251X(99)00050-0 Horwitz, E. K. (1987). “Surveying students beliefs about language learning,” in Learner Strategies in Language Learning, eds. A. Wenden, and J. Rubin (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall), 119–129. Ichikawa, J., and Steup, M. (2024).“The analysis of knowledge,” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Available online at: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ knowledge-analysis/ (Accessed November 26, 2025). Jessner, U. (2008). A DST model of multilingualism and the role of metalinguistic awareness. Mod. Lang. J. 92, 270–283. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00718.x Jessner, U. (2018). “Metacognition in multilingual learning: a DMM perspective,” in Metacognition in Language Learning and Teaching, 1st Edn, eds. Å. Haukås, M. Dypedahl, and C. Bjørke (London; New York, NY: Routledge), 31–47. doi: 10.4324/9781351049146-3 (2017). J. M.

    Navigating language learning through metalinguistic beliefs: a theoretical exploration informed by multilingual narratives · 2026 · DOI

  • resonates with sociocognitive understandings of cognition, particularly Atkinson’s (2011) formulation of cognition as relational, as “a node in an ecological network comprising mind–body–world” (p. 143). From this standpoint, metalinguistic beliefs are simultaneously cognitive judgments and socially situated enactments. Participants’ reliance on narrative logics such as progression, causality, and discovery illustrates how beliefs are assembled through storytelling structures that exceed the individual speaker (Gálvez and Tirado, 2007). the alternation between I and you/we shows how Likewise, speakers negotiate the epistemic reach of their claims, shifting between individualized interpretations and generalized principles. Taken together, these observations suggest that metalinguistic beliefs are best understood as discursively assembled and enacted interpretive acts. Emerging from experience, they are constructed through linguistic and narrative resources that draw on broader cultural, contextual, and experiential repertoires. This cognitive and discursive-narrative perspective offers a holistic and ecologically grounded framework for understanding how multilinguals interpret linguistic phenomena, regulate their learning trajectories, and situate themselves within wider discourses about language, cognition, and multilingual experience.

    Navigating language learning through metalinguistic beliefs: a theoretical exploration informed by multilingual narratives · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research is recommended to employ a mixed-methods design combining qualitative and quantitative measures, extend the implementation period to capture longitudinal development, and replicate this approach in various school contexts, including public schools, vocational schools, and rural settings, to test its broader adaptability across diverse EFL learning environments in Indonesia.

    Students' Perceptions toward the Implementation of YouTube-Based Digital Storytelling to Improve EFL Speaking Skills: A Case Study of Eleventh Grade · 2026 · DOI

  • empathy. first-person identification and story mostly uses support the to The story tone is consistently positive and supportive, reducing anxiety and making the child feel safe. Words expressing certainty (e.g., “always,” “never”) are avoided. The story includes a balanced distribution of the four sentence types: Descriptive, Perspective, Directive, Control Real or relatable images are used where possible to enhance understanding. Visuals used are simple, with minimal or no distracting backgrounds. The story includes appropriate audio narration to support non-readers. Multimedia elements (audio, video, images) enhance clarity and engagement without overwhelming the child. The digital tool/platform used is appropriate for the child’s sensory and motor abilities. Flow of the story is simple and intuitive. The story can be paused, replayed, or reviewed as needed.

    Digital Social Stories in the Social-Emotional Development of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Academic handbook · 2026 · DOI

  • The study involved a small group of intermediate limiting ESL intervention generalisability. The eight-week in a single context, learners provides short-term findings; longitudinal research is needed to assess sustained impact. The study relied primarily on qualitative measures; future research could include a quantitative evaluation of articulation improvements to strengthen evidence of effectiveness. Additionally, exploring diverse cultural and linguistic settings could reveal how storytelling strategies adapt to different learner needs. Investigating the role of peer collaboration and feedback in supporting oral proficiency may further enhance understanding of engagement mechanisms. Finally, integrating digital storytelling with other integrated pedagogies could provide a in more comprehensive view of language education.

    Leveraging Digital Storytelling to Enhance Engagement and Articulation in English · 2026 · DOI

  • This section summarises the practical implications of the findings, particularly for the design of teacher education programmes and for course-level implementations grounded in the GenAI-TPACK framework. A set of program-level and course-level implications emerges from these findings. Teacher education programs could benefit from a holistic orientation in which generative AI is situated not merely as a technical aid but as part of an integrated repertoire that connects pedagogical intent, ethical awareness, and content knowledge (GenAI-TPACK, with TEAK). In practice, this orientation can be aligned with national standards (MoNE) and internationally recognized competency frameworks (e.g., UNESCO AI-CFT, DigCompEdu), while capacity-building for teacher educators supports consistent implementation. Within courses, hands-on, scenario- and case-based activities that involve scripting, storyboarding, and multimodal production may help candidates link tool choices to instructional goals and document decisions transparently, including brief disclosures of AI use consistent with institutional guidance (e.g., CoHE). Attention to equity and localization, such as access to no-cost or low-bandwidth tools, Turkish-language prompting and outputs, and accessibility features, appears important for sustained adoption. To complement self-reports, programs may incorporate light-touch formative and summative evidence (curriculum-fit checks, short engagement indicators, brief classroom observations) and solicit student feedback to triangulate results. Developing small shared repositories of open resources, prompt templates, rubric examples, and model disclosure statements could further support diffusion and continuous improvement. Finally, future work might extend these results through mixedmethod or quantitative designs with larger and more diverse samples, including artifact analyses and inter-rater reliability, to strengthen generalizability and refine how GenAI-TPACK components are enacted in authentic contexts. Education and Information Technologies1 3 7 Limitations and future research directions This study was conducted within the framework of a qualitative research design and provides an in-depth understanding of pre-service primary teachers’ experiences with generative AI-supported digital storytelling processes. However, several limitations should be considered. The study was carried out with a limited number of secondyear pre-service teachers enrolled at a public university in Türkiye. Despite the richness of the qualitative data, the generalizability of the findings to broader populations remains limited. Data collection was based on self-reflective reports, digital storytelling products, and written open-ended responses provided by the participants.

    Empowering pre-service teachers with generative AI: a GenAI-TPACK-based approach to digital storytelling · 2026 · DOI

  • in predominantly descriptive or perception-based studies. Empirically, it enriches the literature by providing performance-based evidence from an underrepresented elementary EFL context and contributes context-sensitive data to global discussions on digital transformation in language education.

    Performance-Based Measurement of Digital Storytelling Effects on Primary EFL Speaking: A Quasi-Experimental Study · 2026 · DOI

  • We argue that this framework is consistent with current good practice models for both individual and institutional professional development programmes and recommend further research on NSO to assess its wider utility.

    Narrative self-observation: a new framework for teacher professional development and identity research · 2025 · DOI

  • Abstract This essay suggests that our understanding of writing workshop pedagogy has been limited by a divide between composition and creative writing, and by the ways we've narrated this pedagogy in our respective fields, leaving us with little knowledge of what actually happens in writing workshops.

    “A Story We're Telling” · 2024 · DOI

  • However, little is known about how EFL learners make self-initiated use of multifarious resources available to them for engaging in the DS practice behaviourally, cognitively, affectively and socially.

    Complexity and dynamicity of EFL learners’ multi-dimensional engagement in digital storytelling tasks: an exploratory case study · 2023 · DOI

  • Abstract Although research identifies analytical and storytelling skills as the two broad human capital inputs required to perform people analytics, further research is required to better understand how People Analysts that is, the enactors of people analytics, perceive the impact of these skills on their performance.

    Enacting people analytics: Exploring the direct and complementary effects of analytical and storytelling skills · 2023 · DOI

  • Based on the results from a story-retelling workshop for social work students in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), this paper suggests that narrative activities can make unique contributions in nurturing students’ openness to diversity, and such potential is under-researched.

    Using story retelling to enhance social work students’ openness to diversity: a pilot RCT · 2021 · DOI

  • Future research is needed to establish the veracity of this causal chain. And finally, additional research is needed exploring this diversity to see which styles are most effective with children and their parents and caregiv- ers and the overall effectiveness and sustainability of this vari- ety of approaches.

    Enhanced Storytimes: Effects on Parent/Caregiver Knowledge, Motivation, and Behaviors · 2014 · DOI

  • This study addresses this gap in knowledge by sharing the concerns of four English as Second Language (ESL) instructors in terms of their attitudes and acceptance of the use of technology in the form of digital storytelling in teaching ESL at a Malaysian public university.

    Technology integration in the form of digital storytelling: mapping the concerns of four Malaysian ESL instructors · 2014 · DOI

  • This study illustrates the need for further investigation of involvement with stories in interactive media platforms, and, most importantly, the continued exploration of the strengths and limitations associated with incorporating transmedia storytelling elements into EE campaigns.

    Exploring audience involvement with an interactive narrative: implications for incorporating transmedia storytelling into entertainment-education campaigns · 2013 · DOI

  • Because a transmedia approach to storytelling is a natural, albeit an understudied extension of the EE strategy, the researchers investigate how involvement with one interactive storytelling format, flash games, influences audience involvement and message outcomes.

    Exploring audience involvement with an interactive narrative: implications for incorporating transmedia storytelling into entertainment-education campaigns · 2013 · DOI

  • However, in practice, their participation is often limited by adult-centered designs, institutional constraints, and a lack of pedagogical models to support research decision-making.

    Designing “The League Of Wise Guardians”: a narrative-based co-research training model with children and adolescents in Chilean public schools · 2026 · DOI

  • Although the findings related to reading comprehension were inconclusive, they underscore the need for longer and more intensive interventions to achieve meaningful outcomes.

    DIGITAL STORYTELLING AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL: VOCABULARY LEARNING, READING COMPREHENSION, AND LEARNER ATTITUDES · 2026 · DOI

  • Furthermore, as with all qualitative research, generalizability of the findings is limited, as the data were collected from a single Austrian university.

    Using Infographic Narratives to Investigate Undergraduate Students’ Disciplinary Literacy Development: An Innovative Narrative Inquiry Approach for English-Medium Education Contexts · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on long-term, experimental, and cross-cultural studies that explore both advantages and concerns, including overstimulation and access inequalities, to develop digital storytelling as a resilient and inclusive practice in early childhood education.

    The Use of Digital Storytelling in Early Childhood Education: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

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101 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 2,553 Digital Storytelling and Education papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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