Exploring Digital Storytelling on Cultural Issues at the English Lessons in Multilingual Classrooms

Abstract

For centuries rendering stories have been the most powerful medium for transmitting cultural heritage to next generations because stories are initially used for the purpose of education. In the past two decades, the dynamic emerging of technological innovations has given fresh start to new forms of culture and language teaching that is completely different from print-based source. Also, computers and digital have become a breeding ground for massive variety of new methodological approaches and pedagogical techniques. Multicultural education is considered to be a good opportunity for our country to integrate young generation into the world economy and global society, but still we come across some difficulties. This research aims at giving an analysis about the implementation of digital storytelling into multicultural education during learning English classes on topic entitled “ ” for the 1st year students which took place 7 weeks. The present questionnaire-based study examines the outcomes of digital storytelling procedures at the Eurasian National University. The study was performed through theoretical study of the phenomenon, observing, monitoring, focus groups’ interviews, and testing. Moreover, the present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of creating and perceiving storytelling on students’ cultural awareness. Data elaboration and statistical analysis were performed. The results of the study showed that the implementation of traditional storytelling with well-designed, attractive and demanding regarding high-ranked cognitive activities integrated with new technology had fulfilled its true instructional potential making students’ minds more creative and provided the perfect environment for language and culture teaching.