My presentation in the international Phototherapy Symposium in Turku 2.-4.2.2011

1. Phototherapy Symposium 2.–4.2.2011
Digital Storytelling for Immigrants
Pirita Juppi
PhD., Principal Lecturer in Journalism
Turku University of Applied Sciences/Arts Academy
www.turkuamk.fi

2. Media
education
INTERFACES
OF DIGITAL
STORYTELLING
Participatory Digital Therapheutic
media
Storytelling writing
Photo-
therapy
www.turkuamk.fi

3. PILOT GROUP IN AUTUMN 2010
• Organized in the Turku Christian Institute which provides training
for immigrants.
• Group of immigrants participating in preparatory training.
• 14 students(12 completed the course and the digital story)
• Ca. 18–30 years old; mostly men, only 4 women.
•Countries of origin:
Afganistan, Somalia, Iraq,
Bosnia, Algeria, Thailand.
•Varying competence in
Finnish language.
•Varying IT skills, most of
participants were used to
use Internet.
www.turkuamk.fi

4. IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE WORKSHOP
• 7 meetings
• Altogether 25 lessons
– Introductory lectures
– Case examples
Täkän kuva tai – Practical project: a tutored
kaavio process of making a digital
story
• Media students as tutors
helping with photography,
recording the voice-over and
editing the story.
www.turkuamk.fi

5. INSTRUCTIONS FOR
THE DIGITAL STORY
Length:
• 2-4 minutes film
• Max. 1 page long written story
Topic:
• A significant place
• A significant person
• A significant moment in life
(certain event, turning point…)
www.turkuamk.fi

6. • Topic
• Main idea/angle
• Story writing
• Storyboard THE PROCESS OF
Planning
DIGITAL STORYTELLING
• Images: Taking or searching
for photos and other images.
• Sounds: recording a voice
over, searching for music
and/or sound effects.
Producing • Editing: and texts using an
Täkän kuva tai
sounds
Combining images,
editing software.
kaavio
• Sharing the digital stories in the
workshop group, discussing
them.
• Publishing the stories online
Sharing (with permission).
www.turkuamk.fi

7. TOPICS OF THE DIGITAL STORIES
• Home country/
home town (4)
• Living in Finland
(5) See some examples of stories:
• Other (3): http://grou.ps/dstfinland/videos
• Going to school,
• Story of the
grandmother
• Autumn
www.turkuamk.fi

8. CROSSCUTTING
THEMES
•Cultural differences
•Home sickness, longing
•Belongin and not
belonging
•Loneliness
•Feelings of being a
stranger, outsider.
•Also stories with a more
positive tone: new
opportunities,
friendships, starting to
feel at home.
www.turkuamk.fi

9. POTENTIAL OF DST IN IMMIGRANT EDUCATION
Contents of ITC and Cultural
identity and
media
integration training interaction Basic
structures
(Finnish National Board Life skills of society
Social
of Education 2007) Everyday and
skills cultural Basic
skills services
 DST contributes to
learning Finnish Finnish
language and ICT and language
media skills, and
provides a way of
dealing with cultural Working Studying
life skills skills
identity and cultural Optional
differences. studies
www.turkuamk.fi

10. OTHER BENEFITS
• Potential for crossing the cultural and
communicative chasm between the native
Finns and immigrants and increasing
intercultural understanding and tolerance.
• Provides valuable information and insight
into the experiences, emotions and current
phase of integration of the person telling the
story – useful to teachers, youth workers,
social worker etc. working with immigrants.
www.turkuamk.fi

11. Ideas for further development
Developing methods of Digitals Storytelling, which
1) are suitable for formal immigrant education
(integration training) as well as for youth work or
voluntary work;
2) facilitate reflection on ones own ethnic, national and
cultural background and on the new living
environment and culture;
3) Provide a means of self-reflection and self-
expression;
4) Facilitate construction of a coherent identity in
diaspora, between two cultures.
= further exploring the potential of Digital
Storytelling for facilitating social integration and
empowerment of immigrants.
www.turkuamk.fi

12. Thank you!
www.turkuamk.fi