My Story and My History: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students’ Digital Creation Journey

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Computer Applications for Learner Development in Diverse Contexts (Table 5)

Abstract

This study explores how digital storytelling influences the cultural identity development of secondary culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, particularly those from Bhutanese-Nepali backgrounds. Utilizing the theoretical framework of multiliteracies, this research investigates the benefits and challenges of digital storytelling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, digital story artifacts, and observations during a seven-week after-school program. The findings reveal that digital storytelling allows CLD students to connect deeply with their cultural identities, express their experiences, and advocate for themselves and the broader immigrant community. Students integrated linguistic, visual, and audio elements to create rich, multimodal narratives, enhancing their language skills in both heritage languages and English, yet faced technical and language barrier challenges underscoring the need for additional support.

Authors

• Ying Zhang, Robert Morris University

• Xiaojun Chen, St. John's University