Children’s Online Collaborative Storytelling during 2020 COVID-19 Home Confinement

Abstract

Digital collaborative storytelling can be supported by an online learning-management system like Moodle, encouraging prosocial behaviors and shared representations. This study investigated children’s storytelling and collaborative behaviors during an online storytelling activity throughout the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 home confinement in Spain. From 1st to 5th grade of primary school, one-hundred-sixteen students conducted weekly activities of online storytelling as an extracurricular project of a school in Madrid. Facilitators registered participants’ platform use and collaboration. Stories were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the Bears Family Story Analysis System. Three categories related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were added to the story content analysis. The results indicate that primary students worked collaboratively in an online environment, with some methodology adaptations to 1st and 2nd grade. Story lengths tended to be reduced with age, while cohesion and story structure showed stable values in all grades. All stories were balanced in positive and negative contents, especially in characters’ behavior and relationships, while story problems remained at positive solution levels. In addition, the pandemic theme emerged directly or indirectly in only 15% of the stories. The findings indicate the potential of the online collaborative storytelling activities as a distance-education tool in promoting collaboration and social interactions.

Tangible digital collaborative storytelling in adolescents with intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental disorders

“…Finally, collaboration in storytelling allowed for a more balanced portrayal of characters' behaviours when each participant had the space to contribute. Previous research supports this finding, as studies have pointed to the more balanced content in collaborative stories (Alonso‐Campuzano et al, 2021; Rogat & Linnenbrink‐Garcia, 2011; Volet et al, 2009). Oppositely, when the group members demonstrated more social cognition and motivation, the story showed less balance between problems and solutions.…”

“…The positive effect of collaboration on group story is in line with previous studies (Di Blas & Ferrari, 2014; Di Blas & Paolini, 2013; Slavin, 1992, 1989; Zancanaro et al, 2007). The higher formal sophistication of the collaborative stories likely results from students' mutual support and positive interdependence (Alonso‐Campuzano et al, 2021;Johnson & Johnson, 1991, 2009, 2014; Zancanaro et al, 2007). On the other hand, no content balance differences were detected between collaborative and individual stories.…”

“…Collaborative storytelling is a tool for the co‐construction of meanings and narratives through group conversation focused on a topic (Alonso‐Campuzano et al, 2021; Bruner, 1991; Iandolo, 2011, 2021). Due to its sizeable social dimension, collaborative and cooperative learning have been effective instruments for developing narrative competence since early and middle childhood (Iandolo, 2021; Vermette et al, 2004).…”

“…Collaborative storytelling can expand the possibilities in both the creation and transmission of stories, particularly for students struggling with abstract or complex content due to factors such as age, educational level, learning difficulties, or neurodevelopmental disorders (Filosofi et al, 2021; Harley et al, 2016). Promoting collaborative interactions require adaptations to task requirements, context, and user skills (Alonso‐Campuzano et al, 2021; Stock & Zancanaro, 2007). Use of digital storytelling methodologies allows students with intellectual disabilities to focus on content, formulate sequences, provide additional elements to storytelling (Francis et al, 2019; Pérusseau‐Lambert et al, 2018), and gain confidence in their ability to create and express ideas through a digital medium (Botturi et al, 2014; Saridaki & Meimaris, 2018).…”

Impact of Digital Literacy and Problematic Smartphone Use on Life Satisfaction: Comparing Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

“…According to OECD statistics, the internet usage rate in most countries increased compared to before COVID-19 [ 2 ]. Since the internet is a necessity for life due to the restriction of many offline activities during the COVID-19 era, many people use smartphones to work, study, share information, and develop social relationships more than they did prior to the pandemic [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. However, the increase in the usage of smartphones has both positive and negative aspects that have been addressed in previous studies.…”