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The purpose of this study was to determine if using digital storytelling instruction to
teach nonfictional writing would result in the attainment of higher nonfictional writing
writing scores, Louisiana ranked 45th in the nationwide writing assessment. These scores indicate
a statewide weakness, which could be directly related to current teaching practices. What will
engage the 21st century student? The original hypothesis of this study stated that fourth grade
students who are given digital storytelling instruction will show higher nonfictional, writing
composition assessment scores than those students who are not given digital storytelling
instruction.
The target population for this study consisted of fourth grade students at Clancy
Elementary School for the Arts in the Jefferson Parish Public School System. The accessible
population was 49 fourth grade students. Based on their school performance score, Clancy
Elementary has been rated academically unacceptable for the past five years, in which educators
Both groups of participants were taught the same writing curriculum that is outlined in
the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum and were given the same writing prompts throughout
the course of the study. The experimental group was taught with elements of digital storytelling,
which involved a variety of technologies, such as computers, digital images, and video,
integrated into the learning process. The control group was taught using the traditional
curriculum, which involved methods, such as paper and pencil activities. Since the study’s focus
Assessment Program (LEAP) Writing Rubric, which is located in Appendix E. A writing rubric is
the appropriate tool for the assessment of the students’ samples because it evaluates project-
based performances. The rubric measures elements of writing composition, style and audience
awareness, sentence formation, usage, mechanics, and spelling. The criterion-related validity is
based on students’ performances on the pretest compared to performances on the post test.