Exploring Collaborative Interactive Digital Narrative Creation in Higher Education Through Narrative Analysis: A Case Study on COVID-19 Storytelling

This paper explores collaborative IDN creation as a pedagogical approach in higher education. Drawing on theories of constructivism and social learning, we believe that collaborative IDN creation can foster knowledge-building and diverse perspectives. To investigate this approach, we conducted a study involving a class of college students tasked with creating IDNs about the COVID-19 pandemic. As the first step, we analyze the theme, interactivity, agency, and other elements of their IDNs, to understand the potential benefits and challenges of this method. Students demonstrated a diverse range of storytelling approaches, incorporating a range of elements and themes. Future work will focus on in-depth interviews to gain insight into their thought process, motivations around design decisions, sense of co-creation and perceived learning outcomes.