Event Title

SSM05 - I am UCF Digital Storytelling Database Panel Presentation

Presenter Information

Stephanie Wheeler, University of Central Florida
Amanda Hill, University of Central Florida
Elizabeth Horn, University of Central Florida

Location

CB1-307

Streaming Media

Start Date

4-11-2017 8:15 AM

Description

I Am UCF is a cross-disciplinary effort to create digital stories representing the diverse narratives of the University of Central Florida's (UCF) campus body. As a digital narrative initiative it works to create a digital archive of personal digital stories created by UCF students that reflect the diversity on UCF's campus. Spearheaded by faculty in the Theatre, Digital Media, and Writing and Rhetoric degree programs and the Social Justice and Advocacy center, students share their unique story through digital storytelling, a medium that fuses together writing, audio, visual, digital, and performative elements. Collectively, these stories will be made available online to provide a virtual campus map to promote a greater appreciation of the breadth of student perspectives at UCF. The panelists each approached the project from different perspectives: writing, theatre, and digital media. They will discuss their unique viewpoints on the creation process and the product including benefits and areas of opportunity for growth. The I Am UCF digital archive showcases the voices and creations of the students and additionally will create a visual and sortable campus map for users to view the digital narratives. I Am UCF asks: In what ways do the multiple disciplines (writing, digital media, and theatre) influence one another and the digital storytelling process? How does the project address the need for greater accessibility and inclusion on campus? What is the "second life" of these stories as they are shared through social media? Through this project we seek to create a visual online exhibition featuring diverse student voices that can help students see their own experiences reflected back to them in a way that is empowering and reassuring. We believe sharing diverse stories such as those collected in I Am UCF will help to establish a broader campus narrative that enables all students to see themselves within this community. Keeping students engaged and engendering an atmosphere of support is key to student retention, success, and well-being. Through this project students collaborated with interdisciplinary faculty and staff to help create this online repository of support and affirmation. These digital narratives were initially developed within select groups of students and classrooms, but we aim to create a model that can be used by various classes and campus organizations, allowing the diverse body of students to self-advocate by having their stories represented on this public digital archive. Sharing our digital archive in a project demonstration would help us advocate for this important campus tool and spread the word to inspire further participation and partnership.