The Pedagogical Importance of Narrative Coherence in Digital Storytelling Within Educational Context : A Literature Review

Abstract

Maintaining student engagement has become increasingly challenging in an era of shortened attention spans and digital distractions. Coherent narrative structures are therefore essential in digital storytelling to guide learners and maintain their interest. As digital storytelling gains pedagogical importance, the need for well-constructed, coherent student narratives becomes pressing. This makes investigating how narrative coherence can be achieved in digital storytelling a timely and significant educational inquiry. Through a literature review approach, this thesis investigates the pedagogical importance of narrative coherence in digital storytelling and the strategies used to achieve it in digital environments. The research aims to synthesize existing studies that discuss how coherence contributes to comprehension, engagement, and meaning-making among learners.

The findings indicate that narrative coherence, achieved through temporal, causal, thematic, and referential connections, functions as a cognitive scaffold that supports comprehension, reflective thinking, and the integration of multimodal elements. In educational settings, coherence supports learners in organizing ideas, developing literacy skills, and connecting emotional and cognitive dimensions of learning. Strategies such as storyboarding, Story Circles, and the integration of visuals, sound, and writing blocks are shown to enhance coherence while promoting collaboration and creativity. The study emphasizes the role of the educator as a mentor who guides students in constructing coherent narratives through reflective and technology-enhanced practices. It also emphasizes that digital storytelling should serve pedagogical goals rather than merely technological innovation. While the research is limited to secondary sources, the thesis provides a theoretical framework for prospective empirical studies exploring how coherence-focused digital storytelling influences student learning outcomes such as critical thinking, creativity, and engagement.

Overall, this thesis concludes that coherent digital storytelling is a powerful pedagogical tool that integrates narrative understanding with digital literacy, fostering creativity, empathy, and deeper learning experiences.