Identity and digital storytelling

Growing up in Ukraine, Oksana Moroz was in grade school when she began learning English, in addition to Ukrainian, which her family spoke at home. Later on, she added French and Polish.

Yet despite the fluency she’s gained in these languages, Moroz, assistant professor of English at Messiah, says Ukrainian remains irreplaceable. “When I say a prayer in English, I don’t have the same kind of understanding or resonance because it’s not my native language,” she relates. “When I pray in Ukrainian, I have a much stronger connection to the words.”

This experience is common, because communicating in a new language and context affects a person’s sense of self and community — and their “voice.”

“Developing a ‘voice’ means expressing thoughts, emotions and identity authentically,” says Moroz. “It involves making linguistic choices, using a personal style and incorporating cultural influences into storytelling.”

We can encounter barriers to using our voice — or even feel like we’ve lost it entirely — when engaging with a new language or context.

But as Moroz has personally experienced, digital storytelling can offer powerful support — and she’s seeing it do the same in the lives of students learning English as second language (ESL).

A safe space to speak

Digital storytelling involves stitching together mixed-media content — text, audio, videos, images and photographs — and even multiple languages to craft a rich, multidimensional narrative. For many years, it’s been recognized as an effective tool in language acquisition, developing narrative skills and navigating cross-cultural dynamics.

Moroz has used the medium to explore and share her own story, and today, the area of study inspires her teaching and research in the classroom.

“Digital storytelling provides a safe, creative space for students to practice language skills without fear of making mistakes and reduces their reliance on written language alone,” says Moroz. “ESL students express their identities through digital storytelling — it helps them communicate their feelings, experiences and cultural backgrounds.”

Amplifying another advantage

Moroz knew digital storytelling offered many benefits. But do students develop a discernible “voice” in digital storytelling? This was the question at the center of a recent study co-led by Moroz.

And the answer, she discovered, is yes.

“The study found that multilingual ESL students develop a distinct voice in their digital storytelling that raters could identify based on linguistic and multimodal features,” she shares. Word choice, syntax, emotional tone and other design elements all contributed to raters’ ability to reliably distinguish between a digital story created by one student or by another.

This, Moroz says, has important implications, especially for the use of digital storytelling by students in classrooms.

“This research provides valuable insight into how multilingual students use digital storytelling for self-expression, identity construction and communication. It highlights the importance of incorporating digital storytelling in ESL classrooms,” she notes.

She adds, “Teachers should encourage students to use multimodal elements to communicate their thoughts and emotions. Providing structured guidance on voice development, multimodal composition and peer feedback can help students refine their storytelling skills while embracing their multilingual backgrounds.”

Expansive perspective

Beyond classroom implications, a student’s ability to develop their voice in a new language influences their interaction with the world around them.

“A Hopi Tribe saying goes, ‘Those who tell the stories rule the world,’” says Moroz. “It shows how storytelling is a fundamental human practice that helps students connect language to real-life experiences.”

And, she points out, when people can use their voice, all of us are enriched: “In a globalized world, multilingualism is an asset, not a limitation. Encouraging students to embrace their linguistic diversity helps them feel valued and empowers them to contribute their unique stories to a broader audience.”

— Kristine Frey ’07 and Emily Groff ’26