“Nihon to Watashi: Japan and myself” – Digital stories to enhance student-centred Japanese language learning

The primary aim of this paper is to introduce the day-to-day workings of the Digital Story module that has been running as part of the ANU second year intermediate Japanese language course for the past three years, and secondly to present the findings of a pilot research project that aims to generate questions and parameters for a more extensive research survey. The paper also aims to discuss something of the appeal of these stories to teachers and students and examine their value in foreign language teaching as an alternative to the individual oral/aural presentations or tests. The Digital Story module has, overall, proved successful as a teaching and learning strategy for second language learners with a medium through which they can better express their opinions and emotional responses to Japan and its role in their lives. Although not without problems, particularly the balance between technological expertise and content, this mode of teaching and learning encouraged student motivation and enhanced learning outcomes, by challenging the students to incorporate their own interests, opinions and emotions.