What we Do
The Digital Storytelling Lab (DSL), developed by a graduate student at the School of Social Innovation at Saint Paul University, is a research initiative that explores arts-based and community-centered storytelling as alternative approaches to knowledge production in academiaRooted in decolonial and feminist epistemologies, the Lab challenges conventional, text-based academic norms by integrating multimedia, participatory research, and creative expression into scholarly practice.
DSL is envisioned as a space for experimentation, co-creation, and reimagining how knowledge is produced and shared. Through collaborative and multimodal approaches, the Lab seeks to shift power dynamics in academia by centering lived experience, amplifying marginalized voices, and expanding the possibilities of research.
Who It Serves
The Digital Storytelling Lab is designed primarily for graduate students, offering a hands-on environment to engage with digital storytelling as both a scholarly method and a creative practice.
It also serves as a resource hub for researchers, educators, and community partners interested in using storytelling as a tool for advocacy, knowledge mobilization, and social change.
Project Timeline
The DSL will unfold across three phases (2025–2028):
Phase One
Development of an interactive digital platform featuring digital storytelling examples and educational resources tailored to graduate students and researchers.
Phase Two
Expansion into case studies and community engagement, fostering collaborations and practical applications of digital storytelling as a research method.
Phase Three
Establishment of the Digital Storytelling Lab as a research and public engagement hub, hosted by the School of Social Innovation at Saint Paul University.
Vision
The Digital Storytelling Lab aims to become a transformative space that bridges academic research, creative practice, and community storytelling—advancing more inclusive, participatory, and decolonial approaches to knowledge production.
Team
Supervisor
Dr. Amanda Wilson
PhD Student
Kawther Ramadan
