About EDS

The Eco-Digital Storytellers (EDS) program engages high school student-teacher "pods" to create community-focused digital media environmental action projects.

Because it takes place during the school year (October through April) and covers diverse topics and skills, EDS is a great program for school clubs or entire classes in subjects like art, science, social studies, etc.

EDS pods learn about effective storytelling and how to apply innovative mapping and digital media technology, including animation and filmmaking, to explore various aspects of their local environment. Through field trips and classroom visits, students gain new skills and tap into their creativity. Pods share their story concepts for feedback and ideas before diving deeper into their project topics.

Undergraduate near-peer mentors provide support and guidance to help each pod along the way. Pods finish out the program by attending a career panel of professionals in environmental, digital media, and geospatial technology fields and showcasing their digital project products at a spotlight event in the spring.

UConn Course & Internship

Environmental Storytelling - Fall '24 Semester

Undergraduate students in this course will experience a unique approach to environmental action!

Framed in culturally-sustaining strategies and focusing on environmental issues relevant to Connecticut communities, the Environmental Storytelling course introduces students to participatory research and environmental storytelling using digital media and geospatial technology. The course brings together faculty, students, and guest lecturers with a diverse range of expertise and interest in environmental science, arts, geospatial technology, filmmaking, science education, and digital media. In this way, the class design embraces the idea that the class experience will be enriched by the diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds of all participants.

Through hands-on activities, demos, lectures, and discussions, students will develop skills in research and data collection, effective visual storytelling, video, animation, and online mapping. Throughout the semester, students will contribute to workshops for high school student-teacher teams in the Eco-Digital Storytellers (EDS) program and collaborate on a team project that assesses environmental assets and concerns, explores possible solutions, and uses multimedia storytelling to envision an environmental future.

Email course instructor for a permission number to enroll...

• DMD 3998 sec 006: Anna Lindemann - anna.lindemann@uconn.edu
• NRE 4695 sec 001: Laura Cisneros - laura.cisneros@uconn.edu

EDS Internship - Spring '25 Semester

Students who complete the Environmental Storytelling course will have the opportunity to apply for 5-month paid environmental education internship positions as Eco-Digital Storyteller (EDS) mentors. Under the support and guidance of multidisciplinary faculty, EDS mentors will have the unique opportunity to mentor a subset of Natural Resources Conservation Academy school pods (student-teacher teams) as they carry out community environmental storytelling projects during the spring semester. This position will provide undergraduate students with experience in leadership, authentic community engagement, environmental education, mentorship, and professional development in environmental science, technology, the arts, and storytelling/science communication, in addition to soft skills that are critical for workforce success such as teamwork, communication, and building relationships.