Public Health Digital Storytelling at the Intersection of Psychology and Cyberpsychology in Online Classroom Learning

Abstract

This inquiry examines the pedagogical efficacy of digital storytelling as a transformative modality within online public health education. Anchored in psychological and cyberpsychological frameworks, the research explores how a student-centered digital storytelling assignment requiring the photographic documentation of local health disparities and subsequent narrative presentation in Zoom-based sessions, fosters cognitive engagement, socioemotional learning, and community cohesion among geographically dispersed learners. By repositioning students as narrative agents, the intervention promotes critical consciousness and ethical reflexivity, enabling participants to synthesize personal, cultural, and environmental knowledge into affectively resonant and analytically rich narratives. The inquiry draws upon empirical insights to argue that digital storytelling serves as a psychologically restorative and socially connective practice, amplifying learner voice and democratizing epistemic participation. Findings suggest that the multimodal affordances of digital storytelling catalyze narrative identity development, empathetic engagement, and conceptual retention, addressing pedagogical limitations inherent in traditional and asynchronous public health instruction. Ultimately, this inquiry positions digital storytelling not merely as an instructional strategy but as a cyberpsychological intervention capable of advancing health equity, digital fluency, and culturally responsive education in virtual learning environments. KEYWORDS: digital storytelling, cyberpsychology, public health education, narrative pedagogy, socioemotional learning