I think at higher education level, we can aim at exploring the community and the world at large in addition to persoanl explorations. It is something i'd like to try with students, to be out in the field, reaching out to people and learning from them their views and expereinces.

I have used digital storytelling with high school teacher to evaluate the impact of an international experience in China (Fulbright group seminar). They each created a digital story about a meaningful personal experience; then researchers used a modified version of Bradley's model for assessing levels of reflection.

I have also used digital storytelling with pre-service teachers to teach the writing process very successfully with an emphasis on the benefits of reflection on experience. A qualitative study to determine if the pre-service teachers valued the addition of digital storytelling in the curriculum to teach the writing process.

All stories are personal to some degree because stories present impersonal objective facts as experiences - with a point of view.  The Berkeley CDS