The Integration of Dede Korkut Narratives into Educational Environments as Digital Stories

Abstract

This study explores the pedagogical potential and cultural significance of integrating Dede Korkut narratives into educational settings through digital storytelling, with a particular focus on the teaching of Turkish as a native language. As epic tales deeply rooted in Turkic oral tradition, Dede Korkut stories serve as vital repositories of cultural memory, moral values, and collective identity. With the rapid advancement of digital technologies and the diversification of instructional environments, these narratives present new opportunities for multimodal learning, value transmission, and learner engagement. Adopting a theoretical framework grounded in cultural memory studies, transitions from orality to digitality, and media convergence theory, the study examines the transformation of epic folklore into digital formats and its effects on the performative, functional, and pedagogical dimensions of these narratives. Drawing on case studies from TRT & Ccedil;ocuk animated series, the Ministry of National Education's EBA platform, user-generated YouTube adaptations, and the Meta Quest VR adaptation Dede Korkut Chronicles Game, the analysis highlights how such media contribute to early literacy, vocabulary development, intercultural awareness, and participatory culture in the teaching of Turkish as a native language. It is argued that digital tools enable interactive and collaborative storytelling practices aligned with constructivist approaches, thereby enhancing both cultural continuity and learner motivation. The findings suggest that embedding traditional epic narratives into contemporary digital pedagogies fosters critical skills such as narrative comprehension, empathy, and digital literacy, while also ensuring the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage and expanding experiential learning opportunities through immersive VR environments.