This article presents a systematic review of national and international research examining the pedagogical use of storytelling in university education. Storytelling and its digital forms are increasingly used in higher education to support active student learning. Publications from 2016 to 2026 in Kazakh, Russian, and English were considered, with the search and selection process guided by the main principles of PRISMA 2020. The selected studies were examined through descriptive and thematic synthesis. The literature associates storytelling with student engagement and motivation, understanding and organisation of learning material, and the development of language and writing skills. Digital storytelling is also discussed in relation to creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaborative learning, and digital and multimedia skills. At the same time, its integration into teaching may require considerable time, appropriate technological resources, and adequate digital preparation of both students and instructors. Overall, the reviewed evidence suggests that the educational value of storytelling does not arise from the use of digital tools alone. Its potential largely depends on the way storytelling activities are aligned with learning objectives, incorporated into instructional design, and supported by the instructor.

PARIKSHAT S.M.

Director, Consortium for educational communication (CEC), professor, University of Jammu, New Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, India

E-mail: psmanhas@hotmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4686-6320

ARYSTANBEKOVA A.

Master’s student, English and German foreign languages department, K.Zhubanov Aktobe regional university, Aktobe, Kazakhstan.

E-mail: arystanbekova.ainur@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1994-5899

SADYKOVA S.A.

PhD, senior lecturer of foreign languages and translation studies department, K.Zhubanov Aktobe regional university, Aktobe, Kazakhstan.

E-mail: ssadykova@zhubanov.edu.kz, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3825-7680

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storytelling, digital storytelling, higher education, pedagogical potential, students, 21st-century skills, systematic literature review