Once upon time there was an eLearning instructor who wished he could make his student’s learning experiences motivating, informative, persuasive and most of all be able to help his students retain the information learned. So he set about on a journey to make his wish come true.
As he ventured through the forest, he met a few learning theorists who informed the eLearning instructor that adult learners need to see the relevance of something in order to want to learn about it. It is thus important to explain concepts in a context students can relate to. With this helpful advice, the eLearning instructor continued on his journey and began to look for an interesting way to be able to put information in context for the student.
Just as the eLearning instructor was about to give up, he met Princess Know-It-All. As usual, Princess Know-It-All had the answer to the eLearning instructor’s problem…
Storytelling!
Storytelling allows you to connect with students emotionally. Through stories, students are given the chance to relate to characters. This adds a human connection and helps learners feel part of something greater. Stories also impact the learning process as it helps learners retain and remember concepts and information. It is much easier to recall a story than a list of facts. An entertaining story can also change the learning experience for the student, by motivating them further and keeping them engaged.
Instructional designer, Shelley A. Gable, overheard this conversation in the forest and reminded the eLearning instructor that “cleverly crafted stories stimulate an emotional response to training content, such as desire to help, curiosity about how something works, or a drive to achieve.”
Finally, the eLearning instructor found the answer to make his wish come through. With his new found knowledge and eLearning tool, he headed back to the Learning Castle to begin his creation.
References:
Storytelling in eLearning: The why and how by Shelley A. Gable
Win over your eLearners with storytelling by Christie Wroten
