The greatest medium in all communication is storytelling. Throughout history, stories have been used to communicate great truths in all cultures. Why? Stories capture the attention of the listener. The imagination begins to churn as words become pictures within the mind’s eye. The hearer takes what is said and makes it his/her own based on their life experiences. Most listen and most learn.
Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult at times to incorporate storytelling into an eLearning course, especially when the material is dry; however, if you have mastered the material, it is not impossible. Stories do not have to be long and complex. In fact, stories can often be simple case studies (i.e. describing a problem in a real-world scenario and solving it by using the subject material being taught). A master teacher who incorporates this methodology into his teaching is Ed Welch. A Biblical counselor and author, Mr. Welch delves into deep theological truths in a manner that captures the imagination. Each book begins with a case study (i.e. a counseling case) in which he introduces a character and explains the problem(s). Once the reader is engaged with the character, Mr. Welch takes a break and begins to dissect the story. As he does so, he expounds upon the necessary ‘dry’ material by using the story as a launching pad. Once the truths are taught, he moves back into the story and repeats the process. As a reader, you are engaged with the book because of the story. Because of the story, you are engaged with the ‘dry’ material and find yourself learning the great truths that are needed.
Storytelling isn’t just a possible option to include within an eLearning course. It is an absolute necessity. Give your learners a reason as to why they need to know the material and how it can and will help them. It is not enough to simply tell someone something. Think about how you teach your kids that lying is wrong. A universal understanding is if you lie, no one will know when you are telling the truth. The perfect story for this is The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf. As you tell the story, it captures their imaginations and they make it their own as they rely on their own life experiences (i.e. doing chores, danger, fear, etc). They put themselves in the little boy’s shoes and imagine what it would be like if no one came to their rescue. Children listen and learn from this entertaining story.
Adults learn in the same fashion. Capture their imagination and watch them succeed.
Filed under: eLearning Methodologies | Tagged: adult learning, andragogy, eLearning, storytelling
