The Impact of Storytelling on Learning

• 11/16/22

Avoid focusing on only your own interests. It can be a fault of storytellers to be self-indulgent in story content. When this happens, others can become bored, disengaged, or confused as to the meaning or the story.

Stay focused and on topic. In order to truly support learning, then what is being learned should be focused on throughout the story. If the story focus is varied, then the effectiveness in learning will be compromised.

Be careful with humor.While we can enjoy humor, if humor is used incorrectly, then it can be hurtful and cause offense. If only one person is laughing, then usually the humor is not being used effectively.

Be careful with personal information.Remember that a class or learning group is a general community and, therefore, personal information should not be shared carelessly. This can lead to individuals being offended or embarrassed or even marginalized.

Be responsible with copyrights. When someone else's work is used in any way, then the source should always be referenced. This is true even if the story itself is a newly created piece.

These kinds of mistakes should be shared with students so that even stories created by students can avoid them. While stories can be effective, they can also be extremely ineffective when created or used carelessly or hurtfully.

Is Storytelling Essential to Learning?

While stories may not be essential to learning, they are extremely effective in engaging students and involving every kind of learner and thinker. In an online environment, the use of videos can encourage student interest and even in an in-person class group, the use of stories can enlighten and help support students understanding and success. The eLearning Coach provides a helpful list of reasons why we need to use storytelling in learning. The list includes the importance of stories in engaging and including students, but it also includes reference to how stories can help students process and understand what they otherwise might perceive as "meaningless data":

"Many people perceive data as meaningless numbers. This happens when the data is disconnected to anything important in their experience. But when the data is placed in the context of a story, it comes alive."

Lubbock Christian University also emphasizes how storytelling can develop additional skills in students, such as good listening skills and critical thinking skills. So, if stories used are creative, applied in their content, and detailed, students are encouraged to think through the story to find its meaning and connection with what is being learned. The article lists intellectual benefits to storytelling that are not subject-specific, but intellectually beneficial:

• "Promotes a desire to read – Many stories shared orally with children come from books. These storytelling experiences lead children to want to see and read the books with these same stories for themselves.
• "Stimulates the imagination – Children learn to picture the stories in their heads as they listen to stories being told. The skill can transfer as they hear and eventually read stories from books.
• "Contributes to a love of language – As children are exposed to interesting words, they become interested in using these same words or phrases as they retell the stories or use language to communicate about their experiences with others.
• "Contributes to emotional development – Children empathize with the plight of characters as they listen during the storytelling experience. They develop an awareness of how their own words and actions can affect others."

What Does This Mean for Learning in General?

So, whether stories are being used by instructors or students, and being used in scientific, fact-based courses or creative writing courses, when they are developed well and used in connection with what is being learned, they can be highly successful in helping students learn focused subject information. Additionally, they can develop general thinking and linguistic skills that can benefit lifelong learning.