once upon a time: the impact of storytelling in e-learning

Once Upon a Time: The Impact of Storytelling

in e-Learning Chris Willis

Media 1

Produced by

September 10 & 11, 2009

202

Best Practices in e-Learning Instructional Design and Management


September 10 & 11, 2009

Page 1Session 202 – Once Upon a Time: The Impact of Storytelling in e-Learning -Chris Willis, Media 1

Redish & Associates, Inc.

© 2009, Janice (Ginny) Redish and Chris F. Willis • Storytelling in eLearning • Slide 1

The Impact of Storytelling

in eLearning

Chris Frederick WillisMedia 1 The eLearning Guild

September 2009



Topics for today

Theme = You are a natural-born storyteller!

TopicsUsing stories in learning applicationsFiction vs non-fiction storiesElements of a good storyPersonas for stories


September 10 & 11, 2009




You are a natural-born storyteller

Consider every time youtell a jokerelate an incident that happened at workexplain facts and figurestalk about your childhoodrecreate the steps to complete a taskimagine “what if … ?”



How might you use stories in eLearning?

For design: Gather stories to guide decisions …Confirm what to cover (objectives) Decide how to cover it (design)

For content: Create or use gathered stories to make learning objectives and content real to learners

For motivation and evaluation: To use outside of the course …“Sell” curriculum / initiatives to future learners (WIFM)Learn how people are using the course in real life


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Onboarding – 52 Weeks at Qualcomm - Intro



Onboarding – 52 Weeks at Qualcomm – Week 03


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Onboarding – 52 Weeks at Qualcomm – Week 29



Change ManagementLarge Consumer Products Company


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Smithsonian Institution Webcomic

Learning in a graphic novel formatEmbedded survey questions and related readings

http://anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/comic/#




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Blog a continuing story

Practicalcreativity.us


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Scenario Based WBT

Meijer Effective Selling: Mission Possible!

Business ProblemRetail associates seldom have formal sales training.

SolutionSelf-paced, web-based training models appropriate behavior and provides scripts for assisting customers. Stepped still scenarios economical and easy to deliver.

International

2008



Stories = Scenarios

Scenarios = real-life stories; story with a purposeUse in courses to support one or more learning objectives A good story = a good scenarioStorytelling guidelines apply to scenario authoring

Did you know … ?Scenarios are also used to guide software and product design/development.


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Nonfiction Stories (Scenarios) in eLearning

Some scenarios are non-fictionCaptured from direct observation or interviewsRelate true events

How might you use a non-fiction scenario?



Fiction Stories (Scenarios) in eLearning

Some scenarios are historical fiction – “based on a true story”We invent them based on observations or interviews

Often model exemplary behaviorSometimes "cautionary tales"

Can be composites from multiple sources

How might you use a fictional scenario?


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Does this scenario seem truthful?

This little one is on sale but I know you wouldn’t be happy with it.

I’d like to buy a digital TV.

This bigger set will give you better digital picture quality.



Is this scenario better?

All of our TVs are digital ready. What do you like to watch?

I’d like to buy a digital TV.

This wide screen TV is perfect for movies.

I watch a lot of movies.


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Try It! Let’s write a story together

We need an objective:

Use our objective or one of your own; write it on your worksheet.

Our objective: Demonstrate a useful, non-traditional way to repurpose an old toothbrush



What makes a good story?

A good story contains:FactsSituation (Setting)Character(s)Plot (Conflict)Resolution (Ending)

See Whitney Quesenbery: www.WQusability.com


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What?


Who does this?(user categories)

What are their goals?



Where?


Where does this happen?

Under what circumstances?


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Who?


Realistic characters “make”a story.

Personas help you write realistic characters.



What are personas?

Personas represent our characters' similaritiesdifferences

Personas remind us they are individuals with a specific age, history, needs, values, goals, and relationship to the subject.


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Persona: a portrait of a “character”

Composite…… Not one real person

Archetype… Not stereotype

Specific…Not average

http://www.usability.gov/analyze/personas.html



What do you include in a persona?

A persona usually includes:a name and picturejob title and major responsibilities demographics (age, education, ethnicity, family status) goals and tasksin relation to your subject environment (physical, social, technological) a quote that sums up what matters most to the persona in relation to your subject

Kathy Redmond

Retired; Former Executive Assistant

Married with three grown kids and four grandkids. (Family comes over every weekend).

Hosts both a weekly book club and sewing group in her home

Enjoys entertaining

Reads Real Simple and Martha Stewart Living

“Now that I am retired, I finally have the home I always wanted.”

Download our worksheet &

MindManager template for developing personas!


September 10 & 11, 2009




Consider this …

Who might be character(s) in a course on:

sales

business ethics

technical support

retail customer service

Where might you find demographic information for these characters?



What happened?


What is the problem?


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The end


How did [character] solve the problem?



Kathy’s Story

Now that she is retired, Kathy enjoys entertaining at home. She feels proud when her sewing group meets and someone comments on how nice her house looks. Likewise, she feels good knowing that she can provide a clean, comfortable place for her family to enjoy when they visit. Kathy was having trouble keeping the area around her sinks and tub fixtures clean. Chemical cleaners only seemed to make the problem worse. A friend in Kathy’s book club suggested she try using an old toothbrush and plain water to get into those areas a sponge can’t reach. It worked great! Kathy is thrilled with the way her sinks and tub look now.


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What would change if she was our lead character?

Paris Whitney Hilton

American socialite, celebutante, heiress, model, media personality, singer and occasional actress.

Age 28, Single

Appeared in a sex video in 2003

Loves small dogs; owns 17, including a Yorkshire Terrier and a female Chihuahua named Tinkerbell

The millions she has earned in her own career now far surpassed her inheritance

“I have 17 dogs and I like to dress them, so I started designing this clothing line and it's really cute, like dresses and jeans — everything you can imagine for humans, but for dogs.”



Paris’s Story

I took Tinkerbell with me to a club one time and she was acting all funny, pawing at her face and stuff. Nicole said her breath smelled like … stinky. This went on until I finally called a vet to come see Tink at our house. He was hot. He scheduled to have Tink’s teeth cleaned and said I should use one of my old toothbrushes to keep them that way. I hired an assistant to brush all my dogs’ teeth.


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What if he was our lead character?

Angus “Mac” MacGyver

Phoenix Foundation

Field Agent and Troubleshooter

Highly suspicious of militaristic attitudes within the government

Doesn’t carry a gun; prefers non-violent conflict resolution wherever possible

Shortly served during the Vietnam War in a bomb defusing team

Never leaves home without his trusty Swiss Army knife

“A paperclip can be a wondrous thing. More times than I can remember, one of these has gotten me out of a tight spot…”



MacGyver’s Story


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Tell us a story …

… about how you might use stories in your own eLearning:

DesignContentEvaluation



Summarizing our time together

Use stories in eLearning DesignContentEvaluation

Use fiction and non-fiction storiesInclude all elements of a good storyRealistic characters “make” a story; use personas


September 10 & 11, 2009




Chris WillisMedia [email protected]: www.practicalcreativity.us

More questions?

More comments?

Name Picture

Job Title Responsibilities

Demographics

Age

Education

Ethnicity

Family Status

RelatedGoals/Tasks

EnvironmentPhysical

Social

Technological

Related Quote

Persona Development Template.mmap - 3/5/2009 - Chris Frederick Willis

once upon a time: the impact of storytelling in e-learning

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