Using an Ancient Strategy with a Modern Tool

TalentLMS is a learning management system that is focused primarily on corporate eLearning. TalentLMS states that their vision is “to create the leanest, most intuitive and hassle-free learning experience possible. An online learning platform that's immediately accessible but also offers power and flexibility to spare.” Although they lack some of the features of more premium learning management systems, they offer a good combination of ease of use and features at their price point.

Storytelling is one of the oldest learner engagement strategies and can be quite useful when teaching people of all ages. There seems to have been some movement away from using storytelling in teaching in the last few centuries. However, recently there has been renewed interest in using storytelling in learning, and many studies have proven its effectiveness.

Draw Real-Life Connections

TalentLMS allows videos and audio to be uploaded to the platform or to be added to course content. Among others, these tools make it possible to use video or audio to share a story with online learners. TalentLMS allows for a wide range of file types to be uploaded, but videos can also be added using iframe from YouTube or other platforms. The audio or video could include someone telling the story of a period in history or a dramatic portrayal of an event. It could also be someone sharing something they went through, how what the students are learning about helped them, etc. “If your story teaches abstract concepts, find real life examples that make the information more meaningful.” (DeNeen, 2012) Storytelling is not just a useful tool in teaching writing but can be used in every subject, including math and science. Storytelling help learners connect what they are learning with their life, even when learning about abstract concepts.

Creating an Online Community

Storytelling can help students understand the way that others think and feel. Storytelling can also help create a sense of community, “storytelling can create interconnectedness and a sense of community in the classroom” (Ehrlich et al., 2020, p. 105). This is particularly significant in elearning as there is typically far less interaction between students than in a classroom environment. However, it is important to use other tools to create and reinforce a sense of community. TalentLMS has video conferencing integration, messaging capabilities, and the ability for users to create discussions with groups that they select. An instructor could have a video at the end of a course, bringing it to a close. This video could give students resources that they may be interested in to learn more about the subject. It could also provide advice on how to go forward after they have finished the course and give an invitation to connect with the professor if they have any questions. These tools can all be used by instructors to help create an online community.

Draw a Theme Out of Your Story

Storytelling can also be used for questions and assignments. One way that questions can be created in TalentLMS is a fill-in-the-blank question. Questions can be designed so that students think through their answer similarly to how they would share a story about what they learned. This helps students to think about what was the most important information that was shared. TalentLMS also allows instructors to add assignments where users can upload files or text. This can be used to submit a storytelling assignment in a medium they choose for their story. This gives students a sense of freedom and control. This also encourages students to be creative and have fun with their assignments. Studies have found several benefits of using storytelling: “DST [digital story telling] can support students’ understanding of both simple and complex subject matters, as well as improve their technical, presentation, and writing skills. Robin (2008) found that DST also cultivates students’ higher-order thinking, such as problem solving and critical thinking.” (Niemi et al., p. 332) Although storytelling is one of the most ancient teaching strategies, it is evident that it is highly effective in teaching a wide range of subject matter.

References

Communications, N. (n.d.). Storytelling in Teaching and Learning. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.nyu.edu/faculty/teaching-and-learning-resources/strategies-for-teaching-with-tech/storytelling-teching-and-learning.html

DeNeen, J. (2012, November 21). 30 Storytelling Tips For Educators: How To Capture Your Student's Attention. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/30-storytelling-tips-for-educators/

Ehrlich, D. M., Ehrlich, J. A., & Haberyan, A. (2020). Storytelling in a First-Year Seminar. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 15, 105–121.

Niemi, H., Niu, S., Vivitsou, M., & Li, B. (2018). Digital Storytelling for Twenty-First-Century Competencies with Math Literacy and Student Engagement in China and Finland. Contemporary Educational Technology, 9(4), 331–353.

Software Cloud LMS - La plataforma de aprendizaje N.º 1. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.talentlms.com/