“Stories need to relate to theme maybe not specific content but they need to relate to theme if there’s a very important point you’re trying to get across to the student and having a little bit of personal too. “
—Aaron Daniel Annas
Hello, faculty,
The art of storytelling. We all remember great stories that our relatives shared with us when we were growing up, many used to teach a lesson. In an age full of digital tips, YouTube how-to’s, and the notion of “just Google it” the art and impact of a well-crafted story have become lost.
Sharing a story does more than provide entertainment, it can teach a lesson and, most of all, create a connection. Sharing a story with your students promotes engagement with the course content, it helps contextualize concepts making what was abstract more concrete. Stories connect material to real-world situations making the content relatable and interesting. Telling a story creates a sense of empathy and understanding, promoting a connection between you and your students and fostering retention in your courses.
By sharing stories with your students, you can set a tone for them to share their stories. Through group work and class discussions, students participate in risk-taking and develop communication and active listening skills (see the last newsletter on Improv and storytelling). In summary, storytelling can be a powerful pedagogical tool to enhance students’ academic and personal development across various disciplines.
-The ID Team
CITS | Instructional Development
🎧Listen to Podcast: Storytelling as Teaching |
🎧Listen to Podcast: Courses as Stories |
👁🗨Read the Article: Storytelling in Classroom |
👁🗨Read the Article: The Value of Storytelling in Learning |
👁🗨Read the Article: 7 Storytelling Tips to Make Your Course Impactful |
👁🗨Read the Article: Why Storytelling Matters in Fields Beyond Humanities |
🎦Explore Video Playlists about Storytelling🎦 |
- ⭐️The myCourses Dashboard is getting a significant update: Base Navigation.
- Stay updated on our move to Canvas!
- Join us for Canvas Conversations along with the Office of Faculty Development!
- Check out our full list of workshops and other self-paced offerings!
Instructional Development works with faculty to…
- Explore, design, and experiment with different teaching and learning modes.
- Research and integrate technologies that can enhance teaching and learning.
- Design and develop online courses and programs.
- Write learning outcomes, design assessments, craft activities, and develop content.
- Utilize best practices for using instructional technologies.
Feel free to contact us online to book an appointment!