Tools of Engagement: Storytelling, Audience Response Systems, and Learning Science

Twitter:@kkapp

Tools of Engagement: Storytelling, Audience Response Systems, and

Learning Science

By Karl M. Kapp April 2014

Design Takeaway Challenge (helps with transferability)

Keeping Learners Involved:

Story, Questions, Content, Team Progress

Game Elements?

1) Story/Genre2) Polling/Audience Input3) Points/Winners/Teams4) Mystery/Curiosity5) Cliff Hanger

Storytelling

Researchers have found that the human brain has a natural affinity for

narrative construction.

Yep, People tend to remember facts more accurately if they encounter

them in a story rather than in a list.

And they rate legal arguments as more convincing when built into narrative tales rather than on legal precedent.

Carey, B. (2007) this is Your Life (and How You Tell it). The New York Times. Melanie Green http://www.unc.edu/~mcgreen/research.html. Chapter 2 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.

Parts of a Story…

Stories need Characters…

Background Multi-dimensional

Stories need Plot…

What is happening…

Stories need Tension…

Stories need Resolution…

Stories need Conclusion…

1. Characters

Story Elements

5. Conclusion

2. Plot (something has to happen).

3. Tension

4. Resolution

Let’s Get Started

meet Hir O’ Winn… (read Heroine)

an accomplished Professional Team Player Hospital Administrator

Slated for Promotion

Too Basic…

Too Advanced…

Too Late…

Sorry, had you on mute, could you repeat the

question.

meet Ann Tagonist…

an accomplished

Professional Team Player Member of the Organization Member of Learning and Development Organization

Won Training AWARDS

an accomplished

Professional Team Player Member of the Organization Member of Learning and Development Organization

Won Training AWARDS Numerous

They both work for… Big Hospital

Ann’s Job is to create training

E-learning

Training Manuals

Classroom instruction

Ann created a great library of

courses …

Ann Is… Frustrated Still

Hir O’ Winn… won’t take any classes Ann

Develops

DUH!

Scary problems…

Timing Issue …

Packaging Problem …

Transfer Problem …

I am frustrated

So am I.

I Got It!

Self Serve Model …

Real-time access to people

Quick question

Broadcasting Thoughts and

Opinions

Sending Yourself

Reminders.

Mentoring

Reach across silos of information

Answering one question leads to more questions

Clarification of

Terms Tips and

Techniques

Advice from Veteran

Employees

Frequently

Asked Questions

Posting/Collection of of Valuable Resources

Listing of Internal Experts

Hir Learns when and how she

wants and gets Promoted…

Ann Tagonist… Becomes CLO

Profits

Increase…

Now let’s begin implementing Self-Serve Learning…

The End

Let’s Examine the Elements of the Visual

Story

1. Characters

Stories Need

5. Conclusion

2. Plot (something has to happen).

3. Tension

4. Resolution

Character Development who is this?

Background One of the audience members Successful, Confident

Use Characters to set mood and tone.

Blended Bullets

Connect with a habit of the audience

Additional Character Adds Tension

Link individual and corporate needs…

Graphical Bullets

Image conveys message of old and

outdated approach …

Why? is Ann frustrated …

Why? Won’t she take classes …

Now we provide an answer…

Sort of …

Visual Metaphor…

Visual Comparison …

Individual Frustration…

More individual Frustration…

Everybody is Frustrated…

Moment of Calm…

Realization of Solution…

The Resolution…

Happy Conclusion…

Call to Action…

Story Type Goal of Story Expressive Teach content or convey existing

information.

Strategic Promote certain ways of working or thinking—cultural shifts.

Reflective Captures complexities embedded within a situation or points out absurdities of a current state of affairs.

Transformative Describe a possible new future or a new way of operating.

Alterio, Maxine & McDrury, Janice. Learning Through Storytelling in Higher Education: Using Reflection and Experience to Improve Learning. Routledge. 2003.

Become a Story Connoisseur—Observe how movie makers, television directors, and novelists craft stories.

Ask to Hear Stories—When debriefing a person providing information for a course, ask for stories illustrating key

points.

Ask Story Questions—Stories follow a structure, ask structured questions around which stories are built.

Storytelling Exercise

Craft a brief story (2 paragraphs) to convey an instructional objective.

Handout

Let’s Play Fact or Fishy…

Example One:

Rules • A statement is presented

– Choose the best response

• Text Keyword Response: – To 37607

Take out your text-machines

Standard Texting Fees Apply!

Two Teams

teama teamb

How To Respond via Texting

1. Polleverywhere has no access to your phone number 2. Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling do TIPS

Amaze

Inamaze

alright

Amaze

First decision about this dragon slaying game is how to start the game…what

should the players first in-game experience be?

Example Two:

You have two choices:

Tell the player three things he/she needs to know about slaying dragons. or Begin with a fight between the player and a small, dangerous dragon.

Why does this answer make sense?

Not Sure?

Good game designers know that games are engaging because they require action

right away.

Action draws in the player and encourages further engagement. Start

by battling a dragon.

Research indicates that learners who used interactive games for learning had the greater cognitive gains over learners provided with traditional

classroom training.

Vogel, J. J., Vogel D.S., Cannon-Bowers, J., Bowers, C.A., Muse, K., & Wright, M. (2006). Computer gaming and Interactive simulations for learning: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 34(3), 229-243.

What is the right next step?

A. Check the patient for unresponsiveness.

B. Push down on the center of the chest.

C. Call for assistance.

Example Three

C. Call for assistance.

People are motivated when they have autonomy, mastery and relatedness.

Interactivity motivates learners because…

That’s called Self-Determination Theory

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The 'what' and 'why' of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268

Why is our inventory forecast so wrong?

Because your team misjudged the level of scrap.

And Sales over estimated demand!

Here is a recap… 1) Stories are powerful tools for learning

(character, plot, tension, resolution, conclusion)

2) Construct the right type of story (Expressive, Strategic, Reflective, Transformative)

3) Create interactivity with audience response software (True/False, Forced Decision and Branching)