[Few days back, I had written a small piece on LinkedIn, pasting it here, for easy reading.]
E-Learning in the last few years has become “a preferred choice for some, the necessity for few and a compulsion for others”! In a nutshell- many use it, some debate about it, but, no one denies its presence! In such a scenario, when one lists the aspects which were, are, and would be making e-learning more “Productive and Fruitful”, storytelling ranks quite higher.
Now, before diving deep, let’s hit the bull’s eye- what is storytelling, and why use it? It is basically a way of conveying the idea via the use of characters, incidents, or anecdotes. It is used because it can help to make the process of learning more- interesting, attentive, and retentive!!
When it comes to e-learning, the wise use of “tools, technologies, and techniques” increases the possibility of higher learning outcomes and makes the process of learning more effective. “Structured approach from beginning to climax” is also what makes the storytelling more ‘hitting to the point’. Moreover, “the use of emotions and use of instructional design theories” is what puts the process of learning- at an altogether different stage’!
But, it is rightly said that- all that glitters is not gold! There are some precautions, which if ignored won’t produce the results, the way we expect. For example, in the process of storytelling, the core motive of conveying the idea shouldn’t be diverted. So, the stories should be short, simple, and more importantly- relevant!
The next precaution is about the audience study. The stories should be not just relevant to content but to an audience as well. Thus, the ‘geographic, demographic, and cultural profiles of the target audience’ should also be considered while designing the story.
Lastly, storytelling is the powerful medium to “impart not just the knowledge of what but the wisdom of how”, thus, it should and must be used wisely!
Vijay Bhandare 