About Storytelling And Your eLearning Course

books piled on top of a tabletDid you know that storytelling is a highly effective method in eLearning? You would think that this is a method used for kids – to keep them interested in the lesson. But it is also something that learners of all ages can benefit from.

First of all, stories are every entertaining. This is why preschool teachers inject stories to the lessons intended for the young minds who are quick to become frustrated and distracted. It keeps them tuned into the whole course. In effect it allows them to pay attention long enough to complete the lesson. Not only that, it allows the instructor to become emotionally connected to the learners. That is because stories have an element of connection through emotions. It is actually a very powerful thing for an instructor to have. The characters in the story allows the learners to relate to the lesson- thus making absorption more effective. It makes the lesson more relevant to the daily lives of the learners.

For instance, math does not seem like something that kids would want to learn unless you involve the story of John having to eat 2 apples out of the 4 that is in the basket. When you compare that to 4-2, the former is more appealing to tune into.

While storytelling is effective in the eLearning course, that does not mean it is easy to integrate. There are a couple of rules that you may want to follow in order for you to turn your lessons into interesting stories.

  • Make sure the storyline is something that your students can relate to. For instance, if you are teaching math to children, make sure John is a kid too. The more realistic the characters are, the more the students can relate to them.
  • Complete the story elements. Simply put, this includes the introduction of characters, the development of the problem or dilemma, the journey of the characters to find the solution and finally, the resolution. This will help the students become immersed in the story – thus the lesson.
  • Feel free to use visuals to highlight important points in the lesson. For instance, highlight the apples that were eaten and those that remain in the basket by incorporating images into the story. That will make the story more real.
  • Do not go off topic. Keep the story as concise as you can. Do not be carried away by the narration that you divert from the core of the lesson. The core message should always be integrated and recognizable in the plot of your story. It should not be buried under the narration so much so that it distracts the students from what they should be learning.
  • Create an interactive story. Make a slideshow presentation or a video. The manner by which you present your story will also add to the way your students will be riveted to the lesson. It will strengthen the effectivity of the eLearning course. Allow your students to experience the problem solving aspect of the story to make the lesson more relatable.

Storytelling is not only a great way to convey the lesson or message across, it also makes elearning fun for students. If they enjoy one lesson, they will look forward to the next.

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