Storytelling as an Instructional Method Message board via the Cognitive Engineering Research Institute

The workshop, "Storytelling as an instructional method: In search of theoretical and empirical foundations" produced a large number of fascinating ideas about the nature of storytelling, and ways that we might go forward in researching how best to use stories for instruction. One of my goals in organizing the workshop was to attempt to determine if there is indeed enough difference between the four types of storytelling instructional methods (case-based, narrative-based, problem-based, and scenario-based) to consider them as related but separate entities. As I read the minutes from the workshop that are shown on the main page of this site, and think about our conversations at the workshop, I believe the answer is that the differences between the four methods are significant enough that we should consider them as separate entities. I believe the workshop pointed out those differences on a number of dimensions of the four storytelling types. A few of those dimensions are; origin, goals, uses, instructional effectiveness for different domains of learning, and methods of evaluation.

I think each of those dimensions, and the many others that were discussed at the workshop, can make excellent targets for research, both quantitative and qualitative.  I would be interested in hearing from fellow researchers about which dimensions of the four storytelling types they think might produce the most useful instructional research. Please post your ideas here, as well as any other thoughts you might have about this fascinating field of storytelling as instruction.

Thanks for your interest.  Dee Andrews