The power of narrative storytelling: bringing scientific concepts to life
Session Type
Presentation
Room
Physics and Astronomy, room 117
Start Date
16-7-2025 4:00 PM
End Date
16-7-2025 4:30 PM
Keywords
storytelling, narratives, sense of belonging, student engagement, curiosity
Primary Threads
Education Technologies and Innovative Resources
Abstract
While facts can be forgotten, stories are engaging and memorable. Narrative-based learning has become a valuable tool in STEM education, helping students tackle complex scientific concepts, connect with the natural world, and make science more accessible. Research has shown that narratives enhance students' experiences and improve knowledge retention in science courses. Using surveys in this SoTL project, we first identified the concepts and ideas students in a second-year microbiology course found most challenging based on their engagement with textbook readings. We then developed bacterial and human-centric storylines and characters to bring these concepts to life in a way that was accessible, representative, and engaging. These narratives were also designed to spark curiosity and foster a deeper interest in the course content. By integrating microbiology-based narratives, we aimed to foster both cognitive and emotional connections between students and their scientific learning. Additionally, we examined how engaging with these narratives influenced students’ approaches to textbook readings, their overall engagement with the content, and their sense of belonging in microbiology and science. Through surveys and focus groups, we collected data on challenging concepts, students’ engagement with the narratives, and the impact of these narratives on their curiosity (ethics approval: H24-01617). As this project is ongoing, we also plan to assess their performance in the course, and knowledge retention of the challenging concepts. While the narratives in this project are microbiology-focused, the broader approach of using narratives to enhance learning is applicable to students across all disciplines. Bring your own device to view and engage with the narratives during the session!
Elements of Engagement
The presentation will be delivered using participant-centred active learning principles. There will be a demonstration of the microbial narratives (comics) that have been developed, which include interactive elements that attendees can engage with on their personal device. The results of research conducted to date will be shared, and opportunity for discussion on how the concepts of narrative storytelling might be embedded in curricula more widely.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
The power of narrative storytelling: bringing scientific concepts to life
Physics and Astronomy, room 117
While facts can be forgotten, stories are engaging and memorable. Narrative-based learning has become a valuable tool in STEM education, helping students tackle complex scientific concepts, connect with the natural world, and make science more accessible. Research has shown that narratives enhance students' experiences and improve knowledge retention in science courses. Using surveys in this SoTL project, we first identified the concepts and ideas students in a second-year microbiology course found most challenging based on their engagement with textbook readings. We then developed bacterial and human-centric storylines and characters to bring these concepts to life in a way that was accessible, representative, and engaging. These narratives were also designed to spark curiosity and foster a deeper interest in the course content. By integrating microbiology-based narratives, we aimed to foster both cognitive and emotional connections between students and their scientific learning. Additionally, we examined how engaging with these narratives influenced students’ approaches to textbook readings, their overall engagement with the content, and their sense of belonging in microbiology and science. Through surveys and focus groups, we collected data on challenging concepts, students’ engagement with the narratives, and the impact of these narratives on their curiosity (ethics approval: H24-01617). As this project is ongoing, we also plan to assess their performance in the course, and knowledge retention of the challenging concepts. While the narratives in this project are microbiology-focused, the broader approach of using narratives to enhance learning is applicable to students across all disciplines. Bring your own device to view and engage with the narratives during the session!