Using storytelling to teach a topic in physics

Abstract

Storytelling has the potential to successfully convey knowledge, understanding and experiences in an unintimidating and exciting way to experts as well as non-experts in almost all fields. Storytelling’s utility as an information transmission medium makes it an attractive choice for use in classrooms where knowledge sharing, and the construction of understandings are required. The aim in this mixed method case study was to reveal the impact of storytelling, when used as an instructional tool, on students’ learning experience when exposed to a unit of work entitled “Light”. Observational checklists and students’ journal entries were used to: (1) assess students’ levels of participation during classroom learning, and (2) solicit students’ views about the effectiveness of storytelling to facilitate science learning. The findings revealed high levels of student participation and an overall expression of enjoyment of learning among students when science was presented to them using this method. Students indicated that storytelling was effective in facilitating their understanding of science content and suggested that it should be used more often in science classrooms.