Storytelling in e-learning

Social media and technology (phones, chat, email) are new ways for us to communicate with one another. But communicating through stories is as old as humanity itself. That is why our brains respond so strongly to it. Storytelling is often used in marketing campaigns, for example. But did you know that you can also effectively use storytelling for e-learning?

Storytelling is an effective way to communicate and foster engagement. Stories are a natural and powerful tool for conveying messages and connecting people.

And in e-learning, this connecting factor is incredibly important. In previous blogs, we wrote that e-learning often still has an 'impersonal' image, but that e-learning doesn't have to be impersonal at all! There are many ways to make e-learning personal and storytelling is one of them.

How can you effectively use storytelling in e-learning? What are the do's and don'ts?

Know your target audience

Ideally, you should have created a persona before designing your e-learning.

A persona is a detailed description of your (fictional) ideal learner. Once you have clearly defined your persona, it becomes easier to empathize with them and come up with stories that resonate with your ideal learner.

For example, choose a story that your learner can easily imagine in their daily life.

Or a story that aligns with the goal your learner is working toward (and why they are taking your e-learning). Keep the fears, desires, and pain points of your persona clearly in mind.

Choose a relevant topic

When choosing a story, ensure the topic is relevant to the e-learning. Select a story that aligns with one or more of the e-learning's learning objectives. This way, the narrative becomes a perfect opportunity to guide the learner through the training.

Use a clear structure

Use a clear structure in your narrative.

This structure can, for example, mirror the learning journey the student is going through. It starts with a problem, then the protagonist learns certain knowledge and/or skills that subsequently contribute to the solution.

At the beginning, it is important that the learner is truly drawn into the story. The better they can relate to the protagonist, the more engaged the learner will feel with the story.

It is also perfectly fine to include some obstacles in the story; after all, in 'real' life, we usually don't go straight from A to B, but encounter all sorts of things that distract us or make us feel insecure, for example. Reflect on these obstacles at the end of the story and show how they were overcome.

Integrate interaction

An interesting option, though technically a bit more complex, is integrating personalized outcomes into the story. This allows every learner to start at the same point, but then choose different subsequent steps in the story.

This approach to storytelling is more reflective of reality, as not every learner is the same.

When the learner has some influence on the story (even slightly), this increases the personal experience of, and engagement with, the e-learning. 

A great way to do this is to use the personal learning paths you’ll find in Pluvo.

Appeal to emotions

A storyline sticks much better when it appeals to our emotions. Think about it: when you watch a movie or read a book and your emotions are stirred, you are much more likely to remember that story (and recommend it to others). 

You can make effective use of this especially at the beginning of the story.

Appeal to the emotion that prompted the learner to take your e-learning. This immediately creates greater engagement and motivation.

Use visuals

In addition to text, use other visuals to illustrate your story. Think of photos, illustrations, animations, or video clips. 

Keep in mind!

• Don't make your storyline too complicated; make sure it is easy to follow
• Stay on topic and don't stray too far from the subject of the e-learning
• Use clear, plain language and avoid idioms and metaphors 

In short, storytelling is an effective way to increase learner engagement with your e-learning.

If you want to use storytelling for your e-learning, it is important that you know your target audience well, choose a relevant topic, maintain a clear structure, offer interaction, appeal to emotions, and use visuals. Are you ready to write your story?

Schedule a call and get started!