The Use of Story and Storytelling in Science Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "STEM Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (22 March 2022) | Viewed by 17644

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Humanities, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Education Sciences is launching a Special Issue on “Story and Storytelling in Science Education”.  Given the centrality of narrative thinking as complementary to paradigmatic (or logico-mathematical), an exploration, based on empirical data, of the role and the use of stories and storytelling in science education is long overdue. If Jerome Bruner has been right about the narrative mode of thinking being the “natural” kind or the “default mode” of thinking, then the role that stories and storytelling can play in the teaching and learning of science deserves more attention than it has received in the past. 

We welcome submissions which cover a variety of issues about story and storytelling in science education (at all education levels), such as (a) the functions/purposes of a story (e.g., story as means to humanizing science in general and scientific knowledge in particular, introducing science content ideas, ideas about the nature of science, introducing thought experiments), (b)  the characteristics of an instructionally effective story (or what could be called a “good story”) in science education, (c) the role of story and storytelling in science teacher education, (c) the role of story and storytelling in environmental education.

Even though there has been a lot of anecdotal evidence about the importance and the role of story and storytelling in education in general, the empirical evidence, in the context of teaching and learning school science, although still limited, is nevertheless encouraging. With this in mind, we welcome research studies that address the above issues and, of course, whatever is relevant to the role and use of storytelling in the context of science education. However, theoretical papers are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Yannis Hadzigeorgio
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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12 pages, 1078 KiB  
Article
Culturo-Scientific Storytelling
by Simon Goorney, Caterina Foti, Lorenzo Santi, Jacob Sherson, Jorge Yago Malo and Maria Luisa Chiofalo
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 474; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12070474 - 08 Jul 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2702
Abstract
In this article, we reflect on the functions of outreach in developing the modern scientific mind, and discuss its essential importance in the modern society of rapid technological development. We embed our approach to outreach in culturo-scientific thinking. This is constituted by [...] Read more.
In this article, we reflect on the functions of outreach in developing the modern scientific mind, and discuss its essential importance in the modern society of rapid technological development. We embed our approach to outreach in culturo-scientific thinking. This is constituted by embracing disciplinary thinking (in particular creativity) whilst appreciating the epistemology of science as an evolving dialogue of ideas, with numerous alternative perspectives and uncertain futures to be managed. Structuring scientific knowledge as an assemblage of interacting and evolving discipline-cultures, we conceive of a culturo-scientific storytelling to bring about positive transformations for the public in these thinking skills and ground our approach in quantum science and technologies (QST). This field has the potential to generate significant changes for the life of every citizen, and so a skills-oriented approach to its education, both formal and non-formal, is essential. Finally, we present examples of such storytelling in the case of QST, the classification and evaluation of which correspond to future work in which this narrative approach is studied in action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Story and Storytelling in Science Education)
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24 pages, 1328 KiB  
Article
Stories That Teachers Tell: Exploring Culturally Responsive Science Teaching
by Jamie Wallace, Elaine V. Howes, Arthur Funk, Sean Krepski, Maya Pincus, Susan Sylvester, Kin Tsoi, Caity Tully, Raghida Sharif and Samantha Swift
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 401; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12060401 - 13 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6622
Abstract
In this paper, we explore the stories teachers tell as they study and grapple with culturally responsive education in their science classrooms. This qualitative case study focuses primarily on “Stories from the Field”, a conversational routine at each professional learning group meeting where [...] Read more.
In this paper, we explore the stories teachers tell as they study and grapple with culturally responsive education in their science classrooms. This qualitative case study focuses primarily on “Stories from the Field”, a conversational routine at each professional learning group meeting where teachers shared observations, thoughts, and insights about their classroom, instruction, and school settings in the context of culturally responsive education. We found that teachers’ stories from the first year of the group surfaced themes of navigating systemic constraints and supports, connecting through science, and sensemaking and learning from developing and analyzing strategies for culturally responsive science teaching. This helped to shine a light on a critical aspect of our work exploring culturally responsive education and what that might look like in science classrooms through the stories that teachers tell. Our findings suggest that storytelling is a rich, descriptive vehicle for exploration and sensemaking amongst teachers in a professional learning group and an underused resource in studying culturally responsive education, especially in science. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Story and Storytelling in Science Education)
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9 pages, 219 KiB  
Article
Biographical Profiling of Nikola Tesla for the Creation of an Engaging Story
by Yannis Hadzigeorgiou
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 12; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12010012 - 28 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2584
Abstract
This paper focuses on the potential of storytelling as a means of influencing students to become engaged with science and to choose a career in a STEM field. Given the role that leaders can play in motivating and influencing people and considering Nikola [...] Read more.
This paper focuses on the potential of storytelling as a means of influencing students to become engaged with science and to choose a career in a STEM field. Given the role that leaders can play in motivating and influencing people and considering Nikola Tesla a leader in the fields of electrical engineering and science, the paper identifies Tesla’s leadership traits, as these emerge from his life story, that is, actual historical events regarding his life and his scientific/technological work. These leadership traits refer to (a) imaginative thinking and innovation, (b) persistence/perseverance, and (c) vision, and point to the need for empirical studies to document the effectiveness of the Nikola Tesla story to motivate and influence students. The significance of the Nikola Tesla story for science education is also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Story and Storytelling in Science Education)

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16 pages, 2144 KiB  
Case Report
Using Robots with Storytelling and Drama Activities in Science Education
by Flor A. Bravo, Jairo A. Hurtado and Enrique González
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 329; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11070329 - 02 Jul 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3997
Abstract
Storytelling and drama are well-known teaching tools that can be used throughout the curriculum for the active participation of students in their own learning process. The introduction of robots in storytelling and drama activities provides students with a meaningful, multisensory, hands-on learning experience. [...] Read more.
Storytelling and drama are well-known teaching tools that can be used throughout the curriculum for the active participation of students in their own learning process. The introduction of robots in storytelling and drama activities provides students with a meaningful, multisensory, hands-on learning experience. This paper explores the potential and challenges of using storytelling and drama activities with robot actors in science teaching. We present the lessons learned from two experiences of storytelling and drama activities with robots in science education. Observations revealed that this approach facilitates the development of science concepts, creates a rich context to foster skills in students, creates a positive classroom environment, and improves the students’ attention and motivation. Finally, it was identified that there is a need to design low-cost expressive actor robots that are easily customizable. Additionally, the need to develop multi-robot programming interfaces that facilitate the creation of scripts for robots and their programming is also shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Story and Storytelling in Science Education)
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