How to maximize storytelling e-learning?

Setting up the story

A story is all about characters, circumstances, a problem to be solved or a challenge to be me. So, the story being told will have a beginning, a middle and an end.

Storytelling is of particular interest when developing an e-learning course. The evolving story must serve clearly defined, pre-targeted, sound pedagogical objectives.

Characters

The characters developed for the story should enable learners to recognize themselves in their professional context and elicit an emotional response. The learners should be able to identify with a character, a reaction or a question, project themselves into a required task or a behavior, or oppose what is asked and adopt the appropriate behavior.

To create this world where credible characters evolve, a thorough knowledge of the target audience and the context in which they are evolving is crucial. Otherwise, the magic won’t work, and the intended learning may suffer.

Aspects of the characters that will ensure a strong connection with the learners include: being sympathetic or unsympathetic, show similar or different values, arouse emotions such as empathy, curiosity or anticipation.

Creating a proper problem or a challenge

It would be a turn-off for learners to meet characters to whom nothing happens, or who go through a sequence of events without difficulty or conflict, or whose creativity is not called upon in any way to find solutions.

The problems staged will therefore be representative of real difficulties in the learners’ environment and will enable them to experience their resolution

The desire to problem-solve and the excitement this creates will increase motivation and commitment among learners, while transmitting the knowledge and skills targeted by the training.

Using engaging visual representations

The emotional connection and the human quality that are necessary for learning can only be sustained by well-written text, evocative and precise.

However, if the project’s scope allows it, using visual media such as illustrations, photographs or videos adds another layer and helps foster an even greater emotional and reflexive connection in learners.

Interactivity

Can a story be told using interactivity? Or course! Interactive quizzes and feedback can not only move the story along but is also a great way to provide relevant learning content.

Asking questions first, putting the learners, placing them at the center of the action and then confirming or correcting their assumptions, reactions and processes is an approach that is particularly well-suited to adult learners, and is in line with the principles of andragogy.

In addition to visually representing the characters, naming them – Carl, Maëlie, Josée, Ron – helps the target audience learn the skills, notions and abilities they need to improve their performance at work, and justify using storytelling as an approach in training.

Learners will remember what they’ve learned longer and better if they link content to stories.

A guy walks into a… Remember this one?

What would lead a woman to pursue a career that is typically male dominated? Through a candid interview with our female integrators, explore the different facets of their professional day-to-day.

A Perfect Career Path, For Everyone!

Choosing a career in IT comes with a few challenges! There are many reasons to pursue a career in information technologies, but what stands out, if you ask our female integrators, is the opportunity to see, understand and manipulate what’s hiding behind the interface of websites and videogames, to solve interesting problems and build multimedia environments. In other words, it’s all about the technical side of things and the fun and challenging tech issues they get to solve!

The Feminine Touch

The inclusion of women in this male-dominated field can yield a lot of benefits for teams – and their employers. Our female integrators specifically noted the quality and detail-oriented nature of their work. Women also improve work structures, bring their own approach to challenges and problem-solving, and of course, contribute to communications in their own special way.

A Lot of Room for Improvement

Women in IT are underrepresented in Quebec. According to a report on women in IT by TECHNOCompétences, only 20% of the 136 000 available IT jobs were held by women in 2017. According to the 2021-2024 sector diagnostic produced by the organization, men represented 78% of workers in the sector as of 2021.

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Work performance, an added pressure?

Is it true that women in male-dominated industries need to overperform? Instead, it might be more interesting to ask if the pressure to overperform stems from the industry, or from women themselves, because of their education. As with many things, perception can become reality and this reality deserves to be questioned.

As with many things, perception can become reality and this reality deserves to be questioned.

The Future is Looking Bright

Societal biases can also affect what education girls receive. For instance, parents can often influence their children’s career choices through the opinions that they voice.

The proportion of women in tech-driven education programs is still much lower than that of men, even if this difference in proportion is slowly evening out. What’s encouraging though, according to our female integrators that are currently completing their education, is that there appears to be more women completing the education program then men!

Our female integrators have some tips for any woman or girl considering, curious or interested in this field of work: go for it, be confident in your self and your capacities, and take the spot that belongs to you because you’re not stealing it from anyone else.

We wholeheartedly thank our female integrators for taking the time to share their experiences with us!