Sea-Stories

This week in R541, we are learning about the use of Storytelling/Humor/Cases in the context of Instructional Design.  As I was going through this week’s readings, a recurring thought came to mind: Sea-Stories.  Being in the Coast Guard- which is the nation’s oldest maritime service- I have heard (and probably told) my fair share of sea-stories.  In looking back on these, they really connect each of the three topics headlining this week’s readings.  A good sea-story really captures and uses elements of storytelling, humor, and a case/event, and can often be found in many USCG training environments- either from design or instructor whim.  As Dr. Glazewski pointed out in the screencast, a case is sort of a story with an instructional purpose.  Sea-stories can be both just a story, or angled to have a lesson-learned in a formal instructional or other learning setting.

Here is perhaps a good (and short) example of a sea-story from my own background:

As a Boarding Officer on a Coast Guard Cutter in the Bering Sea, I was tasked with leading a boarding/inspection of a fishing boat.  Seas were about 6-8 feet, and it was freezing out.  The small-boat carried us (the Boarding Team of 4) from the cutter over to the fishing boat.  As our small-boat and the fishing boat pitched in the seas, we each precarious jumped over the gunnel (raised lip around the fishing boat – like a half-wall surrounding the deck).  One of the guys on the team mis-timed the jump, and the small-boat dropped out from under him.  He barely grabbed the edge of the gunnel, and was dangling dangerously over the freezing water.  He was able to pull himself up, with the help of the Boarding Team members who had already made it over.  Close call. 

There are many similarities between this example and the technician examples discussed in Jonassen and Hernandez-Serrano (2002).  It relays problem solving, develops self-efficacy through vicarious experience, enhances memory through connecting to existing schemata, and builds organizational culture. In retrospect, not every member on the cutter saw this happen, and the story was shared around the crew over the next few hours.  As it was told, it relayed a tale of caution, but with the eventual positive ending in that he made it aboard the fishing boat safely.  It was told in a certain “salty” manner that may not be appropriate for an academic forum, conveying some humor.  And it was an excellent case/example for both the technique of timing the jump, as well as why physical fitness is vital for the Boarding Team.

Stories have real-world context that pertains to the situation in which the learners will apply their new knowledge.  But in rigorous academic learning, I believe that stories may not be the most efficient or effective way to understand the full scope of details of complex subject matter, but rather may be better suited as attention-getters or as examples to clarify and contextualize the information.  As Jonasseen and Hernandez-Serrano (2002) stated: “Rather than generating scientific and rigorously rational explanations of phenomena, the new concern of these disciplines now seems to be with “meaning-making” (Bruner, 1990).”

Ertmer, Quinn and Glazewski outline a wide array of benefits to case-based learning, with the crux of the article positing that budding designers have much to learn from the experiences of seasoned professionals in the IST field.  This is true in almost every profession; we can all benefit from learning from our “elders” to some degree.  It is also true that learning is a life-long process, and even seasoned professionals can learn from a unique experience encountered by a younger or less-experienced individual, and can certainly benefit from their own new experiences, adding to their own Case Based Reasoning ability. 

The “reflective mind-set” that Ertmer, Quinn and Glazewski proffer is a skill that can be used in almost any situation, by any individual.  I view this point as critical.  Much like evaluation, which is present in almost everything we do (ex. smell the milk to evaluate if it went bad, or evaluate the success of a Fortune 500 company’s new product), the reflective mindset allows us to learn from the success and failure of others  (ex. Timmy didn’t turn off the power before changing a light fixture, and got badly shocked, so maybe I should turn it off when I do the same task).   Open-mindedness, adaptability, and the ability to question your own views allow for an increased likelihood of success in facing the complexities of the real world.

In addition to enhancing learner comprehension of a complex topic, storytelling and case learning both allow for sharing vital safety related information and best-practices.  In dangerous or other high-risk (financial, relationship, etc) tasks, learning from examples provides vital decision making resources to novices. As Jonassen and Hernandez-Serrano (2002) state:

Given the lack of previous experiences by novices, experiences available through a case library are expected to augment their repertoire of experiences by connecting with those they have experienced. Their prior experiences serve as a basis for interpreting current and future stories, forewarning us of potential problems, realizing what to avoid, and foreseeing the consequences of our decisions or actions.

In summary, this week’s readings were enlightening in that they portrayed common story-telling, which we as humans engage in on a daily or even hourly basis, as a tremendous resource which can be woven into the fabric of instruction to enhance the richness of the learning experience.   These examples can be simple stories, or more focused cases, and used in a wide array of ways.  Personally, I am a learner who finds examples very helpful.  I think that I had previously understood the role of storytelling and cases, but perhaps not in the formal way I do now.  Each of the three recommended uses of stories (examples, problems to be solved, advice) provided by Jonassen and Hernandez-Serrano (2002) are significantly beneficial in fulfilling Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, especially in achieving the level of Integration.  

Problem solving through cases and examples brings context to the abstract.