Who Owns “Microlearning?” The Learners Do. Not Grovo.

Grovo, Inc. (founded 2010) has trademarked the term “Microlearning”, reported by Chief Learning Officer. CLO states this is currently on a Supplemental Status.

This is another attempt of a Goliath overshadowing the small folks made up of many Davids.

Microlearning is too fundamental both as a process and for its value. Its core principles, practices and methods have been "owned" and implemented by numerous professionals globally even in early 2000. Sadly, Grovo is claiming ownership of “water” and “air”, in this case.

In my humble opinion, Grovo is being high-handed about running its business. It appears to ignore the needs of its market and clients for open-thinking and open-sharing. It is acting so “UN-Microlearning.” By its actions, it claims their brand is the only way to do Microlearning. I predict, just like other earlier companies that have tried to trademark generic terms, Grovo may not live up to its lofty exclusivity goals especially with the learners.

It’s about the Facts

2006 - First book on Microlearning (Before Grovo was founded)

The book 3-Minute e-Learning: Rapid Learning and Applications, Amazingly Lower Cost and Faster Speed of Delivery, Ray Jimenez, PhD (2006) (ISBN ISBN 978-0-9791847-0-3) Published in Lulu.com.

In many instances in this book, I referred to the definitions and applications of Micro-learning, Microlearning, Micro-Content, Micro-Context, Micro-Coaching and many other applications of Microlearning.

Grovo Even Cited “3-Minute eLearning” in a white paper

Grovo referred to my book as a source of their white paper on Microlearning

More on Ray Jimenez’s Works

Ray Jimenez and others have been researching, espousing and innovating systems and software with the Microlearning principles.

2007 Micro-Learning Impacts - Training Conference Study

Click here to access the ebook.

Published in the Internet by UPFEL

2014 Microlearning Workshops Started

Workshops on Microlearning for Disruptive Results

2017 Micro.Expert Deep Dive Learning System

Micro.Expert is a "Digital Learning Platform" following the principles of Microlearning and Expertise Development.

These following works, videos, blogs, webinars, and presentations have continued to be published since 2008

Ray’s Blog 2008

YouTube - Ray's Videos 2010

YouTube - Ray's Videos 2009

TrainingMagnetwork.com Webinars 2014

TrainingMagnetwork.com Webinars 2014

eLearning Guild 2015

eLearning Guild

Micro-Learning Presentations

Training Magazine Workshops

2013 Developing Short and Instant Learning Certificate

eLearning Guild Devlearn

October 25, 2017

Conclusion

Microlearning should not be a proprietary term to be claimed by any single organization or individual. Rather, it should be a learning approach that should be easily shared by learning advocates who believe in its usefulness, employed by organizations  and utilized by learners/workers for immediate information access for efficient on-the-job results.

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Vignettes Learning

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Hands-On #5: Are You Ready for Microlearning Jobs? Check Out Your Skills

The push for Microlearning has established a firm footing among companies, consultants, suppliers and vendors. In the process they have began recognizing that Microlearning jobs are actually needed now and the talent supply is scarce.

A certain number of these jobs are being done now. However, many new skills are required to hone the necessary craft. How do you pivot to acclimatize and adapt to these new jobs? What path should you follow? How do you know you've arrived?

Download the PDF on "Microlearning Emerging Job Functions"

The "Microlearning Emerging Job Functions" article covers the following below. Check out the details.

• WorkFlow Consultant
• "River of News" Writer
• eCosystems Architect
• Trust Manager
• Mobile Creator

Download the PDF now on "Microlearning Emerging Job Functions."

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Vignettes Learning

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Hands-On #4: Download your Microlearning Flashcards Demo Source Files

In the context of Microlearning, instant learning happens. Remember your parents or grade school teacher flashing cards and instantly asking you the right answer? I love this a lot in route learning - 10 x  5 (card one), then the back of the card shows the correct answer 50.

Flashcards work well in Microlearning in the memorization of basic key ideas. Although it serves its purpose for building recall and memory, it does nothing for the worker when solving a problem.

The biggest benefit of Microlearning Flashcards is in the fundamental format of making a small bite of idea or concept repeatedly memorized.

Download the source files for the FlashCards

Preview two examples of Flashcards. Then download the Storyline source file. You can own the files for your in-house reference.

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Vignettes Learning

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Hands-On #3: Download Your Copy of the Microlearning Chatbot (Emulation)

The worlds of Learning Machines and Deep Learning are now vocabularies borrowed from the cognitive sciences and now applied in technology. IBM touts its Watson to be a learning machine capable of deep learning and more capabilities. Amazon's Alexa promises the same Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations. Iphone has SIRI as an advance learning machine. There are many more illustrations.

From a learning view, we all wonder how this really works. Click here to view a SIMULATED CHATBOT - Talk with Tobias.

Click here to play Talk with Tobias.

Why are chatbots Microlearning tools?

When trying to solve problems or finding solutions or just following one's curiosity, workers can dive into historical data or scenarios. In the backend, the chatbots are powered by tremendous volume of data which are organized, stored and then served to the worker when he/she is in the inquiry mode. Talk with Tobias is an emulation. We developed this to share with you what a chatbot might look like and how it behaves.

A conversation keeps context

Large systems like IBM's Watson and Amazon's Alexa try to mimic people's experiences like conversations. This is pretty similar to what SIRI says - "How can I help you?" or "I can't understand your question."

Talk with Tobias is our own illustration. Of course, this is very short because it is only an emulation.

Download you copy of Talk with Tobias

Click here to download your HTML5 code on Talk with Tobias as an emulation.

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Vignettes Learning

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Hands-On #2: Download Your Copy of the Story Development Template

When I saw the videos from the University of Western Florida, I thought the way they do "Mistory" is fascinating. The videos educate while entertaining the viewers and learners. Please see the website with several videos.

This hands-on guide is a template that you can use to study and prepare story structures for your videos. For this exercise I took the Lions in the Water: the Impact of the Environment on the Gulf video. In the YouTube version you can see the Transcript which I included with time markers in the explanations.

Watch the video while you also check out the Lionfish PDF large format (11x17 page.) In the PDF layout I also added some comments on key ideas to help you write your proposed script for your project.

Download the Lionfish PDF file and have fun with your learning.

Let me know of your thoughts.

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Vignettes Learning

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Hands-On #1: Technique on Combining Factual Content with Stories

How do you make sure that when using stories in your lesson, you still drill down to the details of the content?

One of the most challenging tasks in Story-Based Learning Design is combining facts within the story.

This WOW series explains an actual demo on a technical production content and how characters have a conversation.

Video by Ray to explain the demo

Click here to view the video

Demo is Downtime

Click to view the demo

Key ideas to remember:

1. Use an event with characters having conversations.
2. Discuss the factual content, like statistics and data, that are relevant to the story.
3. Never insert a fact if it is not within the context of the story.
4. Add more facts as references to support the information used within the story.

See related Tips:

Stories of Real-Life Fiascos and Blunders Motivate Learners

Weaving Stories and Factual Content for Seamless Lessons

Using Problems, Diagnostics and Solutions in eLearning

Ray Jimenez, PhD

Vignettes Learning

"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

The Power of Metaphors in eLearning

Synthesis:
In the film, Lincoln, President Lincoln and Thaddeus Stevens used the power of metaphors to solve two crucial historical stand-offs during the American civil war. The insights shared here will help us to better appreciate the power of storytelling and show us how we can effectively use it as eLearning professionals, developers, and trainers. __________________________________________________________________________

Lincoln, Steven Spielberg’s masterful biographical film on Abraham Lincoln, unravels the saga of an emerging American nation torn by ideological divide. The centerpiece of the film is the last four months of President Lincoln’s life, dedicated to push for the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution by the House of Representatives.

While the film uncovers the many facets of the 16th President of the United States both as a man and  as an emancipator, it provides a glimpse into how other Americans stood by or stood against Lincoln. As soldiers fight on the battlefields, another battle shifted to the United States Congress as Republicans and Democrats debated on the meaning and context of the line: “Men, being created equal.”

Even the Republicans were divided. 

Thaddeus Stevens was firm on his hard stance on full equality for all – Negroes and Whites – on marriage and voting rights. However, Lincoln only wanted to focus on equality under the legal definition of emancipation.

To persuade Stevens, Lincoln used this metaphor:

“The compass points you true north but does not warn you of obstacles and swamps along the way. What is the use of knowing the North Star when along the way one can sink into a hole and never reach one’s destination?”

Apparently, Lincoln’s metaphor was so persuasive that it convinced Thaddeus Stevens  to support the Law of Emancipation.

Taking his cue from Lincoln, Thaddeus Stevens used the power of metaphor to outwit and overpower the hostile Congress with these words:

“How can I hold that all men are created equal? When here before me stands stinking the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio, proof that some men are inferior, endowed by their Maker with dim wits, impermeable to reason, with cold pallet slime in their veins instead of hot red blood?!

You are more reptile than man, George!

So low in fact, that the foot of man is incapable of crushing you.

Yet, even you... even worthless, unworthy you, ought to be treated equally before the law.

And so, I say again and again and again: I do not hold the equality of all things - only the equality before the law!“

At the end, Steven Thaddeus succeeded.

Congress passed the Law of Emancipation.

So, what can we learn from here?

If you want to accelerate the learning process, use metaphors and tell a story.

While Lincoln used the ‘story of a man following the North Star’ to persuade Stevens, he in turn, told a scathing tale about ‘a man who was as low as a reptile’ to rebuke Congress.

By infusing metaphors with brilliant storytelling, the complex abstracts are transformed into understandable specifics.

In Story-Based eLearning Design there are abundant opportunities to use metaphors. I often use metaphors to emphasize a point or stress a simple idea with a more vivid image.

For example:

"I hate doing this." to "I grind my teeth when I am asked to do this task."

"Avoid using the software for the wrong reasons" to "Don't use a dump truck to haul furniture or use a Volkswagen Beetle to haul a boulder."

Do you want to change the world?

Tell a story.

See previous blog: Transforming Minds - Using Metaphors in eLearning


References
 
Jimenez, R., Lincoln, Storyteller. 2012, accessed at http://vignettestraining.blogspot.com/

Lincoln Production Notes, accessed at http://www.thelincolnmovie.com/media/LincolnProductionNotes.pdf

Spielberg, S.: Lincoln. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Los Angeles: 20th Century Fox & DreamWorks Studio, 2012.
 


Ray Jimenez, PhD
Vignettes Learning
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Can you explain the “Fiscal Cliff Crisis” to an Eight-year old?

The title of this article is a challenge to educators, designers, and developers on how to turn complex financial subjects into simple understandable lessons. Finance matters are very important in current real life situations as America continues to thread the tightrope of its economic problems. So, what learning modality could be more effective in teaching lessons on finance and money matters?

Try storytelling.

I’ve always advocated using the power of a story in teaching lessons. View an   introduction to our Story-based eLearning Workshop.

Synthesis. In the research paper Using Storytelling to Increase Interest and Recollection in Finance Concepts, the authors Lonnie Bryant and Renard Harris discussed the use of storytelling as an effective means to engage students in teaching finance and economic matters. The study examines the effectiveness of storytelling as a way to heighten  student recollection. Results of their study shows that story telling increases the interest and recollection capabilities of the students who were part of the study.

Elements of  Storytelling. The authors of the paper give significant reference to Hidler who wrote that

Storytellers also have the responsibility of respecting and protecting the audience as they travel together through the story (Harris (2007). Storytelling has the power to foster inclusivity because it engages the imagination and emotions (Hilder (2005)). Hilder (2005) writes that the mission of a story is to widen awareness and awaken possibilities. Stories should have a definite beginning, middle, and end, and a call to adventure that initiates a physical, emotional, and spiritual journey for the main character (Bishop and Kimball, 2006; Ohler, 2006). Merry and New (2008)

Reasons Why Storytelling is Effective. Here are summary points that justify storytelling as an effective teaching modality:

• Storytelling requires listeners to suspend their disbelief
• Storytelling induce the use imagination and metaphors
• Storytelling compels students to focus and to exert effort to listen
• Storytelling challenges people to respond and offer feedback

Conclusion of the Study. The authors Lonnie Bryant and Renard Harris in their paper Using Storytelling to Increase Interest and Recollection in Finance Concepts reached this conclusion:

This study has shown that the introduction of storytelling that links student interest and financial theory has led to an improvement in student performance. This is attributed to the fact that the use of storytelling was a successful active-learning tool that involved student recognition of some of the elements of the story. By incorporating a storytelling presentation, results from student performance reveal that a significant proportion of students have an increased recollection of  the material covered. It was also found that this positive outcome was not related to the type of class but rather the increased interest in the lecture. These results support arguments that students that have a greater interest in the presentation have a perceived benefit between studying financial theory and its practical applications by personalizing the problem, storytelling can change the minds, motives and capacities of students. The art of storytelling can provide students with knowledge, skills, and the moral convictions that are needed to establish a productive and financially stable community. Thus, the goal of a lecturer should not be to teach from the text book, but to understand the text-book theory and incorporate that theory into a storytelling presentation. That requires understanding of institutional details that are applicable and integrating them into a storytelling presentation.

Read also my related blog:

Avoid a Fatal Error: Lack of Specificity in eLearning Interactive Stories

Reference

Bryant, L. and Harris, R. (NA). Using Storytelling to Increase Interest and Recollection in Finance Concepts.

 

Ray Jimenez, PhD
Vignettes Learning
"Helping Learners Learn Their Way"

Making Technical & Compliance Learning Engaging & Fun

Synthesis:
Develop fun and engaging technical and compliance elearning programs through approaches such as unbundling content adapted to the learner’s perspective, finding instant context and weaving context and facts through real-life stories. Identify “must learn” from “learn on need" content and discover application points.
______________________________________________________________________

How many of you feel that your learning programs are like an interrogation process or bad medicine to be ingested?

Facts, theories, rules, legalese information are necessary elements in learning. However, these can be very unappealing, boring, unnerving and downright tedious to learners. Even as we understand the need for it, the key idea to keep in mind is this : unless the learner has some personal goals being achieved, such information do not become valuable to them. As a result, they tend to mentally wander instead of staying focused.

There are certain approaches that may help you create reality-based technical and compliance learning programs that enable learners to absorb learning points that impact job performance.

Identify the difference between these following approaches.

Studying Physics vs fixing A Car?

Networking Class vs Network Troubleshooting?
 The examples present a vivid contrast between :
• Theory vs. Hands On Training
• Academic Goals vs. Personal Goals

Learners latch on to what is real, that they can relate to very quickly.

Unbundling Content from the Technical View to the Learner’s View 

To make technical training engaging, we need to rethink and change content presentation from the technical specialist’s view (Engineer, specialized author or subject matter expert (SME)) to the learner’s perspective. The unbundling process allows us to efficiently recognize components or areas of the content that help the learners obtain better understanding that result to efficient and valuable learning.

“What does not have consequence to the person (positive or negative)
does not get attention. It does not impact their personal goals and lives."

Finding Instant Context
 
People's attention is drawn to content that they can relate to.

A company that we worked with provides a perfect example of how they realized a way for learners to discover context while learning instructions.

Initially, this was the learning option chosen: Focused on Instruction

However, they realized that this was a more effective approach:
Focused on diagnosis, problem solving




The key change to be considered is the shift from Instruction-focused to the Application- focused method in content preparation. Whenever you have content, you relate the factual area to a real-life situation.

Here is a vivid example.

How do we organize content to make it application focused?

The Tractor Story

Share specific solutions and related stories to diagnosis and research. Instead of starting from steps 1 to 10, begin with different situations. In that way, we draw the learners into the content.

Also carefully consider the impact that various technologies, particularly software application have on the study experience.

Weaving Context and Facts

Weaving individual stories into traditional context removes the mere technicality of the subject. When your programs have too much of technical, factual and legalese information, people lose interest.

Weaving “Real-Life” Stories: Structured Learning vs Design by Context
A test is usually more on memorization instead of application. Doing too much memorization tests depreciate the application value of a compliance program you have. Yet when you use stories interwoven with technical content , the learner’s experience and involvement dramatically changes. So is their learning level. Tests now take on a more substantial form.

There may be more than one event within a story; you may end up with few experiences and circumstances which lead back to the same process that becomes more driven towards reality rather than theory.

Here are some examples:

Challenging technical subjects can be discovered through the presentation of real-life situations that instruct the value of investigating factual information and encourages learners to understand, apply, appreciate and maintain the worth of technical knowledge. Click here to view "Would Maria Qualify as Spouse?"

Instead of enumerating the reasons of why you need to wash your hands, it would be better to bring learners into the reality of the need to do this on a day to day basis. Click here and watch the vignette for “Washing Hands”.

The “Must Learn” and “Learn on Need”

Click here for the enlarged view

It is essential to identify “must learn” from “learn on need” content. Research consistently and come up with a decision on “what is really essential in this content?” which the learner can use to improve on the job. What value can be added? What mistakes must be prevented? What difficulties or challenges in the workplace must be addressed by the content? Initiate the thinking process when you look at your content.

Features and Functions Training

If you ask subject experts on what is important, they will definitely tell you that it is everything . This can be a problem. We tend to be too instruction focused because what is really important has not been pinpointed.

When I wrote the book “3 Minute eLearning”, research showed that instructional design tend to develop a program but will focus - step by step - on the technical content. Clients are looking for “what they must learn” to perform on the job. What I have discovered is that the content that is really important is what you call value to improve or commence performance now. With the difficult content, they still need to learn how the difficulty should be conquered.

Discover Application Points

How do you discover application points?

Accentuate on real-life events and applications; rather than facts overload.

I want to share with you a very interesting example of an “Application-Based Scenario”.


It will show you how to weave real life information together in such a way that you go in and out of points. It will help you see how theory is transferred into application through following instructions. Observe how weaving of applications and the functions are applied here. Note how you could relate, view pictures which are powerful for your imagination, the technical product and the hammer effect. Click here and watch “Evernote”.

Summary:
Learning technical and compliance information can definitely be fun and engaging. Applying the varied approaches and methods available and the careful consideration with regard to software usage can help learners connect with facts through stories. Focusing on application rather than instruction is key in content preparation. Identifying “must learn” versus “learn on need” content is crucial as well.

Related Posts: 
Making Facts Stick With Stories - Jiggling Atoms
How to Embed Learning Goals in Stories
Instant Learning: How it works and how to make it happen?

Creating Great Stories for eLearning

Synthesis: 

Create great stories for learning by exploring sources and methods like business artifacts, business practices or memes, personal tips, workarounds, how-to’s, self-help solutions and even people’s backgrounds. Systematically collected stories can  become a reference library for elearning  programs.   

____________________________________________________________________________

Disney and Pixar recently released the movie "Brave." What a great title. That alone, immediately reminded the audience of the travails, fears, hopes, joys, challenges and adventures of heroic people. With "Brave" as the title, it becomes an instant recall for stories. It is pure genius. Of course this is Pixar. On the other hand, eLearning designers, as many may say, "don't have the creative juices" to craft powerful titles and stories. However, we are more optimistic. I think deep in the hearts of learning designers is the ability to create stories that compel learners. 

Creating great stories for eLearning is an investment that raises the engagement or compelling levels of your programs. This helps the learner to learn better and faster.
There are varied sources and forms of stories. Oftentimes, it is easier to find and tell a story, when one knows the questions to ask and what to search with a set of frameworks or storymaps. In this article, our objective is to learn how to find great stories that fit the nature of the content you want to stress.

SRIA eLearning Design Model – straight to the gut

In the eBook and in our workshops, we introduced the SRIA (Set up, Relate, Interpret and Apply) Story-based eLearning Design approach. SRIA is a microcosm or nucleus of converting a small content into a story format. In Set up, we transform learning objectives into observable real behaviors, events and consequences, either positive or negative. At the Relate phase, the learner is invited into the story. During the Interpret step, we ask the learner to analyze or assess the story. Finally getting to the Apply approach, the learner is encouraged to try it out or test the story idea in real-life situations. SRIA is our "straight to the gut" approach. It is a "cut to the chase" method of applying stories in eLearning. See examples of the SRIA approach - Burglary Watch and The Secret.

Different Methods of Finding Great Stories

Business artifacts – "What's behind the numbers?"

Try looking at your customer complaint logs or your accident reports or scrap waste level or rate of returns. These are artifacts in every organization that provide very rich sources of stories from its data vault. The artifacts reflect some incidents or real-life situations that become part of the data and numbers.


These include:

• Logs
• Reports
• Customer complaints
• Exception reports
• Conversion ratios
• Data in sales, marketing, production, logistics, safety
• Financial records
• Compliance directives, infractions,
• Performance records
• Efficiency and productivity reports
• Other specifics of your business

I recall a former professor of mine, who taught finance. He said, 

"All numbers reflect what reality is out there. Don't just accept numbers. Ask what's behind the numbers."

Examples of stories from artifacts

"Howard Shultz of Starbucks saved millions of dollars by simply adding a controlled measurement marker in the pitcher serving soy milk. Previously, employees would throw away soy milk costing millions."

 
"Some graduate degree students sued FedEx for failing to deliver their applications to grant institutions. FedEx promised the next day. But the package arrived two days after causing rejections of the applications for the grant."


I was observing a call center order taker for a large online retailer and the chat transcription went this way. "Do you deliver in Stockholm? I need the stroller immediately since I am traveling." – customer from Stockholm. "Yes, do you want the FedEx next-day option? It would be $72.00 more." – call center person in Dallas, Texas.

Business practices - "What we are about"

Most organizations espouse principles, visions and practices to help them accomplish their goals and strategies. Practices send powerful messages about the culture and norms in the organization. Best practices are usually what we refer to when pointing learners towards success. However, bad practices are also vivid illustrations on "what not to do." 

Business practices are usually expressed in terms of:

• Statement of vision
• History of the organization
• Previous, present and future comparisons
• Turnaround stories
• Conquests

Practices become "memes". Memes are hard-coded practices that are expressed as unquestionable norms, cultures and practices. They either work for or against the organization. Memes either promote or discourage changes you want to happen. In the blog "Battle of Stories", we express that trainers and designers need to factor "memes" into their design. 

Learning your corporate "memes" helps you leverage it's energy and emotional power to enhance your learning design. 

Examples of memes – practices

Undesirable: "Our customers tend to take advantage of our goodwill. So here in our company, we support customers sparingly." 

Favorable: "Customers are always right. Even when they are wrong, they are right."

See more on slogans, memes, impact stories, surveys, etc.(Click here)

In organizational context, stories are often shared in the following forms:

• Cautionary tales
• Genesis stories
• Leadership stories
• Stories of failure
• Founder myths
• Heroic stories
• Stories of hope
• Fearful stories
• Stories of transformation
• Visionary stories
• War stories

(Source: Dave Straker)

Personal tips, workarounds, short cuts, how to's, and self-help solutions

John Seely Brown, Xerox PARC scientist and author of "Social Life of Information" recounts this story. To paraphrase:

"Our team of engineers had a serious problem with one of our copying machines. We had spent weeks to study how to fix the problem. It continued to jam. Four engineers could not solve the problem. Finally, we went to see a mail room operator who used the same machine. We asked how he kept on using the machine without being bogged down. To our surprise, the operator explained that the paper's weight and humidity caused some serious jam. So to avoid the problem, he  allow paper to aerate and dry. This avoided the jam."
 
Another example - I had a conversation with the champion project leader of a large assessment company. They were converting their paper and pencil assessments into a software-based method using the iPad. This was a first-of-its kind in the world. The conversation went this way:

"We provided an assistance-type of a help guide to help users learn how to use the software and the iPad. But we were amazed to discover that users started using their workarounds to use the assessments and iPad in ways that they found useful and beneficial. Our software developers wondered what was going on here. Why were users not following the help guide provided to them?" 

 
One of my clients, the largest drip irrigation system manufacturer in the world uses this illustration: 

"Our drippers (tubes for underground drip irrigation) are so thin they easily break when punctured during installation, by coyotes and even birds. The drippers are very strong, but very thin. So we use the trash bag illustration – thin, yet durable. It was easier to understand."
 
Sources of stories from people's background

Heather J. Richmond of St. Thomas University wrote a paper "Learners' Lives: A Narrative Analysis". Her study included a series of interviews with adults for the purpose of helping improve literacy through connecting stories. 

Richmond developed a Schematic Organization of the Storymap (Figure 1) below. Her intention is to use the storymap to understand people's sources of stories.

(Click here for enlarged view)

When we look at Richmond's storymap, one invariably asks the question, "Can you share with me something about your background? The question encourages the person being interviewed to narrate an experience and share a related story. The storymap helps to provide us with a framework to understand where stories could come from. 

Collecting stories through a library system

In working with clients and non-profit organizations, we frequently suggest that they systematically collect stories. One large company developed a story posting and sharing web-based application to enable subject matter experts (SMEs), leaders, managers and team members to submit stories for different categories.

The client company found the system very productive. It became a source for immediate access to stories they can refer to, when writing eLearning programs.

An example of this system is Stories2Learn.com – click here. 

(Click here to view examples)

Summary

We all love a well crafted and totally compelling story. Everyday, stories swirl around us from the radio, tv, subway, bus station, our neighbor, friend or even our co-worker. Creating great stories for eLearning is an excellent method for quality learning. Stories help learners to easily grasp learning by taking them through a series of events toward discovery points. These maximize learners' participation and interaction and eventual application to real-life situations.

Related links

Which is More Compelling to the Learners: Facts or Stories?
"Concrete and Vivid Stories Exert Extraordinary Influence"
Making Facts Stick With Stories - Jiggling Atoms
How to Embed Learning Goals in Stories
Instant Learning: How it works and how to make it happen?