Teaching Through Adventures: Crafting Compelling Narratives for Immersive Constructivist Learning

Concurrent Session 8

Brief Abstract

Storytelling is the fundamental method we use to understand ourselves and the world around us, yet storytelling doesn’t have an essential place in online learning. We’ll explore how instructional designers can harness this ancestral power alongside innovative EdTech to increase organic engagement, introduce immersive learning, and transform curricula.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Aaron Robles, Florida International University

Co-presenter: Maikel Right, FIU Online

Maikel Alendy is currently a senior instructional designer with FIU Online. With degrees from the University of Florida and Florida International University in the fields of neuroscience, cultural anthropology, healthcare, and business; his main research interests and publications are in cardiovascular molecular biology, aging, social media, anthropology, and online pedagogy. Within FIU’s honors college, Maikel teaches the fully-online course Digital Fairytale, merging social movements, disruptive technologies, and business trends with a dash of neuropsychology. He is also the instructor for the hybrid course Power of Play, in which students examine the importance of play throughout their lifetime and partner with Sweetwater Elementary to design games for K-5 students. Maikel currently serves as the online experience consultant for FIU’s Honors College and the CTO for a small digital consulting company based in Miami.

Co-presenter: Kieron Williams, Florida International University

Extended Abstract

Storytelling is not just something we experience when we open a book or watch a movie. It is the fundamental way we navigate our lives and the method we use to understand ourselves and the world around us. And yet, storytelling does not have an essential place in online learning. In the race to best imitate the in-class experience, most online courses are structured as something akin to interactive textbooks, maybe with an image here or a video there, but never quite the experience that the classroom provides.  

But judging online classrooms on their ability to imitate physical classrooms is like judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree. Online classrooms are capable of so many things that the physical classroom cannot replicate, and chief among them is the instructor’s ability to use storytelling to shift the context that learning happens -- at any time -- in order to present their students with unique challenges that can only be solved through the comprehension and application of the subject at hand. This is how we can use storytelling not just as a tool, but to introduce the idea of Narrative-Driven Immersive Constructivism and transform the landscape of the online classroom. In this presentation, we will explore how instructors and instructional designers can harness the ancestral power of narrative-driven immersive constructivism alongside innovative EdTech tools such as H5P in order to increase organic engagement, introduce immersive learning, and transform course curricula. 

The use of EdTech tools is a powerful engagement strategy in any learning environment. Specifically, H5P: a free and open-source content creation platform designed for creating interactive tools and elements. H5P makes it easy to create interactive content by providing a multitude of content types for various course needs. The KewAr Code, for instance, allows users to create actionable QR codes that link to other H5P activities. Moreover, these activities communicate with traditional learning management systems (LMSs) through learning tool interoperability (LTIs), recording student progress, and mastery. 

During this session we will present a successful case study demonstrating the integration of H5P’s KewAr Code and Narrative-Driven Immersive Constructivisim. This particular interaction was designed by two instructional designers and a subject matter expert to assess knowledge retention and cultivate collaborative problem-solving. This case study was designed with a large group in mind and the flexibility to be adapted to any discipline. 

After exploring the power of effective immersive constructivist learning, audience members will participate in a scavenger hunt created using the H5P KewAr code tool.   

By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:  

  • Identify the key components of narrative-driven immersive constructivism 

  • Develop and create meaningful learning opportunities through the use of immersive constructivist learning strategies  

  • Optimize storytelling for community development and enhanced learning goals 

  • Recognize how H5P can enhance the immersive constructivist learning process 

Participants will be provided with a full version of the Canva presentation and a digital resource detailing each technology solution discussed, similar technology solutions available, applicable links and case studies will be posted. The presenters will strive to instill a sense of excitement in using technology-driven solutions to remix or create assignments that harness the creative talents of students in sharing their own stories.