Abstract:

The basis of this presentation revolves around the ideas and practice of successfully combining storytelling with cutting-edge digital learning materials to provide students the highest standard of learning resources available.

In the higher education sector, storytelling is often considered somewhat of a cliché now, having been introduced decades ago as a noteworthy tool. Storytelling itself is not new in the paradigm of higher education, however, what is novel and in constant evolution is combining effective storytelling and instructional design with the digital and creative tools available in our industry today. There will be various best practices shared in regards to effective storytelling, as well as pitfalls to avoid when in the creative process.

Combining these best practices with the digital resources at our disposal is where the magic truly happens. A plethora of technology and creative resources is available to higher education institutions and each of one of these can be leveraged to provide a different scope to our learners. For example, participating in a paper-based study will be a completely different experience than participating in a video-enriched multimedia case. Both the paper-based case study and the multimedia case are vehicles in which students will have access to the same academic content, but one could potentially have the student much more invested and involved than the other.

There will be various examples of these best practices given during the presentation, with emphasis being on one of IE’s latest HiOPs (High Impact Online Programs): Leading Innovation. Within the course students have exposure to two separate ¨layers¨, both which include storytelling and digital technology: Innovation Island and A Journey From Challenge to Change. Although the storylines and digital technology give vastly different experiences, both have proved to be useful tools in the learners’ journey and understanding of the material.

Keywords:

Digital, Storytelling, Moocs, Spoocs, Multimedia, Higher-education, Business Schools.