By Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel
Imagine you are enrolled in a life sciences course and learning about stochastic molecular motion in biological systems (i.e., how molecules move in random ways within cells and other parts of living things). You are given the option to study the topic using either a) expository instruction which focuses on explaining the topic, b) a narrative instruction where the explanation of the topic is embedded into a story-like narrative that offers additional background information (e.g., about the lives of the researchers who discovered the phenomenon), or c) a narrative blurb that is then followed by expository instruction. Here are examples of the three options:
Expository instruction: “The thermal energy leads not only to rotations or vibrations, whereby covalently bonded atoms move back and forth relative to each other, but also to translational movements, which move molecules from one location to another. This allows molecules to move very efficiently through the cell. In addition, individual molecules collide with each other and constantly change their direction of travel. As a result, molecules embark on a random path through the cytosol that allows them to move quickly from one side of the cell to the other…”
Narrative instruction: “Maud quickly realized that the thermal motion of particles that Robert Brown had seen in his light microscope also resembled the random motion of molecules in cells. Although the interior of the cell is very densely packed, all the particles rotate, vibrate, and move continuously through the cell without a destination. With meticulous care, Maud prepared experiments in her lab in Berlin to study the interaction of enzymes and substrates. She worked day and night, and when she finally had her data, everything suddenly seemed so clear: products were formed more quickly when more substrate was present…”
Narrative prior to expository instruction: “Historical background: Maud quickly realized that the thermal motion of particles that Robert Brown had seen in his light microscope also resembled the random motion of molecules in cells. With meticulous care, Maud prepared experiments in her laboratory in Berlin to study the interaction of enzymes and substrates… Theoretical findings: Cells contain countless different enzymes and molecules, often in very small numbers. The enzymes are responsible for catalyzing thousands of reactions of substrate molecules per minute…”
A recent experiment by Tobler et al. (1) investigated the effects of these three instruction methods on transfer performance in students and whether the effects depended on students’ prior knowledge. The researchers also examined a variety of learning mechanisms such as cognitive load, situational interest, cognitive engagement, and self-efficacy. Before revealing the results, let’s take a look at the potential benefits and pitfalls of using narratives and storytelling methods for learning.
