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Inside Stories: A Narrative Journey

By Judy Robertson, Lisa Gjedde, Ruth Aylett, Rose Luckin, Paul Brna

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Hardcover, 294 pages

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Five travellers meet on a train: a teacher, a technologist, an educational researcher and two children. As they travel across the continent towards the Future of Learning conference, they exchange their stories. This book explores the ways in which new technology can support storytelling skills in learners. Written in the form of discussions between teachers, learners and researchers, it is an accessible introduction to issues in educational storytelling and technology. "This is the perfect introduction to the possibilities of narrative learning...I warmly recommend Inside Stories: A Narrative Journey to creative educators of every variety." Dr Donald Smith, Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

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Mar. 3, 2009 By Krystina Madej

"Inside Stories: A Narrative Journey"
I found Inside Stories, a narrative journey, provides a very accessible and entertaining guide to both general theory and practical issues, in particular, for anyone not yet introduced to the subject of how storytelling can support learning and how new technology can facilitate this process,

Shaped as a narrative of a train journey, the story brings together five strangers traveling across the continent towards the “Future of Learning” conference; this common destination encourages discussion about education. We learn about storytelling and technology from the different points of view of researchers, teachers, and students.
... More > />What is particularly attractive about the approach is that, for the novice teacher or someone unfamiliar with the topic, the travelers bring us their expertise by engaging in lively, sometimes heated, discussions that give a fair hearing to different, often opposite, perspectives, on not only the theoretical underpinnings of using story and technology in the classroom, but on the practical concerns as well. Because the dialogue is not between peer experts, the explanations provided are straightforwardly clear and readers participate in the travelers’ learning process. The addition of children’s voices is unusual, but welcome, as it is children who often take on the role of teachers with new technology. We come to know ideas and events through discussions by people whose biases become evident in their interaction with each other. We are then free to make up our own minds.

The first part of the book, ”Storytelling,” helps readers understand different aspects of narrative. It begins with an example of how urban legends grow and goes on to define story, describe frame stories, and discuss different genres such as fairytales, folktales, and myths. From structural issues, it moves to why stories work in learning situations, how cultural context provides for different interpretations of stories, and the multiple points of view that stories offer to children. It provides both full-length examples and short excerpts that the travelers discuss in light of theory and classroom applicability.

The second section provides an invaluable resource for teachers who are unfamiliar with new technologies and their use in classroom situations. The authors, again, offer examples of technology in use from research projects to serious games. Among other activities, the travelers learn to make a role-playing game with the “NeverWinter Nights Toolset,” they engage with a medieval re-enactment game “A Medeival Tale” that works especially well for children with disabilities, they are introduced to making stories using presentation and photo software, they are shown how massive multiplayer online games (MMOs) can be used in education, and they participate in an online blog,

What is exceptional about this section is that these technologies are presented with enthusiasm but not with unrealistic expectations. Neophyte users can see that, though there are occasional difficulties, over all, working with technology is not difficult and can be very beneficial and rewarding both for educators and students.

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Product Details

ISBN	978-1-4092-0510-4
Copyright	J. Robertson, L. Gjedde, R. Aylett, R. Luckin & P. Brna (Standard Copyright License)
Edition	First Edition
Publisher	Judy Robertson
Published	August 4, 2008
Language	English
Pages	294

Binding	Hardcover (casewrap)
Interior Ink	Black & white
Dimensions (inches)	6.0 wide × 9.0 tall