As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.
Strengthen Your Message with Stories
The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story. Anthony de Mello
Key Teaching Principle #6 is the instructor uses stories and personal experiences to deepen learning.
Oxford English Dictionary defines “story” as an anecdote, which is “a short narrative of an interesting, amusing or biographical incident.”
A personal story
Early in my career, I did not use stories in my teaching or presentations. I thought teaching and presentations should be based entirely on facts, and that personal stories were a distraction to the message. Even though my presentations were factual and coherent, they were not making an emotional connection with the audience. Frankly, I was wrong. In order to improve my teaching and presentations, I began incorporating stories. I organized my teaching material into modules and did my best to recall personal stories that related to the material. I supplemented with stories that I researched and were relevant. My teaching effectiveness improved, along with student feedback. It turns out that to achieve the best outcomes in teaching and presentations it is beneficial to include stories, in addition to facts. Sharing stories, like any skill, takes practice.
I should say that stories are one element of effective teaching, and there are many other essential elements, as covered in this series.
Why do stories enhance learning?
If you search on “hardwired for stories” you will find many articles explaining how our brains are wired to process and store information in the form of stories. According to these articles, research in neuroscience reveals how our brains tend to organize information into narratives. Because humans are inherently social animals, we are wired to connect with others, and stories help us make that connection.
The following is an excerpt from an article in The Journal of Neuroscience:
Storytelling techniques can help convey science by engaging people’s imagination and emotions. Storytelling engages not just people’s intellect, but also their feelings: a bald recitation of facts invariably lacks the impact (and the enduring power) of a coherent narrative that awakens one’s emotions. [Excerpted from The Journal of Neuroscience; “The Storytelling Brain: How Neuroscience Stories Help Bridge the Gap between Research and Society”; 2019 Oct 16]
Using stories when teaching
Here are some pointers for using stories as part of teaching or presenting.
When preparing for teaching or presentiations, I always begin by listing the principles I wish to convey. It is the principles, not the words that are important. I always define my terms, and practice my message. I try to share at least one story for each major principle.
Example: Let’s say we are teaching the principle of using Design FMEAs to help ensure field problems do not repeat on new programs. I share a story from my automotive engineering days, where there was an expensive vehicle recall in the 1980s on the secondary hood latch which failed due to fatigue. That problem was fixed. However, a few years later, on a different vehicle program, the same problem occurred on the secondary hood latch. I explained how proper FMEA procedure will prevent repeat problems. My students immediately made an emotional connection to this principle, as they would not want this problem to happen. The story enhanced learning.
Great stories tap into our senses and emotions, connect us to the material being taught, and increase trust with the teacher and each other.
What if (you think) you don’t have stories to tell?
You would be surprised how many stories from your life experience you actually have. It takes some reflection, and is worth the effort. Even if you don’t have a personal story to share for a given principle, you can research the subject and find an authentic story that advances the principle.
Tips
- Keep your story short and simple. Usually, a good story can be shared in under a minute.
- Begin your story with a brief mention of the timeframe, place and people. Briefly tell your story and move to the climax. At the end, share how it resolves, followed by a summary of key takeaways.
- Your stories should be authentic and accurate. If it’s your story, say so. If you’re sharing a story that you read about, say so.
- Always practice your stories, so you can share them easily.
Summary
Personal stories are one of the best ways to reach your students and convey principles. You don’t have to be a great storyteller to share your personal experiences, and enhance the learning experience. Find and practice selected stories to support your most important teaching messages. Always end a story by restating the principle you are teaching.
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