STORYTELLING AS A TOOL...

Challenge:

A few days ago I was given an opportunity to share my ideas on holistic

approach of education in schools as well as in colleges and how it effects the  growth of the student’s personality and how it helps to deal the problems they  face both academically and real life. Initially I thought of just explaining orally  what is holistic approach, how is it different from the normal education, what  are advantages of it, how can it be implemented, what are changes that have to  be done to the  school curriculum and how holistic education can help the  student in overall personality development etc… But later I thought this way  would be full of facts and technical terms which may not be understood by  everyone, which can result in loss of interest in the topic.

So, I got the idea of using one of the thinking tools i.e. Storytelling.

Selection:

Storytelling is a very powerful way in which one can explain any complex  problem with simple words both visually or orally. By connecting storytelling with  the problem to be solved it would be more appealing to the audiences to  understand the crux of the problem and also it will be easy to explain them how  the solution can change the current situation. Storytelling is also a way in which  the new ideas can feel more real and compelling .Therefore, I used storytelling as  the tool to solve the problem.

Application:

Before telling the story, there were three questions that I had to answer. They  were 1)what is the point of my story?, 2)whom am I telling the story ?,3)and why   am I telling the story?.Keeping these three questions in mind the story follows the  pattern of introduction, problem, reaction, solution and ending. In the story, how  two boys of same age group turn into two very different people based on the  educational background? One with mark based curriculum where marks are given  utmost priority and the other with holistic education and how it shapes the boy  into more responsible and caring human being. As defined, Holistic education is a  comprehensive approach to teaching where educators seek to address the

emotional, social, ethical, and academic needs of students in integrated learning  formats.

The story mainly revolves around how the two boys react to the situations around  them and how they tackle any problems they face. I have included many real life  situations like getting low marks in exam, how open are they to new skills, how  easily they can mingle with people of different cultural, racial and economic  backgrounds and how interested are they in learning about new cultures etc...By  telling it as a story it gives scope to be real as well as creative .As this story has  real life scenarios it would be very easily understood by the audience. It is  believed that if a story is emotionally driven it will be more interesting and the  idea with which the story teller wants to convey can be easily understood.

Insight:

Storytelling as a tool in design thinking has helped in broadening my thought  process of how a complex idea can be told in an engaging and interesting story.  Storytelling also helps both the storyteller and the listener. It improves  imaginative ability of both of them. With the help of this experience next time it  would be easy to formulate an idea think of that idea in a different way which is  never thought before.

Approach:

An idea with both problem and solution can be sold in different ways based on  the target audience, revenue if generates, the time etc...Next time if a problem of  this sought happens I would like to think of a tool based on the solution it  provides and how can be more engaging to the people who are involved with it.    A Story can be told  orally or can be seen as a video too. Next time if I would get  an opportunity I would like to make a small video of the story so that it can be  both engaging and solution also can be told at the same time.


STORYTELLING AS A TOOL ... Challenge : A few days ago I was given an opportunity to share my ideas on holistic approach of education in schools as well as in colleges and how it effects the growth of the student ’s personality and how it helps to deal the problems they face both academically and real life . Initially I thought of just explaining orally what is holistic approach , how is it different from the normal education , what are advantages of it , how can it be implemented , what are changes that have to be done to the school curriculum and how holistic education can help the student in overall personality development etc … But later I thought this way would be full of facts and technical terms which may not be understood by everyone , which can result in loss of interest in the topic . So , I got the idea of using one of the thinking tools i.e. Storytelling . Selection : Storytelling is a very powerful way in which one can explain any complex problem with simple words both visually or orally . By connecting storytelling with the problem to be solved it would be more appealing to the audiences to understand the crux of the problem and also it will be easy to explain them how the solution can change the current situation . Storytelling is also a way in which the new ideas can feel more real and compelling .Therefore , I used storytelling as the tool to solve the problem . Application : Before telling the story , there were three questions that I had to answer . They were 1)what is the point of my story ? , 2)whom am I telling the story ? , 3)and why am I telling the story?.Keeping these three questions in mind the story follows the pattern of introduction , problem , reaction , solution and ending . In the story , how two boys of same age group turn into two very different people based on the educational background ? One with mark based curriculum where marks are given utmost priority and the other with holistic education and how it shapes the boy into more responsible and caring human being . As defined , Holistic education is a comprehensive approach to teaching where educators seek to address the emotional , social , ethical , and academic needs of students in integrated learning formats . The story mainly revolves around how the two boys react to the situations around them and how they tackle any problems they face . I have included many real life situations like getting low marks in exam , how open are they to new skills , how easily they can mingle with people of different cultural , racial and economic backgrounds and how interested are they in learning about new cultures etc ... By telling it as a story it gives scope to be real as well as creative .As this story has real life scenarios it would be very easily understood by the audience . It is believed that if a story is emotionally driven it will be more interesting and the idea with which the story teller wants to convey can be easily understood . Insight : Storytelling as a tool in design thinking has helped in broadening my thought process of how a complex idea can be told in an engaging and interesting story . Storytelling also helps both the storyteller and the listener . It improves imaginative ability of both of them . With the help of this experience next time it would be easy to formulate an idea think of that idea in a different way which is never thought before . Approach : An idea with both problem and solution can be sold in different ways based on the target audience , revenue if generates , the time etc ... Next time if a problem of this sought happens I would like to think of a tool based on the solution it provides and how can be more engaging to the people who are involved with it . A Story can be told orally or can be seen as a video too . Next time if I would get an opportunity I would like to make a small video of the story so that it can be both engaging and solution also can be told at the same time .