University of Virginia- Design thinking for innovation

The Story Telling Tool

Challenge and Selection

Storytelling is a powerful human-centered tool that helps users to understand their problems, thus  making products and services appear more user-friendly or even accessible to persons who are most in  need.  I volunteer with “special needs Programs” in schools which are catered to students who may be  differently abled i.e. autistic students, visually and auditory impaired students etc. In my country Guyana  there are very few programs catered to such students and these are the students who suffer the most in  the classroom as teachers may not understand how to cater to their specific needs especially when the  classroom is already overcrowded. Through my volunteer work I spend a lot of time with teachers trying  to find ways to inspire them to somehow improve the circumstances within the classroom for the sake  of their “special learners”. With the teachers I share stories where other teachers explored various  teaching methods and were successful in helping special students to grasp key learning concepts that  were once seemingly impossible with previous methods. The teachers’ feedback was used alongside the  context of my story to determine their goals and interests. This information is then strategically used to  discover new techniques that helps teachers cater their lesson plans to include “the special learners”.

Application – A story about using story telling.

When I started university I noticed that there were quite a few “special students” that were determined  and passionate about learning but unfortunately, the university did not have the facilities to truly cater  to their needs. That’s when I realize that something needed to be done. It’s not fair for them to get this  far in their educational journey for them to be failed by an archaic educational system. I decided to meet  with the various heads of department to try to find a way to help these students. I started by telling  them successful stories about how I previously helped teachers to cater their curriculum to be inclusive  of special students.

Through the successful use of the storytelling tool it made them realize that learning difficulties are very  much present at the university level and that more needs to be done to assist these students. I told a  story about a visually impaired communications major student who needed assistance getting from  classroom to classroom. Due to his disability he often found it difficult to locate lecture halls and as a  result got to class late and was at a complete lost during the class session.  I soon realized that this was a  problem affecting all of the visually impaired student after speaking with them at the dining hall.  They  were so discouraged and demotivated because they weren’t getting the assistance they needed that  many of them were contemplating dropping out because it all seemed too impossible.

Insight and Approach

Now it was time for me to open up about my personal experiences on the matter. One day at the dining  hall I meet with a few of these students and bought them coffee. I told them stories about family  members of mine that had similar disabilities. One such inspiring example is my mother. She has an  auditory impairment but is still a successful entrepreneur who is loved by everyone in her community.  She didn’t let an impairment stop her from achieving her dreams and being successful.  I told them how  opening a business seemed impossible to her due to her disability. My mother was able to work through  so much self-doubt and rejection and was able to prove herself in a competitive market. This story  inspired them and helped them to realize that there are many people just like them who have struggled  and were able to come out victorious. This inspiration gave them the motivation to continue attending  classes and last Fall one of them was able to graduate with their associates degree.

University of Virginia- Design thinking for innovation

The Story Telling Tool

I used this story to explain the problem to the University’s Academic Board at a meeting and this made a  major impact on the faculty and the board members. New policies on disability services and support are  being implemented on campus and professors are being trained to deal with the “special learners” in  their classrooms. Making me realize that a relatable story was a good way to help others understand a  very common problem within our environment.

This course was very beneficial to me since it helped me to think outside the box by looking at creative  tools of problem-solving. One such tool being the story telling tool. This is a tool we use every day and  sometimes without even realizing it hence this course helped me to see this tool in a whole new way.  Now I can adequately prepare for presentations and think of stories that can help me to convey to my  audience the problem at hand and how we can begin to resolve them.


University of Virginia- Design thinking for innovation The Story Telling Tool Challenge and Selection Storytelling is a powerful human - centered tool that helps users to understand their problems , thus making products and services appear more user - friendly or even accessible to persons who are most in need . I volunteer with “ special needs Programs ” in schools which are catered to students who may be differently abled i.e. autistic students , visually and auditory impaired students etc . In my country Guyana there are very few programs catered to such students and these are the students who suffer the most in the classroom as teachers may not understand how to cater to their specific needs especially when the classroom is already overcrowded . Through my volunteer work I spend a lot of time with teachers trying to find ways to inspire them to somehow improve the circumstances within the classroom for the sake of their “ special learners ” . With the teachers I share stories where other teachers explored various teaching methods and were successful in helping special students to grasp key learning concepts that were once seemingly impossible with previous methods . The teachers ’ feedback was used alongside the context of my story to determine their goals and interests . This information is then strategically used to discover new techniques that helps teachers cater their lesson plans to include “ the special learners ” . Application – A story about using story telling . When I started university I noticed that there were quite a few “ special students ” that were determined and passionate about learning but unfortunately , the university did not have the facilities to truly cater to their needs . That ’s when I realize that something needed to be done . It ’s not fair for them to get this far in their educational journey for them to be failed by an archaic educational system . I decided to meet with the various heads of department to try to find a way to help these students . I started by telling them successful stories about how I previously helped teachers to cater their curriculum to be inclusive of special students . Through the successful use of the storytelling tool it made them realize that learning difficulties are very much present at the university level and that more needs to be done to assist these students . I told a story about a visually impaired communications major student who needed assistance getting from classroom to classroom . Due to his disability he often found it difficult to locate lecture halls and as a result got to class late and was at a complete lost during the class session . I soon realized that this was a problem affecting all of the visually impaired student after speaking with them at the dining hall . They were so discouraged and demotivated because they were n’t getting the assistance they needed that many of them were contemplating dropping out because it all seemed too impossible . Insight and Approach Now it was time for me to open up about my personal experiences on the matter . One day at the dining hall I meet with a few of these students and bought them coffee . I told them stories about family members of mine that had similar disabilities . One such inspiring example is my mother . She has an auditory impairment but is still a successful entrepreneur who is loved by everyone in her community . She did n’t let an impairment stop her from achieving her dreams and being successful . I told them how opening a business seemed impossible to her due to her disability . My mother was able to work through so much self - doubt and rejection and was able to prove herself in a competitive market . This story inspired them and helped them to realize that there are many people just like them who have struggled and were able to come out victorious . This inspiration gave them the motivation to continue attending classes and last Fall one of them was able to graduate with their associates degree . University of Virginia- Design thinking for innovation The Story Telling Tool I used this story to explain the problem to the University ’s Academic Board at a meeting and this made a major impact on the faculty and the board members . New policies on disability services and support are being implemented on campus and professors are being trained to deal with the “ special learners ” in their classrooms . Making me realize that a relatable story was a good way to help others understand a very common problem within our environment . This course was very beneficial to me since it helped me to think outside the box by looking at creative tools of problem - solving . One such tool being the story telling tool . This is a tool we use every day and sometimes without even realizing it hence this course helped me to see this tool in a whole new way . Now I can adequately prepare for presentations and think of stories that can help me to convey to my audience the problem at hand and how we can begin to resolve them .