Developing the art of storytelling as a pedagogical tool for academics

The significance of storytelling to the development of human knowledge and understanding should never be underestimated. As a social construct storytelling is synonymous with learning, yet its use in more formal tertiary education settings is often viewed as problematic due to lecturers’ limited creativity, understanding of story suitability and/or pedagogical reluctance. Miller and Pennycuff (2008) remind us though that within formal learning environments, engaging in storytelling can be a way to motivate and engage even the most reluctant learners. Thus, the aim of this article is to showcase to readers four different modes of storytelling (for example, oral, written word, graphic representation, touch) used within teaching with the aim of: 1) helping learners with module content engagement, 2) promoting the use of discussion as a primary pedagogical tool within the classroom, and 3) encouraging critical reflection as a means for professional development.