Running Head: STORYTELLING IN INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO 1

Storytelling in Instructional Video

Jacob Baze

Full Sail University

Abstract

This research paper illustrated the importance of storytelling in instructional videos. An

instructional video was selected to serve as a primary example of an instructional video using

storytelling. The paper also explained how learning theories play an important role in designing

and writing narration for storytelling instructional videos. Visual and sound design are also

mentioned as vital parts of instructional videos. Finally, the paper explained how these aspects of

storytelling will be utilized in an instructional video project.

Storytelling in Instructional Video

Storytelling in Instructional Video:

Storytelling aids in helping learning outcomes in instructional video because storytelling is a

part of the human condition. According to Peters (2014), the love of stories is a part of human

history and has shaped humanity for thousands of years. When using storytelling as an aid to

instructional video, a design must keep the end goal in mind when creating a story. Just as stories

can benefit from narration, designers should keep in mind what the end goal is (Rees, 2010).

Using storytelling is relatable to the viewer because it is something most learners are used to

experiencing. From a young age, learners hear stories for entertainment or to learn a lesson.

Since learners are already exposed to stories, they are conditioned to know when there is a

beginning, middle, and end. According to Stillman (2019), people love to hear stories and think

of the traditional structure. The use of storytelling is used in the selected instructional video.

The selected instructional video “How to Fall Asleep in 2 minutes” by ASAPScience (2019)

uses the storytelling to convey the message of how to fall asleep quickly. It starts with a scenario

that the average viewer can relate to. It shows an animated person that is wide awake and cannot

fall asleep. The video then lists out the steps needed to fall asleep. The steps follow the scenario

of the person who needs to fall asleep and eventually reaches his slumber. This video is

successful because it uses a story to help the viewer remember, instead of just using bullet points.

According to Rees (2010), it is easier for a learner to retain information from a story instead of

just memorizing bullet points. The video is successful in conveying the message because it

utilizes learning theories.

Learning Theories:
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Constructivism has a major impact on storytelling because a learner must rely on his or her

background knowledge to make connections with the story being presented. According to Peters

(2014), constructivist instruction connects new concepts by relating them to everyday

experiences. Using constructivism in storytelling allows the viewer to feel connected to the story

that is being told. According to Peters (2014), learning is best used when it makes a connection

to the daily life of the learner. Letting the learner feel connected to the source also helps build

credibility for the designer. Improving credibility will improve the amount of motivation the

learner wants to invest in learning a new concept. According to Peters (2014), no one wants to

invest their time and effort into learning a new concept unless he can trust the source. Using

constructivism helps improve the engagement of the learner because it increases motivation to

learn new ideas.

Two types of motivation for learners are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. According to

Peters (2014), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation should never compete with one another. It is

important to find a balance between the two types of motivation to keep the learner engaged. The

path to perfect motivation is difficult and must be treated with care (Peters, 2014). When

students feel a connection to the story, whether it be personal or emotional, they are feeling

intrinsic motivation. They want to continue with the story to meet their personal goals.

According to Rees (2010), a story should challenge and create an emotional response to the

listener. When learners are motivated from the outside this is extrinsic motivation. For example,

a learner might be motivated to actively listen to the story because the instructor will be asking

questions about the content of the video. When learners experience motivation to learn to

perform better in their everyday lives, this will create greater engagement. When learners are

more engaged not only will they learn better, they will also get to enjoy the entire experience
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(Peters, 2014). It is important to understand learning theories to make an impact on the

engagement of storytelling. However, learning theories are not the only concepts that can

increase learner engagement. The use of visual design and sound design play an important role in

engagement as well.

Visual and Sound Design:

Visual design plays an important role in storytelling to keep learners engaged. Using words

along with images helps to improve engagement. According to Peters (2014), words and images

are better than words by themselves to support learning engagement. Using visual design with

words and images also allows the learner to make connections between the two ideas. According

to Wilson (2018), lessons with words and images allows the brain to build meaning between the

two ideas and it encourages the brain to make a connection. This level of cognition is great for

visual learners. Another aspect of visual design is the use of animation. Animation utilizes a

great deal of important visual design (Wilson, 2018). However, animation must be carefully

utilized to keep the viewer engaged. In instructional video, using animation can be an asset when

using visual cues. According to Peters (2014), visual cues help to guide the learner to the correct

spot throughout an animation. Animation is an important tool to use in visual design, but in the

end, live-action video is more engaging to the viewer. According to Wilson (2018), live-action

video captures all of the elements of a scene and can offer more information than just an

animated drawing. For the visual design of video and animation to be effective, there must be an

effective use of sound design.

One aspect of storytelling in video that is often forgotten is the importance of sound design.

Music and audio narration in film is treated as an isolated track and is not researched as a part of

the video design itself (Tan, 2018). A video without any audio or narration would not be able to
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effectively convey the message the designer planned to illustrate to the learner. According to

Wilson (2018), learning is more effective when visuals are explained by music and audio

narration. Music and audio must be selected carefully to add to the subject matter of a video. If

background music or a sound effect can be removed from a video and it does not affect the

scene, then the music does not play an effective role in the video. According to (Tan, 2018), the

music itself does not have to be the key factor of a scene, it just needs to enhance the message

being conveyed in each scene. The use of sound design plays an important role in instructional

video and it will be utilized in the instructional video project created this month.

Instructional Video Project:

During the instructional video project this month, the use of storytelling will be utilized to

convey emotion for the viewer. According to Peters (2014), the use of images can be powerful

for evoking emotion. The topic used for the video is the use of watercolor pencils. A how-to

video can become stale if it does not utilize the use of storytelling. This is why storytelling will

be used throughout the process of the video. The story itself will be a metaphor of storytelling.

The video will explain to the learner that using watercolor pencils allows them to become a

storyteller. According to Rees (2010), storytelling can be used as a metaphor in instructional

design as a part of the learning solution. The watercolor pencil will act as the hero of the story

and will represent the journey that a hero takes in a traditional story setting. The plot of the story

will be engaging because a terrible plot can ruin an entire story. Multimedia can enhance a story,

but even CGI cannot help a plot that is not engaging to the viewer (Rees, 2010). The hero of the

story will then complete his journey by sketching out where he went on his adventure. The

viewer can choose to recreate what is sketched in the video or can sketch their own adventure.

Watching the physical effect of the video activates the same parts of the brain as if they actually
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did those things (Peters, 2014). Being an instructional video designer is a lot like being a puppet

master. The designer manipulates what is seen and what is not seen (Stillman, 2019). The overall

goal of the video is to inform the viewer how to use watercolor pencils. This goal will be

achieved because storytelling is one of the most engaging aspects of instructional video design.

Conclusion:

Storytelling is an important part of humanity. Stories have been passed down for

thousands of years and humans are wired to understand concepts through stories. This idea can

be utilized when creating instructional videos. Using storytelling in instructional videos keeps

the learner engaged and it boosts motivation to focus on the content being presented. It is

important to understand visual and sound design when designing instructional videos. These

learning theories and concepts will be used when creating the instructional video project for the

month.
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References:

Asapscience. (2019, May 29). How to fall asleep in 2 minutes [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiYm20F9WXU

Peters, D. (2014). Interface design for learning: Design strategies for learning experiences. San

Francisco, CA: New Riders. Retrieved from https://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/web-

design-and-development/9780133365481

Rees, D. (2010, July 13). The instructional designer as storyteller. Retrieved from

https://instructionaldesignfusions.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/the-instructional-designer-

as-storyteller/

Stillman, J. (2019). What storytellers can teach instructional designers. Retrieved from

https://www.mindflash.com/blog/storytellers-teach-instructional-designers

Tan, Siu-Lan. (2018). Investigating sound design in film. Empirical Musicology Review, 13(3/4),

149–154. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=13

6232159&site=ehost-live

Wilson, B. (2018). Using rich media wisely. In R. Reiser & J. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and

issues in instructional design technology (4th ed., pp. 61-67). New York, NY: Pearson.