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Storygraph: A Scaffold for Thinking About Empirical Narratives

Storygraph: A Scaffold for Thinking About Empirical Narratives. Brown Bag Presentation Center for History & New Media, GMU Joseph L. Polman, Ph.D. July 9, 2007. The Problem. Accounts of real events (“empirical narratives”) Historical Current Have Incomplete information

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Storygraph: A Scaffold for Thinking About Empirical Narratives

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  1. Storygraph: A Scaffold for Thinking About Empirical Narratives Brown Bag Presentation Center for History & New Media, GMU Joseph L. Polman, Ph.D. July 9, 2007

  2. The Problem • Accounts of real events (“empirical narratives”) • Historical • Current • Have • Incomplete information • Politics, biases, multiple perspectives • Narrative features and storytelling devices that sometimes dampen logical thinking

  3. A problematic solution • Teaching students to “erase” their narrative thinking, and use purely logico-scientific analysis (e.g., evidence to support conclusions) • Reduces transfer to the non-school world, where citizens revert to being “slaves to narrative”

  4. My proposed solution • Provide scaffolds or frameworks for effective combo of narrative & logic • Conduct projects where learners make artifacts • Interesting and engaging to them • Relate to discipline (history) • Utilize the above frameworks in them • Make thinking visible • Provide props for discussion

  5. 2 Frameworks • Storygraph (www.storygraph.org) • Create visual props to help people make explicit the narrative and factual aspects of “true stories”, then discuss them • Like custom “concept maps” for news and history accounts • Can be used for … • Critique existing accounts • Plan own accounts • 4 Nonfiction storytelling devices

  6. Storygrams • Show only key events • Action pentads (five elements of an action) • Require making sense of story • Become props for discussion “Scene” Person/ group Goal(s) Tools / Means (what gets used) Action

  7. “John crossed the street at the intersection.” Intersection To get to the other side John legs cross

  8. Nonfiction storytelling issues and devices • Sources and Perspectives • Who’s talking? • What are their beliefs and biases? • Precedents • Does the story sounds good because it’s like other ones I agree with? • Symbolism • Are metaphors used to reinforce a message? • Is there imagery or music that unconsciously cues? • Framing • What’s included and what’s left out? • Are there assumptions not based on evidence?

  9. Tools in action, Part 1:Critiquing nonfiction stories • Two takes on a Civil War story • Break it down • Nonfiction storytelling devices • Storygrams • Example of documentary movies • Photo movies like those of Ken Burns • Based on research • Like those to be written and narrated by participants

  10. A “true” story, twice told • The 118th Pennsylvania “Corn Exchange” Regiment’s initial engagements in the Civil War as … • The Volunteers become a “fighting regiment”or • The regiment’s experience as an example of The Folly of War [the above links will open in Primary Access (www.primaryaccess.org)]

  11. Nonfiction storytelling issues in the Corn Exchange example

  12. Storygrams for critique • Proved difficult/tedious for rising 8th-9th graders (13-15 year-olds) • More useful for planning own accounts • Unlike language, production easier than reception? At least to learn the rules? • Guided critique/planning in large group with Roger Brooke Taney story • Taney as defender of constitution • Taney as pro-slavery

  13. Part 2: Creating a documentaryon the Battle of Monocacy • Introductory film (to improve on) • Fieldtrip with knowledgeable tour guide, on which participants took digital photos • Research using pre-assembled primary and secondary sources • Planning and creating own version of story • Goal: use evidence well and tell the story well • Storygrams (used as outlines linked to evidence) • www.primaryaccess.org/ds (Bill Ferster @ UVa) • Wrote scripts • Added own photos and pre-assembled historic images • Recorded narration and finalized editing

  14. The plans and documentaries • Northern perspective • Storygram and photo movie of “The Battle To Save Washington DC” • Storygram and photo movie of “The Battle of Monocacy” • Southern perspective • Storygram and photo movie of “The War for Southern Independence” • Storygram and photo movie of “The Battle of Monocacy”

  15. Future • Storygraph performance improvements • Complete research • Summer camp • Interviews of historians on empirical narratives • Next round • Storygraph interface improvements • Curricula and curriculum design suggestions • More extensive tests with teachers & youth

  16. What do you think? • Teaching and learning about empirical narratives • Design and interface

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