It's not about audio
It's about IMAGINATION!
How we use our nine forms of media content
Download our StoryStyle™ info document
StoryStyle™ Instructional Design
StoryStyle™ describes the instructional design process we use to create an immersive experience that continuously grabs the learner’s attention. Here are examples of how we use NINE forms of media content in our instructional design to promote “brain interactivity” and engagement. Of course, all our content is aligned to our needs assessment and learning outcomes, and is measured through our formal evaluation process.
· Narration · Scenarios · Stories · Analogies · Street Interviews
· Expert Interviews · Pop Quizzes · Sound Clips · Music
All audio courses include handouts, quizzes, evaluations and completion certificates.
OUR SUPERPOWER: BRAIN INTERACTIVITY
With StoryStyle™ audio learning, every learner becomes
CO-CREATOR, actively using their imagination to bring characters, environment and details to life. This increases enjoyment, engagement, emotional connection and retention.
That's why we can guarantee a UNIQUE EXPERIENCE for each learner, and that's why learners love and remember our content.
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Narration:
A great narrator can be the key to success in any course. Narrators take the role of the host, or instructor, or storyteller and we hire some of the best in the business. Sometimes, the narrator is the subject matter expert (SME) themselves, and sometimes we prefer to use a professional voice actor. We go to great lengths to avoid monotone or lecture-style narration.
PLAY SAMPLE
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Scenarios:
Scenario-based learning keeps people engaged by making them think and feel more deeply. It does this by putting them in real-life situations where they have to make decisions and solve problems, which helps them remember and understand the material better, including how to apply the learning. Because it connects with their emotions and gets them actively involved, the learning sticks with them longer and is easier to use in real-life situations.
Stories:
Stories help people stay engaged by grabbing their attention and creating an emotional connection, which makes learning more relatable and easier to remember. When learners get involved in a story, they are more likely to care about the characters, picture the situation, and learn the lesson. Stories also spark imagination and creativity, helping people remember and understand the material better. By using stories, learners are more interested and motivated to participate and apply what they’ve learned in real life.
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Analogies:
Analogies make learning more engaging by breaking down complex ideas into simpler, easier-to-understand parts. By connecting new information to things learners already know, analogies help them understand and apply difficult concepts. This link between familiar and new ideas sparks curiosity and makes learning more meaningful. Analogies also create clear mental pictures that help learners remember and use what they've learned in different situations.
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Street interviews:
What we call “street interviews” are simply interviews with the public to get a sense of what the general understanding of a topic may be. These creating interesting and engaging soundbites. For example, in “Leading through Influence” we interviewed students at Simon Fraser University and asked them “What is influence?”
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Expert Interviews:
Expert interviews are a great way to include voices from around the world who are leaders or influencers in their fields. They bring credibility, weight and insight to the learning concepts. We try to avoid long-form interviews, like a podcast, and we edit down experts’ comments to support the learning outcomes. In our Change Management course, “Focus on Change” Dr. Hilary Curry interviewed 13 change management experts from around the world, and in “Leading through Influence” I was able to interview world-class authors Marshall Goldsmith, Mark Goulston, Roz Savage and Chris Widener.
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Pop Quizzes:
Pop quizzes are not formal testing of the user’s knowledge or understanding.
They involve more interesting trivia or fun facts. We use pop quizzes for various reasons:
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Most importantly, to reinforce learning outcomes
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To have the learner actively engage their thinking and interact with the instructor
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To recap information from the course and remind the learner of its importance
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To break up a long spell of listening
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Sound Clips:
Sound clips can be a great way to include supporting or entertaining content from other media sources, preferably public media. Short clips can typically be used under the “Fair Use” principle, if use of the content meets the six conditions, but when in doubt, ask permission from the content owner.
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Music and Sound Design:
Music has great power to engage - used carefully and in the right places, music can add a mood to the narrative, or increase it’s impact and reach the learner’s emotions. Music can increase the pace which increases the learner’s heartbeat, or it can create calm, thoughtful or inspiring moments. Be careful to not go for the cheesy elevator music though. This scenario is from our REALTOR® Safety training course for Greater Vancouver REALTORS®
