Learning to and Communicating Research as a Storytelling Endeavor

At the 2018 GLOBE Learning Expedition

Killarney, Ireland

As part of the 2018 GLOBE Learning Expedition in Killarney Ireland, we are planning to begin with a keynote presentation by Norman McCloskey, a local photographer who has published a book of stunning images of Killarney National Park. His presentation will help participants appreciate the remarkable landscape in which the GLE will take place and will set the stage for understanding our theme: Developing a Sense of Place.

It will also introduce a simple concept that we hope to emphasize and reemphasize throughout the week in Ireland:

• there are many ways to explore (observe, research) our world and to contribute to a greater understanding of it. Whether taking environmental measurements or taking a photo of a moment in time, we’ll be asking students to look carefully in ways that will stimulate their imagination to find meaning in what they see.

Once we set the stage for encouraging students to become keen observers, we want to help them become passionate researchers and science storytellers. It is our conviction that students’ ability to communicate the value of their research projects is every bit as important as the research itself. Research is after all very much a structured story... communicating research is telling that story.

We have been in conversation with Jack Murray, owner operator of All Good Tales, a public relations, marketing and communications firm in Dublin, that focuses communicating messages as telling stories.

• We propose to engage the firm’s considerable expertise in this field to help students learn to tell the story of their research. Through a guided and well-facilitated approach, students will identify a story (i.e. a research problem) that will work and resonate with the rest of the audience; learn how to tell a succinct and compelling story; and will demonstrate what they have learned to the full GLE audience on the final morning of the event.

Included in this time is a half-day working session that will attempt to answer:

• What is the purpose of the research?

• How do you gather and structure a story (about the research)?

• What are the elements of a good story? (and how they relate to research)

• What positive results can be achieved through storytelling?

The key outputs of this session will be:

• A clear purpose to the research.

• A view of how it affects the wider world.

• An ability to gather testimonies that document the key emotions

uncovered in the research.

• A clear knowledge of the structure and elements of a great story (and great research).

• Communicating research in a compelling and convincing way using storytelling as the vehicle.

There are several possibilities for structuring the Story telling workshop as part of the GLE experience. Depending on funding we can plan for some or all of them.

Here are the following options:

1. An Introductory Video... to provide a four- to five-minute video outlining the importance of storytelling as it relates to research to be shown at the start of the weeklong event. This will encourage the students to think about the story while they are collecting data throughout the week.

2. Irish School Case Study. All Good Tales will work with an Irish GLOBE school before the conference on the story of their research. They will teach the students how to use print, audio, photography and video to explain the story of their project. This will ensure one stellar presentation on the final day, and these students will help guide the other students throughout the Intensive Storytelling Workshop.

3. Essential Intensive Storytelling Workshop. On Thursday afternoon, the All Good Tales team will give a storytelling session to a group of students (30 to 40) more information below. (Includes preparation beforehand)

4. Plenary Session. The workshop will be followed by a Storytelling keynote on Friday morning, along with a wrap up session that will involve the students. All Good Tales will work with this group on their presentations.

There is a possibility that this workshop could also tie in with the Dept. of State Mosquito project, as the teams selected as part of this project, will also have GoPro cameras and will be using them during the GLE.

For this proposal, GIO is suggesting options 3 and 4.

Preparing materials for Killarney GLE Total €3,700

Intense storytelling session to a select group (30-40 students) Total €5,300

Storytelling presentation to the whole group on Friday morning Total €3,300

VAT @ 23% Total €2,829

Communicating research as a story telling experience Total €15129

Approx. US$18,000

In conclusion, we believe that stories are the emotional delivery mechanisms that deliver GLOBE’s vision, connect our shared values, and will help us achieve our overarching program goals. Proficiency in storytelling is an important skill to impart to students to help them gain clarity, confidence, and polish when

presenting and communicating the results of their research to the world.

Read more about All Good Tales, storytelling facilitators from Dublin at https://allgoodtales.com

https://youtu.be/JS8UKw1OfNU

https://youtu.be/V1kEee_7GFA

Title	Location	Grant Amount
All Good Tales	Killarney, Ireland	$19,158
Globe Post Plus Togo	Togo	$13,100
Globe Post Plus Bermuda	Bermuda	$13,100
Globe Post Plus Taiwan	Taiwan	$13,100
Globe Post Plus Panama	Panama	$13,100
Globe Post Plus Mexico	Mexico	$13,100
Olohana Foundation	Paauilo, Hawaii	$2,550
Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve	Port Jervis, New York	$1,200
GLOBE Schools	Ghana	$2,000
McKinley STEMM Academy	Toledo, Ohio	$845
Medicinska Skola Varazdin	Croatia	$900
St. Peter's School	Mansfield, Ohio	$664

2018 Grantees

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