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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities
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Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 4316

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Federico Corni

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, I-39042 Bressanone, BZ, Italy
Interests: primary physical science education; conceptual metaphors; narrative in science; embodied cognition; pre-service and in-service teacher education in physics; physics teacher training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mita Drius

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, I-39042 Bressanone, BZ, Italy
Interests: science education; ecosystem services; green infrastructure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Giorgio Bolondi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, I-39042 Bressanone, BZ, Italy
Interests: mathematics education; large-scale assessment; professional development of mathematics teachers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Camilla Spagnolo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, I-39042 Bressanone, BZ, Italy
Interests: mathematics education; large-scale assessment; pre-service and in-service professional development of mathematics teachers; argumentative competence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cognitive sciences, in general, and narratology, in particular, posit that the narrative mode is the primary mode through which we understand the world around us. If concepts, models, and theories have narrative structures, it follows that we must employ narrative practices in order to understand nature and our role in it. A purely formal treatment of phenomena forgoes the use of images and does not reveal the degree of coherence between these phenomena (every phenomenon or example is governed by its own “laws” and its own equations). By applying and increasing our knowledge of narrative practices, we may change our view of the nature of the STEM disciplines, thus changing our outlook on, and approach to, STEM education, research and practice.

The aim of this Special Issue is to raise scholarly awareness on the power of stories and storytelling in STEM education. The editors welcome the submission of original research (empirical, review, position, and discussion) articles that address relevant aspects of storytelling as both a research topic and a research tool. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Stories and storytelling in the STEM disciplines
  • Narratives in STEM education
  • Stories and storytelling in mathematics education
  • Stories about forces of nature
  • Stories and storytelling in physics education
  • Stories and storytelling in biology education
  • Stories and storytelling in ecological education
  • Digital storytelling

Prof. Dr. Federico Corni
Dr. Mita Drius
Prof. Dr. Giorgio Bolondi
Dr. Camilla Spagnolo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • storytelling in STEM disciplines
  • narratives in STEM education
  • mathematics education
  • stories about forces of nature
  • digital storytelling
  • physics education
  • biology education
  • ecological education
  • science education

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1383 KiB  
Article
Fibonacci Numbers between History, Semiotics, and Storytelling: The Birth of Recursive Thinking
by Giuseppe Bianco, Angela Donatiello and Bianca Nicchiotti
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040394 - 10 Apr 2024
Viewed by 366
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to discuss the emergence of recursive thinking through the famous problem posed by Fibonacci regarding the growth of the rabbit population. This paper qualitatively analyzes and discusses the semiotic aspects raised by the students working with this [...] Read more.
The aim of this paper is to discuss the emergence of recursive thinking through the famous problem posed by Fibonacci regarding the growth of the rabbit population. This paper qualitatively analyzes and discusses the semiotic aspects raised by the students working with this historical source in the form of a story. From this perspective, the value of the historical problems as socio-cultural references (voices) and of the narrations as mediating factors to enhance students’ learning of new mathematical concepts, such as recursion, is explored in depth. The focus lies on the pivotal role played by the students’ construction of personal senses during in-group mathematical activities, in dialectics with the normative and mathematical meanings. It is highlighted that fostering environments conducive to dialogue among peers, as well as linking various shapes and contexts of knowledge, is necessary. Here, storytelling and history are regarded as fruitful resources aiding students in the gradual construction of a personal sense of mathematical concepts, including recursion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities)
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15 pages, 2275 KiB  
Article
A Narrative Approach to Foster the Construction of Recursive Thinking in High School Students
by Bianca Nicchiotti, Angela Donatiello and Giuseppe Bianco
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 350; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040350 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 533
Abstract
In this paper, we will explain the development of a mathematical activity involving narrative and short stories in particular, with the aim of investigating whether it is possible to use the narrative approach to promote the construction of recursive thinking in high school [...] Read more.
In this paper, we will explain the development of a mathematical activity involving narrative and short stories in particular, with the aim of investigating whether it is possible to use the narrative approach to promote the construction of recursive thinking in high school students from a four-year scientific high school (Grades 11 and 12). We present qualitative research based on the networking of two theoretical frameworks used to analyze students’ protocols and the issues surfacing during class discussion: Abstraction in Context (AiC) and Documenting Collective Activity (DCA). In our research, the students, divided into small groups, dealt with a highly immersive “story problem” with the Sierpinski Triangle as its central element. The task was designed to ensure consistency with the story and involved the construction, with GeoGebra 6.0 software, of a fractal city, Fractlandia, with squares and sinkholes. The preliminary results show that the story proposed functioned as a motivation to solve the problem, and the last questions of the task proved the most engaging for the students, mainly because of the connection with the story, and also because they involved some reflection about the behavior to the infinity of the perimeter and the area of the Sierpinski Triangle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities)
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19 pages, 4732 KiB  
Article
“Romeo and Juliet: A Love out of the Shell”: Using Storytelling to Address Students’ Misconceptions and Promote Modeling Competencies in Science
by Ginevra Aquilina, Umberto Dello Iacono, Lucia Gabelli, Luca Picariello, Giacomo Scettri and Giulia Termini
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 239; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030239 - 25 Feb 2024
Viewed by 754
Abstract
In this paper, we present the design of a Teaching—Learning Sequence (TLS) based on storytelling. The TLS has a twofold goal: to address students’ misconceptions about atomic models and to promote students’ development of modeling skills. The story is titled “Romeo and Juliet: [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present the design of a Teaching—Learning Sequence (TLS) based on storytelling. The TLS has a twofold goal: to address students’ misconceptions about atomic models and to promote students’ development of modeling skills. The story is titled “Romeo and Juliet: a love out of the shell”, and the characters are electrons living inside an atom. The TLS was tested with upper secondary school students. A qualitative analysis of the data shows that the TLS was able to engage students and helped them reconstruct the atomic model, while the story improved students’ understanding of specific concepts related to the atomic model. The use of storytelling in the context of our research is discussed, together with the limitations of the story and possible future research developments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities)
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15 pages, 1604 KiB  
Article
Storytelling as a Skeleton to Design a Learning Unit: A Model for Teaching and Learning Optics
by Alessandra Boscolo, Stefania Lippiello and Anna Pierri
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030218 - 21 Feb 2024
Viewed by 585
Abstract
Instructional design is an essential part of teaching practice: both researchers and teachers are engaged in finding strategies to deal with this complex work. We propose the use of storytelling as a skeleton to structure a long-lasting teaching unit, maintaining coherence and giving [...] Read more.
Instructional design is an essential part of teaching practice: both researchers and teachers are engaged in finding strategies to deal with this complex work. We propose the use of storytelling as a skeleton to structure a long-lasting teaching unit, maintaining coherence and giving meaning to its various elements. We refer to an interpretation of storytelling for educational purposes as a role-playing game, drawing inspiration from the Digital Interactive Storytelling in Mathematics framework. Designing a learning unit based on storytelling means integrating every moment of the teaching–learning process within the narrative: the teacher and students are all part of the same story, which motivates every activity carried out in the unit and contextualizes the tasks performed. Moreover, the assessment is also integrated into the narrative flow. In this study, we designed an exemplary Storytelling Learning Unit (SLU) model for the study of light, promoting modelling and argumentation skills in mathematics and physics. This unit, intended for ninth-grade students in an Italian scientific high school, was co-designed by the teacher of the class in which it will be implemented. This work particularly focuses on the design process. From reflection on the specific unit developed, general design principles for creating a SLU were hypothesized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities)
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14 pages, 1118 KiB  
Article
Perspectives on Using Storytelling as a Means of Teaching and Learning: Reflections from Diverse Groups of Participants on the Theme “What’s in Your River?”
by Cecilia Medupin
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14010018 - 24 Dec 2023
Viewed by 954
Abstract
This study explores learners’ views and perspectives on the use of the storytelling strategy to study the basics of ecology through the theme “What’s in your river?” at a field and laboratory summer school for thirty-two college students aged sixteen to eighteen years; [...] Read more.
This study explores learners’ views and perspectives on the use of the storytelling strategy to study the basics of ecology through the theme “What’s in your river?” at a field and laboratory summer school for thirty-two college students aged sixteen to eighteen years; and in the lecture theatre to teach ecological concepts to nineteen first-year university undergraduate students. The mixed method approach was applied in the study, with the collection of qualitative and quantitative responses. Questionnaires were administered to the undergraduate students with selected questions that relate to the use of storytelling and its application in learning. The undergraduate students were asked the following key questions: did you enjoy the use of storytelling as a learning resource and strategy? how has storytelling helped you in your learning of the basics of ecology? The main findings of the study are that after using storytelling as a learning strategy, 89% of the respondents said it helped them to think more clearly about the story structure; 84% of the students said it helped them to understand the course contents better; 63% stated that it motivated them to learn; and 58% said it was more useful and helpful than the direct dissemination of lectures. Knowledge of river organisms acquired by the students correlated highly (R-square of 0.7112) with the use of storytelling as a tool for learning. The reason why the students enjoyed the use of storytelling is that it is both affective and cognitive. This article will benefit educators as it suggests different ways of thinking in the transformation of information for positive environmental change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Storytelling in STEM Disciplines—At the Crossroads of Science and Humanities)
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