This is a blog post summarising the findings from my the final research project undertaken during the MSc in Science Communication
EXPLORING AFFORDANCES OF STORYTELLING IN INFORMAL SCIENCE SETTINGS : A QUALITATIVE THEMATIC SYNTHESIS OF ACADEMIC AND GREY LITERATURE
Storytelling is becoming an increasingly popular way to communicate science in informal spaces like museums and science centres. Research shows that stories are a powerful tool for communicating ideas, particularly science, but there hasn’t been much effort to combine what researchers and practitioners know about storytelling in these settings. The study was an effort to contribute towards bridging this gap.
It explored the intersection of storytelling and informal settings through a thematic synthesis of relevant data from research and practice within the domain of science communication. Five key “relational properties” or affordances of storytelling in informal science settings were identified. Here’s a summary of the findings:
Opportunity to leverage the setting in the story journey
The nature and context of the physical environment of a setting can be leveraged to play a role in shaping the storytelling experience. For example, the architecture of a space can become a part of the story experience by using it more explicitly in the way the story unfolds. Other physical elements like object collections in a museum can gain a deeper significance, for example by serving as historical markers within a story, or as anchors for stories to be woven around them.
2. Opportunity for personal exploration and reflection
Storytelling in informal science settings can result in deeply personal experiences by creating opportunities for reflection and interaction. Literature reviewed in this study showed that communication can become more effective by offering visitors opportunities to pause, step back, consider their own perspectives, and connect their memories or thoughts to what is being communicated.
Interactive and hands-on exploration can add another layer to storytelling, allowing audiences to decide how deeply they wish to engage with the content. This approach can help engage diverse audiences with varying interests and prior knowledge. Layered storytelling can also foster a sense of agency and personal connection by creating experiences which respond to interaction.
3. Opportunity to express science as part of wider culture
Storytelling affords the opportunity to create collaborations with diverse creative domains. This can bring together different types of expertise and create novel insights, and enable science to be expressed in unlikely and fresh ways. Expressing science as a part of wider culture can underscore the human, collaborative and creative nature of science and reduce the perceived distance between science and wider society. This theme highlights the opportunity to express science in meaningful and emotionally engaging ways, without focusing explicitly on communication/dissemination goals.
4. Opportunity for feedback, iteration, and reflexivity
By embedding opportunities for feedback directly into story-based experiences, science communicators can test and adjust their approaches to better meet their goals. This can be especially helpful when explaining complex scientific topics to non-experts or to create targeted communication. By integrating evaluation into storytelling, science communicators can develop a more reflexive practice which takes into account real time feedback to refine their work.
5. Common ground for science and society to interact
Storytelling naturally allows for multiple characters and viewpoints to be included, which makes it a great way to create dialogue, empathy and help build consensus. Storytelling within informal science settings can help create a shared space where experts and the wider public can collaboratively interpret and discuss scientific ideas and their broader impacts.
By sharing the personal stories of scientists, and their collaborative journeys, storytelling can also humanise science and present a more true picture of scientific progress. For example, by helping break down stereotypes like the Eurocentric or male-dominated view of scientific progress, and by including stories from non-Western or Indigenous cultures, which can broaden public understanding and appreciation of science.