Why storytelling? Storytelling can be used for diverse purposes in research, in different ways, and at varied levels of depth and complexity.
This course supports storytelling by people about their own lives
and experiences.
More information on the full Transformative Storywork approach here.
Who is this course for: Researchers at any level who want to learn to use storytelling in their research in an ethical way
Why choose this course: This course will help you take advantage of the potential power of storytelling for research. It will support you to think through how to use storytelling in a way that makes research more ethical. Drawing on over 20 years of experience with thousands of storytellers around the world, this course will give you practical guidance and grounded examples that you can apply to your own work.
Storytelling is often incorporated into research at the end of the research process to communicate results, or during the research as part of methods. However, sometimes this is done without enough attention to how stories and storytelling affect the ethics and practice of research.
What will you get: You will get a strong grounding in the principles of ethical storytelling. This will be matched with an understanding of the different purposes for storytelling for research, and the implications of your purpose for the methodological design.
The course includes lots of examples from multiple contexts to illustrate issues. It provides practical tools to help you plan how you will use storytelling in your work from designing a storytelling workshop to thinking about how to include stories in your analysis. You’ll develop your own plan for using storytelling in your research and receive detailed feedback on your ideas.
What it covers:
Meanings of storytelling in research
Key concepts and definitions for story and storytelling in research
Approaches to storytelling in research
Overview of different storytelling approaches and purposes
Examples of stories told for different purposes
Guidance on how to decide on your purpose(s) for using storytelling for research
Principles of storytelling for ethical research
Overview of principles and examples of what they mean in practice
Discussion about how to apply principles in practice
Design a storytelling process for research
Choosing a story prompt/focus
Deciding who should tell stories/selecting participants
Choosing an appropriate venue and setting for storytelling
Choosing appropriate technology and materials for storytelling
Consent, risk, and ethics for storytelling: overview and examples
Tailored guidance on how to match a storytelling approach to your research approach and focus
Analysis
Approaches to different forms of analysis of stories and storytelling with examples
What is included:
Course slides, supporting materials, access to a password-protected online learning space, individual feedback by facilitator on a research project or proposal design to use storytelling
What you need: If online, a working internet connection, a phone/tablet/computer capable of connecting to the internet and a private space from which to join the sessions, interest and willingness in exploring your own creativity. No prior experience with storytelling, technology or art required.
Course limited to 15 participants.
Course length: 3 days or 6 3-hour weekly sessions
Course format: online, in-person or hybrid
Cost: £4550 per group (up to 15 participants)
**Discounts available for organisations based in the global South and small organisations**
“Joanna’s storytelling training was excellent - she responded to the needs of our diverse project team with her highly responsive, flexible and engaging approach. We finished the training feeling confident that we were ready to put storytelling into practice in our project.’”
“Joanna did an excellent job of providing time for everyone to express themselves and to learn collectively. The creative elements of the training were really enjoyable, and it was gratifying to see each step build on the last. I ended the training feeling well prepared to implement the methodology myself.
”
Course duration: 3 days or 6 3-hour weekly sessions