Science stories through a cultural lens: The effects of cultural framing of storytelling in the natural and social sciences

Authors

  • Wiebke Finkler University of Otago (New Zealand).
  • Lloyd Spencer Davis University of Otago (New Zealand). https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1131-7647
  • Diane Ruwhiu University of Otago (New Zealand).
  • Loic Li University of Otago (New Zealand).
  • Nikki Lloyd University of Otago (New Zealand).
  • Nicola Beatson University of Otago (New Zealand).
  • Lei Zhu University of Otago (New Zealand).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.14.26592

Keywords:

storytelling, science communication, education, cultural storytelling

Abstract

Storytelling is a critical element for the effective communication of science in online videos. However, its effect is not consistent across different cultures. Here, we review and examine cultural framing of storytelling used to communicate science, including social science, in online teaching videos. We found that students from high-context cultures engage more with online videos than do students from low-context cultures but, nevertheless, do more poorly in tests that measure knowledge obtained. Our findings highlight the need to consider the cultural framing of storytelling – cultural science communication – when communicating science to audiences from different cultures.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Wiebke Finkler, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the Department of Marketing of the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Lloyd Spencer Davis, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Stuart Professor of Science Communication at the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Diane Ruwhiu, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Associate Professor of Management at the Department of Management of the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Loic Li, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Lecturer in Marketing at the Department of Marketing of the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Nikki Lloyd, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Researcher at the Department of Marketing of the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Nicola Beatson, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Senior Lecturer in Accountancy and Finance at the Department of Accountancy and Finance of the University of Otago (New Zealand).

Lei Zhu, University of Otago (New Zealand).

Post-doctoral Assistant at the Department of Marketing of the University of Otago (New Zealand).

References

Adedoyin, O. B., & Soykan, E. (2020). Covid-19 pandemic and online learning: The challenges and opportunities. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(2), 863–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1813180

Adnan, H., & Redzuan, F. (2016). Evaluating students’ emotional response in video-based learning using Kansei Engineering [Paper presentation]. 4th International Conference on User Science and Engineering (i-USEr).

Bair, M. A., Bair, D. E., Niu-Cooper, R., & Diarrassouba, N. (2022). Border crossings: The role of narrative storytelling in the professional identity development of faculty of color. College Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2022.2093323

Buzzetto-More, N. (2015). Student attitudes towards the integration of YouTube in online, hybrid, and web-assisted courses: An examination of the impact of course modality on perception. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 11(1), 55.

Cameron, E. (2012). New geographies of story and storytelling. Progress in Human Geography, 36(5), 573–592. https://doi.org/10.1177/
0309132511435000

Chen, C.-M., & Wang, H.-P. (2011). Using emotion recognition technology to assess the effects of different multimedia materials on learning emotion and performance. Library & Information Science Research, 33(3), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2010.09.010

Collins, S. N., Steele, T., & Nelson, M. (2023). Storytelling as pedagogy: The power of chemistry stories as a tool for classroom engagement. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(7), 2664–2672. https://doi.org/
10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00008

Davis, L. S., & León, B. (2018). New and old narratives: Changing narratives of science documentary in the digital environment. In B. León & M. Bourk, Communicating science and technology through online video: researching a new media phenomenon (pp. 55–63). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351054584-5

Davis, L. S., León, B., Bourk, M. J., & Finkler, W. (2020). Transformation of the media landscape: Infotainment versus expository narrations for communicating science in online videos. Public Understanding of Science, 29(7), 688–701. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662520945136

Davis, L. S., León, B., Bourk, M., Zhu, L., & Finkler, W. (2022). Infotainment may increase engagement with science but it can decrease perceptions of seriousness. Sustainability, 14(17), 10659. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710659

Dunn, T. M., & Cherup, S. (2021). Storytelling and success: How storytelling can be used to promote diversity, cross-cultural understanding, and confidence in the classroom. Journal of Education, 203(3), 690–699. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574211032309

Finkler, W., & León, B. (2019). The power of storytelling and video: a visual rhetoric for science communication. Journal of Science Communication, 18(05), A02. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.18050202

García-Avilés, J. A., & de Lara, A. (2018). An overview of science online video. In Communicating science and technology through online video (pp. 15–27). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351054584-2

Green, J. K., Burrow, M., & Carvalho, L. (2020). Designing for transition: Supporting teachers and students cope with emergency remote education. Postdigital Science and Education, 2(3), 906–922. https://doi.org/
10.1007/s42438-020-00185-6

Grogan, J., Hollinsworth, D., & Carter, J. L. (2021). Using videoed stories to convey Indigenous ‘Voices’ in Indigenous Studies. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 50(1), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2019.15

Hajhosseini, M., Zandi, S., Shabanan, S. H., & Madani, Y. (2016). Critical thinking and social interaction in active learning: A conceptual analysis of class discussion from Iranian students’ perspective. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1175051. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2016.1175051

Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond culture. Anchor Press.

Hartley, J. (2015). Stories tell us? Political narrative, demes, and the transmission of knowledge through culture. Communication Research and Practice, 1(1), 5–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2015.1042424

Hornikx, J., & Le Pair, R. (2017). The influence of High-/Low-Context culture on perceived Ad complexity and liking. Journal of Global Marketing, 30(4), 228–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2017.1296985

Joubert, M., Davis, L. S., & Metcalfe, J. (2019). Storytelling: The soul of science communication. Journal of Science Communication, 18(05), E. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.18050501

Kim, D., Pan, Y., & Park, H. S. (1998). High- versus low-Context culture: A comparison of Chinese, Korean, and American cultures. Psychology & Marketing, 15(6), 507–521. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6793(199809)15:6<507::AID-MAR2>3.0.CO;2-A

Lamsal, H. L. (2022). Exploring challenges and opportunities of Remote Teaching at Nepalese Community Secondary Schools during Covid-19 Pandemic. Utamax, Journal of Ultimate Research and Trends in Education 4(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.31849/utamax.v4i1.7794

León, B., & Bourk, M. (2018). Communicating science and technology through online video: Researching a new media phenomenon. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351054584

Milani, M. (2008). Cultural impact on online education quality perception. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 6(2), 149–160. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1098727.pdf

Praveena Daya A., Premapriya, G., Anithasri, A., & Karthikeyan, G. A. (2022). A comparative study of perception of online teaching versus traditional teaching among MBBS students during COVID crisis. Journal of Communicable Diseases, 3–8. https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.
5138.202201

Richardson, R. M., & Smith, S. W. (2007). The influence of high/low-context culture and power distance on choice of communication media: Students’ media choice to communicate with Professors in Japan and America. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 31(4), 479–501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2007.01.002

Sherer, P. D., & Shea, T. (2011). Using online video to support student learning and engagement. College Teaching, 59(2), 56–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2010.511313

Smith, M., Finkler, W., & Aitken, R. (2023). Connecting people with science: A proof-of-concept study to evaluate action-based storytelling for science communication. Sustainability, 15(15), 11655. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511655

Taskiran, A. (2022). Effective, efficient, and attractive instructional design for online learning. In Handbook of research on managing and designing online couses in synchronous and asynchronous environments (pp. 140–158). IGI Global.

Usunier, J., & Roulin, N. (2010). The influence of High- and Low-Context communication styles on the design, content, and language of business-to-business web sites. Journal of Business Communication, 47(2), 189–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021943610364526

Vedder, K. (2015). Corporate Storytelling in two distinctive cultures: The presence of emotional and rational appeals in corporate stories on corporate websites of Spanish and British organizations [Master’s thesis, Radboud University].

Walan, S., & Enochsson, A. (2019). The potential of using a combination of storytelling and drama, when teaching young children science. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27(6), 821–836. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293x.2019.1678923

Xia, W., Sun, B., & Zhang, Z. (2021). Correlation analysis between cultural context level and education/culture/geography/society-related parameters in twenty-six countries. ICDTE ’21: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Digital Technology in Education, 170–175. https://doi.org/10.1145/3488466.3488496

Yang, D., Sinha, T., Adamson, D., & Rosé, C. P. (2013). Turn on, tune in, drop out: Anticipating student dropouts in massive open online courses. [Paper presentation] NIPS Workshop on Data Driven Education.

Downloads

Published

2024-01-11

How to Cite

Finkler, W., Davis, L. S., Ruwhiu, D., Li, L., Lloyd, N., Beatson, N., & Zhu, L. (2024). Science stories through a cultural lens: The effects of cultural framing of storytelling in the natural and social sciences. Metode Science Studies Journal, (14), 159–164. https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.14.26592
Metrics
Views/Downloads
  • Abstract
    488
  • PDF
    200

Issue

Pieces of science (vol. 14, 2024)

Section

Storytelling. Science through stories

License

Copyright (c) 2023 CC BY SA

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

All the documents in the OJS platform are open access and property of their respective authors.

Authors publishing in the journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors keep the rights and guarantee Metode Science Studies Journal the right to be the first publication of the document, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of authorship and publication in the journal.
  2. Authors are allowed and encouraged to spread their work through electronic means using personal or institutional websites (institutional open archives, personal websites or professional and academic networks profiles) once the text has been published.

Metrics

Similar Articles

> >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.