Storytelling as Pedagogy: The Power of Chemistry Stories as a Tool for Classroom Engagement

Storytellingin chemistry as a pedagogical tool provides an alternativelearning format for students to discover more about the people behindSTEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) innovationsthat impact our society. However, there is a dearth in the literatureon what influence storytelling pedagogy could have on STEM classroom.Our study examines the influence of storytelling as a pedagogicaltool on students' understanding of the importance of JDEI (Justice,Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in a social seminar course withthe theme "Equity and History of Science." Our storytellingstudy has a small sample size with 13 students pursuing STEM majors.We describe the impact of screening four narrative films celebratingthe significant contributions of chemists Professor Alice AugustaBall, Dr. Saint Elmo Brady, Dr. Percy Lavon Julian, and Dr. BettyeWashington Greene in the social science seminar course. Our frameworkis aligned with Bell and Roberts' Storytelling Project (STP)Model, which focuses on creating a counter-storytelling communityand using various story types (stock stories, concealed stories, resistancestories, and emerging/transformative stories) for engagement. Ourstudy examined the complex interaction of many factors in the course,such as narrative films watched, student reflections on narrativefilms, in-class activities related to films and course readings, focusgroup interviews with students in the course, and an individual interviewwith the course instructor. Our results suggest that these films hada positive influence on all students in the course as it relates torepresentation in STEM, bridging of JDEI, and chemistry concepts.By learning about the stories of these chemists, it made learningmore engaging and realistic, and critical thinking thrived. We willalso discuss a practical example of how STEM faculty can use strategiesthat leverage popular films such as Marvel Studios' Black Panther, where the fictional element vibranium (Vb)is an important protagonist for student engagement in chemistry. Ourstudy has potentially global relevance for practice as it relatesto teaching pedagogy in STEM classrooms and the retention of studentsof color pursuing STEM majors.