Engagement is a persistent challenge in health sciences education, particularly when teaching content that learners may perceive as abstract, technical, or low-interest.
Educational research suggests that narrative and fiction can function as powerful cognitive tools, supporting sense-making, emotional engagement, and memory by situating learning within familiar or compelling contexts (Dahlstrom, 2014). Narrative-based approaches have also been associated with increased motivation and participation, particularly when learners can draw on shared cultural references or prior media exposure (Brunetti et al., 2024). Active learning literature further emphasizes that engagement increases when learners are asked to apply concepts, solve problems, and collaborate rather than passively receive information (Freeman et al., 2014). Fictional scenarios (e.g., simulations, role-play, or speculative narratives) can serve as low-risk environments for this kind of application, allowing learners to explore decision-making and consequences without real-world harm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) zombie apocalypse campaign (2011) provides a widely recognized example of how fictional framing can increase public engagement while still conveying serious preparedness principles. This tool has been used in the real world by the presenter of this presentation to great success when engaging with the community to teach disaster preparedness.
This workshop draws on scholarship in narrative persuasion, active learning, and instructional design to help participants move beyond novelty and toward intentional, evidence-informed use of fiction as a pedagogical strategy.
References:- Brunetti, R., Ferrante, S., Avella, A. M., Indraccolo, A., & Del Gatto, C. (2024). Turning stories into learning journeys: the principles and methods of Immersive Education. Frontiers in psychology, 15, 1471459. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1471459
- Dahlstrom, M. F. (2014). Using narratives and storytelling to communicate science with nonexpert audiences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(Supplement 4), 13614–13620.
- Freeman, S., et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. (2011). Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic. Centers for Disease Control. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/6023
