Narrative Constructionism: A Framework for Learning Difficult Social Concepts

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Playful Learning: Games, Puzzles, and Play (Table 2)

Abstract

Understanding difficult social concepts requires comprehending relevant content knowledge and applying it across novel interactions with others. Learning such concepts without causing harm can sometimes be challenging. This paper proposes narrative constructionism as a framework for learning difficult social concepts, using a case study with ten high school students learning about sexual consent. The researcher analyzed video recordings and transcripts of the students playing three narrative-construction games designed to support consent learning. Students played and discussed each game multiple times during a ten-week health class. Findings suggest that constructing consent stories, tinkering with their narrative elements, and using them as objects-to-think-with, provided learners with an opportunity to build robust understandings of a difficult social concept.

Author

• Caleb Probst, University of Wisconsin - Madison