The storytelling project: innovating to engage students in their learning

Abstract

This research explores the development of issues surrounding and reactions to the use of non‐accounting stories in accounting to engage and motivate first‐year students. The stories were drawn from the students' main areas of study. Students were challenged to draw analogies between a story and accounting. This process allowed them to create common meanings and understandings as they participated in a group dialogue about the relevance of each story. By using stories in areas with which the students were familiar, they were able to appreciate links between accounting and other disciplines. Initially the lecturer told the stories but in response to student feedback, students were encouraged to find or develop stories to share. Students found both the factual and fictitious stories enhanced their learning. When the students became storytellers, they took ownership of their learning and a more critical approach consistent with a deep approach to learning. Despite some initial concerns expressed by the lecturer, the storytelling project has led to increased motivation among non‐accounting first year students who are undertaking some limited study of accounting.

Keywords:

• accounting education
• deep learning
• engagement
• motivation
• narrative
• storytelling

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Jan McLean, UNSW and Andrew Read, University of Canberra, for their ongoing assistance, to acknowledge the helpful comments on the draft project by participants at the HERDSA Conference, Sydney 2005, and to thank two anonymous referees for their helpful feedback.