Connecting Minds Through Neuroscience and Storytelling

Alisha’s second year at ULethbridge was enriched when she became involved with the Storyteller at Large Applied Studies program. As a Neuroscience major, this program provided an opportunity for her to explore connections between neuroplasticity in young minds and the impact of oral storytelling in the classroom. She recalls how it allowed her to discover techniques for engaging students through narrative and the use of memory techniques such as rhymes, and riddles throughout her sessions.

Meet Alisha | Creative | Enthusiastic | Research Driven
Program: Bachelor of Science | Major: Neuroscience

For Alisha, this program provided an excellent opportunity to collaborate with peers, seek regular feedback on her progress, explore her creativity and build transferable skills that can be used to support her career journey.

Why did I choose the Storyteller at Large program?

For Alisha, being able to see classroom connections in Neuroscience come alive in the workplace was an important part of her desire to take this course. Being fascinated by how children develop both emotionally and academically, along with having the chance to learn more about what strategies can be used to increase student engagement and attention really interested her.

Being a neuroscience major I have learned how to connect neuroscience concepts to my storytelling. The course has helped me to connect [course concepts] and to understand how children develop emotionally and cognitively.

What did I want to get out of the Storyteller At Large program?

Going into it, Alisha knew she wanted to build connections between what she was learning in the classroom, and its application in a practical setting. The program provided even more than that. It gave her an opportunity to collaborate and learn alongside peers, and to strengthen transferable skills such as communication and time management valued in the world of work. It also opened the door for her to reflect on personal and professional goals and gain insight into the ways she learns best.

My experiential learning in the Storyteller at Large program

Alisha found the program very engaging. She recalls being able to plan and conduct 30-minute oral storytelling sessions during which she introduced the Lethbridge Public Library, told stories to students from kindergarten to grade six, and focused on increasing student engagement through the use of tongue twisters, rhymes and riddles along the way. Her work centered around developing techniques designed to make her sessions interactive and dovetailed well with the neuroscience deliverables focused on neuroplasticity in young minds that she completed with a professor on campus.

My most memorable experience

Student engagement and their growing wonder was a highlight for her. Being able to creatively incorporate rhymes, and riddles to make the sessions more interactive for students helped make this a truly valuable experience for Alisha.

The most memorable part of the Storyteller at Large Program was to see student’s curiosity while listening to the story.

How did the program impact my education?

For Alisha, this program provided opportunities for her to explore her creativity, and to gain constructive feedback on her practical skills from professors, instructors, and employer partners alike. She also developed valuable course connections such as a growing understanding of how children develop both emotionally and academically while further strengthening important transferable skills such as time management and communication along the way. Alisha shared that this program ultimately helped build her confidence in her oral storytelling skills.

My hopes and plans for the future

This opportunity has further ignited Alisha’s passion for pursuing research that connects neuroscience concepts to child development in the future. She hopes to continue engaging in research opportunities and building a growing understanding of the important role of neuroplasticity in children’s emotional and academic development.

My advice to other students

Alisha’s advice for anyone who looking to get involved with the program is to not hesitate! She found the program interesting, and that it provided a chance to explore her creativity and try something new. It also provided a great opportunity to seek feedback on her practical skills, collaborate and gain feedback from peers, and develop new skills and strengthen existing ones along the way.

Feel free to experiment on how you learn the stories, [whether it is] reading out loud, [or working through] a story outline. It depends. Everyone is different so feel free to experiment.

Alisha would encourage any student looking to get involved with this program to take hold of the chance to explore and experiment with different ways of learning material in order to help them better understand their own personal learning styles.