Storytelling in videos: A novel way to teach qualitative research

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of instructional materials and multimedia integration on student engagement, comprehension and learning preferences within Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) qualitative research course. Three key measures were examined: the effectiveness of instructional materials, the impact of video content on the learning experience, and the relationship between learning preferences and exposure to storytelling videos. Data was collected through surveys administered to students enrolled in a qualitative research course. Results from Measure 1 indicate a strong positive correlation between students’ perception of the effectiveness of storytelling cases and their ability to recall qualitative research approaches after viewing accompanying videos. A significant proportion of students reported increased engagement with course content, attributing it to the utilisation of storytelling cases. Measure 2 findings reveal that students who found watching videos meaningful for discussion boards and perceive videos as helpful in improving focus are more likely to rate viewing videos instead of reading research articles as high in value. In addition, Measure 3 demonstrates that students who have learned via storytelling videos more frequently in academic classes prior to this course are more likely to prefer visual or auditory learning and thus perceive offering a range of learning activities in online courses as important. These findings underscore the importance of innovative instructional approaches such as storytelling and multimedia integration in enhancing student learning experiences and outcomes in online programmes.