Using Storytelling and Social Media to Change the Education Conversation
A few weeks ago, I was honored to speak on a panel and workshop at the 70th Annual Education Writers Association National Seminar in Washington, DC, on social media and storytelling.
With me were Virginia Tech biologist Anne Hilborn, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation's Patrick Riccards (better known as EduFlack), and NPR Ed Team reporter Cory Turner. We were moderated by Virginia Tech’s Cathy Grimes and the Learning Policy Institute’s Barbara McKenna.
Public education policy has a reputation for being both contentious and wonky, which is why finding new ways to connect researchers, journalists, policymakers, advocates, and community members is key to moving from debate to action. We were lucky enough to secure a two-session block, so we were able to answer many questions from the more than fifty audience members in attendance and really dive deep into storytelling, social media strategy, and case studies of these ideas operating in the education space.
A lot was covered, so I’ll focus on a few key takeaways discussed:
1. Data is just a starting point.
Whether engaging in advocacy, informing an audience, or raising awareness of a new issue or problem, data alone won’t cut it. Not only has the general public grown (justifiably) more skeptical of purely data-driven claims, but in the days, weeks, and months that follow your audience won’t remember the percentages. They will, however, remember the story you tell and how it made them feel.
