StoryLab Science: Empowering future scientists through immersive storytelling

Science education is a challenging subject to teach in elementary classrooms and as a result students receive limited science instruction per day. To address this, StoryLab Science (SLS) was designed as a supplementary educational tool that integrates Kundu’s framework, based on Bandura’s research, for enhancing self-efficacy in online education to promote scientific literacy and confidence in learners. SLS uses question-driven narratives that align with NGSS standards and multiple representations of science to deepen understanding. Learners communicate their understanding to a teachable agent in which SLS provides timely feedback from AI to reinforce correct answers and address misconceptions.

To date, the development of SLS has involved the creation of four prototypes and the implementation of five learner studies. The evaluation process has included both quantitative and qualitative analysis to assess learning outcomes and the technological effectiveness of SLS. The discussion details how findings have generated valuable insights about the impact of SLS on scientific literacy, learner engagement, and the overall effectiveness of the platform. This data-driven approach has informed the continuous refinement and improvement of SLS, ensuring its ability to provide a comprehensive and engaging science education experience for young learners. Our next steps include testing a fully functional prototype of SLS with learners, utilizing pre and post surveys to evaluate its impact on learning outcomes, scientific literacy, and engagement with science.