Analyses of Stories to Deepen Social Understanding:

 The Art and Science of Using Humanistic Tales Across Media

Storytelling is a universally shared human tool, natural impulse, instinctual across centuries, cultures and social classes. Stories are ubiquitous in education. However, traditional teaching methods use "one-media (usually print)-telling of a story, ignoring, or subjugating media, such as a film as entertainment only, or judging a film version's merit based on adherence to the "book". Meanwhile, the streaming media revolution constitutes a "seismic shift" in access to film that also bodes well for education.

By using a tripartite method of analysis (aesthetic, academic, and ethical) twice-told stories (i.e., two/multi media versions) can further build emotional, intellectual, and empathic bonds with others/ourselves through deepening story understanding. We report here on recent analysis of a popular story, Wonder, in book (2012) and film (2017) versions. Close cross comparison of media versions can generate scientifically valid  questions and insights less likely to emerge when analyzing  one media version.