Narrative-Centered Learning Environments in Science Education

Narratives are often used in K-12 science education research and design to couch content in engaging and motivating contexts that promote learning. This scoping review examined 104 empirical studies that included narrative-centered learning environments as an integral part of science curricula and revealed three types of narratives that are often used in instructional materials or settings: (1) Authentic narratives, (2) Realistic Fiction narratives, and (3) Fantasy Fiction narratives. In addition, we examined the relationships of these narrative types with different problem types and learning outcomes. Findings demonstrated how different narrative types are used in K-12 science learning environments and implications for practice in instructional design and classroom implementation are discussed.