Problem
History is, as sociologist Loewen noted, boring. Why? Well in 2010 social scientists Russell & Waters suggested it is because history is learned by rote, and rote learning is inherently boring. As a result, in the US alone only 25% of students meet proficient or above levels in U.S. History. A similar picture can be seen across the world. But yet we find history oddly fascinating into adulthood, why?
Solution
The team behind figstory thinks it is historical stories that capture the imagination. Storytelling is the backbone of human culture, we are defined by the stories we collectively tell, from books to movies. The advantages of storytelling are many:
1) Narratives are inherently engaging; storytelling is the oldest method of passing on knowledge and history. Narratives provide a personal relationship between the listener and the narrator, embedding the reader in another period, context and event.
2) Narratives also challenge the listener to build their critical skills by challenging how narratives are constructed; listeners learn to evaluate narratives for author bias, authorial choices and motivations, and the fictionalizing or omission of evidence.
3) Listeners are challenged to enquire beyond the narrative, asking whether their narrative represents a historical experience or era.
4) By introducing the concept of narrative structures, listeners can start to engage with the concept of historiographies and ask why multiple narratives of the same events might differ and what this says about competing ideas and ethical codes.
Our Story Cycle
At Figstory we have built a series of worlds and products that promote this story cycle that you can choose from. Each product you order will be unique to you. You get to decide the story, stage (place/time), and personality of our players (characters).
Our world is full of characters that consistently re-occur throughout history, clad in the clothing and items from the period of your choice. We provide each figure with a range of historically accurate narratives. The narrative becomes the focus for learning about our past and about ourselves.