Learner Outcomes
"Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results."
John Dewey
The StoryForge programme is designed to
Scaffold essential academic skills in English, maths, and digital literacy alongside broader employability skills.
Empower learners by offering meaningful choices and agency, allowing them to shape their own stories.
Promote positive mental well-being and encourage constructive change in a safe, supportive space.
Develop collaboration and communication skills, preparing participants to navigate real-world challenges.
StoryForge's outcomes are based on three core values
Inclusion
Inclusion is at the heart of StoryForge, which centres on group-based activities that require collaboration and communication. Shared experiences build camaraderie, spark in-jokes, and deepen peer connections, giving isolated or marginalised learners a chance to engage, even through casual conversations about the game. Playing diverse characters fosters empathy, reduces aggression, and supports a more inclusive classroom environment.
Confidence
The challenges and successes learners face in-game often reflect real-life situations. By solving fictional problems, they build problem-solving skills, both individually and collaboratively. Learners practise giving and receiving feedback, asking for help, and having difficult conversations, developing resilience and adaptability. Using rulebooks and indexes to resolve conflicts also sharpens critical thinking and boosts literacy, an often overlooked but valuable skill.
Agency
Many learners are used to being told what to do, leaving them feeling powerless and disconnected from their outcomes. StoryForge flips that dynamic, letting learners make meaningful choices and see the real-time impact of their decisions. By taking on heroic roles, they build confidence, self-worth, and a sense of agency, often realising for the first time that their choices truly matter, both in the game and in real life.
The Right Set of Educational Tools
Every learner deserves the chance to thrive, but recent studies have concluded that traditional classrooms simply don’t meet the needs of everyone. StoryForge bridges this gap by combining immersive storytelling with skill-building exercises. Below are some key tools facilitators can use to ensure success, including methods for guiding reflections, pacing gameplay, encouraging collaboration, and providing constructive feedback.
The Role of the Facilitator
The Facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding the game as an educational tool. They set the tone, provide explanations, and offer guidance to help learners develop key skills such as decision-making, perspective-taking, and social awareness. Acting as the architect, conductor, and arbiter, the Facilitator creates a structured yet flexible environment, ensuring the game remains focused while supporting learners' growth.
A Simulated World
StoryForge games act as simulation training, offering learners a flexible space to practise social skills. In this controlled environment, they can experiment and make mistakes without serious consequences. Skills such as problem-solving, emotional regulation, and collaboration, gained through gameplay, naturally translate into real-life situations.
The immersive nature of StoryForge can make in-game events feel remarkably real, leading to genuine emotional reactions. These moments of emotional investment provide opportunities for reflection and growth. Facilitators can help learners regulate their emotions by asking questions about how their character feels, shifting the focus away from the student and fostering perspective-taking without shaming.
This simulated world is especially beneficial for learners who struggle with challenging behaviours in traditional settings. For instance, a student who might act out during a maths test can instead get the opportunity to engage in a scenario like saving an ally from a bandit camp. Successfully navigating such challenges boosts their confidence and equips them to approach real-world difficulties with a renewed sense of capability.
Slowing Down Time
One of the Facilitator’s most valuable tools is the ability to slow down game time. In a game with multiple outcomes, this pause allows players to reflect on their choices. For example, if a learner excitedly announces:
“I cast fire magic!” without considering the wooden building they’re standing in, the Facilitator can step in with:
“You did notice the building is made of wood, didn’t you? Let’s think about what might happen next if you go ahead with that.”
This deliberate slowing of time helps more impulsive learners develop critical thinking skills by considering the consequences of their actions. It also creates space to address behaviour constructively. For example, if a learner frequently interrupts others, the Facilitator can pause and gently redirect:
“Your character keeps interrupting the others. Why do you think that’s happening?”
By shifting attention away from the learner and instead onto their character, this approach encourages perspective-taking and allows the group to discuss how certain behaviours affect others. By framing feedback within the game in this way, the Facilitator can correct disruptive behaviour without shaming the learner, making it easier for them to internalise social norms and practise empathy.
Learning Through Internal Conflict
Conflict, when approached constructively, can be a powerful learning tool. In StoryForge, interpersonal conflicts offer learners opportunities to practise regulation, collaboration, and perspective-taking in a safe, controlled environment.
These conflicts may arise over strategic decisions or gameplay moments and challenge learners to process emotions, communicate effectively, and navigate differences in opinion. Through these scenarios, learners develop essential skills such as emotional regulation, empathy, and teamwork.
The separation between the player and their character makes StoryForge particularly effective for conflict resolution. This detachment provides a “testing ground” for learners to safely explore conflict dynamics, building strategies and confidence to handle real-life situations.
Learner Outcomes
StoryForge is not just a game—it’s a transformative educational tool that combines storytelling, problem-solving, and personal growth. It provides a safe, engaging space for learners to develop academic, social, and emotional skills. Grounded in inclusion, confidence, and agency, StoryForge helps learners connect, grow, and approach challenges with resilience and creativity. For learners who may struggle to fit within traditional educational structures, StoryForge offers the support and tools they need to thrive.