For 135 years, the National Geographic Society has funded the world’s best and brightest storytellers. This month, as we recognize outstanding storytelling from our past, present and future, we invite educators and learners to join the celebration by enrolling in our Storytelling for Impact courses.
Developed in partnership with Adobe, this series of free, self-paced, on-demand courses is designed to teach and inspire. Whether you are an educator looking for a powerful way to support your learners or a young person ready to drive progress through storytelling, these courses are for you.
Educators can take an introductory course on the “why, how, and when” of storytelling. The three-session experience covers the value of storytelling, types of media at storytellers’ disposal, and valuable process tips. All courses in the Storytelling for Impact series include National Geographic Explorers and Explorer-led programs as case studies. In this introductory course, you’ll hear how the Pristine Seas project uses storytelling to advance ocean protection.
Continue learning from world-class National Geographic photographers, videographers, and visual designers in dedicated courses on photography, video, audio, and graphics. Ranging in length from five and a half hours to nine hours, these in-depth courses have something to offer novice and experienced storytellers alike. Each of these courses is available for free both for educators and for young people, who can enroll in a version specifically for ages 16-25.
The photography course, which requires no camera equipment beyond a simple digital camera or smartphone, begins with an engaging introduction to photography then leads participants in creating a photographic story of place alongside a National Geographic photographer.
The similarly accessible video course prompts participants to consider how film can change the way viewers think, feel, and act. With insights from Explorer Sandesh Kadur, participants then have the opportunity to make a short video story of their own.
Explore digital tools to create stories using voice and sound in the audio course, centered on a form of storytelling made compelling by its simplicity and emotional closeness.
Finally, in the graphics course, join Explorer Kelsey Taylor in exploring the infographic—a medium whose practitioners blend art and science to illuminate issues and inspire action. As in the other courses, participants are supported in building and practicing their skills.
Visit our Storytelling for Impact page for more details on the courses and to sign up. As a reminder, these courses are free, self-paced, and on-demand. You can start one at any time and can pick the course or courses that are of greatest interest to you.
National Geographic Photo Camp students, all part of the Refugee Youth Project in Baltimore, learn to tell their stories through photography along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, October 2016 (Ronan Donovan)