ICON Day 2024 kicked off with a keynote by Kate McDowell, associate professor at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who introduced the concept of data storytelling as any presentation of data using narrative strategies.

She discussed the essence of storytelling, its dynamic nature, and the crucial relationship between the teller and the audience. This relationship is not just about delivering content but creating a meaningful exchange that brings stories to life to convey information and inspire the audience to learn on their own.

Three narrative structures were highlighted as ways to organize storytelling: continuity, transformation, and discovery. Continuity stories emphasize resilience and the ability to weather challenges. Transformation stories focus on significant changes and the awe of seeing things in a new light. Discovery stories, akin to detective stories, involve a process of inquiry and revelation, making them ideal for educational settings where students explore and uncover new information.

Attendees were encouraged to engage in discussions about the connections between data and storytelling in their teaching practices. McDowell posed questions about what insights could be gained from these conversations and how different teaching styles might influence the use of data and storytelling.

A key takeaway was the idea that storytelling operates on multiple levels, from individual narratives to larger disciplinary stories. Recognizing these narrative structures helps educators teach more effectively by understanding what students need to know and how they can convey that knowledge through storytelling.

ICON All Stars

We honored this year’s ICON All Star recipients:

• Brianne Bakken, clinical associate professor in nursing, for NURS:6802:0EXW.
• Kristina Bigsby, associate professor of instruction in business analytics, for BAIS:6050:0EXP.
• Suzanne Wedeking, assistant professor of instruction in Spanish and Portuguese, for SPAN:2050:0EXW.

The sites were reviewed by a diverse panel of experts, and criteria focused on accessibility, interactivity/engagement, and positive contributions to student learning.

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated and thank you for your work to make ICON course sites that improve the student experience.

Workshops

Troubleshooting Data Storytelling

This workshop, led by Kate McDowell, highlighted the importance of narrative structures, such as transformation, continuity, and discovery stories, in enhancing teaching and learning experiences. Participants engaged in interactive discussions, shared personal anecdotes, and explored techniques for crafting compelling stories that resonate with diverse audiences. The session addressed common challenges in audience engagement and the significance of story endings. The workshop fostered a deeper understanding of how storytelling can be a powerful tool in education, making learning experiences more meaningful and memorable.

Engaging Students with Top Hat

Mike MacCourt, professor of practice in the Tippie College of Business, led a session on how he uses Top Hat in his classroom to keep his students engaged with questions about content being covered, gathering feedback from students to drive continuous improvement in the course, and on how his students value his use of the tool. We also had representatives from Top Hat there to engage with the audience about upcoming features, answer questions, and collect feedback for future improvements.

Enhancing Accessibility: Optimizing Your ICON Course Site

eden jones, digital innovation consultant in the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology, led a workshop to help instructors make their ICON course sites accessible for all students. The session focused on how to improve some easy-to-fix challenges in site design, such as usage of headings, tables, color contrast, alternative text, and transcripts and captions. 

We hope you can join us at ICON Day 2025 tentatively scheduled for Nov. 14, 2025.