2.1.5. Narrative
Storytelling is a familiar and ubiquitous part of everyday life; a form of communication and shared experience since antiquity. Stories may serve social, cognitive, and emotional functions. With respect to its social function, the communicative nature of storytelling is evident in the discourse which takes place in a learning context. In this sense, educational theories which support narrative are highly related to the collaborative and sociocultural learning theories described in previous sections. A model for teaching that draws on the power of storytelling and narrative is not only important for language development but can enhance the recall and natural understanding of a variety of topics \cite {Egan88}. In terms of its cognitive function, the structure and dramatic tension of a narrative creates expectation which is satisfied upon resolution of the story, and aids in planning, reconstructing, illustrating, and summarizing abstract concepts. Stories are an important component of childrens' playcrafting and scaffolding, as children develop understanding when advancing from simple relatively plotless stories to more complex stories \cite {Applebee78,Steiner94a}. In addition to serving as an effective representation for learning, narrative serves an affective function. Through stories, tales, or myths we can assume other perspectives, become more culturally aware, and learn about values, habits, and traditions. Storytelling is also a very motivating and engaging learning tool, whether it involves experiencing a pre-determined narrative script or constructing ones own story.
While many two-dimensional computer-supported storytelling environments have been developed for use by children \cite{Steiner92,Lewin95}, narrative has just begun appearing as a theme in virtual environments. These virtual worlds are almost exclusively developed by artists or linked to the area of Interactive Fiction \cite {Laurel93}. These systems explore narrative in the sense of space and time \cite {Laurel94}, plot and character development \cite {Lebowitz84}, and emotional interactive drama \cite {Bates92}, and do not directly address educational issues.
Characters and story structures are not unexplored concepts in interactive media. Virtual reality worlds, however, focus on the construction of objects and spaces, but not stories that tie them together. Incorporating story and characters requires the development of more ``intelligent'' computational models. Recent advances in the field of Artificial Intelligence include the development of agents, artificial creatures incorporating a set of human-like behaviors, as well as the exploration of plot and story structures which may emerge from the interaction between these agents \cite {Maes89}. Despite the interesting developments, these programmed agents have far to go before they can successfully simulate a perceptual, cognitive, or emotional level that may produce meaningful stories for learners.