Stories and Systems: Educational Interactive Storytelling to Teach Media Literacy and Systemic Thinking

Abstract: This paper explores how Interactive Digital Narratives (IDNs) can support learners in developing the critical literacies needed to address complex societal challenges, so-called wicked problems, such as climate change, pandemics, and social inequality. While digital technologies offer broad access to narratives and data, they also contribute to misinformation and the oversimplification of interconnected issues. IDNs enable learners to navigate nonlinear, interactive stories, fostering deeper understanding and engagement. We introduce Systemic Learning IDNs: interactive narrative experiences explicitly designed to help learners explore and reflect on complex systems and interdependencies. To guide their creation and use, we propose the CLASS framework, a structured model that integrates systems thinking, design thinking, and storytelling. This transdisciplinary approach supports learners in developing curiosity, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. Focusing on the classroom context, we apply CLASS to two cases, one commercial narrative simulation and one educational prototype, offering a comparative analysis and practical recommendations for future design and implementation. By combining narrative, systems mapping, and participatory design, this paper highlights how IDNs can become powerful tools for transformative, systems-oriented learning in an increasingly complex world.