Storytelling with Data: Telling the Tale of ALP

1. Storytelling with Data:
Telling the Tale of ALP
Susan Gabriel Community College of Baltimore County
Dawn Coleman University of South Carolina
March 20, 2016

2. Once upon a time…

3. Once upon a time…
in a far away land
called the
Community
College of
Baltimore County,

4. Once upon a time…
in a far away land
called the
Community
College of
Baltimore County,
there lived a man
named Peter
Adams.

5. Peter was on a
mission to help
travelers to his
kingdom climb a
tall mountain.
Upon scaling
the mountain,
they would have
access to all the
wonders and
riches of the
kingdom.
ENG
101

6. Unfortunately,
the mission
wasn’t going so
well.
ENG
101

7. Unfortunately,
the mission
wasn’t going so
well.
Travelers
prepared for the
mountain by
first climbing a
practice hill.
ENG
101
ENG
090

8. But some
travelers were
discouraged by
having to climb a
hill before being
allowed to climb
the mountain and
gave up before
they even started.
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9. Others started
the climb but
had never
climbed before
so everything
about the hill
was new and
different and
confusing.
ENG 090

10. Some didn’t
have the tools
and equipment
they needed to
be successful
(like good hiking
shoes and a
water bottle).
ENG 090

11. And year after
year, travelers
to the kingdom
tried to climb
the practice
hill…
and failed.
ENG 090

12. But some made it
to the top,
gathering the
tools they needed
along the way,
learning how to
climb, becoming
more confident as
they got higher
and higher.
ENG 090

13. They were
ready to tackle
the mountain!
ENG 090 ENG 101

14. But then some
couldn’t make
the jump from
the hill to the
mountain…
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15. Falling down
the crevice
between them,
never to be seen
again.
ENG 090 ENG 101

16. ENG 101
Some made the
jump but then
were surprised
to see that the
mountain was
very different
from the hill.

17. ENG 101
It was rockier
and steeper and
required
different shoes
and more
advanced
equipment.

18. ENG 101
Some who had
successfully
climbed the hill
and made the
jump to the
mountain, slowly
slid back down,
unable to make
the more difficult
climb.

19. After studying
the hill and the
mountain, Peter
came to the
disturbing
realization that…
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20. For every 100
travelers to the
kingdom who got
over their
disappointment
at seeing the hill,
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21. ENG 090
And decided to
attempt the
climb,
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22. ENG 090
Only 57
successfully
made it to the
top of the hill,
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23. ENG 090 ENG 101
Only 41
successfully
made the jump
from the hill to
the mountain,

24. ENG 090 ENG 101
And ultimately
only 33 made it
successfully to
the top.

25. ENG 090 ENG 101
Peter knew
there had to be
a better way.

26. He thought
why not let the
travelers skip
the hill
altogether
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27. ENG 101
He thought
why not let the
travelers skip
the hill
altogether and
start on the
actual
mountain.

28. ENG 101
And while they
climb the
mountain, why
don’t we help
them along the
way (and teach
them to help
each other)?

29. ENG 101
Instead of
practicing on a
hill that often
doesn’t even
look like the
mountain, let
them practice
on the actual
mountain!

30. ENG 101
So they did.

31. ENG 101
And instead of
33 travelers
making it to the
top of the
mountain, 63
made it to the
top (and they
did it quicker!)

32. ENG 101
Every year,
more and more
travelers
reached the top
of the mountain
and were able to
enjoy the
kingdom’s
riches.

33. ENG 101
And now Peter
and his fellow
countrywomen
and countrymen
travel to other
lands with
practice hills to
show them how
to mountain
climb.

34. ENG 101
…and they all
lived happily
ever after.