The role of empathetic understanding in the development of real-world problem solving skills

Understanding someone elses perspective is an essential condition for solving real-world problems (Jonassen, 2007). However, the ability to understand different perspectives does not come naturally for many learners. Understanding the phenomenon of perspectives and the framework that underlies these important ideas may allow instructors to implement curricula in the classrooms more effectively. This paper proposes that the structure of a narrative is a very complex process that involves the use of perspective-taking to accomplish the task of interpretation. An analysis of the embodied mind, the construction of metaphors, and empathy are discussed as the overall framework of the interpretive nature of narrative based upon literature and theatrical plays. Through an understanding of how the embodied mind interprets the emotions of others through the tools of narrative, teaching methods that incorporate embodied forms of understanding that connect with the overall cognitive ability of Empathy can be used in instruction.