ArcGIS StoryMaps are increasingly being used as an educational tool at my institution because they do a great job of combining narrative, maps, multimedia, and interactive content in a single experience. I've found myself using StoryMaps in place of traditional PowerPoint presentations for some lectures because they allow for a more engaging and interactive learning experience.
One thing I miss from slide-based presentations, however, is the ability to control the pace at which information is revealed.
I can approximate some of this behavior using the Sidecar or Map Tour immersive blocks (in most cases through simple scrolling to reveal images or locations on a map, or through Media Actions), but it would be nice to have similar functionality available within the main StoryMaps content area. Essentially, a content block would remain hidden until the reader chooses to reveal it, such as by clicking a "Show More" or "Next" button, or through some other author-defined interaction like scrolling.
Some potential use cases include:
- Presenting a question before revealing the answer
- Walking readers through a process step-by-step
- Revealing bullet points one at a time
- Gradually building an explanation
- Encouraging readers to pause and think before moving forward
While my interest comes primarily from an educational perspective, I can also see this being useful for workshops, presentations, public engagement, and storytelling in general.
A "Reveal on click" or "Hide until revealed" option for content blocks would provide authors with another storytelling tool while staying consistent with the existing StoryMaps experience.
