Transmedia Storytelling as an Educational Strategy

International Journal of Creative Interfaces and Computer Graphics Volume 7 • Issue 2 • July-December 2016

Transmedia Storytelling as an Educational Strategy: A Prototype for Learning English as a Second Language

Patricia Rodrigues, Universidade Aberta, Research Centre for Arts and Communication (CIAC), Lisbon, Portugal José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, Research Centre for Arts and Communication (CIAC), Lisbon, Portugal

ABSTRACT This paper proposes the use of transmedia storytelling in an educational context. Transmedia stories are perceived as opportunities to create a new learning scenario that allows for the development of innovative student-centred educational practices, and the implementation of collaborative strategies that ultimately meet the 21st-century students’ needs. Through the discussion of a transmedia learning project targeted to English as Second Language students, this paper attempts to provide insight on how learning activities and strategies can be embedded in the digital narrative and experience layers of a storyworld. Keywords ESL, Interactive Platforms, Language Learning, Transmedia Learning, Transmedia Storytelling

INTRODUCTION Stories are mystifying and forge emotional connections. Fiction, in particular, stimulates empathy with characters that seems real. As communication tools, they provide understanding and entertainment. Independent of the medium - books, web series, comic books, films or games, stories engage audience members in a narrative experience that becomes a unique enterprise that differs from individual to individual. The internet has given rise to a new form of narrative “one that’s told through many media at once in a way that’s nonlinear, that’s participatory and often game-like, and that’s designed above all to be immersive” (Rose, 2011, p. 3). Stories are universal nevertheless, the way they are told changes with the medium through which they emerge. As participatory media proliferate, storytelling does too. In this context, transmedia storytelling emerges as a mean of creation and expression of the “Millennial generation”, a definition introduced by Howe and Strauss (2000, p. 4). Transmedia Storytelling is a process of “crafting stories that unfold across multiple media platforms, in which each piece interacts with others to deepen the whole - but is capable of standing on its own - giving the audience the choice as to how deep into the experience they go” (Weaver, 2013, p. 8). In a nutshell, Weaver (2013, p.12) compares the transmedia approach to storytelling to the creation of a handshake. The audience has the chance to return the handshake by consuming one piece and then deciding if they want to continue the conversation by seeing what else is in the storyworld. As passive viewers become active users and participants, transmedia provides a set of tools and techniques that can reach and engage young audiences, often through multiple interfaces, platforms, DOI: 10.4018/IJCICG.2016070105 Copyright © 2016, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.

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and devices. Gomez (2014) refers to the “Millennials” as the most published and social generation in the history of humanity. He argues they are also the “Transmedia Generation” since they can take different parts of a story, delivered across different platforms, and assemble a whole that suits the level with which they want to engage with the material. The exploration of the educational uses of transmedia practices has become a prevalent topic of discussion in recent years. From an educational point of view, transmedia learning environments allow to shift the balance of agency as students “become hunters and gatherers pulling together information from multiple sources to form a new synthesis” to become “active publishers of knowledge” (Jenkins, 2009, p. 46). They also allow to “broaden the mix of representational modes in which students express their knowledge and to build collaborative knowledge cultures” (Kalantzis & Cope, 2012, p. 84). This paper seeks to highlight the potential of the use transmedia learning environments and related interfaces by looking into a transmedia project in the context of ESL - English as Second Language learning. By tapping into the conception, design, and application of the prototype, the authors seek to assess its validity, relevance for educators and students, and appropriateness for educational use. The first section of the paper provides the educational context and goals of the project. The following section presents the narrative design of the prototype, while the third is dedicated to an overview of the core elements that constitute the storyworld. The paper concludes with points for future research development and briefly discusses the challenges that might emerge during the process. THE PROJECT’S GOALS Connecting Cat is part of an ongoing research concerning the creation of a transmedia learning environment in the context of ESL learning. It is targeted to Portuguese 10th-grade students, 16-yearold teenagers. Connecting Cat’s storyworld is designed to be the setting of exploration of contents and curricular goals of ESL, level B1, according to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The project uses a multilayered combination of audiovisual elements within a storyworld to shed light on the topics: media culture, multiculturalism, linguistic diversity and use of technology. The storyworld is constructed to allow expansion and dynamic personalization of its elements while enhancing the development of communication and media literacy skills. By exploring the different aspects provided in the storyworld, students are able to move from informed reception of input to responsive participation in opinion-generating activities and creative contribution of multimodal outputs. Kurek and Hauck (2014, p. 120) argue “language learners who can comfortably alternate in their roles as semiotic responders and semiotic initiators will reflect the success of training that takes account of multimodality as a core element of digital literacy skills”. When considering the participatory and mediated nature of the students’ context, transliteracy becomes a key educational issue - “consuming and producing content across multifarious media platforms is a basic life skill for the twenty-first century” (Fleming, 2013, p. 373). Taking into account the need to equip students to communicate and express in the 21st-century mediascape, Connecting Cat seeks to promote transliteracy - the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools, and media” (Thomas et al., 2007). For this effect, the storyworld provides spaces for self-expression, interaction and participation within a shared culture disseminated in the storyworld. Warren et al. (2013, p. 69) argue that a “transmedia story is never ending, and it is continuously reshaped with the help of peer constative feedback”. Thus, it can be perceived as “a continuous learning process where linear learning is no more. Instead, multimodal experiences allow learners to seek, weigh, and communicate answers. Knowledge is found socially constructed based on existing knowledge” (idem).

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The pursuit of new learning paradigms has previously directed educators to focus on the use of technology. Nevertheless, several studies comparing technology-enhanced learning to traditional learning, conducted in the last two decades, have led to inconclusive findings. The authors argue although the use of transmedia learning environments may not be a straightforward substitution for the abstract knowledge-based learning, teacher-centered paradigm, it may allow students to engage in meaningful and authentic learning experiences by accounting for students’ contexts. Starskey (2012, p. 24) highlights the fact that “learners in the Digital Age can connect and collaborate with people beyond their physical environment (…) can connect a range of information or data and draw on a range of perspectives to collaboratively generate and critique new ideas”. Thus, taking into account the mediated nature of the students’ environment, one of the goals of the project is to include aspects that might stimulate the development of “critical understanding of the nature of mass media, the techniques, used by them, and the impact of those techniques more specifically how they construct reality” (Kalogeras, 2014, p. 72). NARRATIVE SCENARIO The project’s backdrop is an adventure story in which the protagonist seeks portal pieces on different places to ultimately connect humans to a tribe of alien warriors. The story is set in a primary world and secondary world to allow for the exploration of a mystical dimension, in this case, an alien warriors’ world, as well as the real, through the unveiling of the main character’s events. “Campbell suggests that the most classic and enduring stories are the ones fueled by a standard framework filled with challenge and adventure—both mystical and real” (Gronstedt & Ramos, 2014, p. 1). By integrating both dimensions, it was possible to diversify entry points to the storyworld and enhance the exploration of a wider range event type. So, that students could relate to the topics in a seamless way, particular attention was given to the creation of a convincing storyworld and also the design of characters. The more compelling, the easier it is for students to create empathy. To avoid the cognitive overload inherent to the exposure to multimodal inputs, the contents are presented through a strong storyline with clearly defined points. Bernardo (2014, p. 798) points out that storyworld, characters, and storyline are pivotal elements of a transmedia project. By the same token, Kurek and Hauck (2014, p. 122) highlight the importance of careful scaffolding and modeling to reduce the cognitive load – “dealing with vast amounts of multimodal information may exceed leaner’s available cognitive capacity, leading to cognitive overload and, consequently, superficial interaction with the input in question … it is even more complex in case of exposure to multimodal content in languages other than one’s L1” (Kurek & Hauck, 2014, p. 127). The story is supported by a main narrative arc constituted by micro-narratives. Connecting Cat draws upon the hero’s journey model, one that students can relate to. Campbell’s monomyth structure is universal – “What works universally with this structure is its reliance and reliability for telling stories based on self-reflection, stretching one’s capability, finding friends, inspiration, attainment of goals, and perhaps what up until this point had been undiscovered talents” (Gronstedt & Ramos, 2014, p. 1). Similarly, to Cat’s journey, the heroine of the story, students during their learning course face challenges, meet mentors and are called to develop their skills. The underlying goal is to create an emotional connection and hence stimulate the engagement with the content knowledge embedded in the narrative. Dettori (2011, p. 55) highlights that narratives facilitate and provide context for ideas conveyed through emotional engagement– “narrative-based contexts usually result engaging for learners from the emotional/affective point of view and hence help connecting this aspect with content knowledge, stimulating the development of intrinsic motivation”. Alongside the events unveiled in the primary world, students can access the secondary world targeted to explore the culture of the alien tribe. To provide cohesiveness and a unified experience to the participants of the storyworld, the events set in both worlds are interconnected, and some characters assume a double identity in the two dimensions. 58


The events of the storyworld are presented through micro-narratives. These were crafted to address a particular curricular topic or aspect to facilitate the management of learning goals. Regardless if the students explore the storyworld in a linear or non-linear manner, the micro-narratives are comprehensible on their own, even when explored outside the main narrative framework, and encapsulate the required context to explore the topics. The storyworld is incomplete and seeks to engage students in shaping, expanding and filling in the narrative gaps. By exploring the storyworld, students learn more about it and become immersed in it. Ryan (as cited in Wolf, 2013, p. 5) proposes a multilayered process through which participants become immersed in the world – “the reader constructs in imagination a set of language-independent objects, using as a guide the textual declarations, but building this always incomplete image into a more vivid representation through the import of information provided by internalized cognitive models, inferential mechanisms, real-life experience, including knowledge derived from other texts”. Wolf (2013, p. 5) expands this notion by including imagery and sound as well. PROVIDING FOR A LEARNING EXPERIENCE Transmedia Storytelling is “a strategic process where the scale and scope are a whole lot more than the sum of all its parts” (Kalogeras, 2014, p. 177). At its core, a transmedia project relies on processes of leveraging media platforms to deliver a story and create an interactive experience. For Raybourn (2014, p. 475), transmedia storytelling design entails the development of character (interaction and personas), story (narrative and scenarios), worldbuilding (place), and audience (participation and emergent culture). In addition to these elements, in the case of a transmedia learning experience, it is also necessary to ground a learning framework. Taking into account the goals of the project, the framework of the storyworld supports the construction of knowledge via manipulation of the digital resources scattered through the platforms and integrates interaction triggers that can ultimately lead to an authentic learning experience. The learning framework takes into account the following set of questions to assess the appropriateness of a narrative work for an educational setting, in this case, in reference to an e-module (Kalogeras, 2014, p. 178): 1. 2. 3. 4.

Can the story be integrated into an existing curriculum? Is the story engaging, and can it help make learning more effective? Does the story contain subject matter that is relevant to the module? Do the hyperlinks found in the story provide valuable information in keeping with learning objectives and outcomes? 5. Can additional learning extensions be created by subject-matter experts/producers? 6. Can the students create stories extensions via digital stories to provide educational value? Drawing from the multiliteracy training approach proposed by Kurek and Hauck (2014, p. 119), the students’ interactions were scaffolded around the following parameters: reception, participation, and contribution. This method “attempts to address learner literacy needs on various levels. Similarly, to what is happening in a language classroom, the learner is guided from observation of the desired acts, through their interpretation to the final performance, with the teacher gradually withdrawing support” (Kurek & Hauck, 2014, p. 126). Considering the learning sequence: reception, participation, and contribution for this project, implied selecting platforms that would allow for the progression from reception to contribution. Platforms that would on one hand provide learning inputs and, on the other, trigger the creation of learning outputs and engage students into taking an active role. The different gateways to the storyworld are set forth via a common interface - a website, the hub of the storyworld. The following diagram in 59


Figure 1. Mapping of the interfaces of the storyworld

Figure 1 provides an overview of the core elements that constitute the experience of the storyworld. The navigation within the framework allows for a cumulative or complementary exploration of the elements, linear or non-linear. Participants can determine their level and form of immersion in the storyworld. Gateways to the Storyworld Targeted to Explore Learning Inputs The first webisode “Who am I?” establishes the essence of the story - characters, setting, and challenges. The main character is confronted with the revelation of her secret alien identity and mission - to seek pieces to assemble a portal and connect mankind to an alien tribe. Cat also finds her allies, her pet and member of the alien tribe. The webisode integrates a clue - a narrative link to other two narratives. Through the lens of learning, “Who am I?” can be explored to raise awareness to diverse types of linguistic discourse and discursive practices in the L2. Students can critically evaluate discourse and develop conversation skills using the webisode as setting. If the first webisode explores real world events of the storyworld, the second micro-narrative taps into the imaginary dimension of the story. It exploits the culture and life of the alien tribe. Since it seeks to explore an imaginary dimension, the narrative thread is conveyed through a sequence of a comic motion book. See Figure 2. It is available via Madefire application and is hosted online. The sequence “Allure” presents the context for the clue set in the webisode “Who am I?” while exploring activities and adventures of the tribe members. The user is invited to track the warrior Shakid from the moment he morphs from cat, in the real world, into a Fluxus warrior; follow a rescue mission and trace his return to the real world. The events related to the mission, in particular, are set to integrate learning triggers related to the topic linguistic diversity. One of the tribe members is entangled in the branches of an alien tree affected by human communication. Visual and audio elements enhance the narrative and provide learning input - in this case a cacophony of human dialects that affects the tree. Selecting the motion book as a platform was a strategic choice since it combines the language of comic books and interaction. The Fluxus world theme is also based on cultural references of interest to the target audience of the project such as features of MMORPGs (landscapes and avatars). Motion comic books are a new medium of graphic storytelling. They use a combination of static art, simple animation and sound to create a movie-like feel within the comic. McCloud (1994, p. 6) by defining the comic language refers to what happens between the panels, as the space in which the reader completes the actions that aren’t shown in order to form a logical story. In motion comic books, the 60


space between the panels is taken away and replaced with animation; it doesn’t change meaning but alters the quality of the experience - “Its DNA is comic books. Lots of people have responded that it reminds them of video game elements or having cinematic sort of qualities to it (...) It’s an immersive reading experience” (Schmidt, 2014). The interplay of words, pictures, sound, and animation convey an immersive experience. Similarly, to directing the viewer’s gaze into a painting, “Allure” adapts the graphic conventions of comic books - imaginative and supportive typography, strip panels, speech bubbles to guide the act of reading. The participation of the reader is direct in the meaning-making process. The progression in the narrative is dependent on interactions, exchanges and movements of the readers, “I frame, I unframe, I reframe: so the graphic texts passes from panel to panel, page to page across medial boundaries” (Denson, 2014, p. 271). For ESL learning purposes, it presents the potential to explore receptive communication skills and reinforce meaning through different modes of representation, “The text is interpreted in terms of pictures, sound, animation and these in terms of the text in an infinite sequence” (Sipe, 2012, p. 20). In terms of interpretation activities, students can identify biased or exploitative situations and then report and rephrase information provided visually in the sequence. The second webisode - “Seek and you shall find” is an interactive video set in the Interlude platform. Interactive videos are engaging and seamless. They offer a multilayered video experience “Viewers make choices that affect the video in real time for a completely fluid lean forward viewing experience” (Treehouse, 2014). The webisode provides a set of narratives threads that users can choose upon, thus allowing for the creation of a personal experience of the story. The interactivity is based on the choose-your-own-adventure mechanic. See Figure 3. Beyond providing multiple paths through a story, upon completion of the narrative experience, viewers can replay it using alternative options at various points.”Seek and you shall find” is set in London, where we find the protagonist on a quest to find a portal piece after solving a clue. Both the setting and the interactions with secondary characters were intentionally integrated to exploit the topics of linguistic diversity and multiculturalism. The various narrative threads provide learning inputs such as discourses representing diverse cultures, genres, intentions, communication modes and language varieties. London is a multicultural city, home to a wide variety of ethnic groups. During her quest, the protagonist interacts with people from different cultural backgrounds. Besides authentic immersion in “World Englishes”, visual and audio elements depict multicultural aspects of the city such as museums or world food markets. One route through which the storyworld may be experienced is the location-based quest. A situated learning experience in geographic space that takes advantage of the locative storytelling application Aurasma. This mobile augmented reality application allows a storyteller to attach story elements Figure 2. Screenshots of the sequence of the motion book

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Figure 3. Screenshots of the interactive webisode: selection menu and scene

(digital images, videos, instructions, clues) to a real-world marker. The main goal is to make the story tangible to learners by using a learner-centered and active participation approach – “… what might be otherwise be salient but abstract information when read on a computer screen can become something potentially more impactful when consumed or engaged with on location” (Wagner & Erikson, 2013, p. 352). Through the location based quest “AWOL” participants are encouraged to help Cat by revealing vital clues and story details that ultimately lead to the discovery of one of the portal pieces and its kidnaped guardian. The quest is set to explore the topic media and is targeted to develop reflective reception - by accessing written and audiovisual information - but also participation. To complete the quest, students need to be active participants in the story. The interactive elements that construct this quest seek to engage students in solving puzzles and clues through which they can develop reading and listening skills such as scanning and inferencing. The triggers for this quest also require students to express themselves through thoughtful and purposeful online participation by interacting with Cat via her Facebook page and delivering reports on their findings to the police and newspapers. For Spaulding (2012, p. 65) “the story that transmedia writers tell is only half the story - the much more interesting half takes shape when the world is opened and audiences can step up and play a part. It’s a huge Internet of things out there”. The following section provides an overview of the platforms through which learners can shape, expand and contribute to the storyworld. Gateways to the Storyworld Targeted to Triggering Learning Outputs Picking up on the digital spaces in which students interact, one of the entry points to the storyworld is Cat’s Facebook page. Her posts seek to immerse students in her quests by sharing her impressions of the places she has been, the challenges she is facing and asking for opinions on issues related to the quests. In this manner, students are encouraged to be active participants in the storyworld and at the same time to expand their knowledge on the learning topics explored in the webisodes, motion book and location-based quest. Through different interactions with Cat on the social network, students are encouraged to develop accuracy on the linguistic level while using mechanisms of self-expression and at the same time shape their online identity – “thoughtful and purposeful online participation can help forge social connections and, through interaction, formulate and negotiate one’s online identity” (Pegrum, 2009, p. 21). Cat’s posts can also be resources to address discourse issues such as argumentation and negotiation skills, pragmatic competence or netiquette in L2 – “Learners are expected not only to interpret the meaning conveyed through input but also to articulate their own

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opinions by deliberately choosing and imitating a particular convention or type of discourse” (Kurek & Hauck, 2014, p. 129). The blog “Fluxus Log Archive” within the storyworld aims at being a repository of knowledge collected by humans about planet earth and its inhabitants. As co-creators of the storyworld, students can give their contribution to the repository. Posts on the blog include challenges that might encourage students to create, collaboratively or on their own, digital artifacts such as wikis, podcasts, videos or any other form of digital creation. This space is targeted to provide learning opportunities to engage learners in the topics, activate prior knowledge as well as develop media literacy skills. By not imposing restrictions on the selection of medium to be used and encouraging creative self-expression, students can channel previously acquired knowledge and skills; remix and recycle modes, genres and symbols to forge new interpretations and representations of the storyworld and their context. Moreover, Craig (2011, p. 84) highlights the fact that “the language processes and skills involved in media production, creating information, and using technology tools as a vehicle for sharing provides multiple opportunities to build both basic interpersonal communication skills as well as cognitive academic language proficiency skills”. At its core, the project is focused on enhancing learning through interactions on digital spaces. The Edmodo platform integrates social networking and communication features that promote involvement in collaborative and creative practices both in the classroom and outside leading to the creation of learning paths that address the students’ needs and learning contexts. It is intended to be a space for the community of students and teachers to share resources and content related to Cat’s storyworld. Social networks entail visual and verbal connectivity. As collaborative software, they can support a common space around shared interests, needs and common goals for knowledge sharing and communication purposes. Ultimately the integration of these social media platforms aims at giving the students the opportunity to provide feedback regarding their learning experience on the whole. CONCLUSION Future Development and Closing Discussion This paper presents a prototype that seeks to provide a transmedia learning experience. The project is grounded on the use of multiple interfaces that constitute a storyworld. While engaging students in multimodal activities, they explore subject matter related to the existing Portuguese 10th grade ESL syllabus. Transmedia learning defined by Raybourn (2013, p. 132) as a “scalable system of messages that represent a narrative or core experience that unfolds from the use of multiple media, emotionally engaging learners by involving them personally in the story” allows for the construct of a framework for an adaptative media-rich learning experience nesting curricular content. The learning framework simultaneously allows students to provide their input and accounts for their prior knowledge and experience. The goal is to set a cross-platform learning experience that can increase retention and encourages the generation of students’ learning outputs through interoperable tools and applications with specific functions within the storyworld - “transmedia learning campaigns can evoke emotions … that may motivate a learner to have better retention of and connection to the content even when explored across several media” (Raybourn, 2014, p. 474). The storyworld is constituted by elements distributed across different delivery channels in which each platform makes a distinct contribution to unveilling the story while giving expansion opportunities to users to generate content. Students are at the core of the experience. They are both the audience and authors of the storyworld. The storyworld creates an ethos for learning when students explore different angles of the narrative through webisodes, a motion book sequence, and a location-based quest. The more invested in the storyworld students are, the closer they will feel to the content. Side stories and interactions with story characters, set through social media platforms, Facebook and Tumblr, as well as, with peers within 63


the community of the storyworld, via the Edmodo platform, invite the student to participate in the storyworld while developing ESL communication skills and transliteracy skills. In essence, it promotes interactions and the development of social skills as part of a learning process, through collaborative and networking platforms, while facilitating the acquisition, development and improvement of ESL skills. Transmedia learning is still in its infancy; however, it is steadily gaining ground. Educators are gradually departing from teacher-centred approaches, and are tapping into how technology and learning environments can shape a learning experience. Meaningful experiences that students can relate to, through the use of digital resources, digital interactions, and experiences. There are sparse documented cases that may widen the understanding of the use of transmedia learning as a strategy – “there are very few integrated applications of transmedia learning in use today by researchers, instructors, or training cadre and therefore few examples of experimental data are available on its effectiveness” (Raybourn, 2014, p. 472). Kalogeras (2014, p. 214) amplifies this concern by pointing out “there is a need for more research on using entertainment properties to engage and educate learners and on combining the learning-by-doing and learning-through-story methodologies across diverse subjects”. As part of an ongoing research project, the presented prototype aims to deepen the understanding of the implementation of transmedia storyworld in ESL learning context - how it can communicate the complexity and context of a story and its learning content via the use of media platforms as well as achieve students’ engagement and participation. The construction of a study case, based on the implementation of the prototype, with a control group of ESL students, may provide insights into the identification of patterns and contexts of the use of transmedia learning strategies. In particular, transmedia learning strategies affordances for ESL learning purposes. Ultimately, to what extent it may add value to teaching or learning by enhancing the effectiveness of learning. The study case may also contribute to the establishment of design guidelines for transmedia language learning experiences. In what concerns research of language learning strategies, Griffiths and Oxford (2014, p. 2) acknowledge the need for a sound theoretical base for the purpose of meaningful research. Nevertheless, they forewarn “that attempts at clarification should not (…) reduce the richness and a predictive potential of a phenomenon which is by its nature extremely complex” (Griffiths & Oxford, 2014, p. 3). Since a transmedia learning storyworld is multifaceted, and multimodality is a key aspect that grounds its experience, the authors argue that a holistic approach to the study is required. The exploration should not only target the reflection upon particular features of each platform but also how they function semiotically and combine in the context of the storyworld and support a learning experience. Context is a key issue when exploring language learning strategies. The prototype, since it is tailored to accommodate the characteristics of the situated target research population, carries the potential of measuring students’ strategy use in a reliable manner. To provide a richer description of the transmedia learning strategy use, data will not only be collected through questionnaires but also through qualitative research methods- interviews and observation. By assessing the relevance and appropriateness of transmedia learning worlds for ESL learning purpose, the authors hope to provide a contribution not only for ESL teachers but also for educators of other subject areas. They also believe the interchange of research findings among educators will facilitate the mapping of the use of transmedia learning as a strategy and even lead to transformation of learning environments or perceptions of what they might be in the 21st century.

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REFERENCES Bernardo, N. (2014). Building Your Storyworld. In Transmedia 2.0: How to create an entertainment brand using a transmedial approach to storytelling (Kindle ed., pp. 798- 800). Lisboa: BeActive books. Craig, D. V. (2011). Encouraging Participatory Culture and Language Learning: Assisting ELLs in Becoming Part of the Digital Youth. TNTESOL Journal, 4(1), 84–93. Denson, S. (2014). Transnational Perspectives on Graphic Narratives Comics at the Crossroads. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Dettori, G. (2011). Supporting knowledge flow in web-based environments by means of narrative. Technology and Knowledge Flow: The Power of Networks, 51, 66. Fleming, L. (2013). Expanding learning opportunities with transmedia practices: Inanimate Alice as an exemplar. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 5(2), 370-377. Gomez, J. (2015). The media is the message. Screenz. Retrieved from http://screenz.co.nz/the-media-is-themessage/ Griffiths, C., & Oxford, R. L. (2014). The twenty-first century landscape of language learning strategies: Introduction to this special issue. System, 43, 1–10. doi:10.1016/j.system.2013.12.009 Gronstedt, A. & Ramos, M. (2014). Learning Through Transmedia Storytelling. Infoline, 31 (1401). Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials Rising: The Next Greatest Generation. New York: Vintage Books. Jenkins, H. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (n. d.). New learning: A charter for change in education. In Critical Studies in Education (pp. 83-94). Kalogeras, S. (2014). Transmedia Storytelling and the New Era of Media Convergence in Higher Education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1057/9781137388377 Kurek, M., & Hauck, M. (2014). Closing the “digital divide” a framework for multiliteracy training. In J. Guikema (Ed.), Digital literacies in foreign and second language education (pp. 119-136). San Marcos: Calico. McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: Harper Perennial. Pegrum, M. (2009). Communicative networking and linguistic mashups on Web 2.0. In M. Thomas (Ed.), Handbook of research on Web 2.0 and second language learning (pp. 20–41). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-60566-190-2.ch002 Raybourn, E. M. (2013). Addressing Changing Mindsets: Transforming Next Generation Leader Development with Transmedia Learning. In T.C. Hailes & L. Wells II (Eds.), Changing Mindsets to Transform Security: Leader Development for an Unpredictable and Complex World (pp. 129-144). Washington, DC: Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS). Raybourn, E. M. (2014). A new paradigm for serious games: Transmedia learning for more effective training and education. Journal of Computational Science, 5(3), 471–481. doi:10.1016/j.jocs.2013.08.005 Rose, F. (2011). The Art of Immersion: How the Digital Generation Is Remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the Way We Tell Stories. New York: W.W. Norton. Schmidt, B. (2014). Madefire’s Motion Book Tool Revolutionizes Comic Books For a Digital Age. Retrieved from http://tobereadbooks.com/madefire-motion-book-tool-revolutionizes-comic-books Sipe, L. R. (2012). Revisiting the relationships between text and pictures. Childrens Literature in Education, 43(1), 4–21. doi:10.1007/s10583-011-9153-0 Spaulding, E. (2012). Transmedia Storytelling: Principles, practices, and prototypes for designing narrative experiences with the audience (Theses Paper 31). Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved from http://repository. cmu.edu/theses/31 65


Starskey, L. (2012). Teaching and learning in the digital age. New York: Routledge. Thomas, S., Joseph, C., Laccetti, J., Mason, B., Mills, S., Perril, S., & Pullinger, K. (2007). Transliteracy: Crossing Divides. First Monday, 12(12). Retrieved from http://www.ojphi.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2060/1908#t2 doi:10.5210/fm.v12i12.2060 Treehouse. (2014). Welcome to a New World of Storytelling. Interlude. Retrieved from http://interlude.fm/ Wagner, L., & Erickson, I. (2013). Augmented Reality and Neighborhood Narratives. In C. SteinKuehler (Ed.), GLS 9.0 Conference Proceedings (pp. 352-355). ETC Press. Warren, S. J., Wakefield, J. S., & Mills, L. A. (2013). Learning and teaching as communicative actions: Transmedia storytelling. In L. Wankel & P. Blessinger (Eds.), Increasing student engagement and retention using multimedia technologies video annotation, multimedia applications, videoconferencing and transmedia storytelling (pp. 67–94). Bradford: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. doi:10.1108/S2044-9968(2013)000006F006 Weaver, T. (2013). Comics for Film, Games, and Animation: Using Comics to Construct Your Transmedia Storyworld. Burlington, MA: Focal Press. Wolf, M. J. (2013). Building Imaginary Worlds: The Theory and History of Subcreation. New York: Routledge.

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KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ESL: English as Second Language Language Learning Input: Language data, which a student is exposed to during the process of learning Language Learning Output: Language utterances a student produces during the process of learning Micro-narrative: Unit of self-contained narrative coherence vital to the construction of narrative meaning Storyworld: A shared universe within characters, events, and actions of a given narrative exist Transmedia Learning: A storytelling method, in which students and educators expand a learning experience across different media platforms Transmedia Storytelling: The process of presenting a story or experience across different media platforms in which each content element is unique and contributes to a larger whole

Patricia Rodrigues is a Digital Media Arts Ph.D. student at Universidade Aberta, Portugal. Her research interests include transmedia storytelling and educational practices. She is an E.F.L. teacher and a secondary education teaching professional. She has completed an English and German Teacher Training Degree and a Post-Graduation in Information and Communication Technology. She is currently a researcher of CIAC (Research Centre for Arts and Communication). José Bidarra has a Ph.D. in Educational Communications from Universidade Aberta (the Portuguese Open University), where he is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Science and Technology. He is head of the Informatics, Physics and Technology Section (SIFT), and coordinator of a master degree in multimedia. His current research interests focus mainly on the application of multimedia and digital media in distance education, including ebooks, games and simulations. Many of his master and doctorate students are developing new methodologies to engage learners in effective experiences with digital media. Most of the research is conducted at Universidade Aberta and at CIAC (Center for the Arts and Communication Research, University of Algarve); other research includes a recent fellowship at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. 67