Transmedia Storytelling and the New Era of Media Convergence in Higher Education

Stories, whether they are fact or fiction, popular or not, are a proven method of pedagogy. In the age of media convergence and with the advancement of technology, stories have morphed into new forms; however, their core purpose remains the same, which is to pass on knowledge and information. The internet, with its inherent interactivity, and story, with its inherent capacity to engage, can lead to innovative and transformative learning experiences in media-rich environments. This book focuses on web-based Transmedia Storytelling Edutainment (TmSE) as an andragogical practice in higher education. Story is at the forefront of this investigation because narrative is the basis for developing entertainment media franchise that can be incorporated into pedagogical practice. The propulsion of this analysis consists of practice-based research through narrative inquiry and an e-module case study presented on multimedia storytelling in the classroom. A Transmedia Storytelling Framework is provided for creating screenplays for cross-media projects and for analyzing their appropriateness in education. Additionally, a hypertext screenplay, which allowed students to dig deeper into the story word and to build more knowledge, is evaluated for its use in higher education. Since screenplays are by nature writing for the screen, it is believed that the more visual the input, the more likely it is to be memorized and recalled.

A link to The Goddess Within screenplay is available for download on the right hand side of this page.

"This is first and foremost a scholarly work that targets the use of transmedia storytelling in higher education. The book delivers on that commitment, and provides much in the way of theory and concept to ignite the reader's thinking around the topic. The author provides a compelling argument that addresses the 'why to' of transmedia storytelling in higher education, and a limited amount of guidance regarding the 'how to.'" - Learning Solutions Magazine

"Kalogeras' Transmedia Storytelling and the New Era of Media Convergence in Higher Education is a groundbreaking work that builds on extensive research including Henry Jenkins' research and that of many others, to explore how convergence cultures, media, storytelling and education are and will continue to creatively cross paths!" - Andrew Horton, The Jeanne H. Smith Professor of Film and Media Studies, The University of Oklahoma, USA

"Kalogeras offers us a rich, subtle, profound account of how storytelling should take its place in the worlds of communication and education. Her techniques, which blend storytelling and the use of narratives in education, make this book an indispensable reading for educators to engage their students in the learning process." - Kathleen K. Orr, Chair of the Masters of Humanities Program, Tiffin University, USA

"Like few other times in human history, significant innovation in our global system of education is pivotal to maintaining a quality of life. In Transmedia Storytelling and the New Era of Media Convergence in Higher Education, Stavroula Kalogeras shines a light on the untrodden path to enlightenment in the form of the vital role technology and multiple media platforms must play in the classroom. Supported by some of the leading minds in the field, Kalogeras demonstrates how a technique familiar to entertainment marketers and the advertising industry can be applied to education on a number of levels, yielding tremendous impact, and even reform. My prediction is that this book will be viewed as prescient and remarkably accurate in the very near future." - Jeff Gomez, CEO, Starlight Runner Entertainment

"Wow...an insightful and in depth perspective of how quickly digital multimedia technology is transforming as it relates and impacts the pedagogy way we learn and perceive ourselves and the world around us. Change is inevitable and it is fascinating to learn through this book about the factors that influence this process." - Pam Ritchie, Entertainment Consultant

"Kalogeras opens up new pathways in teaching in higher education with transmedia storytelling - it is an approach to be reckoned with and taken seriously by educators who are concerned with transformative learning." - Gina K. Kostoulias, Program Coordinator for Professional Communication DEREE, The American College of Greece

Stavroula Kalogeras is a Lecturer at the Business College of Athens, Greece, and an Adjunct Professor with Tiffin University and Queens University of Charlotte, USA, where she teaches online graduate courses in communications. She is also a television and film professional who has worked for leading entertainment conglomerates such as E! Entertainment Television, Paramount Pictures and DirecTV.