Wk 1 Reading: Pokemon is an Example of Transmedia Storytelling

Transmedia storytelling is defined by Henry Jenkins as stories that unfold across multiple media platforms, with each medium making distinctive contributions to our understanding of the world, a more integrated approach to franchise development than models based on urtext and ancillary products (p. 334).  

For years I've watched my 9 year old grandson collect Pokemon characters, trading cards, apparel, books, watch Pokemon cartoons, and play the game on his Nintendo.  He and his cousin share what they learn with each other to be able to move to various levels.  He reads manuals and searches the internet for clues on how to play the game.  They are learning and sharing information to reach a destination.  

Yet when they go to school they are not allowed to work together to solve problems, to explore ways to gather information, to have fun learning.  How can we as educators start integrating transmedia storytelling in our classrooms?

Jenkins, H. (2006) Convergence Culture. New York:  New York University Press.

Google Image Retrieved October 4, 2009 from http://images.google.com/images?hl=EN&source=hp&q=pokemon&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10

Wk 1 Reading: How Can We Apply the American Idol Marketing Concept to Education?

     As I read Chapter 2 in Convergence Culture, I kept asking myself how could I apply the marketing concepts used in American Idol to get students and parents excited about education.

    We live in an environment where what gets measured is what counts the most--test scores, for example.  How can we get our stakeholders to share information, to discuss their passion for education, to post messages on the internet about the benefit of what we do every day?

    How can we as educators move more toward branding with "lovemarks" than brand loyalty?

The definition of lovemarks:  Term coined by Kevin Robers, CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi, to refer to companies that have induced such a strong emotional investment from consumers that they command "loyalty beyond all reason."  The definition of brand loyalty:  Brand loyalty is the holy grail of affective economics because of what economists call the 80/20 rule:  for most consumer products, 80 percent of purchases are made by 20 percent of their consumer base. (p. 72)

   How can we as educators bring our stakeholders together to make a difference in the lives of our students who are our future?

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture. New York:  New York University Press.

Image by Diane Wright

Wk 1 Reading: What Does Old Media Mean by Convergence?

Henry Jenkins outlines in his book Convergence Culture that convergence is an old concept taking on new meaning.  Convergence refers to a process.  It happens when we take media into our own hands; when mobile and film companies work together to decide when a new film will be released; when entertainment, memories, and relationships all flow across media channels.  

The convergence culture represents a shift in the ways we think about our relations to media, that we are making that shift first through our relations with popular culture, but that the skills we acquire through play may have implications for how we learn, work, participate in the political process, and connect with other people around the world. (p. 23)

We are already living in a convergence culture.  As Pierre Levy quoted:  None of us can know everything; each of us knows something; and we can put the pieces together if we pool our resources and combine our skills. (p.4).

Jenkins, H. (2006) Convergence culture. New York: New York University Press.

Technology Image Retrieved from Google Images October 3, 2009.

Wk 1 Reading Chapter 1--Why Spoil Survivor?

  

Jenkins (2006) refers to "Survivor Spoiling" as knowledge communities forming around mutual interests; members working together to find new knowledge where information is communal and adversarial.  He describes survivor spoiling as collective intelligence in practice.  He offered this perspective:  Only certain things are known by all--the things the community needs to sustain its existence and fulfll its goals.  Everything else is known by individuals who are on call to share what they know when the occasion arises. (p.28)

Spoiling and gaming have similar characteristics.  

     1.   target audience

     2.  characters

     3.  setting

     4.  plot

     5.  goal

Since I am one who doesn't like to know how the movie or book will end, I appreciate that "Spoilers" identify in the blog that they plan to share what will happen next in the series.  Please click on the link below to see an example of a Survivor episode.

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture. New York: New York University Press.

Episode Three Reward Challenge Retreived October 3, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6_CTghaie8 

Wk 1 Show Me What You Know

Wk One Comment

Improving Literacy Through Technology

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li300.htm

The above link takes you to a site that discusses how integration of technology can be used to improve and enhance literacy among our students. I currently teach middle and high school intensive reading. This is not an easy audience to motivate. Many of my students are capable of reading, but they don't enjoy reading. This lack of interest leads to the fact that they don't practice enough and sometimes lose ground without having the literacy exposure. I have been recently introduced podcasting to improve reading fluency. I had my students read books aloud multiple times, using appropriate phrasing and intonation to help increase fluency. They thought is was just for fun and didn't recognize that they were learning, until I told them the purpose behind the podcasts. I was amazed by the excitement of the students the first day I brought in my Mac. They were fighting over who would get to read first and then argued when they finished, that they wanted to read again. I have never seen my students that excited about reading! 

In exploring the above website, I found that there is so much more to literacy than what I first understood. The meaning has changed over time and I believe it will continue to broaden and will be transformed throughout the 21st century with all the newly available tools and resources. I am very excited to see where this transformation takes my students and where it takes me as both a learner and an educator.

Blog Entry Title: Improving Literacy Through Technology

Blogger Name: Jolene Tucker--Tucker's Tidbits

URL retrieved on September 28, 2009 from http://jojoteach1109.blogspot.com/

Angel in Second Life

As I have progressed through this course, I've added topics I've learned to my blog.  I hope they have been helpful to you.  This week I found an interesting Second Life Island--Angle Learning.  Of all the sites I visited, this one was my favorite.  It is designed for learners who are new to Second Life.  It is easy to practice in this environment.  I have the opportunity to visit Angel next week so I'll keep you posted on what I learn.  For more information, please click on the following links:

Angel video:  http://www.angellearning.com/products/secondlife/downloads/slangel.mov

Second Life:  http://www.angellearning.com/products/secondlife/

If you have any favorite Second Life sites, please let us know.

Thanks,

Diane