The Cross-Media Projects
We strongly believe in the power of storytelling—a good story can not only entertain people but it can also inspire and enlighten people to think deeply about social, ethical, historical, and aesthetic issues. From a theoretical research point of view, studying how students think about and respond to stories helps us understand and promote their psychological and social development, and prevent disorders that occur under difficult social, sociological, and cultural conditions.
Additionally, analyzing what readers or viewers say about the story, its values, its strength and weaknesses, its coherence and influence informs researchers and teachers on students’ comprehension and interpretations of the story’s messages. This kind of analysis can aid in the design of educational curricula and instruction to be used alongside the story. From an educational practice point of view, stories can have a huge impact on the development of knowledge and skills, especially if they are interwoven carefully into pedagogical designs. A strong conceptual framework and strong research evidence can be dual guides to the design of an efficient and effective pedagogical framework.
When stories have been presented across multiple media forms—from print to movie to VR and beyond—we analyze their “cross-media” potential. Educational opportunities using cross-media materials can offer students an engaging, multidimensional learning experience. Based on this perspective, our lab is designed to transform cross-media materials into educational recourses to promote interdisciplinary learning in K-12 schools.