5 Reasons to Use Transmedia for Learning

As you may have guessed from other postings on this blog, transmedia is something I’m very interested in. Why? Because it bridges two of my great passions; learning technologies and film. But why should you consider it?

1.      Many people now have smartphones. In two years time, almost everyone will have a phone that can run apps, access the web, view and shoot video, play and record audio, run games and more. These pocket computers mean that we can reach our audience in more ways than ever before. Transmedia leverages this and is ahead of the curve in making the most of these technologies. We, the elearning community can learn from this.

2.      Many of the technologies you can use for transmedia purposes are cheap, free, or something your target audience already use. In elearning we use many of the same technologies, or their corporate equivalents. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare – make use of them!

3.      We learn best when the material is set in the context of the real world and it allows us to practice new skills. Transmedia extends the story world (or “learning world”) into the real world immersing people in the material, making it more likely they will learn from the experience.

4.      People are more likely to engage with something if it is fun. Most of us enjoy stories, videos and games, so applying this same approach to learning makes sense. Why shouldn’t we use the same media that we enjoy in our leisure time?

5.      We are immersed in media and technology that is trying to sell us stuff by finding new and innovative ways to ram products down our collective subconscious. As a creative industry, the elearning community has a duty to take these technologies and use them for a higher good – the learning and enrichment of people.