"Hiperion": a transmedia experience for educational appropriation in a Colombian University

Abstract

The activities of the Instituto de Educación Física y Deporte (Institute of Physical Education and Sports) of the Universidad de Antioquia on the appropriation of ICT, didactic strategies, pedagogical and technological mediation have led to the transmedia experience "Hiperion", a project financed by the university itself. This work was aimed at implementing an awareness-raising strategy using transmedia narratives to promote the adoption of the Institute's combined educational modalities. The exploratory qualitative study consisted of five phases: desk review, narrative strategy design, application, analysis, and final report. Based on the imaginary universe of "Hiperion", a being from another world, a central story was constructed in which the characters represented teachers and students in different roles: a teacher in a traditional role, a teacher exploring ICT, and a teacher enthusiastic about the use of technology in the teaching-learning process, accompanied by three students. Nine workshops were conducted in different courses of the Bachelor of Physical Education and Sport Training. The participants were divided into heterogeneous groups and randomly received three cards with the characterization of a teacher, a student and an educational modality. Using the cards, each group had to create a story and content (meme, comic, audio, illustration, etc.) that reflected their understanding of pedagogical modalities based on their own experience of integrating ICT in educational processes. It was found that transmedia narratives allow the subjects to identify with the stories, which promotes the linking of their own experiences and strengthens their digital skills for creating content in different formats (visual, audio, text and audiovisual), while developing soft skills such as critical thinking, creativity and teamwork.