Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Hypertext Narrative Walkthroughs by Program

Introduction

Hypertext narratives are fun to read. They invite the reader to make choices at key moments in the story that affect its direction and change the outcome for the protagonist. For the reader, this added interactivity gives the story a game-like feel that makes you want to read it again to see what would have happened if you had chosen a different path. For the author, the hypertext narrative unleashes new avenues of creativity and hypothesis-testing in the narrative mode. It situates thinking in the context of a life, and asks the all important question, "What if..?"

Hypertext Narratives for ESL

In language learning, the hypertext narrative holds a special promise. Not only does it afford interesting opportunities for learners to develop their digital literacy skills, skills that will prove more and more valuable as technology elbows its way into every field and profession. The hypertext narrative also situates meaningful language use. If language is best learned through the exchange of meaningful messages in a meaningful context--because situated, meaningful language practice facilitates the recall of target structures when those situations are encountered again in real life--the hypertext narrative provides an effective way for learners to visit a range of situations using their imaginations that would be difficult otherwise to simulate in the classroom. 

Talking about these hypertext narrative projects by asking and answering questions helps the learners link what they have written with speaking, and it gives learners practice talking about their work, a skill worth developing in future job interview and academic contexts. Recording the talk as a YouTube video is has become a popular and authentic way of communicating with the world beyond the walls of the classroom these days. Indeed, video recording a message affords additional opportunities to reflect on aspects of one's own performance and try again in ways that face-to-face interaction does not provide nearly so well. Since the learner has a choice to turn the camera on herself or on the screen, self-conscious students can focus as much or as little as they wish on how they look to others. 

For teachers concerned that learners should develop their moral and ethical thinking, what better way than to invite students to use their imaginations and visit the various consequences of a range of life choices and their alternatives to see how they might play out? Consider how a pedagogical essay asks the learner to take a position and defend it, or a debate explores the "for" and "against" of moral choice. A hypertext narrative goes further by inviting the author to consider the chain-reactions caused by choices and how so quickly we can be swept away by their consequences. 

About these Hypertext Narrative Walkthroughs

Whatever their pedagogical value, my students enjoyed flexing their creative muscles by thinking up moral challenges for their protagonists. See for yourself. Here is a gang of new hypertext authors talking about their hypertext narratives. You will have to listen carefully for the URL if you want to visit their blogs and read their hypertext narratives for yourself. 

I have arranged the various walkthroughs by program and field of study. You can search for a particular field-of-study using Ctrl + F on your keyboard, or you can scroll down alphabetically. The ones that deserve special attention are marked with an asterisk. Find them quickly by typing Ctrl + F and *.  

Please, leave a comment at the bottom of this page to share your thoughts on this new form of college-level writing. I can attest that it worked for me. If you want to try it with your students, leave a comment or order an evaluation copy of Actively Engaged at Online from Bokomaru Publications.

College Programs and Fields of Study

Accounting and Management Technology



Health Sciences

Medical Electrophysiology

Medical Records Technology


Police Technology

Social Science

Commerce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoK1l_TtLYI

Education





Sport Studies



Paralegal Technology

Psychology



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