1. New Media Narrative and iPlay
New Media Narrative Narrative is the art of telling. It is a beginning, middle and an end. New Media Narrative is narrative combined with new media technologies where the key features of linearity, time and space are in the process of being stretched and adaptable. It can be described as a process where the reader can shift forwards and backwards in time moving along smoothly in space shifting between threads and internal worlds of characters without having to lose the overall focus of the subject area.
New Media Play = iPlay Play is free form learning. iPlay is online play generated by new media technologies through an interactive and immersive environment. This type of play is designed to be fun as well as educational and the child is learning at his/her own pace. It focuses on the flow of the mental state of operation in which a person is full immersed in what he or she is doing by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement and success in the process of activity.
This PhD will explore the growing relationship between New Media Narrative and New Media Play in a Learning Environment. New Media Narrative creates a new type of learning environment where both interactivity and immersion play an important role in bringing about learning in the user. New Media Play is also an important process where children are learning through unguided instruction. It is the aim of this study to present findings of how a new media playful learning activity encourages learning in preschool/nursery children. It will look to investigate what type of learning is occurring and what new skills are being achieved (or lost): this will also include areas of motivation, engagement, self-esteem, creativity and encouragement.
New Media Learning