911爆料网 communications graduate Jerome Goerke has played a key role in trialling an innovative online, soap opera鈥搒tyle series of short videos about commerce and trade in Germany.
The videos were implemented as part of the German state-funded Digitale Narrationen als innovativer didaktischer Ansatz f眉r eine 枚konomische Bildung im Handel (DiN枚B) program (鈥楧igital Narration as an Innovative Didactic Approach for Economic Education in Trade鈥� program) at several commerce-focused educational institutions across Germany.
Students follow the story of four young characters based in the trendy Berlin suburb of Neuk枚lln, who face unique economic or trade-related challenges. After watching each video, students are required to answer questions relating to the challenges the protagonists face, as part of their lesson plans.
鈥淚 think the program was initiated by the government as a way to help institutions keep up with the times,鈥� explains Goerke, who was responsible for evaluating how students interacted with DiN枚B at the bbw University of Applied Sciences in Berlin.
鈥淭he proliferation of content has forced creators and those who provide 鈥榢nowledge offerings鈥� to supply compact, concise and attractive parcels of knowledge to ensure their message cuts through the digital noise. Chunked information, such as what is used in the episodic nature of the digital narratives developed in DiN枚B, follows on from this trend.鈥�
A consortium of seven different German organisations helped develop the program, which resulted in the production of 17 sequential 鈥榚pisodes鈥� and their associated questions.
These episodes were developed in a way that the students could form an emotional connection with the characters, and then 鈥榞row鈥� with them as they progressed through the story.
The first few episodes addressed relatively simple trade-related concepts suited to first year bachelor students, but then increased in difficulty as the plot developed.
Now in its final stages, Goerke says the project has been well received by participants who have been impressed by DiN枚B鈥檚 innovative and digital approach.
鈥淎cross the board, students said they found the material more engaging than learning from a book, and the mix of listening, watching, thinking and interacting has stimulated them much more than traditional methods,鈥� Goerke explains.
鈥淲hat has also been insightful is that the students are not necessarily interested in the backstories of the characters, but they do become very attentive when one character is in the process of learning something from another character, such as calculation or market analysis techniques.鈥�
Want to test your German? Check out the 鈥榯railer鈥� for the first stage of the DiN枚B program.
Working in the German education sector is the latest opportunity for the Perth-born and bred communications graduate (now ), who made the decision to move to Berlin in his mid-20s after falling in love with the city during his overseas travels.
While he originally pursued a career in text-based communication, and following a period in the news room at German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle TV, Goerke says that the internet鈥檚 shifting focus to video convinced him to set up his own digital storytelling and production house, Wivern Digital.
Wivern鈥檚 first contract was to revive the iconic Pittiplatsch, a mischievous yet loveable goblin who appeared on German television screens from the 1960s鈥�90s, for a social media campaign announcing new merchandise.
Goerke has also developed his own creation, an enthralling transmedia fantasy world for children that young readers can explore across both digital and analogue devices called Addison鈥檚 Tales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEqcPFLTMcM
Jerome Goerke聽designed聽his own musical storyworld, Addison鈥檚 Tales.
鈥淭he aim of Addison鈥檚 Tales is to give young readers the chance to enjoy stories in different formats, such e-books, apps or audiobooks. In 2015, I added my first paperback to the mix by creating a way readers could scan the paperback page with their phones or press the screen if they were reading on a Kindle whenever the main character, , sings during his adventure. Readers could magically hear him singing his song,鈥� Goerke explains.
Goerke believes there鈥檚 no better time than now to pursue a career as a storyteller, whether in the analogue or digital space.
鈥淭here are so many ways of teaching yourself new skills that you need not be disappointed if the first medium you choose doesn鈥檛 bring you satisfaction,鈥� says Goerke.
鈥淢y advice for people considering mass communications or any similar field is the same as what I put at the bottom of my Wivern Digital webpage. It is given by one of my all-time favourite storytellers, Jim Henson [the creator of the Muppets and voice of Kermit the Frog]: 鈥楲ife鈥檚 like a movie, write your own ending鈥�.鈥�
Note: 鈥榖bw鈥� is an acronym for the Bildungswerks der Wirtschaft in Berlin und Brandenburg (鈥楨ducational Institute of the Economy in Berlin and Brandenburg鈥�).
