AGnovel - Advanced Interactive Graphic Novels on Mobile Touchscreen Devices
Overview
The project “Advanced Interactive Graphic Novels on Mobile Touchscreen Devices” is an international consortium that is part of Key Action 2 of the EU's Lifelong Learning Program. The project will run for 24 months.
The project partners are eight partners from seven countries: Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Lithuania and Cyprus. The consortium consists of four universities, a research center, two regional education coordinators and a technology-oriented partner for innovative educational offers.
The needs of modern foreign language learners are changing. Until now, language learning has focused primarily on reading and writing texts as well as language comprehension. However, with the advent of new media and the growing dependence on the internet and the increasing amount of information in all areas of life, this is no longer enough. Learners need to learn to interpret information in context, where images and words interact to create the message. This can be particularly challenging for learners who only use traditional language learning methods. The aim of the AGnovel project is to support learners with a learning environment.
Objective
The aim of the AGnovel project is to create a modern, appropriate learning environment for language learning. This will be realized by designing a concept of electronic graphic novels for general and vocational education. The project partners are developing a graphic novel that is specifically linked to real-life situations in everyday life and at work. This will be implemented, tested and evaluated for mobile devices. The AGnovel will be translated into the various European partner languages in order to facilitate Europe-wide dissemination. The didactic goal of the project is to develop and establish a curricular structure and learning and teaching material around the graphic novel. A related didactic goal of the project is to create a curricular structure for embedding the graphic novel in the classroom. The aim is to integrate the AGnovel directly into the classroom and to familiarize teachers with the guidelines and didactic scenarios for the use of IT.
Our aim is to develop a concept for an electronic graphic novel for language learning. The AGnovel combines writing and illustration with a clear didactic concept that focuses on image descriptions, transitions between images, image sequences, breaks, text analysis and text production stimulation and creative activities. Learners whose language skills are weaker benefit greatly from the fact that the texts are supported by graphics and images. These media elements can be used didactically to support this group and give them the opportunity to practise their skills verbally. The graphic elements and active tasks also have a motivational effect. However, students who are strong learners also benefit. Traditional graphic novels with more complex texts are already on the market, such as adaptations of the works of Shakespeare. The partners will have to explore and analyze how such ideas can be complemented by an extended interactive approach.
The AGnovel project uses state-of-the-art technologies to offer the developed product on mobile devices. Learners benefit from the advantages of the technical possibilities, such as engaging with the visual material, listening to the texts of first language learners and checking their level of knowledge by means of interactive tasks. Teachers also benefit from the didactic materials and the technical implementations to encourage learners to produce texts.
Key Facts
- Grant Number:
- 543284-LLP-1-2013-1-DE-KA2-KA2MP
- Project duration:
- 01/2014 - 12/2015
- Funded by:
- EU
