Abstract:

This research analyses the use of transmedia storytelling as an objective of scientific dissertation of the knowledge and Higher Education. The use of communication technologies was one of the identifying marks in the paradigm of university education in Europe, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). It has meant, inter alia, a new concept in the teaching- learning process and a deep reformulation of didactic methodologies. The new educational scenario is far from the classical models based on bibliographic resources as well as from temporal and physical spaces, and assumes the acceptance of collaborative environmental tools which make the teaching-learning process independent. In the commitment to make Higher Education Institutions more flexible and give response to the new demands of the continuous learning, it is especially relevant the incorporation of transmedia storytelling. This involves a new educational paradigm which exceeds the static web, lacking interactivity, and whose technological complexity relegates users to the role of readers, and that transforms itself into a dynamic web in continuous updating, with intuitive applications which encourages the appearance of collaborative platforms and therefore, an optimization of the teaching- learning process in Higher Education.

Objectives:
In this research it will be analyzed if the transmedia storytelling resources used in the audiovisual developments, have a higher incidence on the perception and empathy that the observers have with respect to fictional characters; that is, if the transmedia design encourages the empathy for the audiovisual fictional characters. This is very important in the Audiovisual Communication Degree in order to program professional and academic activities effectivelyusing the available transmedia technologies.

Methodology:
For the experimental development the short film “Expediente 54” has been used. This Final Project was produced, realized and edited by fourth-year students of the Audiovisual Communication Degree in University of Valencia. For the identification of the fictional characters, the scale EDI has been used. This scale is formed by 17 items (Igartua, 2008; Igartua, Páez, 1998, Pino, 2010 y Sánchez, 2012). The statistical development will be carried out by correlating hypothesis, bivarieted analysis and contingency tables. SPSS IBM, v21 has been used as a Software. Audiovisual Communication students as well as Multimedia Engineering students, who had not participated in this short film, took part in the experimental research.

Results:
After the correlation of variables against the two natures of the audiovisual constructs – transmedia discourse and traditional lineal discourse – it has been proven that the dissolved and implemented narrations in a transmedia stage correlates positively with a higher empathy for the characters.
Finally, it will be discussed if the transmedia design in the academic proposals in Audiovisual Communication are optimal to achieve a greater cognitive penetration.

Keywords:

Transmedia, communication sciences, e-learning, interactive education.