🔵 🔴 🟡 Course description

The course "Introduction to Digital Storytelling" aims to lay the foundations for the study and understanding of modern forms of digital storytelling. Starting from the changes that took place at the macrosocial level and led to the development of modern digital culture, the aim of the course is to understand the wider context in which these new forms of digital expression emerged. During the course we will deal with the basic characteristics of digital storytelling, the tools we have at our disposal, but also the possibilities they provide us. In terms of design, we will deal with the development of a virtual world and its virtual characters. Experimental forms of digital expression, such as digital games, and examples from the world of science fiction and fantasy, will accompany our journey. Upon completion of the course, students should:

• Know the basic concepts and theoretical approaches of digital storytelling

• Be able to capture their own digital narrative, story and develop their creative thinking

• Understand the peculiarities and limitations posed by the design of a digital narrative

• Be able to understand the possibilities provided by modern digital tools

🔵 🔴 🟡 Theory (2 hours)

1. Digital culture and the new digital condition The wider social conditions that led to the emergence of digital culture and shaped modern cyberspace
2. New digital media and storytelling Development of new media and multimodal environments
3. Characteristics and Types of Digital Storytelling Definition and Characteristic Types of Digital Storytelling
4. Blending narratives, game, and design Visuals, sounds, and texts as a single experience
5. Playing with digital storytelling The concept of play in digital storytelling
6. Design of virtual worlds - worldbuilding I Study of the basic structural elements of a narrative world, through sociological theories and sci-fi texts.
7. Design of virtual worlds- worldbuilding II Study of known virtual worlds
8. Spatial design of narrative worlds Spatial storytelling through non-textual elements, such as color and sound
9. Avatars as narrative media Social and psychological theories about the role and use of avatars
10. Character Design Design of a character based on the role he can assume in a virtual world
11. Digital Storytelling in Education Theories and Tools for Using Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
12. Transfer from linear to digital medium I Theories of intermediation and transfer of a linear medium to digital
13. Transfer from linear to digital media II Comparison and critical study of the intermediation process

🔵 🔴 🟡 Workshop (1 hour)

1. Exercise on the socio-political changes that have taken place
2. Case Study
3. Exercise in relation to the types of digital storytelling
4. Group exercise to design a short multimodal story
5. Playful experimental exercises of digital expression
6. Practical training in the application of the building blocks of digital storytelling
7. Exercise in redesigning familiar virtual worlds
8. Case study (digital games)
9. Exercise "The avatar and me"
10. Creative Character Design Exercise
11. Use of digital educational tools
12. Mediation exercise
13. Presentation of a mediation exercise

Review language: Greek

🔵 🔴 🟡 Evaluation method:

• Participation in the course and workshops (10%)
• Delivering lab exercises and classroom presentations (20%)
• Final paper/written exams (70%)

• Face-to-face
• Use of PowerPoint and audio-visual examples (13 lectures)
• Support of the learning process through eClass with weekly provision of audiovisual material, links, photos, extra bibliography and related information (exhibitions, cultural institutions, etc.)
• Using open access tools like Canva, Wordpress
• Use of audiovisual libraries

https://eclass.uop.gr/courses/3372/ 

🔵 🔴 🟡 Course Textbooks [Eudoxus]

• Introduction to Digital Studies (Collective). Ropi Publications.
• Manovich L. 2016. The Language of the New Media, (M. Santorinaios). Athens School of Fine Arts

Extra Bibliography

• Caillois, R. 2001. Toys and People: The Mask and Vertigo, Athens: Editions of the 21st
• Huizinga, J. 1989. Man and the Game: Homo Ludens, Athens: Knowledge
• Moula, E.E., Malafantis, D., K, 2021. From literature to digital fiction. Athens: ed. Menander
• Papailia, P., Petridis, P., 2015. Digital ethnography. [Electronic book] Athens: Hellenic Academic Libraries Association.
• De Fina A., Perrino S.. 2019. Storytelling in the Digital World. John Benjamins Publishing Company
• Klevjer R. 2022. What is the Avatar? Fiction and Embodiment in Avatar-Based Singleplayer Computer Games. Revised and Commented Edition. Game Studies, vol3, transcript Verlag
• Roinioti, E., Pandia, E., Skarpelos, I, 2019. Digital Games: Philosophical, Social and Cultural Quests, Athens: Oasis