Transforming Education Through Storytelling

As a special education teacher, Jason noticed that the students in his classroom were more receptive to learning when it was put into a process that was fun and delightful. “For math, I started creating characters to help them solve problems. I created missions, and stories, and I saw an opportunity to help my students further. Students with disabilities learn differently, but that is an opportunity to teach them differently. I wanted to teach them through storytelling.”

ASCENDUS FUNDING LEADS TO NOVELTY FILMS LAUNCH

Jason wanted to tap into students’ different intrinsic needs when it came to learning. He enrolled in engineering school and began programming an educational learning platform based on storytelling. “We won The National Science Foundation Award. It is only given to a limited number of entrepreneurs, and it supported the initial research and development phase. But to bring it into fruition, we needed more funding. That is where Ascendus came in.” Jason reached out to Ascendus and received a loan that funded the second phase of the product development cycle for his educational storytelling game, Novelty Films. “The loan is what enabled us to create a real product, that students could evaluate and from which we could learn. It was essential, we can successfully launch the first iteration of this product in 2024 because of the funding from Ascendus.”

PROTOTPE LEADS TO GROWTH, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT

Through Novelty Films, students are immersed in rich story telling elements, diverse customization, and character driven progression that helps them reach their goals. “The students create a character in the game, one that can look just like them, who ‘eats ideas’ and goes on different missions to grow his appetite. The game teaches perseverance, while captivating students’ imagination and attention all while learning something in a way that is tailored to their abilities.” With the prototype, Jason’s vision has gone from an idea to a reality. “The loan went a long way. We have a working product because of the loan, and it caught the attention of several investors. Ascendus understood my vision and helped make my efforts come true. I am incredibly grateful.”

See Jason’s prototype here