Vlogging for Assessment and Critical Reflection
The Gutenberg Parenthesis: What the Changing Media Landscape Means for Knowledge
The Gutenberg Parenthesis Theory postulates that the print dominated media landscape is just a blip in our human history, and that in our digital, hyper-connected world we are "going forward to the past" to a time of "second orality". What does this mean for education and knowledge in general? How might we embrace remix and participatory culture in our classrooms?
Video blogging is a refreshing way to transform more traditional assessments such as essays into creative, student-driven presentations of knowledge. This presentation will offer tips, tools, and examples, including a variety of styles such as Common Craft, RSA animate,documentary, stop-motion, screen capture, and the ubiquitous "talking head". You will find that when students vlog they are generally more passionate about demonstrating and reflecting on their learning, and even the more timid individuals can often gain confidence, allowing for a different perspective on their progress. Get started with participating in the VoxBoxED21 Project Amy developed with fellow teacher Casey Agena - join in a global community of “confession box” vloggers using simple tools such as custom niches, iPads, and velcro.
This was originally presented as a Keynote for the Association of Advanced Computing in Education 2011 with my creative partner, Herb Mahelona of the History for Music Lovers project. The first part touches on the changing media landscape, participatory and remix culture, music in education, and the Gutenberg Parentheses theory, as well as practical examples and ideas for incorporating music / remix projects in the classroom. The second part explores the concept of “teacherpreneur”, or a teacher/creator who amplifies creative work and is involved in radical transparency and personal branding.
The technology of the 21st century has allowed us to emerge from mere media consumers to thoughtful creators, developing a rich, trans-media environment colored by the power of storytelling and social engagement. We are, in effect, able to return to a pre-Gutenberg world of oral history and remix culture. Students of this connective era are immersed in social interaction on a global scale, and have at their disposal a wealth of platforms and tools to use to create and share their stories. They do not want to receive- they want to “do”; they learn by creating, as well as teaching others, and seek critique from authentic audiences well beyond the classroom doors. When students conduct inquiry-based historical research, what are they to do with it? How can they practice the role of the historian by crafting and sharing “stories”? How can teachers and students reach the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy by using presentation and curation freeware, social media, and multi-media editing tools? How can they synthesize and transform information into an artifact that will both display and spark empathy and passion for the subject?
Technotroubadours and Teacherpreneurs
