We’re exploring connections between the Make Movement and writing/literacies in a digital age in one inquiry group that I am part of this summer. I thought a video by David Gauntlett (the image is a screenshot from the video, embedded below) really established some firm connections along key points: that agency is in the hands of the creator to make something new out of existing materials (even digital material); that the activity of making shifts consumers away from mass-produced materials and therefore, provides an individualistic sense of creation; and that the social element of digital literacies has the potential to increase engagement and heighten the creative element of making something that will impact the world.

Gauntlett’s lecture is worth a view,  I think, particularly in his criticism of television as a tool
“that does not allow everyday people to share their vision” as opposed to new media sites that do allow for that (although he admits that we should not fall into the dichotomy of television-bad/digital media good – there’s a lot of crap in digital realms just as there is a lot of quality programming on television). His lecture had me thinking about the ways to make more connections between how we encourage our students as creators of content, and not just passive users.

Peace (in the making),
Kevin

I’m in charge of a writing prompt over at a P2PU inquiry group around digital writing. My topic is to connect writing with “making,” and creating, and as part of that discussion, I shared my view that we need to make sure we are using technology to provide avenues for shifting kids from consumers to creators. A link to this chart by Gary Hayes was an interesting connection, too, for while it looks at the ways that people participate (or don’t) in online spaces, it also maps out the role of consumer versus creator.

One of the questions I pose to our inquiry group: where are YOU on the chart? What about you?

Peace (in the creating),
Kevin

I’m involved in an online inquiry over at P2PU around “Curating our Digital Lives” and we are just now exploring our conceptions of curation. The video is part of what is being shared to get us started as we think about how we collect, organize and share information in digital spaces. I am also adding in the idea of identity, and how identity shifts in digital spaces, and impacts our considerations of curation.
This quote from the video jumped out at me:

“(I) find the most interesting things in this onslaught of messy information.” – Rex Sorgatz

 
Peace (in the filters),
Kevin