Using Social Media to
Define the New
Humanities
Antonio Viva
Associate Head of School, Worcester Academy

Some background...
Classroom teacher (English, Technology and
Theater) 1995-2000
Senior Research and Development Associate
for EDC on US Dept. of Education Research
Project (focus on curriculum, leadership and
technology development in schools)
Teaching Creative Writing @ WA 2006 to
present
Hired in 2002 as CIO at Worcester
Academy
Associate Head of School in 2004

Context Conversation Collaboration
Where do we go from here?
What is the basis for thinking How do classes in the New
about the New Digital Digital Humanities function
Are there other examples?
Humanities? differently from traditional
approaches?
What new questions do we
Why should schools rethink
now have?
they way they teach What do students think?
traditional humanities
What our next steps?
subjects? How can we learn from their
experience to continue
What is one approach? shaping this new paradigm of
thinking?

So how do we educate our students
for success in the Web 2.0 world?

Can we harness the power of social media to
provide students with a vehicle for exploring and
creating original content?

Old School Creative Writing
Genre based instruction
Anthology of work as primary text/resource
Student work not published
Blogging/Journaling
Assessments were traditional, rubric based
Mostly fiction, poetry etc.
Workshop style with peer edit, peer review
process
In depth study of literary elements and terms as
vehicle for creation

What is the basis
for thinking about
the New
Humanities?

The Spirit of the New Humanities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHvoBPjhsBA

The Spirit of the New Humanities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHvoBPjhsBA

A Personal Paradigm Shift
Rutgers University Center for the New Humanities & work of Richard E.
Miller
“Possible for people to communicate instantly and globally through
technology. English is a discipline that excels at human expression and the
study of human culture related to expression.”
“We (humanities teachers) should be the place that’s at the very cutting edge
of education for students in these areas.”
“Multimedia composition; not only is it important for students to be able to
excel in the use of verbal and written language as a means for communicating
ideas, but they must also be able to excel in the use and manipulation of visual
images. That is what it NOW means to compose.”
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqMDfBKuLU

Why should
schools rethink
they way they
teach traditional
humanities
subjects?

Key Concepts from Panel
Creativity, Collaboration and Courage
Schools should be a place where students generate ideas
rather than just regurgitate them.
Ability to try out new ideas and test creative ideas.
Fostering new humanities rich environments where teachers
can help “capture and harness student energy in order to
shape it.”
Provide opportunities for students to convey concepts and
original ideas through thoughtful, technology rich collaboration
opportunities.
“Schools should be about communication.”

The Birth of The WA Mash

Our Process Was Organic
Sir Ken Robinson “Are
Schools Killing
Creativity?”
KSU “Vision of Student
Today”
What do we want to
communicate? To whom
and how best do we
communicate this
message?
Modeled after Salon.com
and Slate.com

Our Primary
Publishing
Tools

Explore WA
Mash
wamash.com

Student Perspectives
Q&A with WA Mash Contributors

Next Steps

Change must be ORGANIC
An Organic approach to change meets each user/member of the community using
their specific strengths and passions as the starting point.

Organic Change
Comprehensive school change mandates do not honor the diversity in our
schools. Technology mandates in particular, create anxiety, fear and self doubt.
Strategic vision, mission driven decisions and institutional goals are non-
negotiable. How we get to the final destination is filled with possibilities, open
to conversation and collaborative.
Establish a culture where creativity, innovation and the appetite to try new
things are the norm. Never fear making mistakes enjoy the beauty of learning
from it.
Support the inventors, creative thinkers, risk takers, self-described “artists”
and innovators with resources, professional development and public
accolades.
Don’t follow trends, create them.
Copyright 2007 - Antonio Viva

Discussion/Questions

Follow me on Twitter to continue
the conversation!
or @antonioviva

Contact Information
Email – antonioviva@me.com
Twitter – twitter.com/antonioviva
Skype – antonioviva
iChat – antonioviva@mac.com
Social Networks
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/antonioviva
del.ici.ous – delicious.com/antonioviva
Facebook – profile.to/antonioviva/
Online
Blog – antonioviva.com
EDSocialMedia Contributor – www.edsocialmedia.com
Student Work – wamash.com