In 2008-2009, Project New Media Literacies tested the Media Makers Challenge Collection, a set of 30 challenges to explore and practice the new media literacies. This collection was established as a springboard for educators to adopt the new media literacies into their own situation. Media educators from Global Kids used the materials as inspiration to develop Media Masters, an after-school program at the High School for Global Citizenship to integrate the new media literacies into a social issues learning environment. Media Masters helped learners acquire and reflect upon digital media production and analytic skills through youth engagement in participatory media and Web 2.0 tools. This presentation will explore how theory and practice merged to create a conversation, rather than a top-down transfer of knowledge, between participating researchers, practitioners and students.
The Navigation Layer - Making Sense Of It AllJim Kalbach
As we accumulate more and more information online, we’re inclined to add more and more metadata—so we can order it, manage it, and re-find it. This growing belt of metadata is referred to as the “navigation layer.“ It‘s the series of filters, categories, tags, and other devices that let us to interact with information so we can sift out the noise.
What’s more, the navigation layer isn’t just about finding information—it can also help us make sense of the stuff we find. Sentiment analysis and entity extraction, for example, provide new insights into the information we come across. Ultimately, the navigation layer can point to high-order patterns that increase understanding.
Personal Information Management for Software Engineering ResearchersDragan Gasevic
Living in the time of abundance of information, publications, and social networks is a great opportunity for software engineering researchers. They can find much information about many projects, various relevant publications, and other researchers who did a work on a related topic. Yet, availability of (open source) software freely/publicly available is a great convenience for many. All this definitely opens up many exciting opportunities for a higher-quality and more creative research. However, this wealth causes another (bigger) challenge– how to manage and comprehend all that data and interactions and be able to contextualize the data to the research needs at hand?
In this talk, we will discuss a need for the development of new-generation personal information management systems for software engineering research. The key requirement is ubiquitous access, delivery and publishing of research data from “anywhere and anytime.” Through a more organic integration of software engineering tools, publication sources, collaborative and community research tools, researchers should be able to able to build their own personal research environments, which satisfy their personal needs, preferences, formal obligations, and life-long objectives. To illustrate some promising directions for personal research environments, we will discuss different examples built on principles of the Social Web, the Semantic Web, technology-enhanced learning, and computer-supported cooperative work.
A summary of some examples and principles for visualising data and information, for info-graphics and other presentations. The context is International Development
Practical strategies on how educators and schools can utilize social media to improve communications, engage students, foster meaningful professional development, and discover opportunities.
Tangible Experience Design: An educational bridge between Industrial Design a...W M Harris
W. M. Harris (http://people.rit.edu/wmhics) , Lightning talk 4/21/09 for HASTAC III conference (http://www.chass.uiuc.edu/Events/Entries/2009/4/19_HASTAC_III.html)
The Navigation Layer - Making Sense Of It AllJim Kalbach
As we accumulate more and more information online, we’re inclined to add more and more metadata—so we can order it, manage it, and re-find it. This growing belt of metadata is referred to as the “navigation layer.“ It‘s the series of filters, categories, tags, and other devices that let us to interact with information so we can sift out the noise.
What’s more, the navigation layer isn’t just about finding information—it can also help us make sense of the stuff we find. Sentiment analysis and entity extraction, for example, provide new insights into the information we come across. Ultimately, the navigation layer can point to high-order patterns that increase understanding.
Personal Information Management for Software Engineering ResearchersDragan Gasevic
Living in the time of abundance of information, publications, and social networks is a great opportunity for software engineering researchers. They can find much information about many projects, various relevant publications, and other researchers who did a work on a related topic. Yet, availability of (open source) software freely/publicly available is a great convenience for many. All this definitely opens up many exciting opportunities for a higher-quality and more creative research. However, this wealth causes another (bigger) challenge– how to manage and comprehend all that data and interactions and be able to contextualize the data to the research needs at hand?
In this talk, we will discuss a need for the development of new-generation personal information management systems for software engineering research. The key requirement is ubiquitous access, delivery and publishing of research data from “anywhere and anytime.” Through a more organic integration of software engineering tools, publication sources, collaborative and community research tools, researchers should be able to able to build their own personal research environments, which satisfy their personal needs, preferences, formal obligations, and life-long objectives. To illustrate some promising directions for personal research environments, we will discuss different examples built on principles of the Social Web, the Semantic Web, technology-enhanced learning, and computer-supported cooperative work.
A summary of some examples and principles for visualising data and information, for info-graphics and other presentations. The context is International Development
Practical strategies on how educators and schools can utilize social media to improve communications, engage students, foster meaningful professional development, and discover opportunities.
Tangible Experience Design: An educational bridge between Industrial Design a...W M Harris
W. M. Harris (http://people.rit.edu/wmhics) , Lightning talk 4/21/09 for HASTAC III conference (http://www.chass.uiuc.edu/Events/Entries/2009/4/19_HASTAC_III.html)
The house-tree-person test (HTP) is a projective personality test, a type of exam in which the test taker responds to or provides ambiguous, abstract, or unstructured stimuli (often in the form of pictures or drawings).
In 2008-2009, Project New Media Literacies tested the Media Makers Challenge Collection, a set of 30 challenges to explore and practice the new media literacies. This collection was established as a springboard for educators to adopt the new media literacies into their own situation. Media educators from Global Kids used the materials as inspiration to develop Media Masters, an after-school program at the High School for Global Citizenship to integrate the new media literacies into a social issues learning environment. Media Masters helped learners acquire and reflect upon digital media production and analytic skills through youth engagement in participatory media and Web 2.0 tools. This presentation will explore how theory and practice merged to create a conversation, rather than a top-down transfer of knowledge, between participating researchers, practitioners and students.
Digital Connectedness: Taking Ownership of Your Professional Online Presence Sue Beckingham
Developing pathways to connectedness essentially commences with family and friends, but over time new connections outside of these circles begin to form ever increasing and interlinking circles. These informal and formal networks have the potential to help you unlock new doors to new opportunities. Social media can without doubt provide excellent communication channels and a space to develop your network of connections. Nonetheless as your online presence expands it leaves behind both digital footprints and digital shadows; and this needs to be given due consideration. This keynote will look at the value of developing a professional online presence and why as future graduates you need to take ownership of this.
http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/ltd/ltd/student-engagement/undergraduate-research-confere.aspx
Digital literacy Skills presentation repairajacobo729
Digital literacy skills encompass a broad range of abilities and knowledge that enable individuals to effectively navigate, understand, and utilize digital technologies and the digital landscape. These skills are essential in today's increasingly digital world, where technology plays a significant role in various aspects of our lives, including education, work, communication, and entertainment. Here is a more detailed description of some key digital literacy skills:
1. Basic Computer Skills: Basic computer skills entail having a fundamental understanding of computer hardware, software, and operating systems. This includes knowing how to use input devices such as keyboards and mice, navigating through different software applications, managing files and folders, and performing basic troubleshooting.
2. Internet Navigation: Internet navigation skills involve the ability to effectively use web browsers to explore and navigate the online world. This includes understanding URL structures, using search engines to find information, evaluating search results for relevance and credibility, and efficiently moving between websites and web pages.
3. Information Evaluation: Digital literacy includes the ability to critically evaluate and assess the quality, credibility, and relevance of information found online. This skill is crucial in an era of abundant information, as it enables individuals to distinguish between reliable sources and misinformation. It involves evaluating the credibility of sources, recognizing bias, verifying facts, and discerning between reliable information and false or misleading content.
4. Online Communication: Online communication skills encompass the ability to effectively communicate and interact with others through digital platforms. This includes writing clear and concise emails, using appropriate language and tone in online discussions and messaging, understanding netiquette (online etiquette), and utilizing various communication tools such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and social media platforms.
5. Digital Security: Digital literacy involves knowledge and skills related to online security practices to protect personal information and digital devices. This includes understanding the importance of creating strong and unique passwords, using two-factor authentication, recognizing and avoiding phishing attempts and other online scams, understanding the significance of software updates and antivirus protection, and being mindful of privacy settings on digital platforms.
6. Digital Privacy: Digital privacy skills involve understanding and managing one's digital footprint and personal information online. This includes being aware of data collection practices by websites and online services, understanding the implications of sharing personal information, and knowing how to protect and manage privacy settings on social media platforms and other online accounts.
7. Digital Citizenship: Digital literacy includes being a re
Getting started with global collaborationJulie Lindsay
Presentation / workshop given at the Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning conference, NYC, June 2012.
See resources: http://globalcollaboration.flatclassroomproject.org/2012+Partnership+for+Global+Learning
How Informal Learning Networks Can Transform EducationAlec Couros
Keynote presentation for ASI 2010, York University, Toronto, Ontario - August 2010.
Mashup of several presentations. More info available at http://couros.wikispaces.com/asi2010
February 2001: I am submitting this thesis paper for my Master of Fine Arts in Producing. In doing so, I am recounting the history of the development of Zoey’s Room, an interactive website and television series for adolescent girls.
Extending media literacy: How young people re-mix and transform media to serv...Erin Reilly
Reilly, E. and Robison, A. (2008). "Extending media literacy: How young people re-mix and transform media to serve their own interests." Youth Media Reporter.
Remix Culture: Digital Music and Video Remix Opportunities for Creative Produ...Erin Reilly
Reilly, E. (2010) “Remix Culture: Digital Music and Video Remix Opportunities for Creative Production” Editor: Jessica Parker, Teaching Tech-Savvy Kids: Bringing Digital Media into the Classroom, Grades 5-12. Corwin Press.
A vital part of growing up is developing one’s identity. With ubiquitous access to others and easy access to participating in varied communities, how do we communicate ourselves to the world? The lines between our public and private lives have blurred with the rise of Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and other social networking sites. Often it is not only ourselves that make choices in how we sculpt our identity. What we choose to share and not share, but also the communities we participate in. There is a need to start a dialogue with each other as those around us add to the building of one’s own identity and the identity of us as a collective.
The USC Annenberg Innovation Lab undertakes three kinds of activities:
* Design challenges that provide technical support, mentorship and prizes to USC students developing prototypes, applications and business ideas.
* Research on the digital media revolution and its impact on governments, businesses, creators and consumers.
* Ongoing dialogues that bring together students, executives, artists, entrepreneurs, scholars and policy makers.
Students lose track of time as they spend hours navigating the web for material to create their stories and feel a sense of belonging through encouragement by their peers to post their stories on Facebook, illustrate them on Flickr, and share them with friends and the public at large through the multiple resources available on the web. This participation in new media environments is a way to be creative and innovative, but it is also new opportunities for our students to acquire and synthesize information in a meaningful way. Students today often remix original texts based on their own interests in order to create a new work that encapsulates their ideas and concerns about the issues that matter most to them.
In this conversation, Erin Reilly will highlight tools and strategies our students are using today to make their voices heard. You will learn how to adapt these tools and strategies to classroom activities that will encourage everyone in the classroom to participate in their own learning and be encouraged to transform digital media and learning into a collective, embracing, and transforming process of engagement that leaves teachers and students alike wanting more.
These visuals were used to support / start the conversation with SOTA's high school students in Singapore. The focus was to look at various forms of art that encompassed the NML skills, collective intelligence, visualization and play.
The Media Maker Collection is a set of challenges that explore the new media literacies within the context of media artists and production. Challenges are media-based lessons to provide instruction or share an idea or a story. This collection provides a template for contributions from members who want to use the Learning Library to develop their own challenges.
http://newmedialiteracies.org/library/
Journalism & the New Media Literacies 101608Erin Reilly
Journalism is in a paradigm shift. More than any generation to come before them, today’s young people are participating in the creation and sharing of culture with the immediacy and connectedness that a digitally networked world provides. In many cases, these young adults are actively involved in what we are calling participatory cultures; a participatory culture shifts the focus of literacy from one of individual expression to one of community involvement.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
1. Mad Skills
Making New Media Skills Accessible to Students and
Teachers Alike
Erin Reilly
Research Director
Project New Media Literacies
USC Annenberg School for Communication
ebreilly @twitter
www.newmedialiteracies.org
and
Flourish Klink
Research Assistant / CMS grad student
Project New Media Literacies
MIT
8. Are you A...
Remixer?
Gamer? Media
Master?
Blogger?
Social
Networker?
Think you've got skills with
a Laptop? Want to build
your tech Resume? Are you
creative Using a mouse?
Become a Media Masters Intern!
• build your "Digital Transcript" to help
get you into college
• earn some pocket Money (there's a
$tipend!)
Cell • address Global Issues
• create a portfolio of DIGITAL creations
Phone that displays your Media MASTERY
Addict?
Every Friday from 3:30-5:30
Don't miss this great opportunity. Applications
are due on October 29th, space is limited!
To get an application
This is a case study of Project New Media Literacies collaborating with Global Kids in 2008-09 school year as they used the Media Makers Collection to develop an after-school program with teens called Media Makers.
In some ways, the process of researching new ideas about learning and putting them to work in the classroom is kind of like eating a Drumstick. First, you’ve got to get through the crunchy stuff - the actual research. Then, your research has to get filtered through the realities of classroom life - the ice cream, which might give you a brain freeze! Finally, you make it to the sweet spot, where research and practice manage to come together. Unfortunately, research about education is far more fraught than eating a Drumstick. When you get to the sweet spot, though, the rewards are much more lasting than a momentary taste of fudge!
NML's core goal is to help young people acquire the social skills and cultural competencies that constitute the new media literacies (as outlined in the white paper) through experiences that introduce them to emerging sites of participatory culture.
These social skills and cultural competencies—the new media literacies—shift the focus of traditional literacy, for example, from individual expression to also encompass community involvement. The new media literacies then can be understood as offering ways of thinking and ways of doing that recruit the traditional literacies of reading and writing into new kinds of literacy practices.
In response to these concerns, Project NML developed the Learning Library, a new type of learning environment that embraces the characteristics of participatory culture and helps educators and learners become more proficient in adapting to today’s rich media landscape by encouraging exploration and practice of the new media literacies by developing a curricular model that takes advantage of "web 2.0" platforms, and taps into the pedagogy that has grown up around participatory culture. It is a web tool that allows students and teachers alike to build “challenges,” that is, multimedia lessons that others can access and use. These lessons can be on any subject, and they are comprised of individual “media elements” which can be remixed in any order, so that the same video can be used (for instance) to illustrate the principles of physics in one challenge, and to provide an example of 3-d animation in another. Some media elements request more interaction - for instance, one might ask a question and have a text box in which to place an answer - but students and teachers both can comment on any of them, sharing their opinions and thoughts. All of the challenges and modules in the Learning Library are publicly available, creating a literal library of learning resources.
Project NML has seeded the Learning Library with the Media Makers Collection, a set of thirty challenges that encourage teachers and students alike to  explore and practice the new media literacies within the context of media artists and production. (See Appendix B for a list of challenges and links to the Media Makers Collection.) These challenges are media-based lessons to provide instruction or share an idea or a story. This collection provides opportunities to better understand the new media literacies, while also providing a template for contributions from members who want to use the Learning Library to develop their own challenges.
The process consisted of identifying the core concept, skill or idea that Project NML wanted to share, then developing a learning goal - that is, answering the question “What should people be able to do at the end of this challenge?” Once the author of the challenge had determined those basic facts, he or she moved on to find media elements that put our concept in context. Since Project NML was seeding the Learning Library with its very first media elements, they had to think carefully about what sorts of things they wanted to put in it - to determine what precedents would be set.
So, the authors of the Media Makers Collection looked for pre-existing media and websites which they could use in the Learning Library, specifically searching for items that met three criteria. First, they wanted the media elements to be free and easily accessible. Since the Learning Library only provides links to external media elements - it does not actually host any websites or images or videos itself - they needed to make sure that any elements it referred to were fairly permanent. They also looked for media elements that could demonstrate multiple concepts. A media element that could be used in a discussion of more than one new media literacy was preferable to a media element that only applied to one. Finally, they sought out media elements that we thought would connect well to middle and high schooler’s lifestyles and experiences, since we expected the Learning Library to primarily be used and tested in middle and high school classrooms.
Global Kids was one of the three sites asked to to pilot the Media Makers Collection. Founded in 1989, Global Kids' mission is to transform urban youth into successful students and global and community leaders by engaging them in socially dynamic, content-rich learning experiences. Through its leadership development and academic enrichment programs, Global Kids educates youth about critical international and domestic issues and promotes their engagement in civic life and the democratic process. Global Kids uses different methods to reach different types of students, but mostly they center the learning on getting students to take action and express their ideas.  In every program meeting, Global Kids starts with three guidelines: there’s only one microphone (only one person speaks at a time); you are in a safe space; and everyone must participate. These guidelines seemed like they were fairly consonant with our ideas about the Learning Library.
As part of their pilot test of the Media Makers Challenges, Global Kids created an after-school program, “Media Masters.” This program combined learning about global issues with practicing media production and analysis skills. Unlike other after-school programs that were part of the organization's Online Leadership Program, Media Masters did not focus on one specific medium (ie: film production or video game design), but instead focused on the new media literacies, using different media to help students acquire an understanding of deeper principles.
 
Global Kids’ framework for the Learning Library also provided new food for thought for Project NML. A key part of the Media Masters program design was to have students develop a “Digital Transcript” and “Social Media Portfolio.” The transcript, which the facilitators of the Media Masters program updated regularly, included badges for each of the new media literacies. Each badge had three aspects, and each aspect had to be separately earned: "Do It" (the ability to utilize the skill), "Recognize It" (the ability to identify the skill in action), and "Talk About It" (the ability to articulate what a skill entails and one's relationship with it).  The portfolio gathered and contextualized all the media projects that students completed over the course of the program; then, youth could add other projects to the portfolio, created outside of the program. Project NML had not established any methods of assessment for educators to use, so the transcript and portfolio system was a fascinating idea from their perspective.
One of the most valuable segments of the Media Masters program for researchers to observe was the Prospect Heights Campus Wikipedia Project, which spanned five weeks. To develop this piece of the Media Masters program, Rafi and Shawna reviewed the Media Makers Collection and singled out a particular challenge, Chains of Thought. In this original Media Makers Collection challenge, learners explore the new media literacy of “distributed cognition” by playing a Wikipedia game.
Global Kids was inspired by Chains of Thought, but they transformed the lesson quite a bit. Though distributed cognition was the original focus of Chains of Thought, Rafi and Shawna chose to focus their lesson plan on another new media literacy, “collective intelligence” - the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal. They also worked in “networking” - the ability to search for, synthesize, and disseminate information - and “judgment” - the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information sources. The media elements that Chains of Thought used all supported these three new media literacies just as well as they supported the concept of distributed cognition, in fact. In the Learning Library, the Chains of Thought challenge had already been tagged with “collective intelligence” and “networking” for this reason.
For instance, early in the Wikipedia project, Rafi and Shawna asked students to read three articles about the situation in the Gaza strip. These articles each had a different point of view about a particular event that occurred there. On the one hand, these articles described events that occurred halfway around the world, events that their students knew little about. However, they framed the articles with a discussion of points of view and the new media literacy of judgment.
The articles about the Gaza strip allowed students in the Media Masters class to discuss what it means to take a biased or neutral point of view, and how one can judge whether an article is biased or neutral. They took it a step farther, though, and began discussing Wikipedia’s policies on neutral point of view - and how they might apply these concepts of neutral and biased point of view to their own work on the Prospect Heights campus page. When students began discussing the point of view of a campus administrator as opposed to the point of view of a campus police officer, a student at HSGC, or the parent of a student, they were cementing the concept of point of view in their mind and working out ways that they could make judgment calls about information stemming from all of these sources. Instead of understanding judgment as sited somewhere else, on the other side of the world, students began to understand judgment as a skill they used in their daily lives.
This transmedia approach to communicating concepts and ideas bears a great deal of similarity to the stories being told by major entertainment corporations. Television shows like Heroes and Lost don’t merely have storylines that are communicated through their weekly TV slot; rather, they include websites, webisodes, comic books, tie-in novels, and even games that each tell a piece of the story. Unlike old-fashioned “tie-ins deals,” shows like Heroes use each medium to communicate a different piece of the entire puzzle. Any single piece is understandable, but when you take them all as a whole - when you surf the web, watch the television show, and read the comic books faithfully every week - they add up to a much bigger story. In the same way, Rafi and Shawna used different media to tell different pieces of the collective intelligence story.
Indeed, barriers between “school,” “work” and “fun” were not the only barriers that began to break down. Barriers between different media began to break down as well. Traditional approaches to media literacy divide different media up cleanly, regarding movies, television, books and music as separate topics to be handled separately. In particular, computing work is almost always viewed as a thing unto itself, kept in the library (for research) and the computer lab (for programming) and not anywhere else. Furthermore, activities that involve movement are limited to physical education or sports, perhaps even a theater class; during other times, students are expected to remain in their desks, not using the media of physical movement.
Teacher and student each had a great deal to learn from each other. For instance, when Rafi brought in a Jay-Z music video as a piece of popular culture to think about, the collective response from the students was, “…isn’t he married to Beyoncé?” Clearly, it would have been better if Rafi had been able to tap into the students’ knowledge of pop culture and find examples from their purview, rather than using what seemed to them an outdated reference!
This question of collaboration goes further, though, than simply “everyone knows a different slice of pop culture, and teachers usually lag behind their students.” The Wikipedia project showed why. The Media Masters class divided up the research for the page they were working on, sometimes working on multiple aspects.
Rafi and Shawna, however, were not the only people “telling the collective intelligence story.” Rather, they were pooling their knowledge with the students’ knowledge, collaborating and actually using collective intelligence to build the best possible classroom experience, including always asking students what they want to do.
Collaboration, as a practice, often leads to emergent learning: when unexpected occurrences lead to greater insights. Unfortunately, unexpected occurrences are not a very large feature of most classrooms.
The Wikipedia page about the Prospect Heights Campus was a place for students to document information about the campus, its schools, history, and whatever else the students decided was important to include in an entry - and a place for them to do so publicly and neutrally. There are many examples of a structured learning environment of
wikis or wiki pages being created; however, Global Kids chose to use Wikipedia and not develop a pbwiki or something similar for just their group of students to view.
Trying to replicate Wikipedia through pbwiki, or some other wiki software, certainly has its benefits. It is what might be termed a “walled garden” approach, allowing students to tinker with wiki software and yet not be exposed to the potentially disruptive larger internet. However, choosing a walled garden approach also has many costs. Students who already use the internet know very well what is actually “out there,” and the walled garden runs the risk of losing their interest - because, after all, a walled garden isn’t the “real world.” Even if students are unfamiliar with the internet, using a walled garden approach precludes the possibility of emergent learning.
By the end of the year, researchers had become a normal fixture in the Media Masters classroom. One researcher, Flourish Klink, attended all but one class where researchers were present. As a result of that familiarity, students did not seem nervous in the presence of cameras, particularly by the end of the course. That sense of calm routine is clear in later interviews: instead of being awkward and concerned, students are able to articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly and coherently on the fly, not suffering from 'stage fright' or being overly worried with how they would sound or appear. To achieve that level of comfort was a major victory.
The typical classroom is balanced between the needs of the teacher and the needs of each individual student. With researchers present, another set of needs had to be balanced: the needs of Project NML’s research. In an ideal world, these goals would not conflict. However, we do not live in an ideal world. One ongoing conversation about these goals was about emergent, collaborative learning. Project NML espouses a dream of extremely unstructured classroom time, often discussing how students should be free to explore many different routes to their end learning goal. On the other hand, the Global Kids afterschool classrooms are often very structured, keeping students on task and moving from one goal to another. This was a regular topic of discussion for the MIT researchers and the Global Kids facilitators. From the MIT point of view, could the pilot study be effective if it did not fully reflect the pedagogical positioning of the Learning Library? But from the Global Kids point of view, could the pilot study be possible if it took classroom control away from Rafi and Shawna? In the end, researchers get to walk away from a classroom - but teachers must return to it day after day.
Entirely apart from the occasionally conflicting teaching methods present in the classroom, there are further constraints on any research project that takes place in a classroom - constraints placed by state law and school administration. For example, many classrooms have limited internet access, hidden behind strict filters. This problem, which anyone who works in primary or secondary education knows well, can become a major problem indeed when the class is intended to be about media. In one memorable case, Rafi was unable to bring up the videos he had planned to show the class: they were blocked by the school’s filtering software. He asked the class to help him circumvent the filters, but after trying several proxy servers at their suggestion and not succeeding, they had to use an MIT laptop that could connect through the phone network and not the school’s wireless.
These practical concerns are the stumbling block that every research project runs up against. How could a student use the Learning Library if the media elements the Media Makers Challenges reference are all blocked?
To review other case studies of how the Learning Library’s Media Makers Collection has been used by other teachers, please join http://projectnml.ning.com