Remixing as Literacy
Remixing is swiftly becoming an essential part of curriculum and digital literacy. Remixing "illustrates how young people today are involve in taking different media extracts and putting them together in new ways." (Lankshear & Knobel, 2013, p. 47) It is through remixing that perception of literacy and learning in school relates to digital literacy and the expansion of this literacy within the classroom. (Lankshear & Knobel, 2013, p.47)
With remixing, the thoughts are moved away from the traditional writing and enhanced with the incorporation of digital and media. This can include many things such as blogging, posting pictures, sharing music files and using a social network to communicate.
In Case 3: Media Production in Media Education, the students were working on creating a film in Photoshop with regards to Blitz. Blitz was a story about young people who lived in a home in Oslo. (Lankshear & Knobel, 2013, p. 51) The students were using the tools presented in Photoshop to create the film, including its title page. When the fonts were lack luster, the students turned their attention to an internet search for additional fonts to download. Their intent was to create a title that not only nabbed attention but also set the mood for their film and the story they were about to tell. A standard font already in Photoshop just wasn't going to do it justice. (Lankshear & Knobel, 2013, p.51)
In this example, the students were keen on creating the setting and atmosphere of their piece while the Teacher was more concerned with the journalism aspect. The Teacher felt that the students were focusing too much of their attention on the font detail and not enough on the piece itself. The students however argued that the fonts "are important because they express their understanding of the 'blitz' concept." (Lankshear & Knobel, 2013, p. 51) They felt that their creativity was just as valuable as their writing.
What is interesting as a whole when thinking about digital literacy is how each generation views it differently. The older generation is more traditional. They believe in the need for pen and paper to create their words and get their points across. The younger crowd feel they can do the same and become even more impact with their social reach online to include but not exclude the use of media files, pictures, music and more. Marrying the two concepts together is the tricky part but if done correctly, it can open a door and tap into some great creative thoughts.
Remixing involves "selecting, organizing, reflecting, evaluating, creating and communicating." (Lankshear & Knobel, 2013, p. 53) An advantage to this style of literacy is that it allows everyone to tap into their creative nature. It allows each individual to create and write their words within what is comfortable to them and without limitations. Having these digital tools available to students provides growth. It enhances the thought process, creates a creative space, improves literacy as a whole and provokes critical thinking.
Hello Lisa:
ReplyDeleteYour post is great! Remixing is an excellent way for everyone to “tap into their creative nature.” Its multimodal approach opens up the creative process rather than stunt it. It’s collaborative in that there is more than one tool available to the composer to express an idea. The example of the student focusing on font size and image is excellent because “image” or “picture” is worth a thousand words:)
In other words, the impact of an image on the brain is processed faster and with greater effect than the written word alone and the use of a creative and dynamic “font” for text content inevitably becomes a single unit or image that conveys a far clearer and
Stronger Message!
Expressing oneself in this way certainly enhances overall brain function and development…
Reference:
We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text – Here’s WHY. (2011, December 04). Retrieved February 04, 2017, from https://rhdeepexploration.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/visuals-60000-times-faster/
I really enjoyed reading about the journalism project focusing on the concept of remixing. What an innovative approach to learning, empowering learners and students to express themselves thoughts through “recycled” culture and media, using preexisting objects—including music and video—as the building blocks for their own unique point of view.
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