Overwhelmed

Wow, just when I thought I had a handle on things I met our new instructor....Oh my word! I don't think there are enough hours in the day to finish all that I need to finish for this class AND do the first assignment for the new class. I know, I am complaining and probably should have managed my time better....still, it's my blog and I feel like complaining! Is anyone else overwhelmed?

Chapter 7 - Remix Culture

When I think about remix, my mind immediately goes to music and the "remixes" we would listen to as teens. My friends would create their own remix of songs that they liked and make tapes (yes, tapes) for us to listen to. This chapter talks about this and more - the mixing of music, images, art, texts and the like. As I tried to wrap my brain around this concept and how it works in (and out of) the classroom, the example that drove it home for me was a standard book report being remixed into a comic strip. I would think many students would much rather work with a comic strip (Comic Life anyone?) rather than a standard book report. It is explained as "remixing the knowledge that is required with the knowledge that has meaning to him" (p. 147). What a great idea!
The chapter goes on to explain how blogging, wikis, multimedia presentations are all great examples of remixes. One takes information that someone else provided and builds on that and relates it to the information relevant to them. She discusses music, video, and analog remixes and mashups (Holly introduced us to a mashup on our last weekend together). A great activity that they provide is a form where you ask students to tell you what the remix is and what the influence or primary source is for the remix. This is a great way to get students thinking about sources, citing work and so on.

Chapter 6 - Virtual Worlds

As with the previous chapter, this chapter is covering a topic that is completely foreign to me. I am, quite frankly, annoyed! The first paragraph of this chapter (as with the previous chapter) discusses how these sites are "exploring how to form new kinds of communities, where shifting roles nurture the transformation of identities-to one's sense of self and one's sense of what is possible". Am I the only one that wonders how we ever grew up without Role Playing sites and Virtual Worlds, let alone the Internet. I mean, how on Earth did I ever form an identity without the aid of participating in Second Life or creating an avatar? Oh, that's right, my parents, friends, relatives, TEACHERS, and community. While I again, understand the need to reach a very different generation than my own, the argument that Virtual Worlds and role-playing sites are the way to do this is lost on me. Okay, I will stop preaching and move on!

The chapter surprisingly offered up some great ideas that I would actually love to try. One of those ideas is that of creating a virtual conference room where others can enter and you can then teach a lesson. This seems like a great way to engage students. I also liked that learning can take place - any time, any where. I also really liked the Quest Atlantis. This interactive game allows students to take part in real-world activities and watch the consequences of their actions. This section alone was worth the price of the book (finally, something!!)! I really like this idea and have recommended it to a few of my colleagues.