Creativity: It's Personal

Students just finished working on an iMovie project in Media Collage.  They started by writing a story, which they read and edited in small groups.  The story did not need to revolve around some major event, but could tell about a much more prosaic moment--something that could happen anytime, any day.  Now we are watching each other’s movies, and they are about what one would expect, given that many of the students are 1st time iMovie makers.  The narration can be hard to hear, the cropping can seem a little off or questionable, the images can be a bit pixelated.  Still, the students’ comments to each other have been very positive.  After viewing a half dozen of these, I asked them to reflect on whether these are really all that important.  By and large, students saw quite a bit of meaning in what their classmates constructed.  

For example, one student decided to tell the story of the first time he went out with friends.  According to this student, he was the stereotypical gamer: his social life revolved around playing video games in his basement.  The story he wrote and iMovie he created documents a "moment of crisis" when he realized that he had to be missing out on some pretty fun and important stuff by voluntarily locking himself away.  Without sounding unduly harsh, the video and storytelling have some moments that could probably be handled better: there is some overly-descriptive, over-wrought phrasing and questionable imagery that does not help push the story forward.  But what mattered to this student’s classmates is that he created something that “documents this important moment in his life.”  Whether any of us or anybody else ever views it again is insignificant compared to the fact that he now has this work that preserves this moment.  The meaning is personal, which might just be the case for all creativity, whether done by pros or amateurs.  In any creative pursuit, the meaning must always be personal.  From a teacher’s point of view, the truly great part of this whole experience is that many of them have arrived at this exact conclusion.

The entire process, including our conversation, reinforced points made by David Gauntlett in his book Making is Connecting.  He has articulated these ideas in an interview Henry Jenkins as well as in a presentation available on YouTube.  Here’s a great statement:

acts of everyday creativity are extremely important. You can cast them as just ‘a nice thing’ for individuals, and normally they are a nice thing for individuals, but they are much more than that. Every time someone decides to make something themselves, rather than buying or consuming something already made by someone else, they are making a distinct choice, to be an active participant in the world rather than an observer or a shopper in the world. And through the process of making, they get to enjoy, as I’ve said, that sense of purpose and connection, and satisfaction.

Key within this explanation is Gauntlett’s point about being an active producer instead of a passive consumer.  Earlier in this same interview, Gauntlett criticizes the definition of creativity that specifies that it must be purposeful within a particular field.  Obviously, this kind of creativity is crucial for advancement in any field.  But Gauntlett’s point is that creativity is not solely the purview of professionals working with a prescribed field.  It is existentially important to all people, whether it is pursued on or off line.

As our discussion about our iMovies became a more general conversation about how the internet and digital tools is fueling amateur creativity, a number of the students argued that this is where schools could play a vital role.  The term “digital native” has come under some fire for its accuracy.  Still, there is a tendency on the part of adults, including teachers, to see students as skilled navigators when it comes to the internet and their devices.  My Media Collage students could not agree.  In my conversations with them I have found that most feel as overwhelmed as me.  Sure, in certain digital settings and with certain tools, they are powerful communicators and actors.  But their point to me is that they are as desperate as most adults to understand how to carve out a personally significant vantage point in the midst of the overwhelming digital landscape.  As one student explained, “Schools need to take a more active role in helping people to navigate the internet.  I want to understand how to access different levels of creativity online and within myself.”  As a teacher, I can not think of a much loftier and necessary goal.  Of course, as a teacher, I also realize that this lofty goal invariably runs up against all of the other “goals” that I must achieve: from the curriculum I must get through to the local, state, and federal mandates of which I must be cognizant.  Perhaps this is the biggest reason to have a class dedicated solely to this student’s stated need.  The curriculum is the landscape itself and how to navigate it and feel that the tools and technology empower an individual’s creativity.

Play Time

Kids need time to play.  This revolutionary idea has become apparent while teaching Media Collage.  I first noted this during student presentations.  They each took a turn introducing the class to a site or digital tool with which they are familiar.  Generally, students have responded favorably to these presentations and agree that listening to their classmates has provided them with the opportunity to see something new.  At the same time, the inevitable presentation fatigue also set in.  Hence the need for "2 Days of Play."  I wanted us to have some time to just play with the different stuff they had been shown. 

I gave my students some suggestions: experiment with iMovie, GarageBand, and Tumblr, among other sites and tools.  In short, go back to something that looked interesting or promising and mess around with it.  My role in this was not to dictate what they should do with any one of these applications.  I gave some suggestions, like create a Media Collage theme song in GarageBand.  But I wanted them to tell me what they were exploring and why.  

One student played with GarageBand.  He told me that he had been working with the night before.  Our conversations went something like this:
      Me: How long did it take you?  
      Him: I don’t know.  I lost track.  
      Me: You lost track because it wasn’t too long, or . . .
      Him: I started working on it, got into it, and I just lost track of time altogether.

I wonder how often this student feels this way about other school work.  Probably not often.  Whether reading a novel, completing math problems, or studying for a history exam, these activities are most likely completed with one eye on the clock. There is always that part of the brain that resists the work at hand and refuses to engage.  But the student working in GarageBand was totally committed.  

This reminds me of the great interview Henry Jenkins did with David Gauntlett, the author of Making is Connecting.  His contention is that any kind of creative activity, including work like the students did the last couple of days, is vital for one’s sense of self-worth.  Regardless of whether the product is a silly iMovie destined to sit unwatched on a person’s YouTube channel, the act of shaping the work affects the way the creator sees himself--he is no longer a passive consumer.  He becomes an active producer.  And it is meaningful for his sense of self. 

And so I am reminded of how vital it is to play.  It is serious business.  As teachers, we realize the need for students to be imaginative and creative.  But how do we provide these opportunities?  It is easy to feel that letting students experiment with ideas and tools is a waste of time.  There is so much to cover, so many mandates to fulfill.  What does tinkering in iMovie provide when standards must be met?  Perhaps an engaging, imaginative, all-encompassing experience of oneself as a creator.      

I and Eyes

Today's struggle while teaching with digital technology: not having their eyes.

As a teacher, I have not really considered how important it is to see my student's eyes.  I mean, stopped to reflect on how much simple eye contact transmits: engagement, understanding, confusion, unity. . . Of course, like so many things, I have suggested this importance thousands of times.  After all, how often have I said, "look up please," or used physical proximity to make someone with his head down engage me?  It is so common, I do not even notice anymore.  And there's the problem.

When students are not looking at me because they are looking somewhere else--intently at a book or mindlessly into space--I can make a quick read of the situation, determine if I need to get them reengaged, and, if so, consider how best to do so.  But when they have the laptop open while I am using my computer to explain something projected onto the screen at the front of the room, it is a bit more confusing.

I know most people would say, "just tell them to put their screens down when you are talking."  Of course I do this.  Sometimes.   On one of the first days of class, we decided that I would say "Acute" when it was time for them to really look at me--acute representing the angle that their laptop screen should at (their suggestion).  I realize that I am ultimately in control of the technology, not the other way around.

But what about the numerous times that they could be looking at a document just as easily on their own computer?  And what about the times that I share an article that includes hyperlinks that they want to check out?  Or the times when I tell them about a helpful website, and they want to explore it?  Or bring up a name I think they should know, and they want to learn about the person on the spot? This is when I struggle, because to deny them these moments could be to deny them a moment of genuine curiosity or engagement.

When I ask students about these moments, they assure me that they are listening, that disengaging eye contact does not mean they have lost the thread of what I am saying.  I know others have studied, discussed, and experimented with this element of the technology-enabled classroom: Rheinghold, Davidson, Turkle.  But I am also finding that it is much easier to read about and ponder over than to actually encounter.

Getting comfortable with the ways that students use devices in class is going to take some work.  As well as the help and cooperation of my students.   

Attention! Why write?

I’m thinking about two things after today’s Media Collage class: first, the importance of making clear to students why I ask them to read, write, and speak about certain ideas.  Obviously, this idea is important regardless of the subject matter.  But teaching this new course has reminded me of all sorts of basic instructional practices.  For instance, in my mind I know exactly why we should read, write, and talk about attention and distraction: it has become an increasingly important subject for people who use, research, and critique digital technology.  And, in fact, these topics came up in our conversation after the first round of student presentations.  

When considering the benefits of audience members using computers during presentations, some people commented on how it proved to be an exercise in self-control and how it made paying attention easier.  Interesting comments.  In my mind, then, this topic became worthy of “more attention.”  However, just because I see a clear link from one activity to the next does not mean the same link exists for students.  As I said, it was a good reminder.

The second thing I’m considering revolves around why writing, particularly for a blog, is useful. Consider the little experiment we did in class: everybody closed his or her eyes and tried to focus on a particular idea.  After three minutes, we opened our eyes and wrote down what we thought about. As those who shared their lists made evident, distraction appears to be the brain’s standard operating mode.  Here's an example:

And one more:

Whether it is external stimuli--coughing, ring tones, loud computers--or the way our thoughts naturally flow from one idea to another-- “I’m hungry. How are machines made?”--it is hard to achieve deep, sustained focus on an idea by simply “sitting and thinking.”

But why is deep, sustained focus important?  After all, we have lightning fast connections and a wealth of information that is only a click away.  

Although a student posed this question to me, other students answered it quite well: deep sustained focus allows for growth, for increased understanding of those things for which we are passionate, for making interesting connections, for making important realizations and discoveries, and for allowing ideas to flourish.  

The next question, I fielded: But how does writing fit in?  Because writing well requires concentration and focus, or, to come back to one of the key terms, it requires attention.  In short, the attempt to articulate an idea in an interesting and coherent manner requires dedicating one’s mental faculties to this sole task.  

I recognize some of the arguments made in favor of distraction: it is akin to divergent thinking and allows for surprising connections and novel ideas.  I find these arguments convincing.  But distraction all the time is as detrimental as attention all the time.  At some point, we need to delve into one idea and learn what we think.  This is what writing offers.  As for blogging in particular, the writing can then become part of an ongoing conversation with people anywhere.  And they, in turn, can distract me with their own fantastic, thought-provoking ideas.

Resistance is Not Futile

The latest from my adventures in teaching digital technology.  The students are giving group presentations focusing on learning experiences.  While one objective of this activity is to examine helpful ways to use technology, particularly Google Presentation, and create engaging slide shows, my main interest is in what they do when not presenting.  I am interested in how they fulfill their roles as audience members.

To this end, each student has a laptop in front of him or her during the presentations.  On that computer screen, they are supposed to have open a shared Google Doc on which they make comments in real time.  I stress the word supposed because I am not sitting behind them;  I do not have a handy mirror reflecting back to me what they are doing while their classmates present; I can not eavesdrop on their activity with a big brother screen on my computer.  As I told them, this is an experiment to see what benefits, if any, a computer has for them as audience members.

When the presentations are over, I told them we will discuss the degree to which it was helpful to have a device open during presentations.  We will also look at the comments on the Google Docs and evaluate if the feedback is constructive and purposeful.  I look forward to these discussions, anticipating some honest conversation concerning whether the computer became a distraction.  Honest because I have allowed them, even mandated, that they have computers open.  They do not have to worry about the kinds of consequences that result in furtive device usage.  Hopefully this conversation will prove to be a learning experience in and of itself.

Regardless, I have already learned something about changing habits.  It has been extremely difficult for me not to admonish them as I have watched them type some silly-seeming comments:  

WOO. very cool. Trombone=awesome. MURRKAT ROCKS!!! meoowWwWwWw great presentation by all the ladies. <3.

After the first presentation, I was on my way to making an announcement when I realized, "this is what I am asking them to do."  After all, if I want an honest discussion about their use of technology, the students and I need to start from their natural inclinations.  Which has meant restraining my own.

Learning, So This Is How It Feels

I'm only five days into teaching Media Collage, a brand new class offering at Glenbrook South HS.  On the fourth day, I dropped the following message into the class's shared Google Drive folder:

While we are only 4 days into this brand new course, I wanted to say a few words about why we have been doing the things we are doing.  As the teacher, I realize I am probably thinking about this class a lot more than most of you.  But it is likely that you have asked yourself “what exactly are we doing in here” over the past few days.

My intention is to establish a few things early on:

1. A sense that we are working together and that we need to share what we know, particularly about digital technology and tools.
2. A basic knowledge of some tools that we can then use throughout the quarter (and, hopefully, beyond).  In essence, to figure out the possibilities that digital tools offer us.
3. A sense for what it is that people are interested in.

In order to achieve these 3 goals, I am asking you to complete a number of activities over the first 2-3 weeks of class.  In some ways, it might feel like a normal English class.  For example, completing the “Something I Learned” survey probably felt like other short essays you have written. But my intention is that we get to a point where you can take an active role in your learning--where you can decide what it is you want to think about and do and know how to employ digital tools to engage meaningfully in this passion. As I write this, it seems like a pretty daunting task. Still, I am excited by it and I hope you are too.

Finally, as I have told you already, this is my first attempt at “teaching” this course. As such, I am actually much more of a learner. This is incredibly energizing. But also pretty nerve-wracking. If you have suggestions for activities or questions about our approach, please let me know. I need your help to make this class something special, which I know it can be.

It has been a challenging first week--one that has me stretching in completely new ways.  I was not lying or trying to create a bond with my students by writing that I am a "learner."  It is simply the position from which I am now working.

We educators enjoy talking about "life-long learning" and how this draws us to the profession.  This well-worn phrase is as ubiquitous as standardized tests.  Check out any site for any school in the country and there is a good chance that some version of this goal will be included in its mission statement or philosophy.  I know I have used it in one form or another in conversations with other educators and with people outside of education.  I do not mean to suggest that my use, or anybody's use, is hollow or insincere.  It's just that now I feel it. Teaching students how to be a contemporary learner means being a learner right along with them.

Where's the Focus

As I have been preparing a curriculum for my new class on digital learning, I have become increasingly disconcerted over the focus of education in general.  There is so much students need to understand about the ecology of the digital landscape--it has been overwhelming to me.  Of course, adults like to believe that young people have the internet and digital technology down cold.  But a growing body of research and anecdotal evidence disputes this view.  Check out this piece by Brian Proffitt from ReadWriteWeb for a compelling perspective.  Yes, young people spend a considerable amount of time online.  However, they are also lacking in the necessary critical thinking skills for navigating through the info rich environment. 

Yet, what am I instructed to spend my time on in the classroom?  College Readiness Standards:  do students know how to "Make sophisticated distinctions concerning the logical use of conjunctive adverbs or phrases, particularly when signaling a shift between paragraphs."  What?  Without a doubt I want my students to be confident, clear, and compelling writers.  This is not an issue of not wanting to invest time in helping students to achieve mastery when it comes to their use of language.  It remains a crucial part of the curriculum.

Although much has been made about our culture's switch from print to image, any time spent online illustrates the importance of writing.  Of course, there are many kinds of writing employed when it comes to the internet and digital technology.  Whether updating status, leaving a comment on a discussion thread, emailing a boss, blogging about an interest, or collaborating with colleagues in a Google Doc, writing is important.  But not when it is taught ACT-editing style or when it focuses solely on the "thesis driven, 5 paragraph essay."

I want to teach writing in the context of how to be a 21st century digital learner.  This means not just teaching how to write with text.  As writing becomes increasingly multimedia, it is imperative that this becomes a part of a student's education.  And I want to feel I have time to help foster the other skills my students need: the ability to "detect crap," as Howard Rheingold puts it, the ability to think divergently and convergently, the ability to shape new ideas by using the information they find on the internet along with digital tools.  This must become our focus.