creative writing and newmedia

One definition of new media includes new modes of composing, and therefore new ways of reading. In the intro to creative writing course that I teach, my students took note of the way images change meaning. Studying Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir Fun Home, students began to see that meaning is changed, enhanced, made more sophisticated than language alone would convey (in the case of this novel). Images were not added to the text, and text was not added to image. They were composed to speak hand in hand.

Yes! Indeed!

So when we take another meaning of "new media", one that includes say the multimedia blog, webpage, filmic essay, students agree that composing takes on added complexity.

But, they seem resistant to composing in an academic setting. Creative writing pedagogy is understood as composing on the literal page. Alternatives are scary. It is intimidating enough to share thoughts out loud, in a workshop setting. Something about mediating their language, or composing multimedially is even more nerve racking for them. Their role as students/artists/composers is renegotiated in the space of a classroom, since these media are new. That does not happen often, and so they resist. Squirm even.

I have to wonder though, if we push through that resistance, if pedagogy does shift---which it will---perhaps the squirming will cease.

Video Essay: For example

Can the essay go multimedia? What is crucial to composition pedagogy is teaching critical thinking, clear expression, engagement with a subject area, and study of a large body of research in order to enter into the conversation.
Here is an example of what the multimedia essay could look like:

Creativity and Collaboration 2/5

The collaborative project put before the students involves exploring, uncovering, taking a critical look at Black History Month. What does it mean historically, personally, today, etc. Through collaboration, students have been collecting primary and secondary sources from the internet, and various campus/community events. They are piecing ideas together, as they look at the sources around them. Amazing process to watch!

Students are in the gathering phase right now. Piling up images, links, texts, audio files, video files, interviews....even taking their own footage.

They are critically engaged, and all exploring very different areas of meaning in very different ways. Making their own path through the subject area. Making knowledge, after reflecting on the information.

BOG New Humanities Presentation by Richard Miller

moving back

tumblr was fun:

http://ruwritershouse.tumblr.com/

but ultimately ungooglable. or is it ungoogleable?