The time has come to look back in this, my second reflective multimedia essay for COM 410 – Advanced Topics in Communications Studies, and examine the concepts that have stood out to me the most throughout the course of the year. As I said in my first reflective essay I think what stood out to me the most then and continues to now, is how relatable the content is that we cover especially to a college student coming up in the most technologically diverse communication era in history. First I would like to discuss some of the key ideas from the content we have covered and then get into how the material has changed my perspectives on those topics and given me a better understanding of not only the content but also myself as a learner.
One of the topics that stood out to me the most throughout the semester and one that has come up multiple times throughout the course of our content, involves the future of education and the current state of our progress transitioning to a system that is best suited to the needs of todays generation of learners. For example, in a video we recently watched by Ken Robinson (see below) he discusses the state of learning and the lack of necessary advancements and adaptations needed to effectively obtain and maintain student’s attentions to the material being presented in an age where digital media competes for the attention of the globe constantly.
One of the topics that stood out to me the most throughout the semester and one that has come up multiple times throughout the course of our content, involves the future of education and the current state of our progress transitioning to a system that is best suited to the needs of todays generation of learners. For example, in a video we recently watched by Ken Robinson (see below) he discusses the state of learning and the lack of necessary advancements and adaptations needed to effectively obtain and maintain student’s attentions to the material being presented in an age where digital media competes for the attention of the globe constantly.
To me many of the ideas he proposed made a great deal of sense and were also very relatable in terms of the obstacles that I personally have faced trying to learn in a traditional style while at the same time being presented a huge amount of technical advancements that have not only changed the landscape of learning but also society itself.
In todays educational environment and with the amount of access students have at their fingertips 24/7, it is impossible to think that if teachers keep up the same style of education that has been set in place for hundreds of years that our students will continue to show interest at the level it takes to truly learn and grow. This gap between sometimes outdated ideas in our schools and the endless distractions present in almost every student’s pockets creates an environment where ADHD-like symptoms run rampant, not so much due to the students cognition and focus but often because of the presentation and outdated content that is being thrown at them. To move forward we need to get out of the “factory-line” style of education Robinson speaks of that has been in place for years and adapt to the advancements that we have made in order to fully take advantage of not only the capabilities of these technologies but also those of our learners attention. Presenting our students with only interesting ideas is not enough; we must present these ideas in interesting ways so that those people trying to learn them have a connection with the material rather than the dry style of systematic memorized learning we experience today.
Another overarching theme that stood out to me through the year was the interconnectivity between the creative sources that spawn new ideas, whether it be technological or educational. These countless new applications found online and in our cell phones have amazing processing capabilities but can their full potential be realized without collaborative use between others properly using the same technology? Collective use of technology and understanding cultivates an environment that encourages advancement in any environment in which others’ work can be appreciated and built off of.
One example of this concept from the semester that stood out to me was a TED talk we were shown given by speaker Kirby Ferguson entitled “Creativity Is a Remix” (see below) in which he gives multiple examples where people’s work, whether it be a musician’s lyrics or a technological advancement, are used yet slightly adapted to create new and useful content sometimes surpassing the original.
In todays educational environment and with the amount of access students have at their fingertips 24/7, it is impossible to think that if teachers keep up the same style of education that has been set in place for hundreds of years that our students will continue to show interest at the level it takes to truly learn and grow. This gap between sometimes outdated ideas in our schools and the endless distractions present in almost every student’s pockets creates an environment where ADHD-like symptoms run rampant, not so much due to the students cognition and focus but often because of the presentation and outdated content that is being thrown at them. To move forward we need to get out of the “factory-line” style of education Robinson speaks of that has been in place for years and adapt to the advancements that we have made in order to fully take advantage of not only the capabilities of these technologies but also those of our learners attention. Presenting our students with only interesting ideas is not enough; we must present these ideas in interesting ways so that those people trying to learn them have a connection with the material rather than the dry style of systematic memorized learning we experience today.
Another overarching theme that stood out to me through the year was the interconnectivity between the creative sources that spawn new ideas, whether it be technological or educational. These countless new applications found online and in our cell phones have amazing processing capabilities but can their full potential be realized without collaborative use between others properly using the same technology? Collective use of technology and understanding cultivates an environment that encourages advancement in any environment in which others’ work can be appreciated and built off of.
One example of this concept from the semester that stood out to me was a TED talk we were shown given by speaker Kirby Ferguson entitled “Creativity Is a Remix” (see below) in which he gives multiple examples where people’s work, whether it be a musician’s lyrics or a technological advancement, are used yet slightly adapted to create new and useful content sometimes surpassing the original.
This stood out to me because in today’s society taking someone’s work and using it as an inspiration is often considered taboo and in many cases plagiarism. Misunderstandings involving the actual meaning and potential uses of things such as copyrights, trademarks, etc. are all ideas that should be explained to potential content creators in order to educate them on the true possibilities of what can be accomplished rather than the boundaries that they cannot cross. This is yet another reason I found this course to be very beneficial at giving me insight into communication based concepts not evident in society it also informed me on how to make use of tools as well as how to build off different concepts in order to craft a new finished independent product.
In terms of what I learned in this class it is hard to choose where to begin but I definitely feel that I made substantial improvement in multiple areas of not only my communicative ability but also my knowledge of current media tools. Having to design and create multiple different types of media articulating varying concepts of study gave me a broader knowledge of not only these tools themselves, but also how to combine and create new ideas themselves based on the content I am observing in my daily life. Also to be able to meet a group of people in an online setting, learn with them, collaborate, and eventually create content with them is an encouraging sign for the trend of current education and helps further contribute to the success of blended learning in today’s ever advancing technological landscape. For these reasons I look back on this semester with a great appreciation of the journey all my classmates and myself have completed. I know that I will continue to use many of the techniques and media outlets I was exposed to in this class which is not always the case for many courses and can only hope the remaining credits I have left here at URI can aspire to be as useful.
References:
In terms of what I learned in this class it is hard to choose where to begin but I definitely feel that I made substantial improvement in multiple areas of not only my communicative ability but also my knowledge of current media tools. Having to design and create multiple different types of media articulating varying concepts of study gave me a broader knowledge of not only these tools themselves, but also how to combine and create new ideas themselves based on the content I am observing in my daily life. Also to be able to meet a group of people in an online setting, learn with them, collaborate, and eventually create content with them is an encouraging sign for the trend of current education and helps further contribute to the success of blended learning in today’s ever advancing technological landscape. For these reasons I look back on this semester with a great appreciation of the journey all my classmates and myself have completed. I know that I will continue to use many of the techniques and media outlets I was exposed to in this class which is not always the case for many courses and can only hope the remaining credits I have left here at URI can aspire to be as useful.
References:
- Robinson, K. (Director). (2010). Changing Education Paradigms. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
- Ferguson, K. (Director). (2012). Creativity Is a Remix | Kirby Ferguson | TED Talks. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd-dqUuvLk4