Using Social Media to Define the New Humanities Classroom

Using Social Media to Define the New HumanitiesAntonio VivaAssociate Head of School, Worcester AcademySome background...Classroom teacher (English, Technology and Theater) 1995-2000Senior Research and Development Associate for EDC on US Dept. of Education Research Project (focus on curriculum, leadership and technology development in schools)Teaching Creative Writing @ WA 2006 to presentHired in 2002 as CIO at Worcester AcademyAssociate Head of School in 2004ContextConversationCollaborationWhat is the basis for thinking How do classes in the New Where do we go from here?about the New Digital Digital Humanities function Humanities?differently from traditional Are there other examples?approaches?Why should schools rethink What new questions do we they way they teach What do students think?now have?traditional humanities subjects?How can we learn from their What our next steps?experience to continue What is one approach?shaping this new paradigm of thinking?So how do we educate our students for success in the Web 2.0 world?Can we harness the power of social media to provide students with a vehicle for exploring and creating original content? Old School Creative WritingGenre based instructionAnthology of work as primary text/resourceStudent work not publishedBlogging/JournalingAssessments were traditional, rubric basedMostly fiction, poetry etc.Workshop style with peer edit, peer review processIn depth study of literary elements and terms as vehicle for creationWhat is the basis for thinking about the New Humanities?The Spirit of the New Humanitieshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHvoBPjhsBAThe Spirit of the New Humanitieshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHvoBPjhsBAA Personal Paradigm ShiftRutgers University Center for the New Humanities & work of Richard E. Miller“Possible for people to communicate instantly and globally through technology. English is a discipline that excels at human expression and the study of human culture related to expression.”“We (humanities teachers) should be the place that’s at the very cutting edge of education for students in these areas.”“Multimedia composition; not only is it important for students to be able to excel in the use of verbal and written language as a means for communicating ideas, but they must also be able to excel in the use and manipulation of visual images. That is what it NOW means to compose.”See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqMDfBKuLU