Passion Quilt: Meme

MySpace Retro
Image credit Jill

John Connell finally caught up with me in this meme,  which I think this needs a bit more consideration than than my previous contribution. The picture is from a notebook, made by Jill when she was 18, it reveals most of the attributes of a MySpace, Facebook or Bebo page a youngster might create nowadays. Read the notes  Jill adds to the image on its Flickr page. My reason for choosing this image is that it establishes a connection between past and present that creates a context for those using digital media today.

It affirms that as humans and we like to record our ideas and thoughts, often informally as sketches or notes. Our current technologies including social networks, websites,  blogs, mobile phones and video such as YouTube could be considered contemporary versions of the sketchbook or notebook. It is also essential to help youngsters understand the subtext; that technology and new media does not necessarily make us any cleverer or better than previous generations. What is on offer, are new opportunities to learn, communicate, access and share our knowledge. So for inspiration, it is still important to visit the sketch books and ideas of great innovators from the past. I would certainly ask youngsters to consider how those greats might have used todays media.

Another important by-product of our new technologies, is that they enable us to have more than a, (official), one sided view of our history. As the number of digitised archives grows, their assets can be used to help youngsters understand  that issues they might consider new or emerging have been around a long time. Add to this mix, an element of user generated media and reporting and it becomes more difficult to pull the wool over our eyes.

Rules
The rules are simple.

1. Think about what you are passionate about teaching your students.
2. Post a picture from a source like FlickrCC or Flickr Creative Commons or make/take your own that captures what YOU are most passionate about for kids to learn about…and give your picture a short title.
3. Title your blog post “Meme: Passion Quilt” and link back to this blog entry.
4. Include links to 5 folks in your professional learning network or whom you follow on Twitter/Pownce etc.

Roll Call
Therefore; I call on the following to make themselves known if they have not already done so!

1. Lisa Stevens
2. José Picardo
3. Drew Buddie
4. Tom Barrett
5. Leon Cych

Comments

[John Connell]

Nice one, Theo.

"And yes, we'd pass them round the classroom and write in each others diaries." Sounds like proto-blogging? Or it it the other way around, that what we do when we blog (and use so many other social technologies) is an extension of what we always have done? All in the context, of course, of much wider social networks and more complex patterns of interaction.

[Drew Buddie]

I'll do so this weekend thanks Theo - this is the stimulus I needed to start blogging againfor which I am deeply indebted to you.

[Lisa]

Hi Theo

Highly honoured to be tagged by you - finally got around to doing my post - after another four people tagged me too! It's here if want to read it! http://tinyurl.com/4rqtbv
Lisa xx

[Sarah Peacock]

Hi Theo
What an interesting article! I felt moved to create a meme on my own blog that links back. Hope you don't mind. I've used journals for years and now find myself moving towards tools such as blogging - it's opened up whole new possibilities for sharing knowledge so not only can I ruminate on my journalling but others can too!

[Theok]

Thanks to all for responding and I enjoyed your comments and visiting your blogs - we really must do this again sometime ;-)