teflsketch | Picture stories for TEFL Digital literacies 5: Remix in the classroom “Remix? What’s that got to do with English language teachers? Our job to teach language, not mess around with digital stuff…” Giving regular workshops about digital literacies, this is a reaction that I often get when we talk about remix literacy, arguably one of the more complex of the literacies. But let’s back up here. What is remix literacy? Cast your mind back to 1977 (if you’re old enough). This is remix. Understanding remix often means understanding the cultural norms or themes that are being teased out, played with or subverted. Remix in the classroom An example of an image meme that became fairly well-known and has had a considerable shelf life is ‘Keep calm and carry on’, usually accompanied by the image of the crown of the Queen of England (for the background to this meme see here). Keep calm and evade the policeKeep calm and call BatmanKeep calm and fake a British accentKeep calm and …arrghhhh Remix: an image meme lesson Nicky Hockly The Consultants-E May 2013
What is Sketchnoting? - Verbal To Visual Are you curious about what sketchnoting is and how you might use it? Here’s an overview for you, pulled from a resource kit that I built called Sketchnoting In The Classroom. Sketchnoting is a form of note-taking, hence the “noting” part of it, but as you might guess it involves bringing more visuals into the process compared to typical note-taking, hence the “sketch” part. The whole idea behind adding sketches to your notes is that it taps into parts of your brain that would lie dormant if you only use words to explore ideas. It’s the combination of the two that’s most powerful – using both words and visuals while taking notes. That’s what will fully light up your brain. What’s nice about sketchnoting is that it’s not a strict format. It doesn’t say you have to take notes this way. Instead, it presents you with a variety of tools for you to choose from and create your own customized note-taking process, one that works well with your learning style and your personality. Cheers, -Doug