Shamburg, Christopher. Craighead. Cari. Shakespeare, Our Digital Native. English Journal. Vol. 99.1. 2009. NCTE.
These authors present two performance-based activities that utilize creativity and technology concerning Shakespeare’s language. The focal point of this article is the promotion of using performance and technology in the classroom while studying Shakespeare. The authors argue, in this day and age media and nonprint material are the dominant ways of communication. Students need to learn how to navigate and contribute to this realm. Using words from Henry Jenkins, the authors declare that today’s culture is “participatory”. In other words, YouTube, citizen journalism, Wikipedia, podcasting, and blogs are all examples of venues in which people can actively “[participate] in the creation and circulation of new content.” Following this thinking, the authors have unearthed two fun, challenging, and educational activities in which the students will actively participate in the “remixing” of Shakespeare’s work. “Remixing” is a term used by Michele Knobel and Colin Lankshear in “Remix, the Art and Craft of Endless Hybridization.” According to them, remixing is when someone manipulates cultural artifacts into new and creative products. The two different activities were implemented in two different schools. Romeo and Juliet Movies is an activity that combines the student’s performances of the play with selections of video from popular movies. The activity worked with themes from Romeo and Juliet. Audio Macbeth is an activity in which students make audio dramas of specific scenes from the play. The students use their own voices and internet audio resources to enact the character’s lines.
This article presents the idea that remixing cultural literature was just as prevalent in Shakespeare’s time as in ours; this is a great way to find some common ground between our students and the 400-year-old Shakespeare. The activities presented are designed to tap into our students’ digital language. The projects connect students with the original performance aspect of Shakespeare’s work while highlighting the act of remixing that Shakespeare used and we can do digitally every day of our lives. All of this leads to a greater interest and understanding amongst the students. Using technology in this way practices and promotes 21st century literacy skills.
This article is very much in line with my BQ. The 1st article gave me a basis to understanding the term and the ideas associated with a Digital Native. This article provides me with an example answer to my original BQ, where is technology in education headed? The authors give us two active projects for the classroom that use the digital language of this participatory culture to modernize some of the oldest literary work in the canon. Technology can be used the way it is presented in this article to tap into the digital language of our students. Our students are affected by nonprint text and participatory culture every day of their lives. Educators can use this in the classroom.