Creativity Summay 6

Kelsey Best

Digital Creativity

Summary 5.2

Co-Creative Media Summary

            This article shines a light on the concept of co-creative media as a theoretical frame for digital storytelling as an action research platform. Using this frame allows one to investigate our participatory media culture. The author problematizes the concepts of participatory media and co-creative media, comparing them to other forms of social media.

Concepts:

-       Co-creative media provides a tool for understanding participatory media

-       Digital storytelling facilitates social participation in the community

-       Four types of institutions tend to host digital storytelling programs (educational, community, cultural and miscellaneous others like public broadcasters or consultancies)

 

Example:

            The Finding a Voice example worked well to illustrate the journalist style of storytelling. It proved that people of all ages are capable of using digital media to record and retell a story to the world, even if some supervision or scaffolding is needed. This style aids the narrative, allowing the artist to come across as articulately as possible, instead of a more abstracted version that would be open to interpretation.

Position:

            The author’s examples and explanations of the subject matter cover a vast array of possibilities for learning with digital media. I agree that storytelling is vital in art and any other community because it keeps our history alive and our experiences known. However, I still worry that tangible art may fall by the wayside if our obsession with technology is not kept in check. I would prefer to see digital technology used to aid our understanding of other mediums as well, instead of solely used to create its own art products.

Questions:

-       In what ways does participatory media aide in our understanding of other subjects?

-       Could similar effects be achieved in other forms of digital media (photography, blogging, streamed performance art)?