Comments on: There’s An App for Not Learning to Do That

By: Bethany Smith

Bethany Smith — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:27:43 +0000

The struggle to get students to understand that learning isn’t about a grade is a hard cycle to break – but worth trying to.

By: Alan Levine aka CogDog

Alan Levine aka CogDog — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:32:00 +0000

I grade on both, in fact narrating the process is part of the course requirements. The problem is many students struggle to do this in a natural way. They are conditioned to filling blue books.

By: Bethany Smith

Bethany Smith — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:56:34 +0000

I think this also harkens back to the concept of process vs product. Do you grade only the final product and have all the emphasis on that or do you ask your students to document their process and grade along the journey of creation. Personally, there are times I care more about what the storyboard is telling me than the video itself.

By: Alan Levine aka CogDog

Alan Levine aka CogDog — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:48:59 +0000

Thanks Linda, you actually said it the way I wish I had written it!

I’ve struggled a bit to communicate this concept of process of creativity over product (and stars) for my students. You’ve certainly been a shining example of carrying this attitude in ds106.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 06:36:41 +0000

Easy vs. hard? hmmm… a tough one. IF the resulting product is our only aim, and if one is clearly easier than the other, then I would definitely choose easy. But I think the question here goes beyond just easy vs. hard.

I tend to think any creative person would agree that the act of creating is about much more than just the results. I know it will sound cliche to say that it’s all about the process, but it really is. At least for me personally, the most rewarding part about creating anything is the interaction I have with the piece… all the “ing”s… the struggling, the learning, the discovering, the understanding, the growing, etc… That’s why I love to create. The finished product is always secondary to me.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that perhaps the real value of creativity is not in what we produce, but what we get out of the experience that no fancy app can provide. (Although I DO like to play with the cool apps too…) It’s apples and oranges. But if that easy/fancy app enables me to go up a notch to spend more time at the next level, I’m all over that puppy. :)

By: Lisa M Lane

Lisa M Lane — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:35:30 +0000

I know you don’t have a stance yet, but I do know what you mean. All that tinkering under the hood gets you closer to your creation, like getting inside it instead of standing back with a magic wand.

Of course, I used to tape things off the radio with a cassette recorder held up to the speaker, and filmed stuff off TV, and replaced radio tubes in the receiver, and it wasn’t so long ago that layers were simply magic.

Maybe it’s just that homemade bread sense of satisfaction…