Reading Takeaways - Weeks 1-4

Week 1: Twenty Things to do with a Computer - Papert and Solomon 

At first glance, I was struck by the age of this paper - it was published in 1971, over 50 years ago. While computers were a part of life at this time, they were few and far between compared to their usage nowadays. Computers and portable technology such as laptops and smartphones have revolutionized our relationships to the world around us. This technology is something many of us take for granted, however, in the 1970s, a majority of people were experiencing these devices for the first time. Even with their comparatively rudimentary abilities when juxtaposed with what we can do today, Papert and Solomon prove the timeless lesson that you simply need imagination (and perhaps some coding skills) to execute ideas such as creating a digital turtle that can draw, or even a movie. We must continue to strive to innovate and expand what we expect from technology, engaging in a dialogue motivated by curiosity and exploration. 

Week 2: New Opportunities for Interest-Driven Arts Learning in a Digital Age - Peppler

Peppler details accounts of adolescents using technology to create fashion blogs, learn instruments, and connect with each other. These creative projects are part of what Peppler calls "interest-driven arts learning", or in other words, art-making and sharing outside of conventional schooling. Many of these accounts are over 15 years old, so I would be curious to see examples from up and coming youth today, especially with the arise of AI. Technology has the potential to allow youths to contribute to the arts and share their work widely, as well as the potential to open doors to those who may have been neglected historically in educational spaces. I would be curious to see how the spread in statistics has changed regarding media-usage for young people - I would assume social media/phone usage is way higher and TV content is way lower. 

Week 3: Music: Fundamentals and Educational Roots in the U.S. - Sarrazin

I appreciate how this article begins by exploring the complexities of the very definition of music. Music can be described as an arrangement of tones or a "sonoric event between noise and silence". We must also acknowledge the social aspect of music, both in how it is created, shared, and experienced collaboratively. Music varies so widely between different cultures that some argue there is no way to universally define it as a phenomenon. The article then goes on to detail elements of music composition such as sound, melody, texture, and structure. Children are able to discern elements of music from a young age and respond to the expressive elements of music. While teaching vocabulary can be important to children's exposure to learning, they should also be exposed to as many different types of music as possible and be given opportunities to practice and experience music outside of formal education. 

Burial's Untrue: The Making of a Masterpiece - RA

This was a really fun watch. As someone who enjoys dance music and dabbles in production with Ableton, it was inspiring to find out that Burial used a simple software to create such an iconic body of work. His use of sampling is so unique and haunting. I just saw a DJ set (mostly footwork and jungle) by Kode 9, a British dance music producer and DJ, this past weekend. Coincidentally, he was the first person to sign Burial to a record label and is one of few individuals to collaborate with him musically.