A journey through audio technologies
While completing this task I found myself struggling to communicate- largely due to navigating technical issues. I opted to utilize twine to create a slightly interactive display of my “What’s in your bag” items. My initial thought was to utilize the 5HP software to create a dictation that the viewer would be able to listen to, type a response, and receive feedback on the response. However, my computer refused to record any audio and 5HP refused an audio file from my phone. The end result is still a twine and still manages to communicate my objects through audio, I’ve linked the Zip file above.
Reflecting on these difficulties, I noticed that my struggles weren’t linked to the mode of communication (audio), but rather with the use of digital technologies itself. Since I am reasonably proficient with using a variety of technologies, I was able to fluently switch between programs and navigate the various mediums, file types, and software that I was utilizing. Dobson & Willinsky (2009) note that “hypermedia extends in significant ways our notions of textuality and literacy” (p.289). Participating in digital culture requires the development broader set of literacy skills that go beyond the scope of reading and writing.
Affordances of the medium
From the audience/viewer/consumer point of view, I think that it is relatively easy to engage with my final product. Of the objects I still had available (some were eaten) each item has a distinctive sound that people strongly associate with the object. I chose not to add any words or descriptors for the object, but I did rely on the use of the original image file to assist the audience. Consuming media using audio clips is a highly accessible communication tactic for many people, particularly when compared to written texts that are exclusionary for different groups of people. The new London group (1996) write: “As soon as our sights are set on the objective of creating the learning conditions for full social participation, the issue of differences of culture, language, and gender are not barriers to educational success ” (p.61), highlighting how multimodal communication significantly reduces barriers to effective communication.
References:
Dobson, T. M., & Willinsky, J. (2009). Digital literacy. Cambridge University Press.
New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review, 66(1), 60-92.
