I chose Szu Chun’s Task 4 post as my sixth linking assignment. Szu Chun and I both decided to base our mode bending around describing our backpacks themselves, rather than the content. Therefore, the focus was less on what is in the backpack and more on how the backpack exists in physical space. We did still comment on where we place things to maintain the overall goal of the assignment to discuss what is in our bags.
Szu Chun and I differed in the mode of delivery. She chose to record a video, creating more of a visual form representation of her backpack and its compartments. I tried to do the same without the visual aid by recording a description of my backpack. I wanted to try something unique to what I have done before. I have made visual aids before so I wanted to test my ability to use the audio mode.
The difference in mode resulted in a difference in clarity. Since Szu Chun used a video with pictures of her backpack, along with some images of what she places in some pockets, it is very clear what exactly she is referring to. Since I only used an audio recording, I had to rely more on descriptive language to convey what my backpack looks like and what I put in it. There is value to both approaches depending on the product being made. For this type of assignment, I see why Szu Chun chose to use a different visual form to explain what is in her bag. It is much clearer to literally see since it is visual. The audio form I chose may not have been as clear but I felt like it was a true difference in mode, the goal of the task. The audio format may be better suited to a broader conversation rather than a specific topic such as what is in a backpack. This explains the popularity of podcasts for large topic conversations that don’t rely on visual aids.
Another element she introduced was a sort of learning check. Every so often, Szu Chun posed questions in an informal type of quiz format to see if those watching her video could guess what she put in her backpack. I like this idea as it serves as a test for her ability to describe what is in her bag using both the visual aid and her own description. Something like this was not required in the assignment, so Szu Chun deserves praise for being creative with this. It makes the watcher have to be more thoughtful and engaged. It is easy to lose engagement when watching a video so these quizzes were effective at keeping watcher interest.