The Combination of Visuals and Text Exemplifies Creativity and Context

"The mix of images and sounds makes its point far more powerfully than an eight-hundred-word essay…”

Lawrence Lessig (2008) establishes that the “right to quote” or “remix” as he calls it, is a “critical expression of creative freedom that in a broad range of contexts, no free society should restrict” (56). Moving beyond text and media, he reiterates that “remix is collage; it comes from combining elements of RO culture; it succeeds by leveraging the meaning created by the reference to build something new” (76). In the realm of education, the technique of remix may seem new to some educators as the product can now be more easily shared (82). At the end of Chapter 4, Lessig compares a remix to a “great essay” as it draws upon the work of others in order to do new work. He likens it to great writing without the use of words. It is creativity supported by a new technology (82). This reminded me of Evan Puschak’s TEDx talk at Layfayette College (published June 9, 2016), How YouTube Changed the Essay. He examines the evolution of the traditional written essay to an online forum – the video essay – and explores how cues from previous media can be applied to be considered an example of remix.

Puschak cites a Vox video that had over 23 million views and he asks, “When was the last time a written essay had that kind of reach?” This mirrors Lessig’s notion that a “mix of images and sounds makes its point far more powerfully than an eight-hundred-word essay…” (74). Puschak states that video essays are commenting on, and borrowing from, the audio -visual styles that are being created on the Internet every day. Linking this notion to Brown (2000), the Internet provides the opportunity for students to become both consumers and producers of knowledge and encourages the unique capabilities of the Web “to leverage the natural ways humans learn” (13).

Therefore, the combination of visuals and text exemplifies creativity and context; it invites more participation from students using new techniques such as digital forums or remix. As an English teacher, this leads me to the question: how can I encourage students to take creative ownership of their own learning using new techniques or remix?