ADDITIONAL CLASS MATERIALS
Instagram Experiment K-12
Connectivity is central to modern life and, for students, social media is at the heart of creating a sense of closeness and proximity. Rarely do we stop to think about what that virtual community looks like, or feels like, for students. This experiment aims to freeze time. The goal is to capture a simultaneous moment in the fast paced world of social media and connect these posts through a hashtag. In this way, we can stop to look at the process of community building online and students can examine their own participation in digital culture, discuss the construction of identity through images, and critique the technologies they use on a daily basis.
Course assignments:
Instagram Collective assignment
To explore this notion of collectivity in the 21st century, students will use Instagram to post simultaneously at a designated time under a class hashtag.
[Alternates to this assignment could include taking a series of photos during the course of the day one at 8:15, 12:15 and 3:15 to capture different parts of the day and assemble 3 different galleries]
With a gallery of simultaneous snapshots, we will discuss the nature of social media and instant culture. What similarities exist across the pictures? What can we learn about the photographer from the post? What makes these photos distinct from each other? What are strategies or methods to maintain individuality and be a part of a group at the same time?
Possible Learning Outcomes:
-
Gain skills in interpreting images
-
Critical engagement with digital culture
-
Reflect on the nature of Internet culture and relative permanence of digital images
Individual Assignment
In addition, students will explore the concepts of “nation” building on different social media platforms. Where “nation” here is represented by the community of the school, in what ways does each platform promote the idea of belonging? Develop a hypothesis and test it on the platform of your choice. Turn in screenshots of comments or interactions (or lack of comments and interaction) and explain how they prove or disprove your hypothesis.
Possible Learning Outcomes:
-
Practice hypothesis/thesis based writing
-
Gain proficiency in analyzing digital culture