Going for a Walk
Expanding an Old Habit during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Lacing Up My Shoes
“People learn best when they create,” writes Renee Hobbs. “By creating and sharing media as a way to represent what you are learning, you can activate your intellectual curiosity in ways that naturally make learning more engaging and relevant” (2017). Participation in courses for the Graduate Certificate in Digital Literacy at the University of Rhode Island has made a real impact on my enthusiasm and engagement with the idea of “Create to Learn.”
Most students complete the four courses for the Graduate Certificate for Digital Literacy in one full year, beginning with the Summer Institute in Digital Literacy, the Seminar in Digital Literacy & Learning in the fall, Digital Authorship in the spring, then ending with the Summer Institute: Leading with Digital Literacy. Unlike most, I took a two-year approach, and am set to complete the certificate this May.
The challenges of a new job, the Covid pandemic, and a heavy online remote teaching schedule were some of the reasons I delayed taking the Digital Authorship course. But, wariness about completing this particular LEAP project on personal digital storytelling also played a role.
Interested and prospective students for the Digital Authorship course can view past LEAP Three projects on the course website and Medium page. Several students who I connected with in other #DIGIURI courses commented on how challenging it was to create and share such personal digital stories. It took me a while to make the “leap,” but in the end, I’m glad I did.
This project and the Digital Authorship course, while challenging, have proven to be a lot more manageable and enjoyable than I thought originally. The students and the instructor are awesome, and regular encouragement and advice about creativity, shared since the beginning, has made an impact.
One Foot in Front of the Other
I took a while to decide what to focus on for the LEAP project. I knew that with my worries about the project, focusing on something lighter would be best. At first, I thought about doing a project on the new ukulele that I bought and the process of learning how to play. Unfortunately, except for a few impromptu lessons from my nine-year-old nephew, I haven’t found the time yet.
The decision to focus on “Going for a Walk: Expanding an Old Habit during the Covid-19 Pandemic,” seemed like a good fit for this project for many reasons. I did, and still do, a lot of walking during the pandemic. I could tie my walking habits to the broader context of the pandemic, highlight some well-known walkers, and emphasize the benefits of an established walking habit. Of course, there are many aspects of walking that I did not touch on, but could have, including pedestrian-friendly cities and equity.
Creating this video marked the second time I used We Video to create a personal documentary. After taking a short workshop with Kara Clayton at the Summer Institute in Digital Literacy 2021, I was ready to try it for the first time. Despite trying this second go-around months later, the process of using We Video was much smoother. As compared to my first video, this one was more focused, used varied media, and integrated more advanced components including transitions, different background music, and video clips. I expect to get more comfortable and skilled with video production as I continue to use We Video and learn best practices for digital storytelling with video.
Every time I “Create to Learn,” it takes longer than I think. With that in mind, I set out to capture some video and images early on in the project stages. By this time in late March we are enjoying more spring-like weather, but it was just a few weeks ago that I was donning boots, a heavy coat, and a hat. Being aware of changing weather conditions over the course of the production time could be something I consider in the future.
All in all, I feel good about my first experience creating and publishing a personal digital story. As a former history teacher, one of the things I’m attracted to in history texts and films are personal stories explored in context. This video marked a slight and humble attempt to explore my walking habits and how they connected with wider topics, including the Covid-19 pandemic, a few famous, accomplished walkers, and the health benefits of walking.
Here is Going for a Walk: Expanding an Old Habit during the Covid-19 Pandemic
References
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