Collectives
developed through On-line Interaction
Introduction:
Working on Drama through the on-line environment presents unique
challenges. The cornerstone of drama is communication, and communication
is altered by the computer environment. Creating collectives requires
the ability to bounce ideas of others so that the drama can grow
organically, something that is challenging in the virtual world.
However, challenging does not mean impossible, and people develop
relationships that thrive in the on-line environment everyday.
The purpose of this lesson to establish those relationships so
the collective spirit will grow.
What
is Collective Expression?
The students have gone through many exercises, assignments and
intense units of study. Now it’s time to focus on concepts
we are passionate about, and find key ideas. The ability to be
creative together is a key ability when trying to develop drama.
Collective expression is the linking of individual dramatic ideas
to create a work that makes a general statement.
"Getting
Ideas"
The
following activities lead the student through a process for developing
ideas. Use some of the exercises to explore inspiration and the
creative impulse. Remember that all material should be posted
on a secure web site so that student names may be used and expression
can be personal. True collectivity cannot be achieved without
intimacy, and the online teacher will need to focus very specifically
on providing the appropriate environment. Fewer activities have
been provided for the virtual collective than the other two options
because communication requires more time in the virtual environment
than it does in the traditional classroom.
Activity
1 - Personal Survey of Beliefs:
Have students complete these statements, save them
in rtf format, and then e-mail them to the teacher.
The teacher will post them on the class web site.
-
I
really like these things about myself ....
-
I
wish I could change .....
-
I
am most worried about .....
-
I
am most excited about ....
-
I
am most creative when ...
-
I
feel most vulnerable when ....
-
-
People
in this world need to remember ..... (10 to 15 min.)
|
Activity 2- Explore through Representation
Ask students to create a piece of art that represents their
feelings regarding the group's topic using drawing program
or image editing software. This may be a picture of events
or a combination of color and shape. It might also take the
form of a collage of images. These art works may be used later
in juxtaposition with the soundscapes students make in activity
5 (40 - 60 min.).
|
Activity 3 - Threaded Discussion:
The teacher starts the discussion with list of potential topics.
Students respond to the topics that spark their interest,
or they respond to each other. The teacher chooses the three
most popular topics and asks students to continue responses
to these topics only. Following the new discussion, the teacher
chooses the topic that is best suited for collective expression.
( Time will vary depending on number of responses)
|
|
Activity 4- Create a Soundscape:
Use
instruments, found objects (things not originally intended
for music like a hub cap) or fragments of audio recordings
to create a "soundtrack" for the class concept.
It does not need to be specifically musical , but rather,
it may simply explore sound. Have students consider the
following questions: What happens when you layer sounds?
Can you use sound in such a way as it is not easily recognizable?
How can voice be used to create effects?
Ask
each student to create a brief soundscape on his or her
own, and ftp it to the class web site. (60 min.) The soundscapes
should be an expression of the student's thoughts or feelings
regarding the group's topic. The soundscapes may later become
bridges between the monologues the group creates.
|
|
Activity 5 - Writing in Role:
Students should write six paragraphs as interior monologues
for six different characters. The monologues should all
relate to the theme the class is using. After reading the
monologues and editing them, the student should choose the
best two and ftp them to the class web site in rtf format.
( 40 min.)
|
Return
to Teacher Lesson / Go
to Student Lesson / Previous
Lesson
