1. NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. INTERPRETATION METAPHOR AND LORD OF THE FLIES A Digital Remix Assignment

2. Smith & Wilhelm and the Concept of Transfer  In their book, Smith & Wilhelm talk about the importance of transfer in allowing students to adapt what they are reading to new reading situations.  The digital remix affords the opportunity to really explore these ideas of transfer with our students.  With this digital remix assignment my goal would be to have students create a metaphor through their specific interpretation of a theme or symbol in the novel via the remix.

3. Lord of The Flies (d. Peter Brooks; 1963)

4. Transfer & William Golding’s Lord of the Flies  My plan for this assignment would come towards the end of a unit on Lord of the Flies for 9 th or 10 th graders.  The simplest example of transfer that can exist for our students is the transfer of the text in a novel to how they can analyze a film version of the same text.  In William Golding’s novel, the conch represents order and the center of debate. It is the place where all arguments are made.  For my students digital remix assignment, I would aim to make their remix their “conch”, transferring the symbolism in the novel to a real world assignment.

5. Sheridan D. Blau and The Dimensions of Performative Literature  At the core of my ever evolving pedagogical philosophy is to help students “perform as autonomous, engaged readers of difficult literary texts at any level of education” (Blau 210).  Blau suggests as teachers, we have to resist projecting our interpretations on students and help them to develop their own.  I believe the core of this remix assignment allows students to explore and present their own unique and autonomous interpretation of an aspect of this novel.

6. Because Digital Writing Matters  “One of the most powerful affordances of new digital environments is that they are typically ‘on’ 24/7/365” (NWP 146).  I believe this quote notes that we are no longer at a time where projects need be limited to the classroom. At the same time, requiring an assignment like this makes us as teachers accountable for our students success.  The materials needed to excel with this assignment are adaptable and malleable enough that as a teacher, it’s my duty to do what I can to help students succeed in the best way possible.

7. Clip from Remix Example for Students

8. The Remix Assignment  This remix assignment is an opportunity for my students to create a connection to the text of Lord of the Flies from a metaphor they will develop connected to the novel.  The remix should be under 5 minutes long and will be accompanied by a 3 – 5 page paper that further illuminates their interpretation and metaphor and how it relates specifically to their remix and the novel.  Students can use any theme or symbol from the novel to form the basis of their metaphor via the remix. Students can also use clips from the two films made of the novel to state their argument as well.

9. The Remix Assignment cont.  Students are encouraged to be creative using video, audio, static images and text to help develop and make their metaphor.  Students will present their remix in class with a brief 1 minute introduction to cover the points made in their paper that accompanies the remix.  Students will be graded on clarity and strength of the metaphor, aesthetic quality of the remix, appropriate length of the remix, strength in connection between remix/metaphor and themes/symbolism in the book, and strength of their metaphor in the accompanying paper.  Bonus points will be awarded and determined by class evaluation of how entertaining the piece is on a scale of 1 to 5.