Mashing Literacy

Mcpherson, K (2008,Jan). Mashing literacy. 35 no5, 73-5.

Mr. Mcpherson describes the term mashing as the practice of combining or mashing two pieces of music together (usually hip hop) to create a new song. He also defines it as web-based applications by combining and integrating information from two or more sources into one new information form. He mentions the challenge that faces teacher-librarians trying to develop their students’ technology literacy, especially when working on online applications with auditory and visual learners. Thus, online mashup tools help in filling the gap for such learners.
Animoto Mashing:
The process of combining images and music in a video montage presentation style is called Animoto Mashing.
Advantages of Using Animoto:
It enables visual, aural, and textual learners to quickly create and communicate complex new and powerful stories and messages of a multimodal nature.
The Animoto presentation has the potential to reach larger audiences.
Teacher-librarians can use Animoto to expand students’ literacy concepts and communication practices beyond the reading and writing.
It attracts and engages the learners over long period of time.
Teacher-librarians can use Animoto to develop students’ online social skills.
Animoto provides students with both the information and the tools required to easily access creative common audio and images.
Disadvantages of Using Animoto:
· Animoto is a web-based application. It relies on the high speed internet connection. If you do not have access to the internet connection, you will not benefit from it.
· Licensing cost $30.00 per computer a year. Schools with low budget might not afford the service.
· Relative newness. (Still educators do not know how to fold this technology in the curriculum).
· The application does not provide users with tools for fine tuning their presentations.
Animoto helps students develop critical and communication skills. Students may record their own voices, and music. As a teacher of a foreign language I can apply this technology in teaching listening, use digital images in presenting new vocabulary items, and assigning listening material for homework etc...