Reading “Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom” by Ashley Hinck has given me a new perspective on teaching in schools and how that can bleed into other aspects of life. In it, she talks of how many of the digital programs that students use have a ‘drag-and-drop’ template. When using these programs, there is minimal input from the student. The template and format are already set, and the student can only exhibit influence creative divergence. This format of one correct way to do something is a direct parallel to how information is passed to students in schools. There is typically one correct way to do things, with any deviation being penalized with a lower grade. This can in turn make the student afraid to experiment with different formats and technologies.
By mainstreaming digital applications and school, students are unprepared for the more open ended aspects of design, including using HTML coding. Teachers should try to engage their students in more creative and exploratory projects that are more open ended. This can allow the student freedom to explore without worrying they are deviating too far from an “A” level project.
While I overall agree with the article, I will say I don’t agree with every aspect. There seems to be a complete condemnation of the template structure of many digital applications. For some, such as myself, the creative aspect of projects comes a little slower than others. Having a template to start with can be a great gateway into more creative projects. I will agree with Hinck in that dependency on these templates can become a disadvantage. However, I think they have a use to help people start out in their digital journey of creativity.
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