The preceding overview of remix culture is not meant to suggest that educators should throw out traditional approaches to presenting instructional content and concentrate their efforts on making YouTube videos that mash up old archival footage (though some are doing just that). But it does assert that the broad outlines of what it means to create something have been in a state of flux for some time, and that the broader web culture has embraced reuse to an extent that educators are only beginning to do.
Keep in mind that “remix” can be applied quite broadly to digital content. As Tony Hirst argues: “The easiest remix is not really a remix at all, and barely counts as a reuse, though it is a republish or represent – just take a direct copy of someone else’s content and make it your own property/publish it on your own site, in your own content area etc.; which is not that interesting… but at least it shows someone else cares enough to take a copy. And it’s another place for eyeballs to see that content.” From there, modest steps toward remix might be to delete or edit inappropriate specific references, adding or updating links. Perhaps you add an appropriate online video, or link to a podcast. Perhaps a dynamically updated RSS feed from a relevant weblog or del.icio.us tag can be rendered on the sidebar of the content. Hey! Now you’re mashing it up!
FYI, I’ve started trying to disaggregate, feedify and then re-aggregate an MIT OpenCourseware course to provide a starting point for exploring sustainable (= potential cost covering revenue stream generating) open educational content mashups.
The latest version – which also includes links to embedded youtube movies – can be found at http://blogs.open.ac.uk/Maths/ajh59/010236.html
tony
Tony, I’ve been following your work with great interest. It’s been cool to watch your recent efforts play out.
And thanks for your link to the mashup wiki!