Cultural Influence in the Digital Age

How do we study the cultural impact on urban environments in the digital age? In Charles Renfro’s discussion of the influence of film in his work, he notes that, “any film with an edit has a point of view. It can’t simply be an index of a place”.1 The tools that we use to capture impressions, whether of culture or space, put their own unique filter on the message. As a novel approach to our study abroad course, we looked to investigate the exclusive use of digital media as a tool for students to convey their experiences. The diversity of contemporary Asian cities, with their dynamic juxtapositions of ancient and modern, provide an astounding array of influences to explore. The course enabled students to visit the cities of Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong, with excursions to nearby areas. Visiting both historic and contemporary works of architecture and urban space, we engaged local universities and design offices, and exposed students to alternative perspectives. Students unfolded these cultural influences by exploring and analyzing urban spaces and their relationship with the societies in which they exist, using primarily digital media. With the proliferation of digital tools and social media, study of culture reflects the interactive nature of these media. Through all of the course elements, we also utilized digital media to give students opportunity to shape their educational focus. In their 2013 book Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age, Helen Beetham and Rhona Sharpe note that “Learning is a set of personal and interpersonal activities, deeply rooted in social and cultural contexts. When those contexts change, how people learn changes also”.2 The final component perhaps best highlighted the value of the digital media utilized; students overlaid their digital research (film, photography, and sound recordings) with their peers to map common issues and extrapolate important contemporary themes. The final gallery show exhibits the work of the group through the lens of images and omnibus films revealing contemporary issues.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.108.91

Volume Editors

ISBN
978-1-944214-26-5