Assessment: The Remix

A couple posts caught my eye recently, and I suddenly found a surprising connection. Both deal with remixes.

The Last Supper–The Leftovers Remix

We all know the iconic Last Supper. We probably know more about it because of Dan Brown, and it is very recognizable–especially in Western Culture.

There was a rush of interesting recasting of da Vinci’s painting a couple weeks ago around the web-culture blogs I read.

(via Neatorama)

(via BoingBoing)

(via Neatorama)

I thought this might make an interesting art project. The students take an iconic picture or symbol and recast it somewhere else. You would want to have a rubric for the project that asked the students to consider the icon and it’s features and note or create subtle connection to the original in their own remix. The students are not simply spiting up terminology. They are emulating or playing with the original.

Sugar Bear–The Fuzzy Remix

(via BoingBoing)

How does Sugar Bear go from sweet sugar fiend to environmentalist? That is the question you would pose to your students. For the more analytical students, this assessment piece is a dream come true. Students would exam a series of remixes of a single icon. Their task is to research the culture each new version is introduced to. Students would dig for clues from culture that shape the icons evolution. The final piece of this assignment is to pick an icon and recast it today–asking students to use their research to inform their vision.

Why this works for assessment

In both projects, students are using critical thinking to analyze the relationships. They must draw conclusions based on their knowledge and research. There is a real life application as they emulate a culture they are familiar with, and they must create a product that takes all of this into account. Oh, and if you give them the responsibility to pick out their own icons, the students are in the drivers seat from the get go.