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  • Writer's pictureDenise Ziegler

First Step to Digital Literacy

As a trained sculptor I am working from time to time, lets say every forth year, with video art. I am working without a production team. That means the videos are mostly in all respects made by myself. Sporadic working with video is putting me in to a position of having to learn the developing technic over and over again. Changes from U-matic to SVHS to Betacam I could understand on a technical level to some extend. In the 1990, I was using video more often and I followed the development on a technical level. Productions were made in a low tech: raw edit was done in a artist run media association or film coop and then in a studio the master version was edited. Production costs for experimental video works included at least buying a camera, being member in a film coop or media association and renting a studio for the master edit.


In the digital area the use of video has become very easy, available to everyone and unexpensive. Computer and smart phone are enabling reasonably good quality works. At the same time, I lost the understanding of how the format works, the different technical details of compressing and rendering of data is beyond my understanding. I am still going on making video works, but I acknowledge, that the tools have moved further away from my comprehension of them. Often I am “swimming” in a sea of technical issues, hoping to get them right. I have to ask for help on every step of the editing process and I am aware of the fact, that I do not handle the technic very well. For example,I sent a finished video to the video art distribution center. The center wants to know what exact format my newest production is made in. I have to say: I am not sure. That does not mean I cannot use new technology!


The same experience I have in using digital media and online formats in teaching. Online teaching is not a tool of my choice but rather a situation we have to face. And slowly by slowly we find out how to use online teaching in a more experimental way. We for example try to find alternatives to steering at small frontal images of people in zoom or teams classes. For example, in hybrid teaching we have additional computers locked into the platform showing the classroom from different perspectives. In that way we try to add to the digital literacy by expanding the possibilities of the tools provided. Making the digital tools your own does not necessarily mean to understand how they technically function but rather to be aware of the impact they have on us. Experimenting is the first step to digital literacy. By experimenting with digital platforms communicative possibilities, we are able to find our own approach to digital literacy. (28.3.2022)

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