Creativity in the digital age.

What does being creative in the digital age mean?

There are a range of digital tools that can be used creatively. Photoshop can be used for exploring identity through the arts.

Digital technology can be integrated into painting or art- here is a clip showing how this is occuring in NZ.


Music can be composed or developed without knowing how to write music.



Music, images and information can be downloaded, altered or added to and created into something new. (I won't go into copyright here).



While these tools are useful and expand thinking about what it might mean to be creative in the digital age, it is global collaboration that is the exciting development. Being able to work collaboratively with others with a similar interest or passion (see the long tail), has the potential to lead to increased creative capability globally. In the past it may have been by chance or hard work that you find people who have similar ideas and interests to yourself, now via social networks you can develop these. Interesting to apply the ideas from Wikinomics (Don Tapscott's latest book), to the idea of creativity and education.

Users of technology typology.

Americans (USA) sort into 10 distinct groups of users of information and communication technology according to this Pew report

To summarise, here are the 10 groups identified. There is greater detail in this report.

Group name: Omnivores; 8% of USA adult population

Omnivores 8%
They have the most information gadgets and services, which theyuse voraciously to participate in cyberspace and express themselves online and do a range of Web 2.0 activities such as blogging or managing their own Web pages.

Connectors 7%
Between featured-packed cell phones and frequent online use, they connect to people and manage digital content using ICTs – all with high levels of satisfaction about how ICTs let them work with community groups and pursue hobbies.

LacklusterVeterans 8%
They are frequent users of the internet and less avid about cell phones. They are not thrilled with ICT-enabled connectivity.


Productivity Enhancers 8%
They have strongly positive views about how technology lets them keep up with others, do their jobs, and learn new things.

Mobile Centrics 10%
They fully embrace the functionality of their cell phones. They use the internet, but not often, and like how ICTs connect them to others.

Connected But Hassled 10%
They have invested in a lot of technology, but they find the connectivity intrusive and information something of a burden.

Inexperienced Experimenters 8%
They occasionally take advantage of interactivity, but if they had more experience, they might do more with ICTs.

Light But Satisfied 15%
They have some technology, but it does not play a central role in their daily lives. They are satisfied with what ICTs do for them.

Indifferents 11%
Despite having either cell phones or online access, these users use ICTs only intermittently and find connectivity annoying.

Off the Network 15%
Those with neither cell phones nor internet connectivity tend to be older adults who are content with old media.

Which one are you? Take the test here

PEW INTERNET & AMERICAN LIFE PROJECT 1615 L ST., NW – SUITE 700 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036

Creative lesson starters.

The internet provides a range of thought provoking material. Here are a couple that could be useful:

Social studies or media studies:-

EPIC 2015- a short movie that looks at possible effects of journalists losing control of the media. Could be balanced with ideas from the long tail.

For maths-

The quadratic equation is one of the first challenging equations that students have to memorise and learn- this song has really helped at least one 16 yr old boy learn this equation.