So here I am, rushing to create this blog and write something about why I’m taking part in this massively open online course (MOOC) about digital storytelling. I first saw the blog weeks ago but then the drudgery of work and expectations of Christmas pushed it out of my mind. But it’s back!

The course objectives are thus:

• Develop skills in using technology as a tool for networking, sharing, narrating, and creative self-expression
• Frame a digital identity wherein you become both a practitioner in and interrogator of various new modes of networking
• Critically examine the digital landscape of communication technologies as emergent narrative forms and genres

So why am I doing this?

One: Despite my regular blogging, tweeting, generally being an arse online and my MA in New Media, I still consider myself pretty new to digital media and all its possibilities. There’s a lot I’m yet to even try. I look at my peers, see what they’re doing and think “Damn! What am I messing around picking my nose for? Do something!”

Two: My MA was theory based. I loved it, absolutely loved it (despite the stress and cost) and getting a distinction is one of my proudest achievements. But, spending so much time writing essays meant I didn’t do as much practice as I intended. Time to correct that.

Three: My background media wise is very much from a print journalism point of view. I thought I wanted to be a press journalist, writing stories that bring down presidents, until I went to university, experienced mainstream media firsthand (and discovered the joys of producing radio) and generally felt a bit ‘meh’ about it. Despite that, I feel like I’ve struggled to break out of the journalist mold I’ve cast myself in. When I look at my CV and previous experiences, it’s very much of the written variety, despite my blogging, video and podcasting I’ve done. So I want to try more than just telling stories using words in a line.

Four: I’m a bit of an activist, from a very radical, almost anarchist perspective, and one of the things I’ve seen crop up at gatherings and protests I’ve attended is the old question of how to share knowledge with other people without resorting to one person speaking to a circle for an hour. If this project can even begin to address this, I’ll be happy. (And hence my pompous blog title, “Reinventing the Circle”, but hey, it was the best I could come up with on the spot, I’m sure it’ll change)

So there we are. Eep!

EDIT: Five: Oh yeah, I’ll soon be doing some classes with sixth formers about digital media and activism; and music. So anything that can feed into that would be neat.