For my final project at Hyper Island, I wrote a dissertation discussing the relation between Digital Media and interpersonal relations inside classrooms. It was done in collaboration with the Manchester Creative Studio, a state of the art school that offered its grounds and students for research.
The world is going through a continuous revolution promoted by digital platforms. What before was a privilege, such as a computer or a mobile phone with coloured screen, nowadays is getting democratized. As children are raised with gadgets as their constant companions, the power of digital as a tool for education is second to none.
Consequently, online communities are being formed, while we simultaneously observe a peak of egomania and conservatism around the globe. Scientists warns us that Global Warming is irreversible at this stage and that if the human race does not unite itself, we could
be one step closer to extinction. However, what if people did manage to work together? It might just prolong our species’ life expectancy. Since the beginning of time, survival has been promoted by life in communities. If “every country on Earth, at the moment, is reforming public education” (Robinson, 2010), skills such as teamwork must be included in the new curricula. It is indispensable for our future that children learn how to empathize with one another and be accepting of diversity, especially considering the process of globalization and digitalization. This project will evidence the importance of teaching interpersonal skills inside
classrooms, while embracing digital media to build a familiar and playful atmosphere for students. Research was conducted in both theoretical and practical spectrums: the first utilized accredited literature to support and validate assumptions, while the second was based on the observation of behaviours and capabilities of pupils enrolled in a public school in Manchester, UK. These physical spaces of education also served as testing ground for a variety of tools that managed to improve students’ teamwork abilities.
