If you are like me you have never heard of
the term produsage before. I didn’t even know there was such a word! So what is
it and what does it mean. Enter google and type in ‘produsage definition’.
Interestingly the first result is a definition from Wikipedia which defines it as a term developed by Dr
Axel Bruns to describe the building of existing content through user
participation.
“the collaborative and continuous building
and extending of existing content in the pursuit of further improvement”
Why I say that the first result being a
definition from Wikipedia is interesting is that this site is exactly what produsage is
about. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that is collaboratively edited by
users. Users are able to add, edit and delete content from within the site.
The concept of this is the knowledge of
many gives a more rounded view – but does it really? Academia does not
generally recognize Wikipedia as a reliable source of evidence. Some of my lecturers
have even specifically spelt out in assessment criteria that no marks will be
given for Wikipedia referenced material. And to be honest, wilst I think there
is a place for collaborative learning and expanding on existing knowledge, I
too do not give much credibility to the information contained in Wikipedia –
anyone can edit the information, therefore is it correct? But then again, am I
stuck in ‘old way thinking’ and does something really need to be written by
someone who has lots of citations of other peoples work (sometimes making it so
hard to read) for it to be credible – isn’t this just rehashing someone else’s
work but just in your own words? Isn’t this similar to produsage? Is produsge
just a more technologically advanced method of information content sharing and
creation?
A very simple explanation of produsage can
also be found on Wikipedia which illustrates the term with “ a produsage
activity is using (consuming)media on YouTube, and producing (leaving)comments."
Finally something I can relate to.
Without realizing it I have been a
participant in produsage through my university studies. Many of the units I
have undertaken have involved collaborative assessment pieces where we have
used wiki’s and the like to piece together our assessment pieces. Each person
adding, editing, commenting on ours and others contributions.
Previously I had not been a fan of group
work, my experiences with it had not been all that crash hot, however my view
had changed (and whilst I still do prefer to work independently), collaborative
learning does have it place. The old saying of two heads are better then one
comes to mind as I think about some of the ideas that my assessment partners
have come up with which I had not thought about. It can be a real eye opener.
The technology we use today, has also
helped shape my changed view. Wiki’s make it easy to work collaboratively, it
is more effective and efficient then sending documents back and forth,
especially in the distance education world.
"We are all producers": Online participatory culture (video below) is a short video that illustrates and discusses produsage in a easy ti understand manner. The video shows how that with old technology we were passive consumers of media and that new technology has changed this and we now edit,create and share content.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Produsage
http://produsage.org/ viewed 4 February 2013
