Does new media correlate with technological progress?听 That's what听students investigate in Assistant Professor of English Lori Emerson's Introduction to Media Studies course.听 To understand the extent to which听technological media has progressed over the past century, Emerson asks her听students to听handle old computers, typewriters, record听players, etc. at the听听听on Grandview听Avenue in Boulder.听 There, students,听"Take things apart, and see听what's going on underneath the hood ... I听really听believe听that you can't understand how media work without using it.听 You听can't understand without hands on access," says Emerson.听 She created the Media Archaeology Lab in 2009 and听continues to direct it.听 The lab collects older word processors, sound equipment, and recording devices.听 Emerson cites that one such听recent addition to the lab is a 1920s era Edison听phonograph.听 "It听works with a crank," she says.
In听Introduction to Media Studies, Emerson听teaches students about听the听history of computing and听about the progression of media from past to present.听听She听says that she helps students "...听think about how things could work听otherwise and could be otherwise--how听to reimagine听possibilities听for computing."听听Emerson encouraged her students to bring their own media devices into the lab during their monthly visits there to compare the artifacts in the lab听"... up听against new media."听听听Emerson says that spending time with older machines allows students to consider "... how long their computers and old cell phones could last ... Some听old machines can do things better than our machines today."听听She says that听she tries to challenge students to听reconsider the value of older technologies and:
...听think critically about old and new media of all kinds ... I听get听[students]听to see that every new technology that comes out isn't听necessarily听better.听 One听of the ways that I do that is bringing them into the Media听Archaeology听Lab.
麻豆淫院 in the Spring 2015 semester听of the class enjoyed their time in the lab so much that they听nominated听Emerson for听an听ASSETT听Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award.听 One student wrote听that Emerson听鈥�... [centered] the class around forms of technology鈥搉ew and old, visiting the multi-media archaeology lab, and using technology to teach.鈥�
Emerson's students wrote听blog posts to reflect on their time in the Media Archaeology Lab.听 Then, they听wrote research papers and collaborated for final听group creative projects.听 Groups' projects responded听to topics that听they talked about in class.听 One group created a听sound听art project about the sounds听that old machines made in the lab.听 Another group created a typewriter art exhibit.
