BardWire
Bard.WIRE : The Shakespeare Exchange is a collaborative project initiated by Sue Carsons (Lecturer in Cultural Studies, QUT) with Debra Polson (Communication Design, QUT) and Dr Shirley Tucker (The University of Queensland).
In relation to Shakespeare, bardwire is a website designed to encourage academic and non-academic participation in 3 broad areas surrounding: community, pedagogies, publications.
This means that we are interested in the way in which Shakespearean material is taught and understood in contemporary culture.
Bard.WIRE hopes to build a community that supports existing scholarship and encompasses continuing developments in Shakespearean discourse at an individual and organizational level.
Bard.WIRE can put you in touch with university courses, high school programs, current performances and a range of Australian and international sites focussed on Shakespeare. Bardwire is designed to reflect the dynamic nature of discussions about Shakespeare : we would like to hear from you.Initially the site will be located at QUT servers and published (ftp) directly from content generated by colleagues associated with the Discipline of Cultural Studies and of Communication Design.
Prototype: http://www.bardwire.qut.edu.au
Bardwire is designed to encourage academic and non-academic participation in 3 broad areas surrounding: community, pedagogies, publications.
community
Bard.WIRE aims to foster a community based on an interest in Shakespeare that crosses generic boundaries within, and outside of, QUT. This community spans high schools, primary schools, and private organizations (performance companies, teaching vehicles) as well as the tertiary sector. The Clubs + Events section alerts visitors to local, and international, events that focus on Shakespearean studies. Check back for regular updates. • Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble. • Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association. • International Shakespeare Association. • Power of Will • Frank Productions • Queensland Theatre Company • Bell Shakespeare Company • Point to Point Communications • Australian Graduate School of Management • Melbourne Business School
pedagogies
Bard.WIRE is interested in a range of pedagogical issues: from the conventional approaches to teaching Shakespeare in the classroom to the inclusion of games-based learning modules and the integration of digital formats. John Bell, founder of Bell Shakespeare, comments in his recent biography, The Time of My Life, that Shakespeare is “burgeoning” in popularity (195) and “his plays are now performed more than at any other time, including his own lifetime” (194). John Bell has a particular interest in Shakespeare in secondary schools via his education program, Actors at Work. Bell Shakespeare has also initiated new ventures with the Australian Graduate School of Management and the Melbourne Business School to provide corporate communication and management training by way of programs developed with Bell actors. Bell’s experience demonstrates that Shakespearean pedagogies are increasingly varied and constantly changing. Bardwire provides a focus for information about continuing development and scholarship in this field whether within management, education, or community workplaces. <strong>Publications</strong> Bard.WIRE hosts a research platform as well as information about publications, short extracts of original material, and a chat room where visitors are encouraged to post their Shakespearean ‘stories’ or responses. Research: (work in progress) • Acknowledges the work of current students as well as projects in the community. • Offers links to specific sites that have research value. • Promotes a Bardwire-based body of research.