Introduction According to Sachs (2005), “Students in the class hope to elevate the dialogue on campus about important public issues and demonstrate the power of media to create an institutional culture of civic discourse.” During “Producing Films for Social Change” students will create a short film documenting information within their local community or social issues within the United States. The course is offered through Tufts University’s, Tuft Open Courseware. The point of the course is to produce media literate students through multiple tools and assignments. The course’s overall instructional design is adequate in terms of providing a step by step process of the students achieving a final product by the end of the course. However, a few …show more content…
steps in the instructional process is lacking, which can provide students with an effective course from beginning to end. Goals and Objectives The author states objectives for the course, “Producing Films for Social Change.” The objectives listed are: • Producing Films for Social Change offers students a rigorous academic curriculum focusing on journalistic ethics and hands on experience, where they learn to research, pitch, interview, shoot, write and edit their own short films. • Students travel off campus to interview people from all walks of life, working with non-profits and community organizations to create films with a powerful social message. • The mission of the class is to give students the media tools and resources that will prepare them for lifetimes of active citizenship and service to society. The objectives listed are not clear and are written more as goals than objectives. The course is lacking clear objectives for the students to know what is expected by the end of the course. The students will know what the course will contain, but not know what their expectations are as students. The objectives need to be written with an observable behavior, standard, and condition. By applying Piskurich’s (2006) “SMART” acronym, the objective is effective and efficient for the course designer and students. • By the end of the course, students will be able to conduct interviews with non-profit organizations. • By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss advocacy versus documentary journalism in terms of interviews. • By the end of the course, students will be able to apply the process of how to complete interviews by listening to guest speakers. • By the end of the course, students will be able to combine their research, interview, and writing into a short film. Audience The author’s target audience is “undergraduate students” interested in public issues and delivering the message through media. In week one of the course, students share their experiences in social change and journalism. The introduction week allows the instructor to acquire a deeper understanding of each student and their ability level in journalism. Scope The length of the course is seventy-seven hours worth of work in one semester. The students should plan for ten hours per week. The ten hours per week include: four hours in class, two hours in lab, up to four hours for homework. At the beginning of the course, students discuss their interests in social change and have an overview of television news magazine, documentaries, using media for positive social change, and how to handle a camera for filming. Then multiple guest speakers discuss their roles in filmmaking and the interviewing process to inform students on how to implement an interview. The students are then assigned into groups of four to begin their process of using research, report, writing, and interviews to create their short film. Learning Activities and Interactions The author uses multiple learning activities throughout the course. Brainstorming is done in the first week of the course. Brainstorming in this course is done when students share possible ideas and interests to research for their social change project. This learning activity is effective in grouping students with similar interests and a starting point for the course. A second learning activity in the course is critiquing. The course allows the students to watch and read multiple sources from the media and journals. The students are determine the validity of the sources and apply it in their research process. A third learning activity applied in the course is dialogue. Dialogue is used in the interview process of speaking and asking questions with potential outside sources for the social change project. Reading is a fourth activity that is required throughout the course. The course has students analyzing and interpreting multiple journals and media sites to acquire additional information and content. The learning activities encourages students to interact with the content and other students (Piskurich, 2015, p. 197). Therefore, creating effective activities and meaningful instruction. The interactions included in this uses a course reader, which compiles a variety of published materials as sources for the class. From the syllabus, students can click on the link to read the required content for the week. This method is efficient for interaction because the reader can access all the material from one set place. The ease of navigating instructions can lead to less frustration and in return processing is made simple. My suggestion would be to add a few more interactions within the course, such as manipulation of on screen objects. Currently the course does not allow for any manipulation on the screen. Interaction within the course, will add more interest and increase level of processing. Content The content of the course relates to the course’s objectives. The content addressed does an adequate job of covering the topics needed to meet the objectives. The content is interesting and engaging. The lessons range from discussions, critiquing videos and media sites, guest speakers, research, filming, editing, interviewing, a newsroom trip. Each week of the course is chunked appropriately. The first two week are introductions to the course, followed by workshops on camera and editing. For these weeks, each subtopic pertains to the topic for the week. When a new media content is introduced, a guest speaker is present to explain their expertise. The course’s content is well written and appropriate for undergraduate students. Each week builds upon the previous week. The course is written in which each content prepares the students in a step by step process in creating their own interview and short film. Media Media is essential in any instructional design process. It adds additional information and sets the tone for the course. In the course, “Producing Films for Social Change” videos are added to enhance the learning process and to give examples of completed projects. The videos of completed assignments gives the students a better understanding of the requirement for the end task. Another source of media incorporated are hyperlinks to outside resources on websites to critique and analyze. Some of the hyperlinks are no longer working and needs to be updated with correct links. However, this could also be an online error due to incompatible settings. Therefore, a list of required technology needed to use the course would be necessary. Overall the use of media in this course enhances learning and adds to the course. Evaluation In this course learning is not assessed through written tests, but with papers and a final product.
Students write a total of five papers critiquing news program and documentaries, reaction paper to class readings, and a reflection of websites. These assignments are appropriate to the objectives and gives the students a deeper understanding of the content of the course. The evaluation and critiques of the news media models the process of their final assignment. It allows the students to implement ideas and strategies into their film. At the end of the course, a team of four will have produced a ten-minute film on public policy or social issue resulting forty percent of their grade. The final product describes the course’s name, “Producing Films for Social Change.” The assessment works well for this course because film and media is all about watching, listening, and recording. The final product is like a performance checklist. According to Piskurich, (2015), “With this type of testing instrument, the trainee is asked to perform a task or series of tasks, usually after being instructed on how to do so and having practiced in a real or simulated environment” (p. 163). Throughout the course, the students are instructed on how to perform interviews, research information, and learn from guest speakers. Then they are released to create a final film with required tasks to meet their final grade. Every assessment and assignment in the course is a step by step process to creating a …show more content…
film to address social change, which is the course’s goal and objectives. Overall Impression The overall course is for undergraduates interested in social change using media and film. The assignments and task does meet the goals and objectives of the course. However, for potential students browsing through the website the objectives are not clear. This part of the instructional design of the course needs to be revised. The trainees or students need clear and concise objectives following the SMART acronym to know what they will need to know and do by the end of the course. Objectives set the tone for the entire course and maps out the content, assessments, and evaluations of the course. What I Learned Every step of the instructional design process is crucial in creating an effective course for the trainees or students.
The objective not only benefit the trainees, but the designer as well. Objectives help organize the course and lead to meaningful chunking of lessons. The information presented needs to be chunked in sections where it’s not overwhelming. Chunking helps the learner focus on one content at a time and includes effective ways to help the person recall information. This process in instructional design helps reduce too much information being thrown at the learner. The use of media in the course, adds depth to the content being presented. The use of hyperlinks leads to the ease of navigating through the course. Required sites and readings can instantaneously be accessed with ease. However, hyperlinks need to be checked periodically to ensure that the links are functionally and sends the user to a valid page. Small to large details in the instructional design process determine the course’s success or
failure.
...a Rae article that, “moviemakers are in the movie business, not the social change business”. Although they talk about film specifically, any medium of entertainment could still apply to this statement. This cycle of production is unhealthy, but if the process works, why fix it?
In 1985, television was a platform to use for educational purposes and entertainment. It did teach our youth that teaching and learning could be both fun and educational. With new developing technologies, it is only natural for our culture of education to develop. Although the format of education changes, change is not a bad thing. I see images, video, music, and all media as tools for our youth to learn. Making viewers and users aware of the impacts is necessary to inform the generation to
I will support my main contentions by entering a conversation with two authors. Sherry Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, using her article, “Can You Hear Me Now?” published in Forbes Magazine in 2007; Naomi Rocker- Gladen, a professor and author who specializes in education and media literacy, using her article, “Me Against Media: From the Trenches of a Media Lit Class,” published in AdBusters Magazine in 2007.
The television's new “golden age” is now upon us. As the internet continues to make filmmaking more accessible to public, Hollywood will continue being one of the biggest and greatest influences on today’s society and politics. It is much easier to create and share your ideas through film than ever before. Independent studios before, greatly expanding the number of debates and arguments people have access to. Never has the power to express yourself and your views through film been so great, and we are better off for it.
Teachers are encouraged to view and discuss the documentary together and decide whether it is more efficient to use it in teaching one discipline or if students might profit more from discussions that are not discipline bound.
Twenty-two years and countless screenings later it still captivates me. It is this appreciation for moving pictures and a somewhat unplanned entry into the world of education that brings me to this application. I have always gravitated towards informing in one way or another. Whether it be through my work as a journalist or as a language instructor, the prospect of elucidating has always
Thus, this technique could empower the analyst to gain an inclusive standpoint on issues just by reviewing a particular movie. So, in utilizing either one or a combination of these tactics, an observer will be in a position to understand the meaning the director is concealing within his film. From the scrutiny process that I have done thus far, I have come to acquire that there is always a more profound meaning to a movie than just the entertainment characteristic of a film. Additionally, I believe that the production of a specific motion picture could have stimulated an individual or society in different ways. The moviemaker might as well wanted to convey a particular message or document a culture’s representation in the
In the end this assignment was one that was not only eye-opening, but also one that had some personal fulfillment was well. I was able to truly access my own personal usage and see not only how it compared to others but also show me that I needed to really think and question myself about if I truly need to use Media as much as I currently do. Along with this the Media silent day also showed me that we don 't need to be connected with the media for our lives to function normally and that in fact we as humans can be much more productive without it, something that I was able to experience first hand over these 5 days. What I learned about my media consumption I know I will carry with me not only throughout this year but hopefully my entire life as well.
Abstract: Recently, there has been a rush to create web-based instructional courses. The approach that is being taken to create web-based courses is to create websites that will function as the central distributors of information and materials. Based on the format and content of the course, the student is to go through lesson by lesson to complete courses. In this paper, I address some of the problems inherent in this approach, especially with respect to 18-22 year-old undergraduate education.
A) Social workers “promote social change...the empowerment and liberation of people” (International federation Of Social Workers 2014, para 1);
In relation to social transformation I have gathered materials that focusses on programs provided for ‘refugees’ living in New Zealand. The purpose of my findings are based on the societies support for ‘refugees’ in terms of human security and directions of life before settling in their new destination. There are stories about ‘refugees’ that need to be shared and stories that need to be forgotten, because it can produce controversy within the society or the universe. But where can these ‘refugees’ go if the place they call home is unsafe or too risky for the lives of their families and for themselves. It’s hard enough to migrate into a new country, but it is devastating for refugees who have experienced the loss of homes and loved ones.
If one asked “What is media literacy?” a majority of people would be puzzled. Some would say that it is the ‘written’ part of media that is not usually seen or a written layout of how media should be produced. The bulk of people would say they have no idea what media literacy is. People in today’s society should be informed about media literacy. Society should be informed of what media literacy exactly is and how it applies to the field of communications.
Resources are designed to support us as teachers to plan, deliver and assess our teaching and lesson delivery. All the materials and books, a variation and diversification of approaches, resources used for different learning styles, in order to meet the needs of all my students were contributing to the professional development and continuing education. Preparing visual prompts to stimulate, the use of colour in my slides, always helped to stimulate the interest and emphasise the key points in my teaching. However, computer-based technology, provided opportunities to develop ICT skills. Thus, through class sessions and little practice students were developing skills to use it, and create professionally looking and visually stimulating slides. As teachers, we must be willing to encourage our students to become active participants in their learning, creating opportunities to actively engage all
Delving back into my thoughts four and a half months ago, I had no idea that the Global Peace Film Festival (GPFF) and our Peace Through Film class would have such an impact on my mindset and motivations. Because of my previous involvement in the Sydney Film Festival (SFF), I had a small inkling of what the GPFF would be like, but I was not prepared for the effect it would have on my attitude. Additionally, it was incredibly refreshing to be introduced to film writing, which was previously a foreign subject to me. Although I am a lover of movies and an avid watcher, I rarely take the time to truly assess the filming techniques used and the power of good actors. The assignments in this course and the GPFF gave me a greater appreciation for the
Media literacy gives us the ability to understand the information and process the underlying meanings within. According to the video “Media Literacy in the 21st Century Classroom” (2009), media literacy is defined as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in all its forms. The video “Media Literacy in the 21st Century Classroom” (2009) refers to media literacy as a skill that allows people to be critical thinkers, which makes it more difficult for others to influence a person’s thoughts and ideas. With the massive amounts of media available, we need to be able to decipher the meanings beneath the messages. Media literacy is more important than ever in today’s society because of the advancements in technology and the increase of all forms of media. In today’s society, we should make an effort to change our ways and use a culturalist approach to media literacy. “A culturalist approach to media literacy education views mass media as an integral part of the cultural lives of youth, not an outside force to be resisted or overcome” (Mittell 391). With the amount of media we are all exposed to, we need to give our younger generation the appropriate education on how to analyze and evaluate the media that they will be bombarded with. With the evolution of technology and media, it is absolutely crucial that we include media literacy in the education process for the sake of the younger