Student Workshop 1: Intro to Departures

Description: Students producers are introduced to the Departures series, what defines transmedia, the role of media-literacy in our contemporary society, and how media tools can be used to critically examine our communities. As a representation of the collective public voice, student producers will learn how Departures invests intensive local research and engagement to tell stories. In doing so they learn about visual representation, critical inquiry, and media production. An assessment of their comfort level with computers, software and other technology will complete this introductory workshop.

Time: 2 hours

1. Introduction to Departures What is Departures, why is it relevant and how is it produced? Student producers are introduced to Departures, reviewing the sections of the website, demonstrating the variety of media components, and covering the production pieces other students have produced under Youth Voices. Student producers will also the nature of a production process and the basics of pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution with regards to digital projects such as Departures.

2. Introduction and Discussion of Multimedia/Transmedia Storytelling
How is Departures a new form of participatory digital public art? Focusing on the interactive mural, the class holds a discussion on muralism and public art. What are other forms of storytelling? What is participatory and civic-media? What is media literacy? What is transmedia and its difference from multimedia? How is authorship, format, content, audience, and purpose distinct in transmedia?

3. The Neighborhood & Me
Prior to the first workshop, students are assigned to bring an object or photo that represents who they are in relation to their community to present in class. For example, a student may bring a skateboard if he/she likes to skate around the neighborhood, or another student may bring a tomato from the community garden. (This will be the first activity that begins to develop the relationship between the student and their neighborhood.) Students will present their object in class along with what that object represents for them.

4. Student Assessment Questionnaire
This questionnaire explores the digital capabilities of the students, from the ability to use a/v equipment to the use of software applications, as well as particular learning objectives, such as history, geography, life skills and civic engagement. A post-assessment questionnaire will be presented at the end of the curriculum to determine the degree of knowledge, skills and civic awareness gained through Youth Voices.

5. Scheduling and Expectations
Whether a formal or informal class, students and teachers create a schedule to establish expectations.

Materials Needed:
Laptop, Projector, Student handouts, Assessment Questionnaire

Instructor Resources:
Intro to Departures PPT
Production Process & Distribution PPT
Intro to Multimedia PPT
Questionnaire

Standards:
The students garner new technology and multimedia production skills that gains them access into the global digital culture. The project and acquisition of these skills meet and/or address several of the new California Common Core Content Standards (CCCS) as well as the established California Academic Content Standards, including but not limited to the following:
CCCS - Writing - Text Type & Purposes (2a, 2b, 2d), Grades 9 - 10
CCCS - Writing - Production & Distribution of Writing (6), Grades 11 - 12
CCCS - Speaking & Listening Standards - Comprehension and Collaboration (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2), Grades 9 - 10

Neighborhood Examples:
Highland Park - Week One