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Naqi

Vignette Analysis #2: How can iMovie be used to produce curriculum stories? Sheza Naqi, 80812118 Instructor: Alexander De Cosson ETEC 532 Section 66B University of British Columbia

Naqi 2 This vignette provided an exceptional example of how students can use iMovie and multimedia video project applications to create thoughtful and engaging narratives. The production by Tussing Elementary School students and video artist, Steve Bognar demonstrates that learning is experiential. Through their video, The Trash that Came from the Can, the students tackle the serious issue of littering in the larger context of helping to clean up the environment. The goal of the video is to promote a change in student attitude towards keeping their school and local community clean. The name of the video is catchy and purposely so; to catch the attention and imagination of the elementary-age student who the video is targeted towards. The mood of the film is light and even though it has a serious message, this does not get lost in the midst of the entertaining narrative it is set against. Technology played an obvious role in this vignette, since the story and the effective delivery of the message depended on the correct use of cameras, angles, lighting and sound. In this project, the learning environment involved the use of technology (cameras, tapes, tripods, microphones, editing systems) and a collaborative and constructivist approach. Since these technological tools were used to facilitate learning effectively, the technology enhances learning. However, in circumstances where teachers are not familiar with these tools it would become more complicated to focus on the content. These limitations often create frustrations from the part of the instructor as well as the students. Therefore, this type of project necessitates a great deal of planning and some support from educational institutions for the professional development of teachers. The role of the teacher or video artist for this specific project was to facilitate the creation of the video, from its inception to the construction of the final product. The teachers and the video artists must have worked collaboratively to have the students work through the stages of pre- production, production and post-production. In pre-production, students likely scripted the narrative, built their trash monster and made familiar with the method of filming that was to be used in the production. During the actual filming the students were responsible to play their parts in the production, which likely included some of them acing in the video, with others helping to film and prepare the filming space with the trash props used throughout the production. The editing of the video in the post-production process was likely largely looked after by the video artist, however it is probable that the students had some input. In creating video projects of this nature, during all of these stages of video production, students would be encouraged to take ownership of their learning by researching information about the problem being explored. Students would select a genre that best suits their interest. Whether they choose to create a comedy, a thriller or a drama, students would benefit from participating in discussions if they are to be successful (Palloff & Pratt 2001). By exposing students to the various components of media production, they come to realize the influential power of this type of communication technology. In the film analyzed in this paper, the students chose to dramatize the story by having

Naqi 3 the Trash Monster take control of the school. This dramatic storytelling device allowed them to present a scenario in which they, as the actors of the story, changed their attitudes and cleaned up their environment. The indicators of learning are apparent in the way that students took responsibility for acting in the film as well as preparing the props. The dismantling of the monster at the end also gave the children a tactile experience directly linked with the concept of taking the problem apart and finding a resolution. The technological tools also allowed students to experience learning actively, by acting and participating in the various phases of the production. Provided that technology does not overshadow the educational objectives, the motivational benefits of such projects are inherent to the dynamic process of discovering a solution and communicating it to others effectively.

Naqi 4 References Palloff and Pratt (2001) Online Learning in the New Millennium. Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom: The Realities of Online Teaching (Chapter 1). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

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