............Welcome to Rafe's Random Rants
Sunday, September 7, 2014
6810 Wk 3 Post 3
Three great stories with much to teach and help one to reflect on their own journeys and families. I can identify with some aspect of each of these stories in my own childhood as well as in some of the things I have done as a parent and adult. The stories utilized the 7 elements very well all transitioned very well and author's voice seemed calm and soothing (just telling a story). In one of the stories the narration was to be read by the viewer and that seemed appropriate for the style and topic offered, while all the stories had great photograph choices. These are three well made digital stories!
6810 Wk 3 Post 2
Deep Water: A great and compelling story about Trust it seems like fear at first and fear is talked about quite a bit, but the story is about trust in the relationship between mother and daughter. When we are in a relationship with someone we realize that even in our fears (and theirs) we can count on them to be there for us (and us them). A powerful story!!! with a powerful lesson!!!
7th Word: A young bot learning the Lakota language made this very astute and profound statement, " the bus was the classroom... well actually the world is a classroom." I really like this because learning happens everywhere even when we do not ask to be taught.
First Impression
This Story really caught my attention, mainly because of the title. I constantly remind students that you only get one chance to make a first impression. I really thought that I was trying to help them, but after hours of reflection will have to reconsider my views about this topic. While you only ever get one chance to make that FIRST impression there is so much more to be discovered. The way this series of still shots were woven together and the voice of the author narrating you through the story of her imperfections lands squarely on your heart when she says, " and after he finished with the picture he said, I was beautiful, that night when I looked in the mirror I was perfect." Then the greatest wisdom of the story comes when she asks the viewer to share in the possibility of seeing things differently, Not differently bad or differently good, just differently. We should all be teaching others that different is just that and try to remove all the judgment that comes from assigning the moniker of good or bad.
BlackBear, T. (2012, April 2). 7th Word: A digital story. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://youtu.be/dB58Z85J70Q?list=PL40FE28CF7CC65EC0
Fisher, L. (2012, April 2). First Impression: A digital story. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://youtu.be/ER_jE51g6II?list=PL40FE28CF7CC65EC0
Lollar, C. (2012, April 2). Deep Water: A digital story. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://youtu.be/VeXhmIT2LhM?list=PL40FE28CF7CC65EC0
7th Word: A young bot learning the Lakota language made this very astute and profound statement, " the bus was the classroom... well actually the world is a classroom." I really like this because learning happens everywhere even when we do not ask to be taught.
First Impression
This Story really caught my attention, mainly because of the title. I constantly remind students that you only get one chance to make a first impression. I really thought that I was trying to help them, but after hours of reflection will have to reconsider my views about this topic. While you only ever get one chance to make that FIRST impression there is so much more to be discovered. The way this series of still shots were woven together and the voice of the author narrating you through the story of her imperfections lands squarely on your heart when she says, " and after he finished with the picture he said, I was beautiful, that night when I looked in the mirror I was perfect." Then the greatest wisdom of the story comes when she asks the viewer to share in the possibility of seeing things differently, Not differently bad or differently good, just differently. We should all be teaching others that different is just that and try to remove all the judgment that comes from assigning the moniker of good or bad.
BlackBear, T. (2012, April 2). 7th Word: A digital story. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://youtu.be/dB58Z85J70Q?list=PL40FE28CF7CC65EC0
Fisher, L. (2012, April 2). First Impression: A digital story. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://youtu.be/ER_jE51g6II?list=PL40FE28CF7CC65EC0
Lollar, C. (2012, April 2). Deep Water: A digital story. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://youtu.be/VeXhmIT2LhM?list=PL40FE28CF7CC65EC0
Saturday, September 6, 2014
The Seven Elements
The 7 elements of a digital story are not that different from old school oral tradition story telling. The Elements: 1 - Point of View (POV); 2 - Dramatic Question; 3 - Emotional Content; 4 - Your Voice; 5 - Sound Track; 6 - Economy; 7 - Pacing. These elements of a digital story really only substitute a carefully chosen image or video clip rather than relying on the viewer / listeners imagination. I do not make this comparison to minimize the digital story media, but rather to add that the previous experiences the viewer has with the images or similar images evokes a greater response by the viewer. That is not say that oral tradition stories lack impact or emotional response by the consumer, but rather these stories (oral tradition) lack the ability to control what consumer is seeing.
In element #1 regardless of the specific content the producer of the story is trying to educate or at least offer a glimpse into the life or culture of the producer. I do not mean to minimize the content, but rather offer that the content seems to me to play a secondary role; in that the content itself had some sort or impact on the producer of the story that compelled them to share that experience. In this way the need to share or educate is the driving force behind the story.
Element #2 presented me with the idea of... how similar a dramatic question and essential question are in what they mean to the viewer. The dramatic questions seem to solicit an emotional response or connection to the story and producer, while teachers use the essential questions a guide for learner goals. I think both have the same goal in mind a connection to learning beyond mere content, which Piaget termed "concrete to abstract." In many ways the goals seem to ask the viewer (consumer) to insert himself/herself into the story by self reflected questions like "how does this apply to me?" or "how does this make me feel?"
Element #3 identifies that we all make some sort of emotional connection to stories whether we recognize it or not. At first glance a story about how to make salt or a sustainable greenhouse seem to not evoke a great deal of emotion on the surface, but when we dig deeper we can make connections to things like poverty, organic farming, "farm to table"... and many more, which challenge our views and stance on those issues. Believe me this issues can elicit strong emotional responses (keep in mind the idea that critical media literacy seeks to educate on the underlying motive for what your are being presented with and the best ways to provoke change are by appealing to the emotions, fear is an emotion).
In element #4 we hear the voice of the story (not always the producer), which changes the picture. Imaging yourself walking through the Metropolitan Art Museum looking at the great works or art... now imagine that every time you paused to study a piece a bit longer the creator of the piece appeared by your side to offer insight that led to the creation of that work. In many ways this is what the voice of the digital story offers and in that you can detect many different things about the author and if being narrated you may even detect emotional response of the narrator.
In element #5 we yet another appeal to our senses to help connect us to the story. The soundtrack releases previous experiences connected with that music and can either distract or enrich the digital story. Because music has such a deep connection to the range of emotions experienced by an individual the soundtrack, while usually playing in the background can have a profound impact on the consumer.
In element #6 we discover the new theme of our fast paced culture that seems to be getting faster. Meaning that the producer needs to provide the consumer with the necessary details that leave little ambiguity, but not overwrought with details that the message gets lost.
The last element #7 speaks to the flow of the story and whether the producer allows sufficient time for the consumer to "see & read" or "see the details" necessary to convey the learning goals.
Many of the videos I watched in this section and the "Reel Works" met their targeted goal, but I found some of them offered too much background noise (soundtrack) or made transitional changes (economy) that effected the delivery of the story. Yet all that being said, I in some believe the creation of the digital story has more value to the creator than the consumer, which means the elements of the story align more closely to producer's experiential learning and what it truly means to them.
In element #1 regardless of the specific content the producer of the story is trying to educate or at least offer a glimpse into the life or culture of the producer. I do not mean to minimize the content, but rather offer that the content seems to me to play a secondary role; in that the content itself had some sort or impact on the producer of the story that compelled them to share that experience. In this way the need to share or educate is the driving force behind the story.
Element #2 presented me with the idea of... how similar a dramatic question and essential question are in what they mean to the viewer. The dramatic questions seem to solicit an emotional response or connection to the story and producer, while teachers use the essential questions a guide for learner goals. I think both have the same goal in mind a connection to learning beyond mere content, which Piaget termed "concrete to abstract." In many ways the goals seem to ask the viewer (consumer) to insert himself/herself into the story by self reflected questions like "how does this apply to me?" or "how does this make me feel?"
Element #3 identifies that we all make some sort of emotional connection to stories whether we recognize it or not. At first glance a story about how to make salt or a sustainable greenhouse seem to not evoke a great deal of emotion on the surface, but when we dig deeper we can make connections to things like poverty, organic farming, "farm to table"... and many more, which challenge our views and stance on those issues. Believe me this issues can elicit strong emotional responses (keep in mind the idea that critical media literacy seeks to educate on the underlying motive for what your are being presented with and the best ways to provoke change are by appealing to the emotions, fear is an emotion).
In element #4 we hear the voice of the story (not always the producer), which changes the picture. Imaging yourself walking through the Metropolitan Art Museum looking at the great works or art... now imagine that every time you paused to study a piece a bit longer the creator of the piece appeared by your side to offer insight that led to the creation of that work. In many ways this is what the voice of the digital story offers and in that you can detect many different things about the author and if being narrated you may even detect emotional response of the narrator.
In element #5 we yet another appeal to our senses to help connect us to the story. The soundtrack releases previous experiences connected with that music and can either distract or enrich the digital story. Because music has such a deep connection to the range of emotions experienced by an individual the soundtrack, while usually playing in the background can have a profound impact on the consumer.
In element #6 we discover the new theme of our fast paced culture that seems to be getting faster. Meaning that the producer needs to provide the consumer with the necessary details that leave little ambiguity, but not overwrought with details that the message gets lost.
The last element #7 speaks to the flow of the story and whether the producer allows sufficient time for the consumer to "see & read" or "see the details" necessary to convey the learning goals.
Many of the videos I watched in this section and the "Reel Works" met their targeted goal, but I found some of them offered too much background noise (soundtrack) or made transitional changes (economy) that effected the delivery of the story. Yet all that being said, I in some believe the creation of the digital story has more value to the creator than the consumer, which means the elements of the story align more closely to producer's experiential learning and what it truly means to them.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
6810 Wk 2 Reading and Comments
Digital storytelling, when you first hear the words what you think of is likely directly related to your experiences or lack there of with digital storytelling. While new to the digital aspect of storytelling I'm well versed in spinning a yarn. Any and everyone that knows me knows that I love to tell a story and can be quite passionate and emotional about said story. I like the subtle changes in volume and emphasis on words or phrases and like John Wayne (famous actor that talked slow because back in the day actors got paid for "screen" time, slower talk = more screen time = more pay) I like to add back-story details (takes longer), which equate to better story understanding (more payoff). My wife now interrupts with... wait wait wait is this a true story or a tale? she has a great ?? detector, which leads to one of the reasons we tell stories... pure entertainment. The other reason is to convey information about events or issues. In the Oral tradition stories were the media that provided new generations with history and important familial information. The goal has not changed in digital story telling only the venue. We now have things like "vine" so we can emit an emotional response to mere seconds of an event that loops over and over or snapchats that begin the countdown once you press the button to start the reveal, we have "twitter" at #writeconcise or be deleted (pun intended), we also have stories like those found on "Reel Works" that seek to engage the consumer into an awareness / understanding role. While many of the videos I watched sought to provide a deeper understanding to a topic, which they did the videos themselves were a cathartic exercise for the producers of the video material. Its true the video provided insight to the viewer and even educated the viewer, but the education was really a creative expression of what the "digital storyteller" had learned or experienced, which led to wanting to produce the work. The video I chose as my favorite (so far) is
Swinging for the Fences
This video is a great example of what is going on around me right now ( and the students I interact with daily). I have been reading and rereading "Mindset" by Dr. Carol Dweck and working with students from varied backgrounds with unique skills and needs. In watching this video you see a young boy learning and wanting to play baseball that experienced an injury that transformed his life. The overall content or topic of the video is Not where the powerful learning comes from it comes from the ideas about self-worth, relationships, socio-emotional experiences, in-groups, out-groups... the list goes on, it really offers a glimpse into the complexity of the life of a developing child. As an educator (new as I may be), I can see the real benefit to developing an understanding of where your students "live" Herb Kohl talked about this in his book "Discipline of Hope." When we talk about the "whole" child and equipping them with the tools for success, I find that if you can help someone unlock the principle of self-reflection and provide them with a tool to express that reflection and the encouragement to pursue it; then they will find the connections to prior and future learning. The young man in the video found a venue to tell his dad that he couldn't play baseball any more because it hurt his arm too much (many will wonder why he just didn't say, "my arm hurts"), yet ended up conveying so much more. This idea of learning how to process information at much deeper level is an aid in problem solving because problem solving starts with defining the problem (the process most overlooked) and seeks to identify all the possible solutions. Everything that happens before the first shot in a digital story ever happens is this problem defining process, which is where the producer learns. The product itself is where the viewer learns and hopefully the viewer will add to the learning by conveying their perspective. Here is another place for me to insert a "Mindset" endorsement, most people believe that creativity is naturally endowed trait, yet all of the tools used in creating something require learned skills. One could and should hypothesize that if creating something requires learned skills in order to create it, then it (creativity) is itself a skill that can be learned. Digital tools are great way to help students unlock and tap their creative self. I think these type of learning activities are greater assessment tools than standard question / answer tests; they at least require a higher level of Bloom's to complete and often provide better insight into exactly what the student learned.
Digital storytelling is a venue that can address or bring awareness to social issues or even offer a glimpse into historic social issues. The idea that the producer can select many different medians in one form of media seeks to engage the viewer on many different levels (ethos, pathos, and logos). If one truly believes a picture is worth a thousand words then a digital story could easily be textbook or novel worth of material in 5 minutes or less. The "video time" is such a small fraction of the overall time dedicated to creating the work, which is something students learn very quickly. When they develop their idea and set about creating a digital story, students tap into many different types of prior knowledge and learn even more as they work through the project. Many students are very aware of social and cultural issues within their communities and the world, which have an impact on them and how they live their lives. That said, they have a lot to say about it and 21st Century Tech Tools (digital storytelling) provide great way for them to express themselves.
Link to Reel Works
Swinging for the Fences
This video is a great example of what is going on around me right now ( and the students I interact with daily). I have been reading and rereading "Mindset" by Dr. Carol Dweck and working with students from varied backgrounds with unique skills and needs. In watching this video you see a young boy learning and wanting to play baseball that experienced an injury that transformed his life. The overall content or topic of the video is Not where the powerful learning comes from it comes from the ideas about self-worth, relationships, socio-emotional experiences, in-groups, out-groups... the list goes on, it really offers a glimpse into the complexity of the life of a developing child. As an educator (new as I may be), I can see the real benefit to developing an understanding of where your students "live" Herb Kohl talked about this in his book "Discipline of Hope." When we talk about the "whole" child and equipping them with the tools for success, I find that if you can help someone unlock the principle of self-reflection and provide them with a tool to express that reflection and the encouragement to pursue it; then they will find the connections to prior and future learning. The young man in the video found a venue to tell his dad that he couldn't play baseball any more because it hurt his arm too much (many will wonder why he just didn't say, "my arm hurts"), yet ended up conveying so much more. This idea of learning how to process information at much deeper level is an aid in problem solving because problem solving starts with defining the problem (the process most overlooked) and seeks to identify all the possible solutions. Everything that happens before the first shot in a digital story ever happens is this problem defining process, which is where the producer learns. The product itself is where the viewer learns and hopefully the viewer will add to the learning by conveying their perspective. Here is another place for me to insert a "Mindset" endorsement, most people believe that creativity is naturally endowed trait, yet all of the tools used in creating something require learned skills. One could and should hypothesize that if creating something requires learned skills in order to create it, then it (creativity) is itself a skill that can be learned. Digital tools are great way to help students unlock and tap their creative self. I think these type of learning activities are greater assessment tools than standard question / answer tests; they at least require a higher level of Bloom's to complete and often provide better insight into exactly what the student learned.
Digital storytelling is a venue that can address or bring awareness to social issues or even offer a glimpse into historic social issues. The idea that the producer can select many different medians in one form of media seeks to engage the viewer on many different levels (ethos, pathos, and logos). If one truly believes a picture is worth a thousand words then a digital story could easily be textbook or novel worth of material in 5 minutes or less. The "video time" is such a small fraction of the overall time dedicated to creating the work, which is something students learn very quickly. When they develop their idea and set about creating a digital story, students tap into many different types of prior knowledge and learn even more as they work through the project. Many students are very aware of social and cultural issues within their communities and the world, which have an impact on them and how they live their lives. That said, they have a lot to say about it and 21st Century Tech Tools (digital storytelling) provide great way for them to express themselves.
Link to Reel Works
Saturday, August 23, 2014
6810 Wk 1 Reading and Comments
How many chances do you get to make a first impression? What does it take to refine and change that impression? Did you get to decide what your cannon of beauty looks like? How have you come to know and believe all the things you hold to be true? All these questions have answers that are rooted in experiences... some are your own and some are instilled in us by others. What are the risks in learning to think and ask critical questions about these experiences. I hesitated to start off so philosophical, but after learning and reading a few things like Epistemology, The Critique of Pure Reason, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, and many others led me to the thought about what it really means to think critically about the motive of what others are creating. The Kellner and Share article offered some insight and guidelines for better understanding the constructs of media and the motives behind their construction. The article also serves as call to action to educators to not only develop and hone their own understandings or the types of media literacies, but also the need for teaching students how to think critically about all forms of media.
The video of the Tedx Talk given by Cameron Russell talks about the power of the social constructs. She shares her story of becoming a professional model as the lucky winner of the genetic lottery. She had to (in her mind) transform herself on stage in order to make her "talk" more credible because as long as she looked the part of a professional model people would be unable to listen to words and take her serious. She also (without knowing) also made very strong references to Dweck's "Mindset" when she was speaking about self-esteem and insecurity. The idea that -"what she was" - is a construct of others designed to solicit a certain predetermined response sounded like she had being tricked into soliciting others with the fake facade she had become. A sense that innocence had been stolen and replaced with a master seductress (scantly clad and exuding sexuality) all in the desire to sell an image or a product. If educators do not arm students with the tools to understand the power of media then we all risk the loss of "freedom of thought."
Neil Postman's Speech, serves as candid and straightforward reminder that students need tools, real tools, to navigate the complexities of communication. I truly believe the better an educator prepares students to learn how to learn and ultimately to learn how to think then the world is a much better place. The need to teach students these strategies is even greater in this new "information age." A good case in point is a "wiki" like wikipedia, which may contain factual information about an event or person, it may also contain unsupported or unverified information. This statement also applies to "time honored" resources like "Britannica," yet their social status offers them instant credibility. Postman in 1969 realized that there was great need for educators to teach students how to discern what the true message of what was being said is and what the potential risks were if they did not. I think in today's world Postman would be banging the drum for media literacy education even louder than before.
Google Doc Evidence
Citation:
Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005). Discourse: Studies in the cultural politics of education. Toward Critical Media Literacy: Core Concepts, Debates, Organizations, and Policy, 26(3), 369-386.
Postman, N. (2007, July 22). Neil Postman – Bullshit and the Art of Crap-Detection. Retrieved August 23, 2014, from http://criticalsnips.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/neil-postman-bullshit-and-the-art-of-crap-detection/
Russell, C. (2013, January 16). Cameron Russell: Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model. Retrieved August 23, 2014, from http://youtu.be/KM4Xe6Dlp0Y
The video of the Tedx Talk given by Cameron Russell talks about the power of the social constructs. She shares her story of becoming a professional model as the lucky winner of the genetic lottery. She had to (in her mind) transform herself on stage in order to make her "talk" more credible because as long as she looked the part of a professional model people would be unable to listen to words and take her serious. She also (without knowing) also made very strong references to Dweck's "Mindset" when she was speaking about self-esteem and insecurity. The idea that -"what she was" - is a construct of others designed to solicit a certain predetermined response sounded like she had being tricked into soliciting others with the fake facade she had become. A sense that innocence had been stolen and replaced with a master seductress (scantly clad and exuding sexuality) all in the desire to sell an image or a product. If educators do not arm students with the tools to understand the power of media then we all risk the loss of "freedom of thought."
Neil Postman's Speech, serves as candid and straightforward reminder that students need tools, real tools, to navigate the complexities of communication. I truly believe the better an educator prepares students to learn how to learn and ultimately to learn how to think then the world is a much better place. The need to teach students these strategies is even greater in this new "information age." A good case in point is a "wiki" like wikipedia, which may contain factual information about an event or person, it may also contain unsupported or unverified information. This statement also applies to "time honored" resources like "Britannica," yet their social status offers them instant credibility. Postman in 1969 realized that there was great need for educators to teach students how to discern what the true message of what was being said is and what the potential risks were if they did not. I think in today's world Postman would be banging the drum for media literacy education even louder than before.
Google Doc Evidence
Citation:
Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005). Discourse: Studies in the cultural politics of education. Toward Critical Media Literacy: Core Concepts, Debates, Organizations, and Policy, 26(3), 369-386.
Postman, N. (2007, July 22). Neil Postman – Bullshit and the Art of Crap-Detection. Retrieved August 23, 2014, from http://criticalsnips.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/neil-postman-bullshit-and-the-art-of-crap-detection/
Russell, C. (2013, January 16). Cameron Russell: Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model. Retrieved August 23, 2014, from http://youtu.be/KM4Xe6Dlp0Y
Animoto Intro
6810 Intro
My name is Raphael, but I have always gone by Rafe.The best thing about this "Animoto" tool is that you must choose your words wisely because of the character limitations. I was tempted to purchase the expanded offering of longer videos, but I also like the idea of trying to summarize yourself and philosophy in 30 seconds or less. Like a "thank you" speech at the Oscars there will be many things you will have wished to have said, but everyone knows there is more to you than a 30 second sound byte. This made me also think just how Powerful a 30 second sound byte Can Be and Is in our everyday digital world. While the average age of a graduate student is getting closer to mine I'm still well above average, but this journey in my life is happening at exactly the right time for me. I have had many rich and wonderful experiences that have better prepared me to embark on the journey and joys of teaching. I'm currently working at a local high school with a great group of students, while I continue my educational endeavors. I'm from Petersburg, WV and now reside in Shinnston, WV with my wonderful wife, Jan. My Digital Story tells a little more about where I'm from.
I really want to learn more about how to teach students how to think critically about media (all media... books, cartoons, video, ads,...). I can really see how important it is for students to learn about what or who is really "driving the bus" and what or where are the true motives. The Rushkoff book "Program or be Programmed" raises this same ideology about the need to think critically about media.
Most all assignments are due by midnight Sunday at the end of the week and late work will be less than full credit with prior notification. Gmail is the preferred method of correspondence with questions or concerns. It is a good idea to check with the professor prior to working ahead as assignment requirements may change.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
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