New American Stories

A Telecollaboration Lesson for
10th-12th Grade Video Production/Multimedia

Daniel Perez: dpgperez@sbcglobal.net
Don Dean: coolsch@yahoo.com

Introduction

This lesson was developed as part of the requirements for EDTEC 570, Advanced Teaching with Technology.

For New American Stories students, who are first and second generation Americans, will exchange videos about their lives with students in another country through the Web. The local students will create videos that focus on their family's immigrant experience. The videos will include statements from the students and one of their parents or relatives about why they came to the United States, what their life was like before compared to now and their dreams for the future. The foreign students will be asked to tell about their lives, too. Then each class will create Web pages to post their videos.

Learners

This lesson is designed for students taking Video Production or Multimedia and is based on standards in the Media and Design Arts Pathway. This lesson can easily be extended to 7th – 9th grades and Social Studies and English classes.

Prior to beginning this lesson students should have instruction in video creation.

Curriculum Standards

Media and Design Arts Pathway Standards Addressed

Develop and refine skill in the manipulation of digital imagery (either
still or video).
Create original works of art of increasing complexity and skill in a
variety of media that reflect their feelings and points of view.
Articulate how personal beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social,
economic, and political contexts influence the interpretation of the
meaning or message in a work of art.

The thinking and communications skills this lesson encourages includes: creative production, creative problem-solving, teamwork and interviewing skills.

Partners

For this project we will need to collaborate with one or more high schools in a foreign country. Initially it can be any foreign country, but for future lessons it would be wonderful to find high schools that match up to the local student's country of origin. For instance, if some of the local students are from Somalia, a school in Somalia should be found to exchange with those students. Foreign schools can be located using:

ePals • iEarn • Global School Net

Process

This lesson is based on the Global Classrooms Activity Structure and Correspond Action Sequence as described by Judi Harris.

The lesson will take six weeks to two months to complete. One week for initial set up, about a month to create the videos and one to two weeks to set up the Web page (html and/or Flash based).

Pre-Lesson Preparation	Before the lesson is started a connection with one or more foreign teachers would have to be established to set up the details of exchange. Things such as method of sharing and creating videos, subject matter, production schedule and how students would communicate directly would have to be agreed upon. Students would also have to learn how to create videos. Web page creation and Flash could be taught on the fly on a need to know basis.
Step 1	Establish a relationship with the foreign school(s), then students individual relationship with the foreign school(s) by exchanging emails.
Step 2	Preproduction of Videos begin. Students who are first or second Generation Americans write scripts for what they are going to say and arrange which parents and/or adult relatives/friends they can interview. Interview questions are written. Scripts/Questions are approved by instructor.
Step 3	Video teams are created. (See below for suggested process.)
Step 4	Production schedules are created. Production schedules would use backwards planning (start from date due work backwards) to establish when video is shot, edited and Web work is done. Schedules approved by instructor.
Step 5	The videos are shot. Footage approved by instructor.
Step 6	Videos are edited and approved by instructor, then compressed for the Web.
Step 7	Web pages are created and videos posted online, for both the local and foreign classes.
Step 8	Local class and foreign class(es) exchange thoughts on each others posted videos via email.
Post Lesson Wrapup	To wrap up a joint Web site should be created that includes the best videos of all the participants combined with the best email comments. Thank you letters or packet should be mailed to the foreign class(es) and teacher(s) via regular mail. If a packet is chosen it should include items that the other class could post as a remembrance.

Guidelines for dividing students into groups

Each group should include one student that’s a 1st or 2nd generation American who’s family story is being told. The crew for the video should consist of two to three students who are not telling their story. These students would form the video and post-production crew, helping with videography, lighting, sound recording, editing and Web page creation.

Potential stumbling blocks

One of the biggest stumbling blocks will probably be getting the cooperation of parents and relatives. One way to overcome this would be for the teacher to send letters to target participants, followed by a phone call and, whenever possible, a face-to-face meeting. If there is a language barrier the teacher should find people on the school staff to help translate, or use students, who speak the language. Depending on their family situation, at times it’s better to use students who are not related to them to translate.

Potential logistical difficulties

If the class is cancelled at the cooperating school every effort should be made to find another. Also, there should be more than one cooperating school involved. If there is no other school the students can still create their project, then find pen pals through one of the Web sites mentioned above to share with on an individual basis. If the student who is featured in the video leaves every effort would be made to find a replacement, if necessary from another class. If one is not found the other students on the team could be either distributed to to other teams or given another project.

To do this project the teacher should have some experience creating videos and using an editing application like iMovie. It would also be ideal if the teacher knew how to create Web pages and/or Flash pages. If not, the teacher should at least have colleagues who could help.

Variations

Rather than creating a Web page videos could also be shared via email or using storage applications such as those provided by yahoo or google that other students could visit and view videos. Also, rather than videos slide shows with a narration could be created using things like iPhoto or PowerPoint.

Resources Needed

E-mail accounts for all students
Web server to publish Web pages
3-10 copies of iMovie or some other video editing software
3-10 copies of Dreamweaver
10-25 eMacs with Web access
3-8 Video Cameras
3-5 Microphones with direct connections to Video Cameras

One to three teachers can work on this project at the local school. Parents or relatives will be needed as interview subjects. They can be interviewed either in the classroom or their own home depending on the school's policy for allowing video equipment off campus.

Evaluation

The lesson will be successful if the video teams produce a video, post it on the Web and the students individually exchange emails with foreign students. A rubric will be created that outlines what should be included in the video and Web pages and what each student should do individually.

Credits & References

Images of students provided with the permission of Multimedia and Visual Arts School.

"We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this lesson, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this lesson. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date). If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL."

Last updated on July 24, 2005. Based on a template from EDTEC 570 at SDSU