2010 04-26 teachers-producers 02

Teachers as Producers

Digital Storytelling Project:

Teaching Science by Making Movies

Sunday, July 25, 2010As computers, digital cameras, and video editing software tools become ubiquitous in schools across the United States, teachers expand their roles from educators to producers

as they take on digital storytelling projects. Unfortunately, current teacher education and experience does little to prepare teachers for this new role. The job of a producer is not only to understand the subject matter of the video project, but to also know the technologies necessary to execute the vision and the pitfalls likely to be encountered along the way. In short, teachers are asked to teach not only their subject matter (e.g. science, math, history, and language arts), but to also help students navigate a technically complicated environment of digital movie making, as well as help them translate their story ideas into an audio-visual-temporal format. Inadequate preparation creates situations where some students who are able to get outside technical support create far superior movies then their classmates without such resources. And teachers and students often have unreasonable expectations as to the necessary time and effort these projects require, as well as the quality of the output. This paper explores the difficulties teachers face when they become producers of digital stories and why it’s still worth it.

...thinking about making a science documentary...

San Francisco8th Grade

Science Class

Sunday, July 25, 2010

What are the steps?


Science Class


Movie Making in Junior High School

PRE-PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

POST-PRODUCTION

...same as a real science documentary...


Evolution

Movie Making in Junior High Schoolsample movie


Changing States

Movie Making in Junior High Schoolsample movie


PRE-PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

POST-PRODUCTION

the steps

What Do Science Documentary Producers Do?



• Research the topic: Which materials are useful?

• Choose the topic: What works in this medium?

• Determine length: What is practical?

• Write the script: What’s the story?

• Get props: What is needed?

• Check the feasibility: What is doable?1PRE-PRODUCTION: before shooting



• Get approvals: What will be made?

• Set up the schedule: What’s the time line?

• Procure the equipment: What is needed when?

• Assign people jobs: Who is doing what?

• Divide tasks into days: What’s done each day?

• Talk to the crew: What are the problems?2PRE-PRODUCTION: before shooting



• Get people & equipment to location: Who, what, where?


• Give help: Does everyone know how to do their jobs?

• Trouble shoot: What are the solutions?

• Get footage: What can be done?

PRODUCTION: shooting day



• Create a master list of shots: What do we have?

• Special & computer effects: What’s needed?

• Check coverage: Do we have what’s needed?

• Get audio: Do we need voiceover? Music?

• Editing: How is this going to be put together?1POST-PRODUCTION: after shooting



• Get equipment: What’s needed?

• Set up the schedule: What gets done each day?


• Talk to the crew: What are the problems?2POST-PRODUCTION: after shooting


Teachers as Producers

Being a Great Science Teacher

≠Being a Great Movie Producer

Sunday, July 25, 2010As computers, digital cameras, and video editing software tools become ubiquitous in schools across the United States, teachers expand their roles from educators to producers

as they take on digital storytelling projects. Unfortunately, current teacher education and experience does little to prepare teachers for this new role. The job of a producer is not only to understand the subject matter of the video project, but to also know the technologies necessary to execute the vision and the pitfalls likely to be encountered along the way. In short, teachers are asked to teach not only their subject matter (e.g. science, math, history, and language arts), but to also help students navigate a technically complicated environment of digital movie making, as well as help them translate their story ideas into an audio-visual-temporal format. Inadequate preparation creates situations where some students who are able to get outside technical support create far superior movies then their classmates without such resources. And teachers and students often have unreasonable expectations as to the necessary time and effort these projects require, as well as the quality of the output. This paper explores the difficulties teachers face when they become producers of digital stories and why it’s still worth it.

8th grade science teacher: Mr. Gortney

What Do Teachers Have to Do?



• Provide Science Support: Science teachers are great at this.

• Provide Story Support: Not all teachers are trained to do this.

• Provide Organizational Support: Teachers are great at this.

• Provide Scheduling Support: Teachers are great at this.

• Provide Technical Support: Not all teachers can do this.

• Provide Computer Support: Not all teachers can do this.

• Provide Logistical Support: Not all teachers can do this.

• Provide Financial Support: Not all teachers can do this.

• Provide Movie-making Support: Not all teachers can do this.Sunday, July 25, 2010

Pre-Production Production Post-Production• analyze the assignment• come up with ideas for a digital story• choose one idea that would work• research• write a script and have it approved• create a master work schedule• create the necessary props, costumes, sets, etc.• find existing video clips to reuse in their digital stories (e.g.: students can use some video clips from YouTube or other sources)

• filming• acting• capturing voice-over audio• special effects work

• importing all video and audio into a movie-making application• editing• audio work• computer-generated special effects• titling• DVD creation (this includes exporting the final video and compression)• uploading the final video to a public location (e.g.: YouTube, school site, etc.)

Clearly, some of this work has to be done at school. But a large portion of the workload requires time outside of the classroom. Students labor during their lunch hours, after school, and at home to complete the pre-production work.

Most of the work capturing the video tends to be done at home or on location (e.g.: museum, park, etc.).

Depending on the amount of support students can count on at home, most of the post-production work has to get done at school. Shuttling the work back and forth simply doesn’t work—the computer systems and software are rarely compatible between home and school.



Some Solutions:

• Group students according to resources and expertise: everyone on the team has something to contribute.

• Ask for parent support: parents are a key to success, providing equipment, time, money, transportation, babysitting, and expertise.

• Allow a lot of time: extra time to finish the project gives students access to scares resources.

• Get computer support: get after school instructors and computer lab teachers involved.

• Get art department support: art & drama teachers & students can contribute time and expertise to the movie-making project.

• Check progress often: know when things are going badly and find ways to turn them around before things get out of control.


Form the right group



Why Bother?

• Constructive: students build upon their expertise

• Active: students are actively engaged in the process

• Authentic: the movies are shown on the Internet and to other students as teaching materials

• Cooperative: students work in groups

• Intentional: students are aware of their learning

MOVIE-MAKING: meaningful learning


Sexually Transmitted Disease


Science Classsample movie


Mr. Gortney

“Best Science Teacher Ever”Sunday, July 25, 2010

Questions?


Exploratorium


Science Classsample movie


2010 04-26 teachers-producers 02

Business