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Experimentation And Artistic Creation

Jeremy Sarachan
Jeremy Sarachan

A presentation given at the New Media Consortium Conference in Monterey, California on June 12, 2009.

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Experimentation and Artistic Creation: Storytelling and the Digital Media Course Jeremy Sarachan Assistant Professor, Communication/Journalism St. John Fisher College NMC 2009
Please follow along 際際滷share: http://tinyurl.com/ jeremysarachan
Introduction to Digital Media Offered three times to date. COMM 260 Topics Digital Media Tools Cyberculture/Theory Digital Storytelling
Place in curriculum First course in Digital Media track within Communication/Journalism major. Production Elective. Major Elective for Applied Information Technology: Communication/ Journalism. Ful鍖lls a core requirement for all students. (Perspectives in the Arts)
Course Objectives Learn tools. Be creative/think outside the box. Think in terms of stories. Something (one thing) for everyone.
Core Learning Goals Students will have at their disposal ways of identifying the cultural assumptions implicit in artistic representations. Students will discern how design or form in鍖uences meaning. Students will be able to analyze a work from a variety of perspectives. (e.g., creative, formal/aesthetic, cultural, critical) Students will produce a creative project.
Facebook Pages Used Blackboard for grades and to post PDFs. http://tinyurl.com/comm260 Feel free to become a fan during 2009.
Theory Integrated into Class Convey the qualities and value of digital media. Digital media offered as an art form. Article links available on Facebook.
Wide Range of Articles Wired Magazine Scholarly Classic The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction Computer Lib and Dream Machines A Rape in Cyberspace; or How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database into a Society
Digital Storytelling Inspiration from Laurie Burrusss NMC Conference presentation in 2008: Digital Storytelling: Old Ways, New Tools.
Blog Assignment Fall Semester: personal blog and articles Spring Semester: articles Simple grading rubric http://tinyurl.com/jennaex Used Wordpress, Blogger or something else. http://tinyurl.com/netvibesex
Wikis First exploration of digital storytelling Assignment completed in PBWiki. Graded on story coherence and participation. http://tinyurl.com/wikistory Wikipedia practice/improv Editing is dif鍖cult for students Next time, Twitter story
Podcasting Used Garageband. Fairy Tale Practice Fall Semester: personal story (enhanced) Spring Semester: personal story and show http://tinyurl.com/skydivingjosh http://tinyurl.com/sisterbecca http://tinyurl.com/jackiediary Next Semester: No enhanced podcast. One story and one Commentary (to introduce political/performance art.)
Paper 1: New Media Art 1) Describe the work and discuss its form (considering the technological requirements, including interactive elements; how it appears or stimulates the senses; and aesthetic considerations.) 2) Discuss the work in terms of its content: cultural or political meaning aesthetic value creative signi鍖cance. 3) Discuss how the work might be viewed by different cultures. What cultural assumptions have been made by the artist about the viewer that would allow the viewer to appreciate/understand the work?
Flash Fall Semester: Animation Spring Semester: Animation and Interactive Project http://tinyurl.com/USmapex Preferred topic for some students; others found it dif鍖cult. Keep it simple. Textbook used. Provided step-by-step instructions.
Second Life: Identity Second Paper: 1. How could one consider this creation of identity function as a form of art? Consider creative, cultural, political, and/or formalistic approaches (include at least two approaches in your paper.) 2. How do these approaches help one's understanding of avatar creation as personal expression and of Second Life in general? Students should include both research sources (at least three: scholarly or popular press) and 2-3 brief interviews with Second Life citizens. 3. How does this analysis help us understand artistic expression in Second Life?
Second Life: Culture Tour (architecture, religion, and amusement) Itinerary provided. Students took photos and wrote about experiences in blogs. Birthing Center experience/Rules of Conduct
Second Life: Building Building objects, furniture and dwellings Some students were hooked. Our land seemed to be getting smaller. http://tinyurl.com/comm260SL (for the SLURL to the NMC rented land)
Final Project You are encouraged (but not required) to produce a work that encourages collaboration (Web 2.0). You may work in groups of two if the project demands it. The work must be substantial and worthy of two months effort. You will be graded on whether the project has/is 1) A 鍖nished quality 2) Artistic in either the aesthetic and/or political sense 3) Interesting 4) Innovative 5) Leaves the user with a lasting impression. (And the use of quotes con鍖rm that I realize this is vague.) A paper discussing their project as a form of new media art was also required. The focus was why was this project important. Students presented in a small auditorium and Second Life. (Dont do this.)
The Projects: Examples Students created online poster session (Did you check out my Interactive?) http://tinyurl.com/podcast1ex (Talk Show) http://tinyurl.com/podcast2ex (Politics/Sexual Identity) http://tinyurl.com/鍖ash1ex (Choices/Stop Motion) http://tinyurl.com/virtualmovement (Flash dance) http://tinyurl.com/secret鍖ash (Secrets /Flash) http://tinyurl.com/secretsfb (Secrets/Facebook) http://tinyurl.com/techlove (TechLove) Stadium/Lacrosse
Interest Level for Each Topic Extremely or Very interesting or useful Facebook: 57% Blogs: 35% Wikis: 28% Podcasts: 82% Flash: 60% Second Life: 71%
Assignment Ratings I Which were worthwhile (students de鍖ned)? 66% or more of class chose Extremely or Very. Podcast (both) Flash (both) Second Life: Building Final Project
Assignment Ratings II Which were not worthwhile (students de鍖ned)? 20% or more of class chose Somewhat or Not Worthwhile. Blog Digital Media Art paper Virtual Worlds paper
More time should be spent on... Flash ...and a new course is coming Spring 2010.
Course Corrections More digital storytelling focus Twitter instead of wikis More emphasis on performance in Podcasting Flash: Simpler interactivity Second Life: more use of events
Teach this class! Great 鍖exibility to explore tools. Allow students to understand the why in addition to the how. Recruits students to 鍖eld/department.
How to 鍖nd me Would you like a copy of the survey? Any questions or comments? Contact me via Facebook (Jeremy Sarachan) or at jsarachan@sjfc.edu or in (Jarold String).

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Experimentation And Artistic Creation

  • 1. Experimentation and Artistic Creation: Storytelling and the Digital Media Course Jeremy Sarachan Assistant Professor, Communication/Journalism St. John Fisher College NMC 2009
  • 3. Introduction to Digital Media Offered three times to date. COMM 260 Topics Digital Media Tools Cyberculture/Theory Digital Storytelling
  • 4. Place in curriculum First course in Digital Media track within Communication/Journalism major. Production Elective. Major Elective for Applied Information Technology: Communication/ Journalism. Ful鍖lls a core requirement for all students. (Perspectives in the Arts)
  • 5. Course Objectives Learn tools. Be creative/think outside the box. Think in terms of stories. Something (one thing) for everyone.
  • 6. Core Learning Goals Students will have at their disposal ways of identifying the cultural assumptions implicit in artistic representations. Students will discern how design or form in鍖uences meaning. Students will be able to analyze a work from a variety of perspectives. (e.g., creative, formal/aesthetic, cultural, critical) Students will produce a creative project.
  • 7. Facebook Pages Used Blackboard for grades and to post PDFs. http://tinyurl.com/comm260 Feel free to become a fan during 2009.
  • 8. Theory Integrated into Class Convey the qualities and value of digital media. Digital media offered as an art form. Article links available on Facebook.
  • 9. Wide Range of Articles Wired Magazine Scholarly Classic The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction Computer Lib and Dream Machines A Rape in Cyberspace; or How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database into a Society
  • 10. Digital Storytelling Inspiration from Laurie Burrusss NMC Conference presentation in 2008: Digital Storytelling: Old Ways, New Tools.
  • 11. Blog Assignment Fall Semester: personal blog and articles Spring Semester: articles Simple grading rubric http://tinyurl.com/jennaex Used Wordpress, Blogger or something else. http://tinyurl.com/netvibesex
  • 12. Wikis First exploration of digital storytelling Assignment completed in PBWiki. Graded on story coherence and participation. http://tinyurl.com/wikistory Wikipedia practice/improv Editing is dif鍖cult for students Next time, Twitter story
  • 13. Podcasting Used Garageband. Fairy Tale Practice Fall Semester: personal story (enhanced) Spring Semester: personal story and show http://tinyurl.com/skydivingjosh http://tinyurl.com/sisterbecca http://tinyurl.com/jackiediary Next Semester: No enhanced podcast. One story and one Commentary (to introduce political/performance art.)
  • 14. Paper 1: New Media Art 1) Describe the work and discuss its form (considering the technological requirements, including interactive elements; how it appears or stimulates the senses; and aesthetic considerations.) 2) Discuss the work in terms of its content: cultural or political meaning aesthetic value creative signi鍖cance. 3) Discuss how the work might be viewed by different cultures. What cultural assumptions have been made by the artist about the viewer that would allow the viewer to appreciate/understand the work?
  • 15. Flash Fall Semester: Animation Spring Semester: Animation and Interactive Project http://tinyurl.com/USmapex Preferred topic for some students; others found it dif鍖cult. Keep it simple. Textbook used. Provided step-by-step instructions.
  • 16. Second Life: Identity Second Paper: 1. How could one consider this creation of identity function as a form of art? Consider creative, cultural, political, and/or formalistic approaches (include at least two approaches in your paper.) 2. How do these approaches help one's understanding of avatar creation as personal expression and of Second Life in general? Students should include both research sources (at least three: scholarly or popular press) and 2-3 brief interviews with Second Life citizens. 3. How does this analysis help us understand artistic expression in Second Life?
  • 17. Second Life: Culture Tour (architecture, religion, and amusement) Itinerary provided. Students took photos and wrote about experiences in blogs. Birthing Center experience/Rules of Conduct
  • 18. Second Life: Building Building objects, furniture and dwellings Some students were hooked. Our land seemed to be getting smaller. http://tinyurl.com/comm260SL (for the SLURL to the NMC rented land)
  • 19. Final Project You are encouraged (but not required) to produce a work that encourages collaboration (Web 2.0). You may work in groups of two if the project demands it. The work must be substantial and worthy of two months effort. You will be graded on whether the project has/is 1) A 鍖nished quality 2) Artistic in either the aesthetic and/or political sense 3) Interesting 4) Innovative 5) Leaves the user with a lasting impression. (And the use of quotes con鍖rm that I realize this is vague.) A paper discussing their project as a form of new media art was also required. The focus was why was this project important. Students presented in a small auditorium and Second Life. (Dont do this.)
  • 20. The Projects: Examples Students created online poster session (Did you check out my Interactive?) http://tinyurl.com/podcast1ex (Talk Show) http://tinyurl.com/podcast2ex (Politics/Sexual Identity) http://tinyurl.com/鍖ash1ex (Choices/Stop Motion) http://tinyurl.com/virtualmovement (Flash dance) http://tinyurl.com/secret鍖ash (Secrets /Flash) http://tinyurl.com/secretsfb (Secrets/Facebook) http://tinyurl.com/techlove (TechLove) Stadium/Lacrosse
  • 21. Interest Level for Each Topic Extremely or Very interesting or useful Facebook: 57% Blogs: 35% Wikis: 28% Podcasts: 82% Flash: 60% Second Life: 71%
  • 22. Assignment Ratings I Which were worthwhile (students de鍖ned)? 66% or more of class chose Extremely or Very. Podcast (both) Flash (both) Second Life: Building Final Project
  • 23. Assignment Ratings II Which were not worthwhile (students de鍖ned)? 20% or more of class chose Somewhat or Not Worthwhile. Blog Digital Media Art paper Virtual Worlds paper
  • 24. More time should be spent on... Flash ...and a new course is coming Spring 2010.
  • 25. Course Corrections More digital storytelling focus Twitter instead of wikis More emphasis on performance in Podcasting Flash: Simpler interactivity Second Life: more use of events
  • 26. Teach this class! Great 鍖exibility to explore tools. Allow students to understand the why in addition to the how. Recruits students to 鍖eld/department.
  • 27. How to 鍖nd me Would you like a copy of the survey? Any questions or comments? Contact me via Facebook (Jeremy Sarachan) or at jsarachan@sjfc.edu or in (Jarold String).