Digital Directions - Winter 2013 - (Page 12)

T wo high school media journalism students sit newscaster-style in suits, behind a desk, to broadcast personon-the-street interviews about the latest trends on campus. A publicservice announcement uses animation, music, and graphics to make a case for renewable energy. And a montage of recorded sports clips set to rap music shows the dedication and drive of student athletes. Those videos were produced at the Media Arts Studio, a fully equipped digital-media production facility at Cambridge Educational Access TV in Cambridge, Mass. The studio is located across from the 1,700-student Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School and affiliated with the campus’s Rindge School of Technical Arts Media Technology program. Through a series of in-school, after-school, and summer programs, students practice using words, images, and sounds in meaningful ways to create content for two Cambridge cable channels and the studio’s website. “These devices are so organic to everything they do, so to use them—and their skills—in this other, purposeful kind of way really expands their thinking about the ways in which they can communicate and present themselves,” says Ginny Berkowitz, the manager of media arts for the 6,400-student Cambridge public schools. “They feel that they’re really able to be heard, and that’s pretty powerful.” Programs around the country are encouraging self-expression, critical-thinking skills, and collaborative learning through digital-media production. Learning to research and write scripts, hone interviewing techniques, and edit footage are Multimedia-journalism programs around the country are helping teenagers develop valuable skills to use in college or the workplace. just some of the skills students develop during the creative process—a process that touches on multiple academic subjects and builds both self-esteem and confidence—traits shown to lead to better grades. Students often use the experience to articulate their passionate opinions or feed their curiosity about the world; some are even earning certification in media technology before graduation. DIGITAL The relationship between hands-on media production and a student’s chances of developing into a productive, independent, and engaged citizen is the current subject of a 13-month evaluation by the Chicagobased Social IMPACT Research Center, with support from the Chicago-based Robert R. McCormick Foundation. The evaluation began in November 2012. Gaining expertise in how media messages are designed and produced also helps students better evaluate those that bombard them every day, says Berkowitz. That’s why the district began offering media arts electives, in conjunction with the Media Arts Studio, at four middle schools this school year. The electives—which include digital storytelling, media production, and Scratch, which is a free educational programming language that introduces students to basic computer By_Robin L. Flanigan STORYTELLING 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Directions - Winter 2013

Digital Directions - Winter 2013
Contents
Editor’s Note
DD Site Visit
Bits & Bytes
Digital Storytelling
Online Courses Turn on Gaming
Reading in the Age of Digital Devices
Movers & Shakers
State, Federal Leadership Seen as Key to Innovation
Open-Source Opportunities
BYOD Boundaries
E-Cloud Forecast
Digital Shift
Security

Digital Directions - Winter 2013

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