Assignments

Assignment #1 Assignment #2 Assignment #3 Assignment #4

Assignment #1 – Blog Post: Media & Me

Part 1 – The Writing Prompt
The first part of the assignment is to conduct an analysis of how media has influenced you by answering one of the prompts below. Your analysis should include some of your own personal experiences with media, but you must also provide evidence for your argument.

In this case, evidence can come in the form of statistical data (charts, graphs, etc), media samples (articles, videos, images, music, etc), or even quotes from other blogs. After reading your blog post, readers should have a better understanding of your views on the influences of media and a clear sense of the evidence you referenced to come to form your ideas.

A few examples of analytical articles on media influences:

Does Music Affect Teens?
Why Young People Are Targeted by Advertisers
Music Videos Make Claims To Be Real Artistic Statements
Rap Music’s Psychological Effects
TV Viewing Leads Teens to Long Term Bad Diet

Before you begin writing, keep in mind that an effective blog post is contains a mix of interesting text, multimedia content, and links to related content on the web. You will be graded on crafting a blog post that is both interesting to the reader, backed by evidence, and visually appealing.

Pick one of the following prompts:

  • • How does the popular media influence the way teens think of themselves?
  • • How does advertising media influence our sense of self-image?
  • • Pick a media sample and tell a story of how it has influenced/impacted your life. (This does not include its inherent entertainment value)
  • • Pick two media samples of the same form and explain how one has had a positive impact and the other has had a negative impact.
  • • Select a media sample that you feel has imposed a stereotype that is untrue in relation to you.
  • • How can teens, like you, use media to induce change?

Part 2 – Adding Effective Hyperlinks
In the second part of this assignment, you will expand on your writing by creating hyperlinks that reference the people, places, objects, or ideas you include in your writing. Clicking on any one of these hyperlink references should take the reader to a unique website that further illustrates your point.

For example: My earliest memory of watching television is with my Mother and Father during the NFL Super Bowl.(here you could create a hyperlink for NFL linking to www.nfl.com)

The way that you interpret these references is up to you, but be creative! The goal is to see how effectively you can communicate your message by using other information on the Internet. The more specific your reference, the better you will be able to communicate your idea.

You may want to consider this part of the assignment before writing your statement, as some ideas are much easier to reference than others. Whatever the case you are encouraged to find websites with information that most effectively references your ideas.

Part 3 – Embedded Media & Formatting
Once you’ve finalized your writing and hyperlinks, it’s time to add some related multimedia content to your blog post. You may use photos, video, or audio from any source on the web. You should position each piece of media within your blog post so that it is visually stimulating and pleasing to the eye. Somethings to consider is the alignment and margins of your content. Does your media fit within the text neatly? Is there enough space between the text and the image?

Requirements
Evidence for your argument
5 Relevant hyperlinks
2 Embedded media clips (photo, audio, or video)
Clean layout (alignment, padding, margins)
Correct grammar, No misspellings

2011 Examples

Allison Bogosich – That Girl in the Advertisement

2010 Examples
Gladys Cortez – Teens Being Brain Washed by Older Generations?

Oscar Estrada – Mexican Stereotypes

Related Tutorials
[Using the Write Post SubPanel]
[Working with Quicktags]

 

Assignment #2 – The Public Service Science Poster

Overview

In this assignment you will create and design an original poster that educates your audience about a specific scientific topic and advocates for them to take action in relation to your topic/issue.  Your goal is to raise awareness about a scientific topic/issue within a Field of Science that is important to you, but may be otherwise ignored or unknown by the general public.

PART ONE  - Basic Guidelines

  • You must select a specific topic that you feel strongly about, have a passion for, or have a personal connection with.
  • Your topic/issue must be strongly connected to a Field of Science.  
    The fields may be broad branches  (e.g.      Chemistry, Physics, Life Science) OR narrow and specific (e.g. Immunology,  Nanotechnology, Forestry, Biotechnology, Entomology)
  • You must find an organization that supports your view on your topic/issue and refer to them within your poster.
  • You must define a clear Target Audience for your poster to influence
  • Your poster must contain a clear Call to Action, or instructions, for your audience to follow.  
  • Your poster must have a dominant Central Image to attract the attention of your target audience and to illustrate your issue.
  • Your poster must contain Supporting Evidence / Details to validate your argument.

Writing the PSSA Poster ‘Reseach Blog Post’

Research your topic and respond to the following prompts in a blog post.

  • What topic have you selected and why is it relevant to you?
  • What Field(s) of Science is your topic connected to?
  • What about this topic should other people know? Does your audience need a brief educational lesson on your topic and field?
  • Who do you want to influence with your poster? Why this specific demographic?
  • What behavioral change (Call to Action) would you like to see in your  audience?
  • What organization(s) support your view on this topic?
  • What evidence have you found to reinforce your poster’s argument?
  • What imagery can you use to illustrate your topic? (List at least 3)

PART TWO – The Design Requirements

First, create 3 Prototype (Text Only) Design Iterations based on Thumbnail sketches created in class.  Of the 3 Prototypes, Design Two of them (add imagery, color, font selection etc).

Dimensions: 8in x 10in, 200 dpi, RGB
Consistent Color Scheme
No more than 2 different fonts

PART THREE – The Write Up

Once you have completed your poster design, save a JPG version of your poster for the Web and upload it into a new blog post. Within your formatted blog post, respond to the following prompts.

- Why did you select this topic? Why is it important to you?

- What field of science is this topic related to?

- What organization supports this topic? Where can someone learn more? (include a hyperlink)

-What difficulties did you face when trying to convey your message?

 

Resources

Branches of Science

Fields of Science

Science & Studies

 

 

Assignment #3 – The Integrated Flashback

Overview
In this assignment, your group will create an Interactive Flash & Video presentation that explains your final project in the Integrated Course, and examines the Process of Synthesizing your Neutraceutical, the value of this new molecule, and campaign for your audience (USA) to embrace it. This project gives you the opportunity to become a Marketer and Educator of the knowledge you have gained at SMASH.

Your Presentation Should Aim to Answer the Following Questions:

-What is this new food additive? Does it have a brand name?
Provide an Introduction and Overview

-How was this new neutraceutical created?
Break down the scientific process in 3~5 general steps

-How does it compare other food additives?
What molecules are similar to yours, and is this a good replacement?

-Who should consider using this new product? Why?
Convince your target audience to purchase your new food.

Each main idea in your group’s presentation will be taught using a mix of slides and a video supplements.

Once completed these educational presentations will be shared online, with the ability for other schools/organizations to embed them into their own websites. What you teach here could teach many.

Step I – Your Lesson Plan & Outline –

Create an outline for your presentation, titling each mini lesson and writing out the lesson text. You may also want to include sub-sections for your title graphics, sounds, and animations. The more detail you add to your outline, the easier it will be develop your presentation in Flash.

Post your lesson plan to the blog and continue to edit it, if necessary, as you design your presentation.

Users will need a way to navigate the frames in your presentation. Depending on your lesson plan, you will want to create a linear or non-linear presentation. You will need to design your navigation buttons slightly different depending on the style of presentation you choose.

A Non-linear Presentation
If you create a non-linear presentation, users will have the ability to navigate to any part of the presentation at any time. Therefore, each frame may require a series of menu buttons, allowing the user to access the various mini lessons of the presentation in any order they choose.

A Linear Presentation
If you create a linear presentation, users will navigate your presentation, from start to finish, in the order that you determine. Therefore, each frame would only require a “Next” and “Previous” button to guide the user through your the sequence of mini lessons. A linear presentation is most effective if your mini lessons are cumulative, or if you want your user to always see a certain frame at the end.

Step II: Storyboards & Placeholder Flash Frames –

In Flash, you will create a different frame for each mini-lesson in your lesson plan. Your presentation must have AT LEAST 8 frames. Two of these frames should be used for your Introduction and Conclusion. Use as many frames as you need to complete your presentation.

Content
Start by copying and pasting the text from your mini-lessons in to each of the respective frames. It may help to use multiple text fields for easier formatting. Loosely arrange your text before designing a background.

 

Step III: Split into Departments – Flash & Video

At this stage, your group will split into two departments. You will have to work in parallel, correlating your efforts so that they can be integrated at the end.

The Flash Department

The Flash-Masters will be responsible for creating buttons, sound effects, simple animations, and the text content of each frame. The Flash-Masters will have completed their part once the presentation has navigation, fully designed frames, and placeholders for where the video supplements will be embedded.

Buttons
Buttons are the most important task for the Flash-Masters. You may create “next” and “previous” buttons that allow your viewer to advance linearly through the presentation, or you may create a menu bar with many buttons–allowing viewers to jump to any section of the presentation from anywhere (non-linear).

Backgrounds
In Photoshop, create backgrounds for each of your frames. Your backgrounds should help to accentuate the ideas of each frame, but you may design them however you like. You might want to use a consistent design for each frame depending on the content in your lesson plan.

Animations & Sound
Once you have finished designing a layout for each frame, add animations and sounds to bring your presentation to life. You may want to animate certain elements in your background, or even animate text or other graphics. You can add background music to each frame or just simple sound effects for your animations. However you incorporate these media samples, you should make sure that they engage the learner and aid in the teaching process.

The Video Department

The Video-Masters will be responsible for writing the script for each video segment, shooting the footage, and editing each segment. The video-masters will have completed their part once they have at least one individual quicktime movie files to embed into the Flash presentation.

Writing The Script
Start scripting your supplemental videos based on the content of the frame you’re placing the video in. You can do a simple “video professor” style speech about the information, or you can use voiceover and photos/videos to describe the information. Regardless, it may help if your videos are consistent in style and format. Write all of your scripts before you begin shooting any of your videos.

Shooting The Footage
Ideally, you can shoot all of your footage in one session. This will help to maintain the consistency of your video supplements. If you’re shooting “video professor” style speeches, it may be best to shoot everything on the same background.

Editing The Segments
Once you have finished shooting all of your footage, you will edit at least four separate videos. Your videos may need to have fade-ins/fade-outs depending how their incorporated in to your flash presentation. Once completed, you will export each video as a Quicktime movie.

Step IV: Flash & Video Integration

At this stage you should be ready to place your videos into your Flash presentation. First you must have Trevor or Simon sign off on both the Video component and the Flash component. Once integrated and revised one last time, your group is ready to upload!

Requirements

  • Your presentation must include AT LEAST 8 frames.
  • You must include a Start page or title card, regardless of your presentation style.
  • You must incorporate at least one supplemental video clips and one audio clips
  • Your video clip(s) must be at least 30sec and no longer than 90sec
  • AT LEAST one of your video clips must have spoken narration.