Unlocking the Moviemaking Mind: Tales of Voice, Vision, and Video from K-12 Classrooms

166 Pages·2014·0.779 MB·English

by  Michael Schoonmaker, John M. Wolf

Unlocking the Moviemaking Mind
Tales of Voice, Vision, and Video
from K-12 Classrooms
Michael Schoonmaker and John M. Wolf
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Contents
Preface v
ByMichaelSchoonmaker
Introduction:JourneytoVideoProductioninK-12 vii
Section1:AddressingSocialJusticethroughSocialStudiesand
Science xi
TellingStoriesandStorytelling xiii
1 Instinct xv
2 Connection xxi
3 Nature xxv
4 Motivation xxix
VideobeyondVocation xxxiii
5 Expression xxxv
6 Purpose xxxix
7 Solution xliii
8 Integration xlix
DestinationandJourneyinVideoProduction liii
9 Reason lv
10 Invention lix
11 Resilience lxiii
PartTwo:Locks lxvii
BehindtheCamera,inFrontoftheLens:VideoandSelf-
Discovery lxix
12 Boundaries lxxi
13 Acknowledgment lxxv
14 Paths lxxix
VideoandVoice lxxxv
15 Listening lxxxvii
16 Hearing xciii
17 Perspective xcvii
iii
iv Contents
18 Noise ciii
19 Fringe cix
20 Humanity cxiii
PartThree:UnlockingtheMoviemakingMind cxix
MediaandLiteracy cxxi
21 Reciprocity cxxiii
22 Empowerment cxxvii
23 Transformation cxxxi
TheMessIstheMessage cxxxvii
24 Motive cxxxix
25 Confabulation cxlv
Conclusion clvii
References clxi
Preface
By Michael Schoonmaker
UnlockingtheMoviemakingMindisanunfoldingnarrativeaboutthegrow-
ing potential of video production in K-12 classrooms. It is designed as a
thought-provokingroadmapforteachersofallK-12subjectswhowantto
findeffectiveandengagingwaystoinvigoratetheirtwenty-firstcentury
lesson plans. It is written for teachers who have witnessed the natural
fascinationkidshaveformediamakingandsharesinsightsfromarapid-
lyexpandingpopulationofK-12teachersaroundthecountryandworld
who have already tapped into the power of visual expression in their
classrooms.
Thebookexploresboththeknownandnot-so-knownfrontierofK-12.
Videomaking is designed to equip teachers to meet their unique chal-
lenges and objectives, in their own ways. Findings are derived from a
widespectrumofactivitiesoverthepastfiveyears,including:
• Updatestoandreconsiderationsofideasfrommybook Camerasin
theClassroom (2007).InthisbookIconfrontedthestrangeanomaly
that nearly all kids entering school are fully functional readers of
visualmedia,yetK-12curriculawerestillhesitanttofullyembrace
visual media in learning environments. On top of this, “visually-
ready”studentsweretrappedinaholdingpatternintermsoftheir
lackofaccesstothetoolsofvisualexpression.Theycan“read”the
visualmediaofothers,buttheyareshortofthenecessarytoolsand
skillsto“write”theirownvisualexpressions.Sincethen,therehas
beenaslowbutsuremoveonteachers’partstocorrectthiseduca-
tionalincongruity.
• Test-flown perspectives first presented in my online column in
SchoolVideoNews.ThecolumnwasdesignedtohelpK-12educators
expand and improve the use of visual media in classrooms across
thenation.TheteachersandstudentsIcametoknow throughthis
experienceaddedexponentiallytomyknowledgebase.
• Freshfindingsstraightfrommiddleschoolclassrooms:“TheSmart
KidsVisualStoriesProject”—athree-yearstudyoftheroleofvisual
media in giving voice to the voiceless: stories, insights, and ideas
forreformfromstudentsinanurbanpublicschooldistrict.
v
vi Preface
• Collaboration with my colleague John Wolf who has worked with
meinmanyoftheaboveendeavorsandbringstothisbookadeep
understanding of the convergence of humanity and technology,
along with his true gift in finding order, however small it may be,
inchaosofallshapesandsizes.
And a final thought: Studying young moviemakers has certainly taught
ushowkidscanusevisualexpressiontoenhancelearning.Butithasalso
helpedusunderstandhowdeeplyentwinedhumanityandvisualexpres-
sion are at the heart of any moviemaking experience, be it professional,
educational, or recreational. There is a child within every moviemaker,
andamoviemakerwithineverychild.
Introduction: Journey to Video
Production in K-12
Theundocumentedlifeisnotworthliving.Thissentiment—whetheryou
agree with it, take issue with it, or just smirk at the Socratic reference—
hyperbolicthoughitmaybe,isagoodreflectionofparticipatoryculture
atthebeginningofthe21stcentury.Asinformationandcommunication
technologieslikesmartphones,digitalvideocameras,anduser-generated
contentsiteslikeYouTubecontinuetoevolveatarapidpace,we’repre-
sentedwithfurtheropportunitiestodocumentourlives,shareourlived
experiences,andactivelyparticipateindigitalstorytelling.
Throughoutthisbookweexplorethepossibilitiesfordigitalstorytell-
ing in the K-12 classroom. The findings are based on a multi-year re-
searchprojectthatexaminedtheoutcomesandeffectsofdigitalstorytell-
inginurban,publicschools.Narrativesfromtheseexperiencesareorga-
nized thematically and presented in a three-part structure. Each part is
composed of numerous chapters as well as interludes that serve to syn-
thesizeandcontextualizeimportantinformation,ideas,andtheoriespre-
sentedthroughoutthebook.
Although this book tells a liner narrative from beginning to end, it
isn’t necessary to read it linearly. Each part (described below) offers a
uniquesetofusefulideasandstories,sofeelfreetoplanyourjourneyto
suit your own needs or to jump around from one part of the book to
another.
WHYAREYOUHERE?
Maybe you’re an educator who’s interested in somehow incorporating
videoproductionintoyourlessonplans.Maybeyou’reanadministrator
who wants to encourage her teachers to engage in classroom-based me-
dia production exercises. Maybe you’re a graduate student who has an
investmentinconstructionist,hands-oneducation.Maybeyou’reaschol-
ar who’s surveying the current literature on the use of contemporary
technologies in the classroom. Or maybe you just liked the cover of this
bookandthoughtthetitlesoundedcool.
Regardlessastowhyyou’rehere:Welcome.Thisbookiswrittenfrom
thepointofviewoftwoeducatorswhohavespentyearsthinkingabout,
writing about, and researching digital media production in the K-12
vii
viii Introduction:JourneytoVideoProductioninK-12
classroom.Thisbookiswrittenforanyonewithaninterestinthissubject.
Educatorswillfindusefulinformationandconvincingevidenceformak-
ingtheleaptousingvideoproductionintheclassroom.Similarly,educa-
tors who have already integrated video production into their curricula
will discover useful philosophies as well as practical applications for re-
fining their techniques. Students and scholars can indulge in findings
from experimental research pertaining to storytelling, participatory cul-
ture,andmediastudies.Andthosesimplywithaninterestinthesubject
will discover a tale of untapped potential, unlikely hope, and creative
ingenuity.
The prospect of introducing video production in the K-12 classroom
canseemdauntingatfirst.Youmayfindthatyourmindisoverwhelmed
with questions at the very thought of it. What does it take to produce a
video?WhatifIlackfamiliaritywiththenecessarytechnologies/vocabu-
lary/skillsets? What makes a good video? What learning outcomes can
video production help my students achieve? What if the school doesn’t
havethebudget/funds/infrastructuretosupportsuchanendeavor?And
countlessotherones,nodoubt.
Whileitistruethatthereareagreatnumberofpractical,institutional,
and systematic hurdles to overcome in introducing video production in
theK-12classroom,thereisanequal,ifnotgreater,amountofsomething
elsethatmakestheendeavorworththewager:Possibility.Inshort,video
productionintheK-12classroomworks.Studentsengagedinvideopro-
duction interventions display gains in self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-pos-
session,andcriticalthinking.Studentswhoaremoreconfidentaremore
likelytobelievetheycansuccessfullyundertakeassignedtasksand,thus,
farebetterinschool.
While we know from research and experience that video production
interventionsworkinK-12classroomswhenexecutedproperly,wedon’t
necessarily know why. Using data collected from several years of field-
work,PartIexploreswhyvideoproductionseemstoworksowellinthe
K-12 classroom. We begin by investigating storytelling as the core of
video production and exploring the relationship between storytelling
and the human condition. We then lay out some important considera-
tionsforsuccessfullyimplementingdigitalvideoproductionintheclass-
room. Finally, we present some tried and true methods and ideas for
introducingstudentstovideoproductionasaneducationalresource.
Part II presents evidence as to how digital video production can be
usedintheK-12classroomtoovercomethoseindividualandsystematic
challengesandbarrierscommontopubliceducation.Firstweinvestigate
the relationships between video production, self-discovery, and motiva-
tion.Nextweexplorevideoproductionasametaphorforvoiceandwhat
it means for students to be able to articulate agency, to be heard rather
thanmerelylistenedto,andtoknowinglysharemeaningfulpartsoftheir
existenceswithothers.