A. Interacting with learning materials
During this early part of the process teachers should work to suggest or provide students with materials useful for their exploration. Particular care should be given to the quality of the materials that students are using.
1. Select a focus for your study such as an important individual from history, or someone whose life you would like to profile.
2. Review resource materials such as reference books and web resources, talk with experts, collect photographs or other artifacts and information. Be careful to use only materials that are historically and factually accurate. As much as possible attempt to locate primary source materials (see link)
B. Developing an understanding
The role of the teacher in this step is to assist the students to engage in disciplined inquiry. Part of this process is not to shy away from controversial or contested historical issues. History is greatly based on perspective, teachers can facilitate looking at these issues from multiple perspectives by asking questions, engaging in meaningful discussions of content and other forms of higher level scaffolding.
1. Think about the individual's life, their accomplishments and begin to take notes on the elements of their life and contributions that you would like to highlight in your story. Pay particular attention to those elements of their life that are either controversial or around which there are some historical questions. In what ways did this individual contribute to our collective history?
2. Discuss your ideas with peers or teacher and parents. Talk about your plans for presenting aspects of your subject's life and ideas that would best help others understand about this individual. Use their feedback to refine your presentation.
Second Step. Planning the Video
The critical role of the teacher here is to help students be as metacognitive as possible as they reflect on their learning process and the understanding they constructed. Talking with them throughout the process and highlighting these elements in students' work can promote this mindful reflection..
A. Creating representations of understanding
1. Begin to design and type a series of questions and answers that will address those important aspects and ideas of your subject's life. Be certain to phrase your answers to the questions in a way that reflects your subject's personality (and maybe accent).
2. Review the questions and put them in the order that makes the most sense for telling the story about your subject. Think about how you might build the story and then come to those elements of their life you would like to highlight. Keep in mind that the subject has answered a previous question and consider providing a response to their answer before asking the next question.
3 Add an introduction to your story and a closing at the end. For example, "Welcome to SNN where... Today I have ___ in the studio, welcome...", "Well, that's all the time we have today. Thank you ___ and thank you for watching SNN."
4. After your written script is completed ask a peer or teacher or parent to help you review and edit your writing. Cut and paste your writing so all the questions are combined in one new document and all the answers on another. Enlarge to a #24 font and number the pages. Print both documents for use in your presentation.
B. Preparing for the presentation
1. Think about any visual elements that you would like to include in the presentation. Plan on the appropriate dress for the interviewer and subject. Decide on any backdrop materials or props that you would like in the pictures.
2. Think about any auditory elements that you would like to include in the presentation. Is there an accent that you would like the subject to use, if so this might be practiced? Are there any other sounds or images that you might include in the interview?
Third Step. Recording the Video
A. Setting up the location
1. Select a location for filming that will be isolated from external sounds and that will provide considerable lighting, more than would be adequate for reading. Arrange the seats and backdrop so that what is in the visual frame is desirable.
B. Recording the interview
1. Set up the camera on a tripod at head level of the interviewer/subject. Make sure that there is adequate power and tape for the camera. Place the camera close enough that the microphone will pick up sufficient audio.
2. Put the individual in the frame in such a way as to balance the interview. Interviewer on the left side of the frame, later the subject on the right side.
3. Begin recording the interview by recording all the questions first. It is not necessary to stop the camera between each question. Each question should be read with appropriate inflection. If it is not satisfactory for you, simply stop and start the questions over. I recommend multiple takes of each question that will allow you to select the best one during editing. Save the outtakes for your blooper reel.
4. Once the questions have been recorded change clothing, reorient the camera and record all the answers to the questions. It is particularly helpful to get into character before the filming begins. Again each answer may be repeated until you feel it has been satisfactorily presented.
C. Editing the interview
1. Once all the questions and answers have been recorded, the tape should be downloaded into the appropriate computer program such as iMovie
2. The clips of each question and answer should be reviewed and the best of each of them should be selected and assembled into the planned order. Using the script to review helps.
3. If desired a logo or introduction could be added to the beginning of the tape. Titles are added to the beginning, credits to the end, and any desired music or sounds added. Using a program like garage band can allow you to create your own original introduction or theme. The video should now be complete.
Fourth Step. Presenting Your Video
A. Preparing for the presentation.
1. Be certain that you have all the computing and projection equipment that you will need to display the video. Since sound is an important element of this story, be certain that you have amplification of the sound available. Confirm that your project is in a form that will play on the available computer or DVD player.
B. Presenting the project.
1. Prepare for a short introduction of your video to the audience. Describe your initial idea and how you prepared the project. Either before or after the presentation prepare to describe your reflections on the project.
Fifth Step. Reflecting on the Process
A. Reflecting on the process.
1. After concluding the process of designing, recording, editing, and presenting the video, you should now reflect on what this whole process has shown you about your own learning process and style. The questions you should examine include:
- What was the assignment
- What process did you use to make the video
- Describe the process of filming
- Describe the process of editing including adding music
- Describe the presentation you gave to your peers
- What did you learn about your subject
- What did you learn about yourself doing the project
B. Recording the reflections
1. In a similarly prepared visual and acoustical environment to the initial recording, sit down, face the camera and relatively extemporaneously provide an answer to each question until you are satisfied with that answer and move on to the next question. Add any final information to your reflections that you desire.
Final Step. Final Editing and production
A. Final editing process
1. Once all the reflections have been recorded, the tape should be downloaded into the same computer program you used for the movie.
2. The clips of each reflection should be reviewed and the best of each of them should be selected and assembled into order.
3. If desired an introduction could be added to the beginning of the tape. Titles are added to the beginning, titles added before each of the reflections (to indicate on what you are commenting), and credits added to the end. The reflection video should now be complete.
4. If it is desired to make a bloopers tape, then all the remaining clips from the two previous tapes should be downloaded into a new movie file. These clips should be reviewed to select the desired clips. Now they should be assembled into order . All unused clips should be deleted.
5. If desired an introduction could be added to the beginning of the tape. Titles are added to the beginning, credits to the end, and any effect such as a sound or laugh track added. The blooper video should now be complete.
B. Recording your final Disk.
1. With all three videos now completed and saved, it is time to burn a DVD. Opening up iDVD or a comparable DVD production program, a desired theme should be selected, background, photos and video or audio clips selected. The three videos can now be connected and the DVD can be burned. As a final element you might consider designing a cover for the video box.
