Media Arts Education: Democratizing Creative Empowerment

1. Media Arts Education
.
Democratizing
Creative Empowerment
Dain Olsen
Media Arts Writing Chair
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards
25+ years Media Arts Instructor, Specialist, Admin
K-12, Higher Education
dainolsen01@gmail.com
@olsendain

2. Democracy and Education
Public schools and teachers are on the
front lines of maintaining a vibrant and
equitable democracy

3. Education and the Arts
The Arts (including Media Arts) support
deep engagement and cultural relevance
in learning.

4. The Democratic Promise
of
Media Production
Media content is how we know our world
Everyone can produce media content
• Wide access to social & media broadcasting
• A new “printing press” for the masses

5. The Dilemmas
of
Media Production
• People passively consume content (15+ hrs)
• Content is immersive and potent
• Content has agendas

6. Media Arts Education
• Students learn to produce quality content
• Students analyze and evaluate content
• Students understand the contexts and
mechanisms of content
• Students engage directly in cultural
development and community interaction

7. National Coalition for
Core Arts Standards
• Arts Education Partnership
• Americans for the Arts
• American Alliance for Theatre and Education
• Educational Theatre Association
• The College Board
• National Association for Music Education
• National Art Education Association
• National Dance Education Organization
• State Education Agency for Directors of Arts
Education (SEADAE)
• Young Audiences

8. What is Media Arts?

9. Media Arts
A newly distinguished K12 arts discipline
National Core Arts Standards
Voluntarily available to all States and Districts
www.nationalartsstandards.org

11. Media Arts
Nexus/Hub
Integrative
Amplifier
Inter-Arts
Complimentary
Overlapping
Distinct
“Digital Arts” + Interconnecting = New Whole

12. Media Arts
Nexus/Hub
Integrative
Amplifier
Inter-Subjects
STEM
DESIGN-BASED
PROJECT-BASED
Transdisciplinary –
All Modalities and Contents

13. Media Arts Categories
Imaging
Moving Image
Sound
Virtual
Interactive
Multi- Inter- Trans- Media
Cultural Centrifuge

14. Media Arts Products
Web/Print Publications
Documentary/Film/TV
Radio/Podcast
Video Games
3D Physical/Virtual Products
Architecture/Environments
Events/Experiences/Entertain
Creative Hub/Nexus - Makerspace

15. Media Arts Case Study
Elijah - 11, Aksel - 8
Conditions
● iPad - 2 year period, limited access
● Non-coached, peer-instruction, Youtube
● Internally motivated, Self-directed
Products
● 4 Stop-motion Animations
● 250+ Digital Photos
● 100+ Digitally Drawn Cell Animations
● 15+ Minecraft Worlds
● 30+ Minecraft Architectural Models
● 15+ Digital Puppetshows
● 20+ Digital Audio Productions – narrative/music

17. Transmedia Community Portrait
and Design Challenge
● interactive maps of local places of interest -
landmarks, favorites, problems
● photo-essays, documentaries and news
segments - people, places, resources
● interactive “murals” - photos, videos, texts
● 3D architectural models for community designs
● presentations for local community
● community service projects

18. English Language Learners
TV Production - Language Immersion
● Analyze TV production genre examples
● Study scripts and treatments
● Collaborative teams - fluent with non-fluent
● Develop scripts, stories, episodes
● Direct and Rehearse
● Produce Talk Shows, Talent, Cooking, Travel,
Soap Operas, Ads, News, “How-to”, etc.

19. Video Game Design
Pre-algebraic and Algebraic Concepts

20. Video Game Design
Pre-algebraic and Algebraic Concepts
Reasoning Actions
setting timer speeds; setting variables;
setting room and grid sizes (and animation
rates); creating conditional statements of
step sequences; setting player speeds;
set window scrolling rates and animation
Speeds; variables to store values for display;
step sizes as multiples of the grid size, then as a
factor of the room size

21. Media Arts Standards-based
Competencies (selected)
Creativity/Imagination
Inquiry/Research
Planning/Organization
Design Thinking
Complex Problem Solving
Innovative Adaptation
Collaboration
Construction/Craft
Intermodal Orchestration
Expressive Communication
Intentionality/Refinement
Aesthetic-Media Literacies
Critical Analysis
Contextual Awareness
Synthesis/Metacognition
Systems/Digital Culture
+ Core Content Application +
Cultural Development + Civic Engagement

22. Media Arts Processes and
Process Components
modular, non-linear, cognitive
Creating
Conceive – Develop - Construct
Producing
Integrate – Practice - Present
Responding
Perceive – Interpret - Evaluate
Connecting
Relate - Synthesize

23. Media Arts “Connecting”
Process Components: Relate and Synthesize
Enduring Understanding - Media artworks synthesize
meaning and form cultural experience.
Essential Question
Performance Standards - Proficient
a. Demonstrate and explain how media artworks and
ideas relate to various contexts, purposes, and
values, such as social trends, power, equality, and
personal/cultural identity.
b. Explain and demonstrate the use of media artworks
to expand meaning and knowledge, and create
cultural experiences, such as learning and sharing
through online environments.

24. Media Arts “Connecting”
student-reflection prompts
How does this work relate to social trends,
power, equality, and personal/cultural
identity?
How do we learn and create meaning through
producing media artworks?

25. “Multi-Literacies”
● Media
● Aesthetic
● Digital Culture
● Technology
● Systems
● Information
“Ability to proactively evaluate, navigate,
and negotiate media arts environments
and experiences.”

26. Media Arts Education
Benefits
● Holistic Learning - comprehensively oriented
● “Student-Sourced” Learning (self-scaling, directed)
● Metacognitive - Learning about learning
● Integration - Core Content / STEM / 21 C. / Arts
● Constructivist - Project and Design-based
● Culturally-based - Community-Global interactive
● Low-threshold - High-complexity - Adaptive
Inter-connective, creative hub space for
media production and design

27. Media Arts Education
.
Democratizing
Creative Empowerment
Questions and Discussion
How can you help?
dainolsen01@gmail.com
@olsendain
www.mediaartseducation.org

28. © Dain Olsen 2014
Media Arts Standards © 2014
State Education Agency
Directors of Arts Education