1. UFVA 2020 Teaching Forum
Teaching Online Group Work
Vicki Callahan, Professor, University of Southern California, School of
Cinematic Arts
Divisions:
• Cinema and Media Studies
• Media Arts + Practice
• @vcallahan@cinema.usc.edu

2. Tools and Tips for Teaching Online Collaborative Assignments
Collaborative (Group) Assignments
• Icebreakers
• Share stress of assignment; students make a contribution to larger goal and don’t
always have to be perfect
• Employ group brainstorm sessions: build dialogue, share ideas
• Be inspired by teammates
• Learn skills from each other
• Build Community
• Taught fully online, hybrid, and in person with collaborative online in multiple
variations since 2008. Wealth of options for collaborative online assignments

3. Collaborative
Assignments
Ideal for Breaking the
Zoom Gloom
• You can use these collaborative
tools in async or sync online
contexts
• If working in sync, great
opportunity to use breakout
rooms, not only for meeting up
but for project planning and
even project making.

4. Google Drive is Essential Tool

5. Discussion
Forums
Structure responses
as dialogue

7. Share Media Files for Collaborative Work: Video
Curate, Create, Edit, Review

8. Collaborative Video
Example from 2013, IML 420, New Media For Social Change
Used mix of software/platforms including WeVideo
• Project #1: Collaborative Video Editing, Who
Are the Peacemakers?
“Collaborating on this project was integral to
presenting the information in a clear and
direct way. If I had been alone, the process
and the end result would have been so boring.
“We need to have a point of view,” Allison kept
reminding us. When researching something, I
too easily fall into fact-gathering mode and
need a push to be analytical at times.
Analytical thinking (on top of good, context-
giving research) is critical to social activism.”
From final reflection (on page)
https://newmedia4socialchange2013.wordpress.com/collab
orative-video-editing-who-are-the-peacemakers/74-2/
Camila Vallejo, Student Activist (2 minutes 17, seconds)
Amber, Biz, Allison group
https://youtu.be/ujpAONYTRVY

9. Collaborative Video
2013, IML 420 Audio Visual Essay, Project 2 (parent release, partnered with USC Joint Education Project)
Teaching Media Literacy with Elementary School students & Interviews (Group 1, posted by Renee)
Interviews, Drawings, Edits – share skills, curate, discuss
https://youtu.be/XLhXXabMHi8
3 minutes and 12 seconds

10. IML 420: 2014
Collaborative Map,
Zines, Video, and
Mixed Media
• Shelly Wattenbarger (USC Professor in Animation and MA+P students)
• Partnership with West Adams High School students
• Partnership with local community organizations and activists
• Hybrid, in person and online (challenges with tech for LAUSD students)
http://newmedia4socialchange.org

11. Community Storytelling

12. Google My Maps used here, also check out Knight Story Maps

13. Student Community
Design Fiction/Final Group Project
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/reimagining-la-a-design-fiction-for-los-angeles-2066/index

14. Collaborative Stories Can Be Simple,
Social Media and Remix
Often used as First Project/Icebreaker
Remixing Titanic with Time Travel Lens
Used Wordpress, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, 2011

15. Twine
IML 295
Race, Class, Gender in
Digital Culture (2018)
• Wormwood
• Team of 3: Emily F, Emily B, and Dan G.
• Brainstorm and mapping sessions in class, built using shared
files in google drive

16. Liberty Elementary School (school shootings)
Ethan, Tia, Remi

17. Miro: Online Whiteboard -- miro.com
• Brainstorms
• Storyboards
• User Journeys
• Narrative Strands
in Conventional
Contexts
(backstories,
timelines)
• Transmedia Story
Lines
• FREE
Templates
Comments
Sticky Notes
Frames
Add video, images,
text
Chat
Present from site
Export as PDF

18. Transmedia User Journey: IML 320 (2019)
individual and small group projects, 2-3 students max

19. IML 320 Writing and Designing Transmedia (2019)
Nicole and Brooke “The Search” – Streaming Series, Facebook, text alerts
Full User Journey for project

20. IML 320 Writing and Designing Transmedia (2019)
Nicole and Brooke “The Search” – Streaming Series, Facebook, text alerts – Segment Breakdown

21. IML 320 -Narrative Strands for Transmedia Story (Try Life Partner): 3 Strands (20 students, 2018)
Queer Student Assembly, Greek Scene, Journalism Students

22. Journalism Group Work, IML 320, Try Life, 2018
(Each Team 4-5)

24. Curation:
Key Conceptual Tool
https://wakelet.com
• Use as an Icebreaker/Explore social media and online offerings in public scholarship
• Academics who use tech in interesting ways? For example, podcasts or video
essays or creative writing or activism? Academic websites as portfolios?
• GRAD CLASS (2020), but use in undergrad often (replaced Storify)

25. Scalar – Curation and Annotation
(Image and Video Annotation possible)
IML 420, New Media for Social Change
(Gender and Emerging Media, 2020)
• ”Queering Masculinity on hetero-
saturated platforms,” [Dorian
Electra and Ezra Miller]
Nico, undergrad
• In this case, Students commented
on the curation/annotation, but
possible to have multiple people
annotate or comment
• https://scalar.me/anvc/scalar/

26. With peer comment

27. Scalar: Curation as Group Project
IML 420, New Media for Social Change, 2017
Gender and Emerging Media (groups of 4-5)

28. Teaching Syllabi and
Assignments on Scalar
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/ufva-
collaborative-online-teaching-and-tools/index

29. Final Thoughts/Suggestions
• Consider your intentions
• Let go of the precious object
• My courses are more on
process than product
• Things change
Education focused on flexibility:
technically, intellectually,
Emotionally
• Don’t be a thief of joy