Dr. Jacqueline Sadashige has enlisted the services of the Digital Media Lab and their staff for two final projects. In the fall, each of her courses created running commentaries for feature length films. Each class chose one film to work on collaboratively, and each student chose a chapter of the DVD on which to comment. After scripting their commentaries, students used the lab to record their text for playback as an alternative to the film’s own audio track. This spring, teams of students in both courses created trailers and pitches for imaginary projects (ranging from remixes of pre-existing films to a mock campaign ad). Students were given an initial tutorial in iMovie, and several class sessions took place in the lab to allow students time to work on their final projects.
Dr. Sadashige commented, “The lab contains a wealth of equipment, but it’s the dedicated staff that has made these projects possible. Their generosity and patience have really encouraged me to be more creative with my syllabus! As a result, my students have not only broadened their understanding of the subject material, but the multi-media nature of this work has literally shifted the parameters of what it means to think and write.”
