As my ventures into the project began, I knew that my team faced three challenges: to be able to collaborate with our peers in period 2 on a continuous basis, to lay out the newspaper articles with all of Mr. Skillings' students, and to create a website where all the groups' videos can be presented in an orderly and aesthetic fashion. As project support, we not only had to be mindful of our tasks after everyone else's tasks were finished, but also we had to assist Mr. Skillings in helping out any groups while they were doing their projects. I was up for it all. On a weekly basis starting from week 1, the two teams from period 2 and period 4 had a recurring email, usually started by me, in organizing our tasks and how to accomplish the newspaper and video process. Secondly, in my web design class, I have been working on how to create a good looking product and website; these transferable skills will allow me to apply them when everyone has their video, ready to be encrypted in our site. For practice, this is one of the sites that I have created, possibly a preview of the design and layout of what our site will look like in the future: http://stemstats.weebly.com/. Thirdly, I have given many of my 4th period peers tips on the video shooting process, including the necessity of using a tripod, how to edit their videos using Magisto, and how to shoot B Roll and Sound Bites. This was done in a short presentation during class time. Although not many students have followed up with me on editing their video, Wanda and Yalda's group asked me one day in how to use Magisto, and I happily showed them how to add text into their video, to customize transitions, and to insert music into the background. All in all, though, as other groups are completing their projects and writing their newspaper articles, my group's tasks are beginning to unfold before us. These include building the website (of which we only have a skeleton), using InDesign for the newspaper, and lastly the publication process.
As I reflect on how I have got here, I believe my group and I have learned a lot, and given ourselves a plentitude of constructive criticism. Starting off with the positives, I am glad that I am taking web design this year, a class that has taught me how to make visually pleasing websites as well as what informative 21st-century websites look like. Although I may have accepted doing a Big Ideas project, I believed I have gone above and beyond in doing Project Support. Not only does this allow me to gain an insight while helping everyone in their projects, but I can also see the big picture, and help make that big picture get presented in the best way it could possibly be presented. However, there were some bumps in the road. Although I prefer to have worked on just the website or newspaper, and having Jaison or Randal work on the video, I learned that I cannot just push a task on someone else if I am not familiar with it. I had to learn Magisto myself at a quicker pace, so I could also teach it to my classmates. I regret to a certain extent that I had not learned how to use the Adobe Suite or iMovie before this. Even though, learning Magisto was a fun process, and being able to help some groups already was a great opportunity to teach and reinforce.
The ramifications of the project support group, I believe, can be everlasting for our classmates. Editing video is a life skill that can be utilized in many other scenarios in the real world, whether that be for a job or for another class. Even if it is just to show your friends something cool that was shot, presenting it in an orderly, beautiful, and stable form will make them appreciate it just so much more. Furthermore, with regards to the website and newspaper, they will serve as perpetual evidence and as insignias of the Big Ideas Project in Mr. Skillings' English Class. Hopefully the website will stay running on the server for future classes, and the newspaper will transcribe the efforts and successful work that everyone put their hearts into.
Edit: This post will be updated over time as we complete the newspaper, website, and video editing.
