The Assignment:

Create an audio / visual representation of your relationship to future, new or old technologies. It can take any form you like but you will need to write a short explanation of what it represents. Make sure to cite all sources for your images.

What does it mean to create a visual representation of . . . ?

Often visual representations are more 'telling' than anything we say or write. I can imagine several options for completing this assignment.

• Some people can sketch, draw, paint, whatever. I hope that if you have any such skill, you'll create an original visual representation online or on hard copy of some sort.

• Everyone has access to the web. You can search for images of your favorite technologies (or least favorite) On Google.com for instance, you can choose image search and type in key words. You can then download them, document who owns them, where you got them, and then incorporate them into a presentation using Windows Movie Maker. One of the only ways to FAIL this assignment is to not document every image you use. It's not hard. Do it religiously for every web-related item you use this term.

• There are public domain (look this word up if it's unfamiliar to you) image databases on the web. You can find them with judicious searches. Please share any site you find that seems useful.

• Some people may prefer to make a hardcopy collage using magazines and the like. Feel free. If it's 8.5 X 11, we can digitize it.

• Be creative and imaginative. Have some fun with your searches and images. Cite every image.

Audiences:

This assignment serves several interrelated purposes.

For you and your classmates:

1. It will give you a chance to play around with and document visual material.

For me:

It gives me a chance to get to know you.

If you choose to show it to your parents (or another key person mentioned in your TA),

1. it will provide them with an interesting look into high school life and you.

2. it will provide them with some insight into the influences of technology on you as you grew up.

How to get the assignment done and what should be included. (See the course calendar for specific due dates.)

1. Create and collect images right away for this project. You'll find them everywhere once you start looking. Arrange them in interesting ways.

2. Use still images, narration or voice over, and music that adds significant information about the topic.

3. Information that is valuable to our class discussion and class goals. 

4. A title screen for your Windows Movie Maker visual essay.

5. A credit screen that includes full citation for images and music that you download and use.

6. Make sure you create a reference section that includes all the images you collect (hardcopy & online).

7. Keep a copy on the server of your visual representation handy for later assignments.

Technical specifications for this version of the TA

This project should employ the affordances (capabilities) of the media you are using in effective rhetorical ways. It should be characterized by careful design that helps to convey meaning. The project should be relfective and creative.

For this assignment, you will probably need to do several of the following tasks:

• Use some digitized images (take your own pictures or download them from a collection on the web)
• Use music, and sound/narration/voice over (use a digitial sound recorder to capture sound and or download music/sound from the Internet. This will involve cutting out the parts that you don't need, re-arranging the parts that you do need, and layering these elements in software discussed in class.
• Write supporting materials and documents.
• You will need time to learn how to use the technology requred to complete this assignment. I will provide resouces for you to read and we will discuss the software in class.

Five minutes of an audio and image slideshow using Microsoft Move Maker. Save it as a Windows Movie Maker file and save it on the server and online.