The document summarizes a teacher candidate's perspective on a multidisciplinary media school program. The program integrates subjects like English, physics, and computer science by having students produce media projects. Students learn roles like director, editor, and cinematographer. They produce short films in 8-day rotations. The environment emphasizes hands-on learning and production in a studio, classroom, and office space. Field trips supplement instruction. The goal is to teach essential skills through an authentic, project-based approach.

1. The Multidisciplinary Approach:
A Teacher Candidate’s Perspective
on the Development of Media
School

2. Introduction
• JR Dingwall, University of Saskatchewan
• Fourth year
– Practical and Applied Arts
– Mathematics
– Physics

3. Outline
• The Multidisciplinary Approach
– What is it?
– Things to Consider
– How might it look?
• Media School
– Creating Media School
– How does it look?
– How is it multidisciplinary
– Environment

4. What is the Multidisciplinary Approach?
• The Multidisciplinary or Interdisciplinary
approach includes:
– A variety of subject areas
– Many approaches to similar problems
– Integrating knowledge and skill sets over a
spectrum of subject matter, and projects

5. Some Things to Consider
• What is the theme?
– Media, Carpentry, Social Justice, The
Outdoors
• What subjects converge at the theme?
• How to integrate the subjects
• Curriculum Coverage
• Authenticity

6. Subject Area Choices
• The Evergreen Curriculum (Sask.)
– English Language Arts (ELA, CW, MS, CS)
– Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
Comp.Sci.)
– Social Sciences (History, Psychology, Law, NS)
– Wellness, Physical Education, Health
Education
– Fine Arts Education (Drama, Art)
– Practical and Applied Arts (30 Subject Areas)

7. Common Essential Learnings (CELs)
• Communication
• Numeracy
• Critical and Creative
Thinking
• Technological
Literacy
• Personal and Social
Values and Skills
• Independent Learning

8. Gardner’s Seven Intelligences
• Linguistic
• Logical-
Mathematical
• Bodily-Kinesthetic
• Spatial
• Musical
• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
Σ
♪

9. Team Teaching
• Team teaching
provides an
opportunity for
multiple approaches
to tasks and a broader
coverage of student
needs.
• It can greatly enhance
teacher’s abilities and
make more efficient
use of class time
•Team teaching requires
thorough communication
between the teachers
and students
•Team teaching requires
that teachers respect the
other’s approaches or
offers support. If
disagreements are regular
it can reduce the
effectiveness of this
approach

10. Ways to Integrate Subjects
• Individual Lessons
• Units
• Courses

11. Media School
• Saskatoon Public Schools
• Five Credits, One Semester
• Credits; ELA20, ELA30, Physics 20, CPT
20/30
• All Subjects Focus on the Production Process
• There are NO Periods!

12. Creating Media School
• A proposal for the program was researched
and created
• The proposal sat idle for many years
• The school division revisited the proposal
• A grant was given to create a working model
• Now in session #4
• Regular communication and board
involvement

13. What Does it Look Like?
•Learning Space
•Classroom, Studio, Office, School, Everywhere
•Semiprofessional Equipment
•Cameras (HD), PCs (Adobe Suite), Audio and Lighting Equipment

14. Day - to - Day
• Direct instruction
– Typically in physics or basic skills training
(CPT)
• Discussion and Class Decisions
– Teachers and students work on a teacher
chosen task
• Student Directed Time
– Media School allows for a lot of student self
directed work periods and days

15. The Course Plan
• Team Building
– Brightwater
Camping Trip
• Team Building
Activities
– Day Challenges
(Team Mobility,
Scavenger Hunts,
etc)
– Fairy Tales Video
Projects
– First Films
•About Me
oPair up and film
oEdit
oShare

16. Boot Camp
• Boot Camp – 8 Roles
– 8 Roles is 8
Productions in 8 Days
• Producer
• Writer
• Editor
• Director
• Cinematographer
• Audio Recorder
• Gaffer
• Art Director
Rules of the 8 Roles Projects
1.Each person must do their own job
2.Every project must be submitted to
a contest
• Contests included; my
favourite place, flicks, Mendle
Art Gallery, save the planet
3.Preproduction must be done in
advance
4.Only one day is available for
shooting
5.Only two days are available for
editing

17. 8 Role Project – Cheer Up

18. Roles in Detail
• Producer (ELA, CPT)
– Market Research
– Primary Pitch
– Assemble a Crew
– Production Plan
– Talent, Music, Location Releases
• All music must be original!

19. Roles in Detail
• Writer (ELA, CPT)
– Develop a Working Script
– Collaborate with Producer and Director

20. Roles in Detail
• Director (ELA, CPT, Physics)
– Create a Working Story Board
– Finalize the Production Team
– Finalize the Production Plan
– Direct the Shoot

21. Roles in Detail
• Cinematographer (ELA, CPT, Physics)
– Meet with Director and Art Director
– Book Equipment
– Acquire Footage
– Manage tapes and shot logs

22. Rouge (32 Hours, 21 in Editing)

23. Roles in Detail
• Audio Recorder (CPT, Physics)
– Meet with the Producer and Director
– Book Equipment
– Record Ambient Sound
– Acquire Audio from the Shoot
– Create any necessary sound effects
– Create a score
• ALL MUSIC AND SOUNDS MUST BE COPYRIGHT FREE!

24. Thirsty (20 Hours)

25. Roles in Detail
• Gaffer (CPT, Physics)
– Meet with Director, Cinematographer, Art
Director
– Book Equipment
– Implement the lighting plan

26. Roles in Detail
• Art Director (CPT, Physics)
– Makeup (regular and special)
– Hair
– Physical Effects
– Stunt
– Props
– Set Design and Dressing
– Colour Design

27. Art Director Examples

28. Zombies in the Snow II (15 Hours)

29. Roles in Detail
• Editor (CPT, Physics)
– Meet with Producer and Director
– Capture
– Rough Edit
– Final Edit
– Alternate Edit
– Turn over all reports

30. Film Analysis (ELA)
• Throughout the term students watch a
variety of films from many countries and
analyse themes and techniques
• For example
– El Mariachi, M (Fritz Lang, Germany), Do the
Right Thing, Fargo, Pather Panchelli (India),
La Règle du jeu, Trois Couleurs; Bleu,
Minority Report, Der Lauf der Dinge, Touch of
Evil, and many more…

31. Novel and Short Story Analysis
• Students also study a few novels and short
stories throughout the course, some of
which also have a film version
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
• Blade Runner

32. Integrating Physics
• Practical Problem Solving
• Waves, Sound, Light, Optics
• Example activities
– Equipment dissection, classroom jam, audio
problem solving, lighting, filters, charge-
coupled devices, projectors, microphones,
the 24 hour production

33. Independent Production Time
• Three two week periods (rounds) were set
aside for students to work on their
independent projects of their choice.
– Students kept track of how many hours they put
in each day (Expected time was 32 hours per
round)
– Producer’s kept track of how much time was
spent on their own productions and by whom
– Assessment was based on hours input and
efficiency

34. Environment, Place and Space
• Studio
– Work stations
– Shooting area with green screen
• Classroom
– No desks
– Work stations
– Projector and Surround Sound
• Office
– Work Station
– Equipment

35. Field Trips
• Brightwater
– Team building
• Regina
– SCN
– Film Pool
– Imax
• University of Saskatchewan
– Anechoic Chamber
– Sound Experiments

36. Conclusion
• “Questions, Comments…Concerns?”