1. Getting apathetic staff on board!
The staff who support / interact / get on board these projects are to me the key to their success in the long term of implementing new technologies alongside creativity in schools - so if staff don't get on it I don't see how this vision will succeed - I was lucky last time with Lee - there was consistency as he was there for two whole days which meant he was able to see the transformation of process and also progression in the students - he also naturally became more and more curious as time went on - and it was pretty easy to get him in the deep end and get his hands dirty - super glad to hear that he's now taking these skills into his daily sessions. Oh one more thing - last time, the staff had prepared materials for the students - research packs etc - this time nada - and my teacher on the first day had prepared a mini-powerpoint presentation on getting ready to film something which didn't help except to disappoint the kids that they weren't gonna go near a camera for the next two days!!! Oh dear!!!! So, my advice would be that if teachers are assigned to these projects they are briefed by the practitioners - I would like to be able to spend a little time with them to explain my vision and ask for their support - this means that they also need to set aside other things they could / should / would / like to do that day and focus on the ILP only.... no checking emails, doing paperwork, chatting to friends etc - ie. perhaps treat them a little like the students, dare I say!!! I KNOW they will have fun if they join in - there are a lot of technophobe teachers out there - and what better way to get over that hurdle than have a friendly and left of centre radio producer to guide them into the joys and delights of apple mac heaven and garageband tricks n treats! Do you think that bit of time would be feasible on the day of the session - I would suggest even 15 minutes before class begins. I also would like to perhaps assign them to one of the groups - or assign them on rotation to each of the groups so they have the same role and responsibility as the students. That way they also get to experience first hand... I could also use the teachers to demonstrate rather than using students - that way they have no choice but to join in. They need to stay in the class during all of the sessions. I could also advise them on ways to implement podcasting into their days - for example a primary school I worked with last year now use podcasting to assess the entire spectrum of literacy skills - from reading and writing, to spoken word, to confidence and performance based skills, to revision, to evidencing student's work and then just for plain old radio programmes and podcasts for the school's web-based radio station and so on and so on.
2. 1 day versus 2 day projects
Yes a 1 day project is feasible but it means changing the existing brief - in 1 day they will get less hands-on experience if they want a finished product at the end of it - and more will have to be done demonstratively and on a master machine for that to be achieved - this may mean working to a group brief and divvying up the work-load then bringing it all together on one master machine and getting some of them to come up and have a go and editing and deciding on placement of materials as a group rather than individually. It really can work - I also know that students had been told they were doing one day of radio and one day of film so were gutted they got stuck with me for two days!!!! Needs to be clear from the start otherwise you get disappointed peoples. This way also more students get experience of more fields which is potentially also a good thing. Need to decide how to change the brief - would definitely like that for next round of sessions as we could do with some different subjects to work from and would like to expand on 'news based theme if possible but keeping the magazine remit. Another consideration will be the number of students. If there are more than 20 it isn't ideal for this work unless they are all working independently - one person per machine - or two people per machine with headphone splitters - yes, that's what I meant to ask for - headphone splitters!!!!!!! Is there money or possibility to bring in a guest???? I have a plan!!!! Can we ask the students in advance for a selection of ideas of topics for a programme? That way I could prepare more in advance or bring this 'mystery idea' to life... let me know.
3. Thoughts
Still really believe in the premise of the ILP - I would like to find a way to get more integration between the differing facets / subjects / skills going on in the long term - either by creating one master project and doing an interpretation of the brief in sound, video, graphics, animation etc... to see how the young people conquer the challenge or by coming up with something that they can all contribute to - one brief that needs each discipline to make it complete. God am I getting too deep now???!!!! What d'ya reckon? I guess I would like to switch things up a little for next time...
