Media Aesthetics: COMM 309
syllabus | schedule of events

Composition 4: A Picture of Learning Today

For your final composition in Media Aesthetics, you will creating a image, text, and sound composition that deals with learning and what it means to be learning today. You should address a major issue for learning. You could choose one of Gee’s learning principles, something you’ve learned in class, or define what it means to be digital and media “literate” in today’s society. You might address the changing nature of education, or take a look back at where “learning” has been.

Remember, you must have a thesis that is supported by the images, sounds, and texts that you’ve chosen. Your images, texts, and sounds must all be your own creation. You may not use any work created by other people (one exception – you may use royalty-free music with appropriate citation if you need a soundtrack).

1. “Storyboard” your ideas by considering how order, positioning, and juxtapostion can play a role in your meaning.
2. Create your document by piecing together these elements.
3. Edit, Revise, Edit, Revise.

The tools in the Knight-Crane Convergence Laboratory can be extremely helpful to you in creating your composition. Let me know if you have questions or need technical support.

Reflections

For your reflection on this assignments please consider some of the following questions to get you started:

1. How well did the produced composition change the meaning of the text?
2. What successes or frustrations did you experience as you created the composition?
3. How did you decide what sounds/images/texts to include and what not to include?
4. How did making this compostion change your awareness of the process of making messages? In the news? In movies? In advertising?
5. Now that it is finished, how could you have improved the composition?
6. How is your composition a reflection of your own learning in media aesthetics?