You must do one of the following projects. Each project involves creating digital content (a video or audio file); posting it on the internet; and writing a reflection paper of at least 700 words. After you finish your project, you will enter the forum below and submit the URL to the content you created and your reflection paper.
Video for Banned Books Week (due by Feb. 23)
For this new-media project, you must create a video for the American Library Association’s Virtual Read-Out for Banned Books Week (to be held Sept. 27-Oct. 3). You must:
* Find a book that some people have wanted to ban (a classic or a recent target of censorship). Here is a list of banned literary classics as well as a list of frequently challenged books throughout the years.
* Make a video of 5-6 minutes. The video should include information on where and why the book was banned or challenged and why you believe the book is important. Then read an excerpt from the book. For example, you might spend three minutes talking about the book and two minutes reading from the book. Generally, follow these instructions from the American Library Association (except that our videos will be a little longer than what the ALA recommends).
* Post your video on YouTube and submit it for inclusion on the Banned Books Week YouTube channel (using the form at http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/standforthebanned)
* Write a reflection paper explaining the controversy around the book you’ve chosen. The paper must be at least 700 words. Explain why you chose the book, who was trying to censor it, what happened, and how you felt about the attempted censorship. This paper can be part of the script that you use in your video.
* And finally, enter the forum below and post the URL of your YouTube video as well as your reflection paper.
Here are some of the videos students created in 2018 for Banned Books Week.
Audio interview using the NPR StoryCorps app (due by April 12)
For this new-media project, you must record an interview of 5-6 minutes with a member of your family or with some other interesting individual using National Public Radio’s StoryCorps app. The app will automatically archive the interview at the Library of Congress, so it will live online in perpetuity (although you will have the ability to delete it).
First, listen to some of NPR’s StoryCorps programs, so you’ll know what makes a good interview. To do this assignment effectively, you should write out your questions and share them with the person you’re interviewing. Don’t write an entire script — that would sound stilted, as if you and your interviewee were reading; but you each should give some thought about what you’re going to say. The interview should be conversational but informative. You should pick a theme like:
* “When you were my age, how did you get news and information? What was life like before the Internet?”
* Or: “What was the first concert you went to? How has music changed during your lifetime?”
* Or: “What are your thoughts about media bias and ‘fake news’? What news sources do you trust?”
The StoryCorps app can be tricky, so give yourself time to experiment and do a practice interview (which you can delete). In this assignment, you would record your interview; upload it to the Library of Congress; and ideally add a picture or two. After you’ve done that, then enter the forum below, post the URL of your interview and submit your 700-word reflection paper. In your paper, discuss how digital technologies can help preserve our memories. Perhaps you can give some examples of StoryCorps interviews that you found especially poignant. You also can discuss the StoryCorps app: Was it easy to use? Any tips for other users?
Here are some examples of StoryCorps interviews from 2018.