400x - Week7
Developing a Syllabus

MiniCourse Syllabus

Course Ttle & description

Visual Storytelling for Civic Engagement: This mini-course serves as an introduction to the use of imagery and spoken word to tell a compelling and accurate story. Students will be trained in the basics of smartphone documentary film or photography techniques, and how to conduct research, plan, and produce a short micro-project. This smaller assignment will establish the foundation for the students to then engage in a more extensive semester-long documentary-style project on a human rights-related topic in their communities. Success of the project relies on the technical and social skills they will learn in the minicourse, which will require teamwork, storytelling, technical skills and research.

Course learning outcomes

Use the newly acquired technical and storytelling skills to produce a short documentary with integrity, curiosity, and open-mindedness. (This will be covered in Modules 1, 2 & 3 )
Apply critical thinking and analytical skills to better understand a civic engagement topic or issue, and identify its impact and connectedness across geographies. (This will be covered in Module 1)
Develop the ability to collaborate effectively with others to deliver a final project. (This will be covered in Modules 1 & 2 )
Recognize your ability (self-efficacy) to inform others, effect change and become civically engaged through filmmaking. (This will be covered in Modules 1 & 2 )
Better understand your learning process: what you excelled at, struggled with, enjoyed most, and how you managed these experiences. Recognize your areas of strength and weakness and how to support and build up these areas. (This will be covered in Module 3 )

Learning Objectives

Learn about the range of approaches and applications of documentary film and plan a storytelling project. (aligns with Learning Outcomes 1 & 2 )
Recognize the value of understanding the topics documented in your international peers’ films and how they impact their communities. (aligns with Learning Outcome 2 )
Collaborate with your classmates responsibly and respectfully in all stages of the production process. (aligns with Learning Outcome 3 )
Develop and apply technical and storytelling skills. (aligns with Learning Outcome 4 )

Instructor contact

Course prerequisites

Technology requirements

This course uses Canvas as the Learning Management System.
Additional educational technology tools include Padlet and
Zoom is also required software.
Use of your personal smartphone is required. The software should be updated and there should be enough available space on your phone to capture images and audio files.
Microphones for your smartphone will be made available to students.

Grading policy with grade scale/weights

A, A– (4.0, 3.7) Excellent work
B+, B, B– (3.3, 3.0, 2.7) Work that is more than satisfactory
C+, C (2.3, 2.0) Competent work
C–, D (1.7, 1.0) Performance that is poor, but deserving of credit
F Failure to reach the standard required in the course for credit
(The grades A+, D+, and D- are not used in this course.)
Incomplete (I) Status: All work for this course must be submitted no later than the date of the last class of the semester, except in extenuating medical or personal circumstances beyond a student’s control. In such situations, and only in such situations, a designation of Incomplete (I) may be granted by the professor at the end of the semester to allow a student extra time to complete the work of the course.
Withdrawal (W) from this course: After the drop/add deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with the written consent of the instructor (using the proper form, available in the Office of the Registrar). Withdrawal from a course after the withdrawal deadline requires permission from the Faculty Executive Committee. In all cases of withdrawal, the course appears on the student’s criteria sheet and grade transcript with the designation of W.

Late policies

There is no formal policy regarding late work. Requests will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Attendance and Participation

Two unexcused absences from the course are permitted. Beyond this, your grade will be impacted. Excused absences include

Schedule of Instructional Events

Week 1: Introduction to course content; form pairs; identify a civic engagement topic for the project; research the topic
Week 2: In pairs, present the topic to your peers, integrate feedback and develop storyboard with interview questions
Week 3: Field production: photograph and audio record
Week 4: Edit together the visual storytelling slideshow
Week 5: Present to the class and document feedback for the full documentary project

Academic honesty/integrity policy

Academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York. Penalties for academic dishonesty include academic sanctions, such as failing or otherwise reduced grades, and/or disciplinary sanctions, including suspension or expulsion.
Academic integrity is at the core of a college or university education. Faculty assign essays, exams, quizzes, projects, and so on both to extend the learning done in the classroom and as a means of assessing that learning. When students violate the academic integrity policy (i.e., “cheat”), they are committing an act of theft that can cause real harm to themselves and others including, but not limited to, their classmates, their faculty, and the caregivers who may be funding their education. Academic dishonesty confers an unfair advantage over others, which undermines educational equity and fairness. Students who cheat place their college’s accreditation and their own future prospects in jeopardy.
For more detailed information, please visit HERE>
(from CUNY website: https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-resources/academic-integrity-policy/)

Accommodations for students with disabilities

This institution is deeply committed to ensuring equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities through innovative support programs, grounded in nationally regarded best practices in postsecondary disability services, which support the academic success and personal development of students with disabilities. Towards this end, each CUNY campus features an Office of Disability Services, managed by a director who coordinates the provision of reasonable accommodations and support services for students with disabilities. Students’ needs for reasonable accommodations and support services are verified by these offices. They also provide counseling and referrals, and arrange crucial auxiliary aids and services, including assistive technology services, note takers, readers, sign language interpreter services, distance learning networks, priority registration, and alternative testing arrangements.