(Author's Note: This is a working syllabus in progress)
PHO XXX: Digital Photography for High School Teachers
Course Policy
and Assignment Manual
Prepared by Lori
King
ABOUT THIS COURSE MANUAL:
This policy
manual introduces the basic principles and theories of digital photography for
the students of Digital Photography for High School Teachers course. This
manual outlines the official classroom procedures and assignments for this
course…with the teacher is always in mind.
Table of Contents
The Syllabus
Catalog description/ Required textbooks/ Materials
Materials
cont./ Course objectives, overview & learning outcomes
Course Rights & Responsibilities
Assignment
& Grade Procedures:
Grade scale,
Poynter Institute, Dropbox/ Homework policy
Procedures/ Email/Twitter/
Computer access/ Class attendance/ Re-dos
Weekly
Assignment Calendar
Assignment Synopsis
Camera Operations
Editing Software/ Social Media/ Law & Ethics
Image permanence/ Critical thinking/ Critiquing and grading
Weekly Lesson Plans
Week One: Camera operations
Week Two: Composition/ Light
Week Three: Photo Editing/ Social media
Week Four: Law and ethics
Week Five:
Photography as art/photojournalism/interdisciplinary/marketing
Week Six: Image permanence
Week Seven:
How to yeach photography/ Building a curriculum
Week Eight: Critiquing and grading student
work
Course Syllabus for Summer
20xx Semester
School of Arts and Sciences
Department of Fine and
Performing Arts
Program Name: Photography
Course Name: Digital Photography for High School Teachers
Course Number: PHO XXX
Credits: X
Contact Hours: Day: Thursday/
Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Instructor’s Name: Lori King
Office Hours: By appointment
Classroom XXX Phone:
Campus E-mail: lori_king2@owens.edu
Catalog Description: Introduction to the basic principles and
theories of photography, including the use of photography as communication and
critical thinking tools. Study of and practice in using and teaching digital
photography as fine art, as photojournalism, and for inspiring learning in
interdisciplinary subjects. Course will cover digital camera operation, image
correction and enhancement via image manipulation software, optimizing digital
output, and optimizing image sharing using social media outlets. In addition to
technical skills, students will address image concepts and composition as means
of communication.
Pre-requisites: None /Co-Requisites: None
Textbooks:
1.
Focus on Photography: A Curriculum Guide, by
Cynthia Way (2006). International Center of Photography, New York. www.icp.org
2.
For
interdisciplinary teachers: Teaching with Digital Images, edited by Glen L.
Bull and Lynn Bell, International Society for Technology in Education, 1st
Edition (2005). ISBN: 978-1-56484-219-0
3. For photojournalism: Photojournalism,
The Professionals' Approach, by Kenneth Kobre', Focal press, 6th
Edition (2008) ISBN: 978-0-7506-8593-1
Required/Recommended
materials and equipment:
Required:
- A thumb-drive that is at least 2 GB. (All of your course material will be submitted and stored on this thumb-drive)
- A 3-inch 3-ring binder. (All handouts and class documents will be saved in this binder)
- A digital single lens reflex (DSLR) 35mm camera
Recommended but not necessary:
- 35mm DSLR with manual capabilities and a memory card for your camera
- A point and shoot camera and/or a cell phone camera
- Various lens lengths that give you a wide (35mm) to telephoto (70-200mm) shooting range
- An auxiliary flash with tilting head option
- A small pack of colored Post-It strips for filing/labeling.
Course Objectives:
This course will:
- Introduce photography as a mode of communication;
- Reinforce how design principles communicate specific meaning;
- Examine law, ethics and press freedom in relation to the various disciplines of photography;
- Teach current strategy of social media and how it plays a vital role in disseminating visual information in the modern age.
- Demonstrate and encourage the proper use of technology in all phases of digital photography, including input, manipulation and output.
Course Overview:
This course is two-prong:
- Teachers learn to comprehend the craft of photography so they can understand it themselves.
- This course strives to give teachers skills and confidence to teach photography. The skills learned in this class will enable teachers to use vocabulary associated with photography; to achieve visual literacy; to manipulate light using basic camera controls to obtain a correct exposure; to apply basic compositional and design elements to construct to communicate specific meaning; to use photography as a means of visual literacy and communication; and to effectively critique and grade student work.
Student Learning
Outcomes:
At the end of the course, students will demonstrate the
ability to:
- Summarize their understanding of the image as a tool of communication;
- Demonstrate the skill to analyze images to determine the degree of success at exposure determination, focus, composition, as well as communication during class critiques verbally or in written form;
- Demonstrate ability to manipulate the color, tone, content, and dimensions of their digital images by completing lab exercises designed to develop these skills;
- Understand and teach how to use light and compositional elements to make a good photo;
- Examine and analyze media images using a variety of criteria and perspectives;
- Know the ethical and legal differences between fine art, photojournalism and public relations/marketing photography;
- Use industry standard software for editing photos/audio, and multimedia production/publication via Photo Mechanic, Audacity, Soundslides and Photoshop;
- Create and maintain blog and Twitter accounts in order to further understand social media tools.
Course Rights and Responsibilities Agreement:
My student blog has been established as an open forum for
student and faculty expression.
I will resist any attempt at censorship from people or
organizations outside the staff and it will not be reviewed by school
administration prior to publication. I will take into consideration guidance
from my instructor, but will make my own decisions. Therefore, content
represents my own views. and not the instructor’s.
Only spelling, grammar and AP style guidelines will be
edited and graded by the instructor.
The photo blogs will endeavor to adhere to high standards of
self-expression and journalism.
The following is a list of actions (or inactions) that
warrant immediate failing grades:
• Plagiarism—Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or
ideas without attribution and passing them off as your own.
• Falsified information and fabricated quotes—includes
electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph.
• Libel—Libel is writing anything that tends to expose another
to public ridicule and to injure his or her character or reputation.
• Violation of copyright law—This occurs when a photographer
uses someone’s copyrighted work without first obtaining written consent.
• Meeting deadlines
• Adhering to assignment descriptions
I will avoid publishing in my course blog innuendo,
obscenity and material that threaten to substantially disrupt the learning
process or is an invasion of privacy. I will not use my position as a
scholastic photojournalist for unfair personal gain. Finally, I will strive to
avoid all instances of conflict of interest.
I, as a student photographer, will conduct research to
uncover factual information and will avoid hearsay. I will try to make my coverage
and content unbiased, well rounded and meaningful to my blog readership.
The instructor will be responsible for all final decisions
on policy issues that arise and is the person ultimately responsible for the
student blogs.
Student Signature
_______________________________________
Assignments and
Grading Procedures:
Course Assignments
- Camera controls: The scavenger hunt
- Composition and design
- Editing software
- Social Media strategy
- The First Amendment
- Law, ethics, photographer’s rights
- Image Permanence
- Photography as art, photojournalism, yearbook and for interdisciplinary subjects
- Grading/critiquing photographs
- Final Project: developing lesson plans and syllabus for students
Total Assignment points = xx
Poynter Institute NewsU Tutorials
Total NewsU points = xx
Grading
breakdown
Assignments = 60%
NewsU tutorials = 20%
Final Project = 20%
Total = 100%
Poynter Institute tutorials
You will work through a variety of self-directed courses
offered by The Poynter Institute's News University, funded by the John S. and
James L. Knight Foundation. The NewsU courses viewed in this class are free (there
are fee-based courses available if you want to take your learning further.) At
the end of each course, you will be required to submit a course report to your
instructor to acquire a grade. Grade is determined by the amount of time spent
on the course.
Dropbox.com
It is recommended you sign up for Dropbox.com as an
effective way to share your homework assignments and other documents with your
instructor. Dropbox.com is a
free online service that provides online storage and sharing of your photos,
documents and videos anywhere, anytime. This service eliminates the need to
email you a file! The instructor can help you set up your account in class.
Deliverable homework assignments
Each homework assignment will have a due date. It is
important to keep up with the work and submit work on time. Late assignments
will be reduced 10 points each class week it's late. No exceptions.
Specific Course Procedures:
Classroom procedures
- Lectures will include group discussions, Prezi presentations, online research, oral reports, and guest speakers.
- Lab will include digital darkroom work, group photography sessions, image critiques, and possibly a field trip.
- Use of Blackboard, Dropbox.com, lecture/lab resources and discussion boards.
- You will be exposed to working photographers through scheduled field trips and classroom visits.
- It is recommended you attend open labs to complete assignments on time.
Email and Twitter accounts
Students are required to have an available email account and
check it regularly. Twitter will also be used to communicate with one another.
This is a quick way of getting the word out about assignment changes, cool
happenings, etc. You are required to monitor your Twitter account at least once
a day.
Computer access
Students may be asked to do research online, as well as
access their Blackboard account regularly. Students are expected to have basic
computer literacy skills to take tests, check emails, submit assignments and
view grades, the class calendar, etc. Class will be taught at a pace on that
assumption.
Class attendance
- Attendance will be noted in the instructor’s grade book, as well is in my Grade Center under Attendance.
- Class meets once a week. Class sessions will consist of lectures and labs. The syllabus includes a weekly schedule, but that can change according to our class pace.
- Expect to work on assignments in and out of class/lab.
- If ill, stay home. You have 1 freebie; use it wisely. Each additional absence will lower your grade by 10%.
- You will receive 1 point for each class period that your arrive before 9:05 a.m. These points award good, on-time attendance. Points are accumulative.
Re-dos
Any assignment turned in on time can be re-worked and
re-submitted within one week of the critique. If you received feedback
in a critique session or on a grade-sheet on how to improve the project, or you
were not satisfied with the project when you completed it, you may improve it
and I will re-evaluate if for a possible better grade. This is a benefit
to you. Improvement is encourage
Weekly Assignment Calendar
Week
|
Topic
|
1
|
·
Camera types
·
Camera controls
|
2
|
·
Composition and
design principles
·
Manipulating light
for proper exposures; metering light sources
|
3
|
·
Photo editing tools:
Photoshop, Lightroom, Photo Mechanic, Photoshop Elements, online/app editing
systems.
·
Social media
strategy: developing blog and Twitter accounts
|
4
|
·
Law, ethics,
photographer's rights: copyright, ethics for different types of photography,
legal concerns (trespassing, misappropriation)
|
5
|
·
Photography as art,
photojournalism, marketing, critical thinking tool
|
6
|
·
Image
permanence/storage/sharing (hard drives, memory cards, Cds/DVDs, print
storage)
·
Discussion and study
of photography as critical thinking and visual literacy tools: examples of
interdisciplinary teachers using photography for class projects
|
7
|
·
How to teach what
you have learned so far
·
Inserting
photography into a curriculum; building a syllabus
|
8
|
·
How to grade and
critique student work; standardizing a grade sheet
|
Final Exam Day:
xxx - Attendance Required
Disclaimer: The instructor reserves the right to amend this
syllabus as deemed necessary and will communicate such amendment to the
students in the course.
“Technologies change.
Media change. The need to recognize news and convey it clearly has not. Visual
storytelling skills are more vital than they have ever been.” - Kenneth Kobre
Assignment Synopsis
Camera
Operations
Photography is a visual language. There are reasons some
photos are successful and others are weak. Those reasons are more likely due to
technical and aesthetic knowledge, or lack thereof. When photographers discuss
photographs using visual terms to address the actual value of the image, the
conversation goes beyond subjective likes and dislikes. We tend to discuss
photos in terms of light and composition.
Photographers look for good quality of light, juxtaposition, a point of
entry, mood, emotion, and a sense of place in order to best tell a story. It
becomes a natural process. Lots of instant decisions are made when making an
image.
Learning
camera operations will help you teach your students how to shoot photos that
are properly exposed and well composed.
By the
end of this course, you will:
- Know how a camera works
- Enhance your artistic vision by understanding composition
- Understand how ambient and artificial light enhances the aesthetics of an image
You will learn the following lessons:
Camera types
In the 21st Century there are more camera types
available than ever before. Though the DSLR camera is still the preferred
choice for quality control, it’s not the only camera available for capturing
visual images. In this block of instruction you will learn the various types of
cameras on the market today, including cell phone and mirrorless cameras, as
well as the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
Camera controls
You will learn everything you need to know about how a basic
camera works to make a properly exposed digital image. This lesson covers ISOs,
f/stops/apertures and shutter speeds; the concept of reciprocity; and how
f/stops and shutter speeds control depth of field and motion, respectively.
Design principals
There are basic design elements that photographers abide by
to make aesthetically pleasing images. These elements, though intuitive to an
experienced photographer, are learned guidelines that have been passed down
through the ages. Knowing these compositional elements allows you make better
images through visual variety. Strong compositional elements enable a
photographer use rhythm, balance and unity to hold a viewer’s eye.
Light
The word photo is defined as light, thus photography
cannot happen without light. Cameras were invented to capture light, and camera
controls manipulate that light (take away too much light, and add light when
there is not enough). There are two types of light: ambient and artificial. You
will learn how to read these two types of light, as well as learn how to
operate your camera to control light.
Learning exposure and metering
Learning to properly expose a photo is one of the most
important aspects of photography. It is also one of the most difficult lessons
to master. In this block of instruction, you will learn how to properly expose
the light at a scene using your camera controls and the internal camera meter.
Editing
software
Once a photo is taken, the next step is the editing process.
Toning, color correction and cropping are common editing tools, but there are
many more, including the cloning and move tools. Multitudes of editing software
are available for these functions.
Software is also used to preserve and share images.
In this
block of instruction, you will learn about the most commonly used photo editing
software and applications available to accomplish these tasks. Lessons will
cover but not limited the most common editing software for still photos, which
are Photoshop, Lightroom and Photo Mechanic, which are provided on the
classroom computers.
Mobile Editing Apps
Cell phone photography has become so popular that it must be
addressed as a viable option for photography. Using a cell phone to capture
images is convenient for two reasons: accessibility and connectivity to the
Internet. This block of instruction will cover cell phone camera usage and the
apps that are available, such as Instagram.
Social Media
In this course you will maintain Twitter and blog accounts.
If you are not already connected, then these accounts will expose you to
the power of social media. Because most of your students are so socially media
savvy, this will help you to better relate to them. Finding a social media voice is a process and
will come with training and experience. This block of instruction will cover
how to teach your students responsibility on the Internet.
You will
study other blogs for your inspiration and search for other educators to follow
on Twitter so you have others to share and learn from.
Law and
Ethics
For photojournalism: Establishing a school media
organization that is an open forum for student expression is the ultimate goal
of any student news staff. It takes:
- continuous, well-planned lessons on photographer's basic legal rights and ethical standards;
- an administration that trusts its student newspaper or other media staff to make content decisions;
- a dedicated, educated student staff that knows its First Amendment rights
- knowing the difference between photojournalism, yearbook, public relations and photography in classrooms.
For art,
journalism and interdisciplinary subjects: Yearbook advisers, art teachers and
other teachers who want to use photography as a learning tool in an
interdisciplinary subject, like science, should still understand basic
photographer's rights and ethics.
In this
block of instruction, you will learn where students can and cannot take their
cameras; when students need model release forms; when images can and cannot be
shared on social media sites;
when it's acceptable or not acceptable to manipulate photos;
and basic legal problems students can face when they don't know the law, like
trespassing and misappropriation.
Image
permanence, storage and sharing
Once the students learn how to operate a camera, the next
logical step is creating a standardized organizational workflow for storing and
sharing the images. You will learn about using removable media to capture and
store photographs: smart media cards, memory cards, thumb-drives, hard drives,
compact flash cards, etc. You will then learn how to move or download images
from a camera or memory card into a computer, as well as discuss where to store
the images during and after assignments in an orderly fashion. Preparing images
for email, websites and presentations is also covered in this block of
instruction.
Photography
used for critical thinking in the classroom
Teaching with digital images: Acquire. Analyze. Create. Communicate textbook editors Glen L. Bull and
Lynn Bell understood when they edited this book that photography is a universal
visual language that can be used in any academic area. In this block of
instruction you will learn how visual images can be used in science as data
collection; in language as imagery in reading; in mathematics for problem
solving; and in social studies as a tool for social inquiry. Digital photography has broadened the
power of photography as a means for teachers to use visual imagery as another
useful way apply technology to develop students’ higher-order skills and
creativity.
Critiquing
and grading photographs
Critiquing and grading student photography is difficult
because the art of photography is so subjective. It is always hard to judge
another person’s artistic vision. After all, others could consider one artist’s
self-described masterpiece rubbish. However, there are guidelines to help gauge
what is a good photograph, and what is, well, rubbish. In this block of
instruction you will learn how to objectively critique and grade the technical,
aesthetic and overall meaning of photographs in a standardized way.
WEEKLY LESSON PLANS
WEEK ONE
Introduction: Syllabus
and course requirements
Learning Objectives:
Camera types and camera controls
Part 1: Different
camera types and anatomies
·
Single Lens Reflex (SLR)
·
DSLR
·
cell phone cameras
·
point and shoot
·
mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras
- Show Camera Parts Prezi
-
Students will split into groups with similar cameras to help each other
identify parts of the
camera.
Part 2: Basic camera controls
·
ISO (International Standard Organization)
·
F/stop/aperture
·
Shutter speed
·
Other functions: self-timer, hot shoe, etc.
1. Show selected Foundations of
Exposure (Lynda.com) movies:
- Exposure Fundamentals
- Camera Anatomy
- White Balance
- Meter Modes
- Manual Mode
2. Continue with camera lecture:
- Show Penn State Ppt on exposure
-
Depth of Field/shutter speed/aperture
-
RAW vs. JPG
Discussion Questions:
What types of cameras are the most popular among your
students?
Do you know the difference between a point and shoot and a
DSLR?
Is there a particular camera brand that most students are
using?
Have you ever considered applying for a grant for camera
equipment?
Is it easier for students to use the auto/program mode
rather than the manual mode?
What are the advantages of students knowing how to use a
camera on manual mode?
WEEK TWO
Learning Objectives: Composition and Light
Part 1:
Composition guidelines
·
Balance
·
Perspective
·
Rule of 3rds
·
Lines
·
Framing
Design principles
·
Balance
·
Logic
·
Purpose
·
Clarity
·
Dominance
Emotional appeal
·
Dynamic
·
Provocative
·
Creative
·
Unusual
1. Show Prezi tutorials
2.
View online work of professional photographers.
Part 2: Light
·
Ambient
-
candlelight
-
tungsten
-
flourescent
·
Artificial
- camera flash units
- studio strobes
How to meter for light
-
18% grey card
-
Shadows
-
Silhouettes
-
High light
-
Dim light
-
Contrast
Discussion Questions:
Can you provide a distinct language to what makes a photo
work, or what’s wrong with a photo?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using
artificial light?
Do you understand the 18% gray concept?
What is color temperature?
Are blurry photos ever acceptable?
WEEK THREE
Learning Objectives: Photo editing & Social Media
Part 1: Photo Editing Tools (These are provided on
the classroom computers, except for Adobe Elements)
·
Photoshop
·
Adobe Bridge
·
Lightroom
·
Photo Mechanic
·
Adobe Elements
1.
Familiarize students with Mac computers
2.
Show Lynda.com and Prezi tutorials.
3.
Supply jpg images for students to work with for
hands-on experience with each of the tools discussed above.
Discussion Questions:
When is acceptable
to manipulate photos using Photoshop?
Can you justify
installing editing software on classroom computers?
Can you identify
differences between Photo Mechanic and Adobe Bridge?
Part 2: Social Media
·
Blogs
·
Twitter
·
Pinterest
·
Flickr
1.
Discuss modern age of social media, and the
importance of it to your students.
2.
Open dedicated Gmail accounts for each student
for their blogs and Twitter.
3.
Go over legal and ethical guidelines for social
media.
4.
Create Twitter account
5.
Create Blogger account
Discussion Questions:
How can social media help you connect with your students?
Do you
think it’s acceptable for teachers and students to Follow and Friend with one
another?
When is it
acceptable for students and teachers to be connected?
Is social
media a necessary evil, the greatest teaching tool of all time, or both?
Are
students too wrapped up in social media to pay attention to the world around
them, or do you think social media connects them to the outer world?
How can
you best use social media to connect with the students, and to prepare them for
constant change in technology?
Can you
think of other social media tools that are helpful in the classroom?
WEEK FOUR
Learning Objectives: Law &
Ethics
Part 1: First Amendment
·
Students take the SPLC First Amendment quiz to
gain knowledge and generate discussion.
Part 2: Photographer’s Rights
Part 3: Legal issues
· Go over Legal Guidelines in the Student
Manual handout provided on the first day of class:
- Objectives
- Goals and purposes
- Errors in student blogs
- Sensitive topics
- Rule of Thumb guidelines: What we Can and
Must do and abide by
- What is obscene?
- What is “a material and substantial
disruption of school activities?”
- Fair use in the classroom
· Go over Ethical Guidelines in the Student
Manual:
- Rule of Thumb: What we should do.
- The Potter Box
- When a Red Light goes off
- NPPA Code of Ethics
- What to do while on assignment
- What not to do while on assignment
- Where and when students can shoot on and off
school grounds
- Tips in covering spot and general news and
emotional events
Discussion Questions:
What is the primary
difference between law and ethics?
Do you think
students understand the ramifications of not knowing or ignoring the right
thing to do?
Should law and
ethics be taught to students even in an art class?
How should you
handle a student who has violated a legal or ethical standard while taking
photos for a class?
Do you have a
written policy for legal and ethical situations in your classroom or in your
organization?
Do you think it’s
your responsibility, as a teacher, to teach students ethics, or do you think
that falls to the parents?
Do you have an open
forum for student expression policy in your classroom or on your newspaper or
yearbook staff? If not, should you?
Is there something
you or one of your students has done in the recent past that you now know is
ethically or legally wrong?
WEEK FIVE
Learning Objectives: Teaching Photography
· Teachers who already advise or instruct in
the following respective subjects will have an opportunity to discuss their
teaching practices involving photography.
· Guest speakers will be scheduled for each
section to discuss their established program or policies regarding their
specialties.
·
Examples
will be used to demonstrate each subject.
·
Homework assignments will vary according to the
subject the student teacher chooses to study.
·
These
four sections will be discussed one at a time:
Section 1: Photography as art
Section 2: Photography as photojournalism and yearbook
·
Learning how to shoot portrait, feature, sports
and photo story assignments
Section 3: Photography for use in interdisciplinary subjects
Section 4: Photography as marketing and public relations
Discussion Questions:
Do you think you know enough from your current experience
and education to teach any of these subjects if asked by your administration to
do so today?
Do you think there is a distinct difference between these
four sections? What are they?
What do you think is the primary ethical difference between
marketing, yearbook and photojournalism?
WEEK SIX
Learning Objectives: Image Permanence
Part 1: Removable media
Demonstration of the
various types of media available
Explain pros and cons
of each (image size, memory space, quality)
Part 2: Storing images
Demonstration of how
to upload images on a computer
Explain why it's a bad
idea to store images on removable media
Factory software
Lightroom
Prints
·
home computers
·
inkjet computers
·
photo stores
·
sizing images for prints
Part 3. Preparing images for publication
·
email
·
websites (blogs, Twitter)
·
presentations (Powerpoints, Prezis)
Discussion Questions:
Should students supply their own memory cards for their
class assignments, or should the school supply them?
Think of various ways can students back-up their photos.
What could happen if students stored their photos on their
memory cards?
Do you have a class computer that can handle gigs of data?
If not, how can this problem be remedied?
If you already teach student photographers, do you have a
standardized workflow they follow?
How many ways are available to display and share your
student's images
WEEK SEVEN
Learning Objective: How to teach what you’ve learned so far
This block of instruction will begin the process of
incorporating all of the course lessons into a
syllabus. This includes designing lesson plans and homework
assignments geared for your own purposes.
WEEK EIGHT
Learning Objectives: How to grade and critique student work
Part 1: If you
work with student photographers, you need to have a standardized rubric to
grade or critique photos. In this block of construction, you will learn the
various ways to grade and critique different types of student work, as well as
how to standardize grading procedures.
Examples of available photography grading rubrics:
Part 2: Open lab
for final project
No comments:
Post a Comment