Tips (& Examples) for Teaching Digital Media with Youth

Tips for Teaching There are many methods and approaches but the ones that work best are youth-centered and hands-on. On subsequent pages are several methods and approaches for planning and getting started with your DAY program, including project-based learning, portfolios, after school and in-school activities. Also, creating the space (DAY studio) is important, as well as developing the actual activities for your program. Upon request are some great lessons for teaching digital art (on CD). Digital Art Youth Program (DAY) In 2000, three community-based technology centers across the country launched "ArtTech", a five-week summer program that introduced youth to multimedia. Soon after the project was renamed the Digital Art Youth Program or DAY. Nettrice Gaskins created a resource guide for practitioners that was made available upon request. She also ran a local DAY program at the Boston Neighborhood Network from 2001-2004, with the help of an AmeriCorps VISTA (Derek Hixon). The Boston program served nearly a hundred local youth between the ages of 13 and 18. Additionally, Nettrice worked with a public high school in Dorchester to create school-based curriculum for teachers and students. …read more

Experience has proven that it's important to introduce people to the process of making digital media, not just how to use the tools and applications. Digital art and media making addresses both visual and media literacy, as well as using software, computer technology, and digital equipment. As a member of the CTC VISTA Project focus area, there are many ways to communicate, share, explore and brainstorm ideas, including the new priority area portal, Nettrice's Mixx & Mash Blog, the Project's online discussions, and, of course, a mailing list/listserv provided by CTC VISTA (for VISTA workers and supervisors). …read more

From A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR WRITING PROPOSALS: Any proposal offers a plan to fill a need, and your reader will evaluate your plan according to how well your written presentation answers questions about WHAT you are proposing, HOW you plan to do it, WHEN you plan to do it, and HOW MUCH it is going to cost. To do this you must ascertain the level of knowledge that your audience possesses and take the positions of all your readers into account. You must also discern whether your readers will be members of your technical community, of your technical discourse community, or of both, and then use the appropriate materials and language to appeal to both. You might provide, for those outside of your specific area of expertise, an executive summary written in non-technical (easily accessible) language, or you might include a glossary of terms that explains technical language used in the body of the proposal, and/ or attach appendices that explain technical information in generally understood language. …read more

Through Networks for Youth Development the Fund for the City of New York developed a handbook of "positive youth outcomes" for practitioners. Youth development programs help youth develop competencies that will enable them to grow, develop skills, and become healthy, responsible, and caring people. Youth development is a shared responsibility, practioners cannot do it alone. They need the buy-in of youth, their families and community partners because many factors affect young people's lives. Networks for Youth Development has combined research, discussion, and practical experience in articulating best practices of youth development. They have identified the following competencies for positive youth outcomes: Originality (Creative Competency) …read more