What is Reel Vision all about?
Through learning the language of film, youth develop a critical eye toward the worldview presented by today’s media and entertainment markets. The craft empowers them to present their own realities, and teaches the importance of self-representation. However, art and media classes are consistently among the first subjects eliminated as public schools struggle with both budget cuts and the growing emphasis on standardized testing. Increasingly, non-profit organizations are moving to fill the void in arts education. As part of that effort, Reel Vision was created in 2005 to teach high school students filmmaking.
Youth who spend more time in arts programs spend more time reading for pleasure, have higher mathematics and reading achievement, as well as greater involvement in the school and larger community, higher expectations for their future, and an ability to plan for their future.
(Shirley Brice- Heath et al., 1998, p. 15).
Resouce: Heath, S. B., Soep, E. & Roach, A. (1998). Living the arts through language and learning: A report on community-based youth organization, Americans for the Arts
Purpose
Reel Vision is a 12-week course in which at-risk youth create public
service announcements and documentaries about issues in their community.
Reel Vision is provided at no cost to participants and presents opportunities
for students to:
1. Direct their own films using digital video cameras and computer editing
technology.
2. Become media literate by dissecting how media is created and how it
can counter stereotypes.
3. Gain access to cultural events, diverse role models, and technical
training.
4. Collaborate and communicate respectfully and effectively with their
peers and teachers.
5. Engage in curriculum that promotes self-confidence, academic achievement,
and positive pro-social behavior.
Outcomes
An ongoing assessment of Reel Vision reveals that our students develop critical-thinking and technical expertise necessary to succeed in their academic pursuits and today's marketplace. Through distribution to national film festivals, local public television access stations, and online media outlets, Reel Vision films combat stereotypes and racism by reaching audiences in and outside of the communities in which they were made. Their films address community concerns such as racism, violence, smoking, drugs, gangs, and privacy rights.
Future Plans and Sustainability
Reel Vision believes that the need and impact shown through this falls pilot program at Roca, Inc. is the foundation for a sustainable and expandable model. Designed as a mobile program, Reel Vision will expand its services to urban communities lacking art education, through partnerships with existing after-school programs and institutes of higher learning.
For more information about how Reel Vision could benefit your community please contact Shantel Hansen, Principal Assessment Investigator. Shantel can be contacted at shansen@newburyfilmseries.org
How can Reel Vision assessment impact educators, students, and communities?
Today’s students are not able to make meaning of the content presented in class but only to memorize information. "Over two thirds of American adolescents read at or below the basic level, meaning they can extract literal information from texts but cannot infer, analyze, or critique what they read. The same is true for writing, students can write a basic narrative or informational paragraphs but cannot draft longer texts that develop ideas or formulate powerful arguments" (The Arts and School Reform: Annenberg Challenge Arts Project, Brown University).
To counter this, we have developed an assessment model to support Reel Vision’s commitment to community impact, effective learning, and program longevity. Reel Vision will:
- Collect information about students’ level of engagement, participation, lessons learned, and finished film projects;
- Analyze the successes and challenges that Reel Vision students and teachers experienced during the 12 week program in order to make recommendations and changes for future programming.
Creating a Curriculum Model that Works!
Reel
Vision curriculum focuses on:
- Promoting pro-social behaviors that are condusive to
helping others such as caring, kindness, and altruism (Roker, Player& Coleman, 1999). - Creating a safe and welcoming learning environment
- Activities that support academic achievements in research and writing
- Building computer and multimedia skills
- Fostering adult and youth relationships
- Enabling youth to voice their ideas
- Engaging and maintain youth participation, a necessary component for youth empowerment
To ensure that Reel Vision foster emotional, social, and academic development, we provide:
- Sufficient classroom time to learn technical and academic skills
- Course offerings designed to build on the strengths of young people
- Contact with positive role models
- Supervised and structured environments
Reel Vision curriculum incorporates the positive youth development approach in activities that focus on developing the student’s individual strengths. The National Collaboration for Youth Members defines youth development approach, “a process which prepares young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experience which help them to become socially, morally, emotionally, physically, and cognitively competent” (March, 1998).
Based on social sciences, health, and adolescent psychology frameworks, this approach creates opportunities for youth to build a positive identity, a sense of personal well-being, and a connection and commitment to others. Quality OST (Out of School Time) programs that incorporate this approach create support systems and opportunities necessary for youth to succeed developmentally and academically.
Learn more about the skills and experiences Reel Vision participants gain.