Project Plan

Week 3 Blog Post (EDUC 5333)

           My plan is to create a multimedia presentation for my final project in which I will pitch a TV series about the life of sports agent Leigh Steinberg. This pitch will entail an overview of the suggested storyline, genre, tone, theme, target audience, format, style, and unique formula/recipe for presenting these in the visual medium of television. Accompanying the presentation will be printable documents containing the above items in outline format, a synopsis, a project overview, a sample scene in standard screenplay format, and an action-item list of steps needed to move the project forward.

            This story will be a drama designed to entertain, inform, and educate its audience and inspire world-changing action. The story elements will include significant events from throughout Steinberg’s life which shaped his goals, strategies, life philosophy, and course of action leading to many significant accomplishments personally and professionally. These include representing many of the biggest athletes, negotiating the largest contracts, and helping to form many charities that have had a huge reach and impact in helping those in need.

            Mapping and developing my story will require me to do a lot of research on Steinberg. I will read one of his books, The Agent, and gather information from interviews and news articles. I will write out questions to ask Steinberg to fill in any missing details needed to complete the story. I will use the knowledge I gain to flesh out my proposal and convert it into a multi-media presentation.

            The story could be used in an educational environment in many ways. Ultimately, if the pitch ever becomes a TV series it will educate and inform students who watch it by depicting many important historical events, places, artifacts, people, relationships, and concepts. But the presentation itself is a type of digital story that can inform students about the process of producing TV shows. They can learn and practice communication skills, including some specified in the ISTE NETS Standards for Students:

1.6 Creative Communicator

Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media appropriate to their goals.

And 1.6 c, in particular:

Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models, or simulations.

As an educator, teaching students to make such a project would encompass several standards such as

2.6 Facilitator

Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students. Educators:

And 2.6.b in particular:

Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces or in the field.

            The tools to be used to create the multimedia presentation/pitch may include miscellaneous software and a laptop computer with video recording and editing capabilities. The software may include Microsoft Office for such things as word processing and PowerPoint presentations, possibly video-editing software, and screenwriting software. Some of what’s needed will depend on the final format selected. For example, it might include video footage and require some video editing, or it might only need images and audio narration.

            I prefer to assess the story and multimedia presentation of it based on the standards of creative communication outlined above. There are several components to reference when evaluating the effectiveness of the story and presentation: the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media.