Response Paper (1000-1500 words + media) 15% (Due Week 5): A response to the use of digital media in a Vancouver/Surrey area museum exhibition that critically reflects on introductory course readings. The paper should be based on personal field notes and documentation, including observation of exhibit visitor interaction with digital media and/or a critical reading of a related virtual exhibit or institutional website. These papers may be posted/archived on the course blog and will be shared and discussed in the seminar.
The goal of this assignment is for seminar participants to produce a range of short papers that represent various approaches to the use of digital media in museums in the Vancouver/Surrey area. Illustrations (i.e. photographs, video, screenshots of websites, etc) are helpful for the seminar participants in visualizing the institutional context you describe. If you would like to write about a museum outside of this region, please check with me.
A short paper is a challenge to write: ideally, you should focus your discussion around a single question or theme raised in the course so far (supported by course readings) in order to critically reflect on the use of media in the institution that you choose. This length is typical for media, exhibition, and book reviews published in journals, so think of this as practice.
Length: 1000 Words (1500 is acceptable, but no longer)
Deadline: Before Class, Tuesday Feb. 7th
Submission: Posted to the course website—I will create a page for each of you to post your text and media on. You can leave this ‘open’ for public viewing or you can password protect it, if you like (you can always make it public later). I think it is beneficial for us all to be able to read and comment (if so moved) on one another’s papers, so if you password protect it, please use the common password “neonvancouver”.
More details:
A strong response paper will do the following:
- Describe the institution and exhibition that you visited
- Refer to your field notes/ observations recorded while you were there
- Include reflections on your own experience
- The paper should also do the following:
- Refer to observed visitor interaction with digital media in the exhibition and your own experience. If there was little media or visitors to observe, describe the institution’s website or a virtual exhibit that is of interest to you and your response/argument.
- Relate your observations of media in the institution/exhibit or a virtual exhibit to one or more themes raised in the course readings so far.
Use Media as Illustration: If you were able to take photographs of the use of media in the museum space, please include these. If you have access to online videos or other images that are useful to refer to in your paper, please include these. If none of this is available, include screen shots of the institution’s website or virtual exhibit to illustrate your paper.