The+LAMP+(NYC)

=[|The LAMP (NYC)]=

Page by: Yangzi Li, Armando Morales, and Sam Srauy
 * The LAMP (Learning About Multimedia Project) is a non-profit organization based in Brooklyn and founded in September 2007. With a commitment to address the lack of basic media literacy education in New York City schools and communities, The LAMP offers free workshops and public events designed to help young people, parents and teachers make sense of the media barrage they encounter in their daily lives. LAMP workshops not only demystify the content and technologies of media, but they also help bridge the digital divide that often alienates youth from adults, while providing the workforce development skills needed to compete in a modern job market. By creating and editing their own blogs, videos, newspapers and more, students are further encouraged to explore the use of media as a positive outlet for creative expression. (In the organization's own words.) || media type="youtube" key="xjWY1hbaJgA" height="344" width="425" ||

Summary of the video (above)
In the short video package "Mammals and Robots Together!" young students at a YMCA presented their thoughts on mammals and robots. Through a student-created poem, paired with movement and dancing, the students compared the characteristics of these two groups. While the filming and editing was presumably done by the instructors, we get a glimpse into some of the artwork created by the students.

How this relates to the Goodman (2003) reading
"In his (Dewey's) view, school needed to be a place where students could gain practice in forming and testing moral and social judgments. It should be about cultivating and testing moral and social judgments. It should be about cultivating independent-minded, critical-thinking citizens capable of solving social problems. It depended on the development of relationships among students, between students and teachers, and between students and the community." (p. 9)

One aspect of this "video poem" that Goodman and Dewey might agree with is the group-oriented nature of this project. School, especially for young students, is an essential component of socialization, and developing the skills to form relationships and communities. While these students are very young and probably not ready for the technical aspects of media production instruction, they can begin to get a feel for what it's like to create a product such as this. They can get a "behind-the-scenes" look at the process, and in the meantime, form a relationship with both their classmates and their teachers.


 * They want the students to be in control
 * Want to educate the students about images being the dominant medium
 * Want students to understand the production process
 * Emphasizing a creative process
 * "End product" orientated. Not the processes
 * The organization implies a critical component

**What was the organization's instructional process?**
The instructors on this project might have begun by asking the students what it is they wanted to use for the subject of their "video poem." The instructors might have guided them through the creation of their poem by asking them to describe some of the characteristics of their two subjects, mammals and robots. Similarly, they likely guided them in thinking about what some of the differences between these two subjects are.

The children also displayed a number of large drawings of the subjects of the poem, and acted out some of the movements that these creatures might make. Guidance in how to move might have consisted of discussing what mammals and robots do.

Staff background (from the [|Web page] )
**D.C. Vito** (co-founder and Executive Director) is the chair of the Youth Services and Education committee of Brooklyn’s 6th Community Board. He has served as chair of the committee for two years, and has been on the board a total of four years on the Board.has been an active community organizer for more than a decade, managing and working on over 20 political and issue-oriented campaigns ranging from the local city council to national presidential races. He also served on the 6th Neighborhood Advisory Board of New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development. For the past eight years, has worked professionally as a cartographer, running the mapping department of Con Edison Communications.


 * Katherine G. Fry, Ph.D.** (co-founder and Education Director) is an associate professor of media studies, deputy chair for graduate studies in the Department of Television and Radio and director of the Communication B.A. Program at Brooklyn College of the City Universiof New York. She earned her Ph.D. in mass media and communication from Temple University in 1994, and brings to The LAMP more than 15 years experience teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in media history, criticism, theory, research methodslaw and regulation, and media ethics. She has an extensive background in curriculum development. In addition to her teaching, Dr. Fry’s publications include the following bo “Constructing the Heartland: Television News and Natural Disaster” (2003, Hampton Press)and “Identities in Context: Media, Myth, Religion in Space and Time” (2008, Hampton Pres She has also published articles and contributed to books about communication technology and psychological well-being, television news, advertising and popular culture, radio, and German television. Her current research is in the history of news and in the future of news from the audience perspective. Dr. Fry is a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Communication Association and holds memberships with, and regularly preseon panels for, the International Communication Association, the Media Ecology Associat and the Eastern Communication Association.


 * Emily Long** (Communications Director) earned her Masters of Fine Arts in dramaturgy and script development from Columbia University in 2006. While at Columbia, she edited and catalogued hundreds of interviews and transcripts for the Oral History Research Office, focusing primarily on its 9/11 Project. The LAMP is pleased to have Ms. Long on bofard as Communications Director, offering her extensive experience with numerous media throher work with Columbia’s Rare Books and Manuscript Library, Atlantic Theater Company,Sesame Workshop, Electric Pear Productions and Cine Mosaic to name a few.

**Ellen Uzonwanne** (Program & Operations Manager) works closely with The LAMP’s leadership team and supports the process for executing the organization’s strategic agenda. Prior to joining The LAMP, Ellen was a volunteer for Councilmember Bill de Blasio (Democrat: Brooklyn). Ellen is a 2007 Business Management graduate of Brooklyn College and has professional work experience as both a senior paralegal and in government relations.