Hello People of the internet!

this past few weeks we have been hard at work creating an educational video, on the topic Nationalism.

During the beginning of our project I discovered Nationalism builds community based on shared history, ideas and, culture. I also learned the causes and consequences of Nationalism and that it be can be inclusive and can also segregate. Nationalism defines what people are and are not. Being Canadian, Nationalism is considered to be a positive thing; although it has created some examples of terribly discrimination. 

Once I learned the basics of Nationalism, as well as cause and consequence, I was placed in a group to study a specific example of Nationalism; German Nationalism. Using the 5 W’s + 1 H I researched the rise, the cause, and the consequences of Nationalism in Germany.  I created 6 questions prompted by Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. This was a good summarizing technique and helped me remember the facts of my case study. As a group we shared our different views on German Nationalism which helped each of us build upon our individual knowledge and questions. My group worked well together and I was able to share good sources of information. I found it valuable to hear from my group members, each had found interesting facts and offered a different perspective. 

Click for Q&A Questions

The next step of my learning involved creating digital content for a wider audience. I watched, studied, and critiqued four different content videos that featured different perspectives of Nationalism. Each of the content videos used a wide variety of different multi media aspects. I found the videos where the narrator talked more slowly were easier to follow and understand. I also preferred the videos that had a greater number of images. Again, this made it easier to follow and understand.

Finally, I was able to begin creating my video. The first step was to create a script introducing the topic and outlining the key points. The introduction on Nationalism was important so that my audience could get a full understanding of the topic before delving into German Nationalism. First, I constructed a short form video to review my project idea with the teachers, then I proceeded with the script. In the script, I included answers to my 5 W’s + 1H questions without directly pointing them out. I continued by describing the causes / consequences, important events, and important figures that lead to Nationalism in Germany. 

(Sorry For the poor audio in this one)

Once my script was fully outlined, I started the film process. This took several days and at points I did get frustrated. Following the filming stage was, in my opinion, the most difficult part of the project, editing. This process took the most time and required great focus and skill. This is also where I noticed I made the most mistakes. For example, when I made a mistake with my lines, I had to repeat the sentence and edit out the mistake part. This lead to partial cuts which ended up being noticeable. (My explanation will be clearer when you watch the video.) Hope you enjoy the video. 

Overall, my video project was educational and a great learning experience but given more time I would change a number of things in the future. For example I learned how to effectively deliver content in a video form. However, next time I need to be careful about looking directly at the camera while introducing the topic. This is important so I can engage with my audience better. Another thing I can improve on is my editing skills between cuts by pausing or leaving myself enough time between topics. A segue would also be good. Altogether I thought my German Nationalism project went very well.  I learned a lot, not only about creating a educational video, but also about the causes and consequences of Nationalism and how it unified Germany. Thank you for reading, and have a good day.