Hello world!
I am back after one and a half months and after the completion of another new project. However, this new project is not just any normal one, this was a ten milestone long project that had us create 5 different videos and spanned a month! The project I have spent 1 / 924th of my life on is called “Case for a Nation” and in it, we learnt things from what a nation is, to the oppression that occurred in Canada.
Introduction to Driving Question:
Now lets introduce the driving question “How can an understanding of nationalism help us understand today.” Throughout this blog post I will go through how each week presented a different aspect of nationalism will help us understand today.
Introduction to What We Did:
It goes without saying that this project is centred about the idea of nationalism so throughout the 4 weeks, we learnt about different case studies, once per week, that involved nationalism. After learning about our case study, we would create a video about it while answering its own essential question. On the final week, we created an accumulative video answering the driving question using the knowledge we had built up from all the past milestones and learning we did.
Week 1:
The first thing we did after introducing the project was define what a nation is. We looked at how a nation is formed and the reasons why someone would feel part of nation. In the end, we came up with a definition for what a nation is, which is: “A stable community of people who feel connected by language, ethnicity, culture, politics, geography, spirituality or religion.”
Since this project was also about improving our video skills, the next thing we looked at were the six different types of videos as each week would present a different type of video we had to make. The six video types are: an interview, a movie, a tutorial, a documentary, a crash course and a reaction video. We learnt about the traits and characteristics of each video type as we were going to be creating each video type eventually.
After that we defining what nationalism is: A feeling of pride and loyalty to ones nation often to the detriment of another, we then began making preparations for the first video we were going to create; the parent interview. In this video we had to choose five question about nationalism and interview our parents. After planning the questions and location, we filmed and edited this video. Here is my parent interview:
After completing our first video, we began learning about five different case studies that involved nationalism. In the end, each person has to choose one to make their first video about and decided my second video was going to be about American Manifest Destiny. The second video we created was going to be in an storyboard animatic style so after researching, screen-playing and storyboarding, we began the creation of our videos. In our videos, we also had to answer week one’s essential question which was: “how significant was nationalism around the world” using our case study as an exxmaple. Here is my completed American Manifest Destiny video:
Answer to Driving Question from Week 1:
After the completion of week one, I began to understand why understanding nationalism was important today. After learning about Manifest Destiny and the other case studies, I started to understand how the ideology of a nation could have world wide consequences. For example in the US, our past president (hooray) Trump, invoked Manifest Destiny showing how the nationalistic belief that is Manifest Destiny still effects us today. Besides Manifest Destiny learning about the other case studies showed me that the consequences are so widespread that some of the nations that were created are still here today. In conclusion, understanding why things have come to be due to nationalism can definitely help us build an understanding why certain thing are the way they are today
Week 2:
Week 2 was all about Canadian history as we were looking at the confederation of the British North American (BNA) colonies. After finishing a movie about John A. Macdonald, the man who unified Canada and became the first prime minister over the weekend, we began researching about the causes and consequences of the confederation of BNA colonies.
The next video we were sentenced to create was a tutorial. We were meant to represent and explain the confederation of BNA while answering the new essential question: “how did nationalism change BNA in the 1800s?” in this video. I decided to make my tutorial about creating a song representing the process of confederation so each section of a song was a step towards confederation. For example the chorus would be the climax of the confederation process while the intro would be the exposition of the story. We also analyzed the continuity and change behind the confederation of BNA and after planning, screen-playing and storyboarding yet again, I shot and edited my video. Here is the completed version of my music BNA tutorial.
Answer to Driving Question from Week 2:
After learning about the confederation of BNA, I realized some things about nationalism. Although nationalism is normally viewed as something that is bad that causes war and death, I realized and understood that nationalism, if not to an excessive amount, can help unite or build a society/nation. I started to understand why certain nations today are so strong and united due to nationalism like how Canada has so many celebrations which help build a happier and more united society. In conclusion, this week I learnt that understanding nationalism can not only just help a person build knowledge or understand world affairs, but if not excessive, can help build a society.
Week 3:
In week 3, we began tying nationalism to oppression. In this week, we looked at two different case studies which were: The Indian Act and the Red River Rebellion. After defining what oppression was: prolonged cruel or unjust treatment, we began understanding how nationalism could fuel oppression and the reasons why oppression might occur. We also learnt about what assimilation was and how assimilation, if done badly could be a type of oppression. For example, in the Indian Act, many European settlers believed they were better and their culture was superior to the First Nations which was a very nationalistic view. They created the residential school system which would force the First Nation children into European culture without their parents consent.
After learning about oppression, The Indian Act and the Red River Rebellion, we had to choose one of the case studies as we were going to make a new video about it. The new video had to be in the style of a documentary so we began (no surprise) planning, screen-playing, storyboarding and creating our videos. Like the past weeks this video also had its own essential question it needed to answer which in this case was: “What ethical judgements were made to justify oppression in Canada.”
On the day before we were so suppose to submit our videos, Ms Maxwell (our teacher) announced that we were going to immediately begin the accumulative nationalism video that was the most important video of our project. This resulted in many of us handing in incomplete videos, including me, so here is my fourth, incomplete, oppression documentary:
Answer to Driving Question from Week 3:
After completing my video and researching about oppression, I began to understand why certain events may happen now. For example, oppression still occurs today and this can be seen from the death of George Floyd or the Black Lives Matter movement fighting for equality. Because of oppression which is a result of nationalism, I can figure out why these events still happen today.
The End of Week 3 Week 4:
Our next step was to create an accumulative video answering the driving question, “how can an understanding of nationalism help us understand today” using evidence from the past three weeks. In this video, we were allowed to choose what type of video we wanted it to be so I decided on a cross between a documentary and an animation. After planning, screen-playing and storyboarding for the fourth time in the past four weeks, I created and edited my accumulative video. Here is my complete, nationalism video:
After creating my accumulative video, we began the design process for the final video of this project; my parents reaction video. In this video, we were going to show our accumulative video to our parents and have them react to it. This video was meant to show our parents recognizing our learning while showing them learning things as well. After PLANNING and SCREEN-PLAYING my video for the last time, I filmed my parents and edited this final video. Here is the final product of this project (besides this post):
Overall Answer to Driving Question:
After learning about nationalism from the past four weeks, I can say that an understanding of nationalism can help us understand today. Whether it be because understanding why an event took place or using nationalism to build a better society, understanding an ideology that has affected human history so significantly is important anyway. Not only that, but nationalism is still prevalent today as even a recent president called himself a nationalist so understanding what these people believe in can also help us understand today.
Evidence of My Learning:
At this point, do I really need to say that I have learnt anything? I have created over six different videos in six different styles, I have learnt about nationalism around the world in different times, I have learnt how to plan, screen-play and storyboard more efficiently. In the end this project was not only a crazy train ride of work but also an extreme teaching medium that has crammed my brain with facts and processes (which I am grateful for).
Evidence of Curricular Competency Completion:
Here is how I believe I have achieved each competency for this project:
Designing Texts:
From videos to storyboards, everything has been all about designing texts but if I really I have to say what I did best to achieve this competency, I would say that I achieved this competency really well in my BNA tutorial video. In this video I used technology from music software to luma fusion to create a very out of the box video I am proud of. Although it might have been quite complicated, I think I use the design process and technology very well to complete it.
Empowered Learner:
Throughout this project, I have used technology from the internet to the textbook in basecamp to build knowledge. I think in my oppression video, I really used a lot of technology to build my understanding on the Indian Act as this was the challenge case study. I used sources from youtube videos to sites to build an understanding which allowed me to create the video.
Identifying continuity and change:
I achieved this competency well in my Manifest Destiny Video. Not only did I talk about the change effecting a single group of people, but I also mentioned multiple parties and different types of changes.
Evidence and Resources:
It may be an interesting thing to say but I think my youtube descriptions especially in the accumulative video were a good example of me using evidence and resources. In my final video’s description, I had over 5 different sources all in MLA citation format. Although MLA citation takes a long time, I am happy that I did it because it really shows growth in this competency and also I won’t get a copyright strike :).
Conclusion:
This project was an insane roller coaster ride that was insanely long and made me work instead of watching anime but when all is said and done I am grateful that I completed it. Thank you Ms. Maxwell for an amazing time and letting me experience so much growth and…
Bye World