Reporters in the Field

Background

'Born Digital: Understanding the Next Generation of Digital Natives' was released in the US in August of 2008. The book was written by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser and maps the differences that children (and adults) face in the wired world. Based on extensive original research, including interviews with Digital Natives around the world, Born Digital explores a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical: What does identity mean for young people who have dozens of online profiles and avatars? Should we worry about privacy issues – or is privacy even a relevant concern for Digital Natives? How does the concept of safety translate into an increasingly virtual world? Are online games addictive, and how do we need to worry about violent video games? What is the Internet's impact on creativity and learning? What lies ahead – socially, professionally, and psychologically – for this generation?

Born Digital is an initiative of the Digital Natives project, an interdisciplinary collaboration of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and the Research Center for Information Law at the University of St. Gallen. The aim of the Digital Natives project is to understand and support young people as they grow up in a digital age.

The Digital Native Reporters in the Field Series produces and promotes media that tackles the topics of Born Digital. DN Reporters are media makers of various skill levels, producing audio and video clips for this ongoing media series. These producers could be professionals, graduate students, college students, advanced teens or pre-teens. Many have been interns with the Berkman Center at Harvard University. Some live half-way around the world. These reporters may want to produce a piece of media on digital life, but don't necessarily know what to do or even where to start. They may already have a series of media clips. This raises several issues for the Berkman Center.

Questions

Berkman's Role The Berkman Center must decide if it wants to take on the role of ‘client’ and request that productions are created for specific purposes, such as focusing on chapters of the Born Digital book, or be more involved in the potential learning opportunities that this project might create. Both scenarios are outlined below.

1) As client, the Berkman Center will not be as involved in the production process and communication with the producers would be minimal, limited to reviewing drafts. Additionally, Intern producers will be paid for their efforts. Interns working for less than $600 must complete the “Contractors Submitting Invoices” form and submit an invoice. Interns working for more than $600 need to create a contract with the Berkman Center. The end reseult would be semi-professional audio/video productions with specific content related to an overarching theme developed by the RiF manager.

2) As a production coordinator, the Berkman Center positions itself as being able to create learning opportunities for digital natives and other interns to create content and reflect on the contribution they are making while concurrently becoming familiar with concepts of media education. To do this the manager would be responsible for responding appropriately to various production requests, from both experienced and first-time producers. More advanced producers might be paid a stipend or asked to work for college credit. Young, first time producers would most likely receive some other form of compensation, like a book and recognition.

Coordinator Does the program need a coordinator? This position would be responsible for the creation of content, through interns for the Reporters in the Field program. Refer to the Reporters in the Field Coordinator job description for more detail.

Media Mentors For younger and first time producers, it is highly recommended that you pursue productions with the support of a teacher, after school program, or some other kind of media mentor to help guide them through the process. The Reporters in the Field Coordinator will most likely not have the ability to provide significant support to these producers.

Topics

Identity As a first project for applicants who don't have significant examples we would ask them to create a segment on Identity. it would sort of act as a testing ground to test their video-production skills, but also to perhaps ultimately make a compilation on what "Digital Identity" means for youths/DNs around the world. Kind of like how "The Ballad of Zac McCune" had 3 parts, only this would be different creators/with different stories. What is Digital Identity? This project can be done as a Digital Story, making it accessible to younger producers with tons of support documentation on the web.

• Interviews - Check out the Best Practices for Interview
• Documentary - For more advanced producers, like graduate students or professionals. These can be related to the topics/chapters in Born Digital.
• Narrative
• Abstract

Compensation

Compensation will be based on the experience of the producer and the intended product. For example, a first time producer creating a digital story on digital identity will receive a copy of 'Born Digital' and recognition on the Digital Natives website. College students (undergrad and grad) with media production experience will receive approx $200 per 2-3 minute video in addition to a copy of Born Digital. Professional media makers will be able to make specific arrangements with the Berkman Center. To get paid, a producer needs to submit a Contractor Invoice. For contractors with an ongoing relationship with the Berkman Center and/or one of its projects, or in situations where an individual will be paid more than $600, a contract will need to be signed before work commences or any invoices are processed.

Requirements

• Proposal/Application
  • Submit the proposal/application form to indicate your production experience and let us know the best ways to be in touch with you.
• Skills
  • Producers are responsible for the entire production process and are expected to be able to produce with minimal assistance from the Berkman Center. If necessary, help from a media mentor is recommended. Required skills include ability to set-up interviews, get clearance and permissions for interviews, record video and sound, edit together a 2-3 minute production, and provide drafts and final for review. Must be proficient in some photo/video/audio editing software such as IMovie, Final Cut Pro, Priemere or Vegas.
• Access to Content and Equipment
  • Must have adequate access to production equipment such as video/photo cameras, microphones and editing capability. Must also have access to online video sharing tools such as Vimeo.
• Samples of work
  • Potential Reporters will provide minimally one example of previous production work.
• License and Permissions
  • Producers must adhere to guidelines pertaining to the Video and Audio Recording Release Agreement and permission to use other material.

Recruitment

note to amina: please list the places you think we could promote

PERMISSIONS

What every Media Reporter should know: Permissions

Participants

Reporters in the Field Coordinator note to matt: i'd like this to lay out the different options for grade levels, countries, etc. I'd also like there to be links to our youtube channel.. specifically stuff that has been made by our reporters.. RIAA part II and Digital Dossier and How I learned to type. We might also want to list past interns here. We can let them put bios up if they want. It is here where folks need to think about if they've got the skills and the resources to do this.

DN Reporters in the Field Work from anywhere. Must be proficient in Final Cut and camera/audio equipment. Ideal candidates can set-up interviews, get clearance, record, edit, post and produce. Small stipend available for finished work(s). This internship is great for independent self-starters with stories to tell.

MEDIA CLIPS BY DN

• [Digital Dossier, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79IYZVYIVLA]

• [How I learned to Type, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSxwZM1BLpo&feature=channel]

• The Ballad of Zac McCune (I was sued by the RIAA) -

[Part I, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gp6oreOJFo&feature=channel] [Part II, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EibGrhY8VSk&feature=channel] [Part III, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4M63bCPR1I&feature=channel]

MEDIA CLIPS BY GENERAL PUBLIC

• STOP MOTION DAY IN LIFE OF DIGITAL NATIVE
• Born Digital-Researching Digital Natives
• Reaching Digital Natives
• 21st Century Classroom

BY MWESCH/ University of Kansas:Dr. Michael Wesch Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Digital Ethnography 2008 U.S. Professor of the Year Kansas State University mwesch@ksu.edu [1]

• A Vision of Students Today
• A Portal to Media Literacy
• The Machine is Using us
• Introducing our YouTube Ethnography Project

PAST DN REPORTERS

Nikki Leon John Randall Cindy Severino Diana Kimball Kanu Tepiwari