Project 4: Finding Your Niche in Photography

Mia Smith
May 1, 2017

A. Overview
1. Rationale, Goals, Objectives
a. Teachers should be able to help students identify, describe, and analyze the

design elements, design principles, and composition styles of photography.

b. Teachers should be able to assist students in choosing a career path where

they can integrate photography.

2. Literature Review
Integrating the Arts with Technology
For over 100 years, people have asked the question: Is photography an art?

Some even said that photography was too literal to be considered a work of art.

What many photographers came to realize was that photography was no different

than paintings. Photography also had to be carefully composed, lit, and produced.

Through the arts, students gain self-esteem and self-confidence. Using

technology for creative purposes allows teachers to introduce concepts that have

been introduced by traditional teaching methods. Teachers are seeing ways to

make connections between the subject content and observes as student find

creative ways to express themselves.

3. Audience
a. 11th and 12th grade teachers at Griffin High School.
b. 24 participants
c. Teachers teach visual/audio, engineering, and/or business technology classes.
4. List of Tasks or Activities
a. Workshop from 8:30am 2:30pm
b.
 5. Expected Outcomes
a. At the end of this workshop teachers should be able to effectively assist

students in choosing a career path where they can integrate photography.

6. Background Information for the Facilitator or Instructional Designer
a. N/A
B. Content
1. Introduction
a. This workshop is designed for 11th and 12th grade teachers in Griffin Spalding

County who are teaching visual/audio, engineering, and/or business

technology classes. The goal is to help students figure out what area of

photography they are most passionate about by analyzing their strengths,

weaknesses, interests, etc. The workshop is 6 hours long with two 30 minute

breaks and one 1-hour lunch break. The workshop begins at 8:00am and

ends at 2:00pm.
2. Definitions
a. Niche: a comfortable place or suitable position in life or employment
b. Integration: combining one thing with another
c. Photography: the art or practice of taking and processing photographs
3. Values and Benefits
a. This workshop is designed to greatly benefit both teachers and students.

Teachers get the opportunity to lead students in finding the perfect career

path. Students are able to work in a field based on what they are most

passionate about. Teachers and students are able to recognize their strengths
 and weaknesses. Values and benefits will be assessed at the end of the

workshop.
4. Appropriate Application
a. A tool as simple as a smartphone can promote a positive effect in the

classroom. For those students who do not have access or are not able to

afford a digital camera, the smartphone is the perfect tool. Students can use

their phone to take pictures and document their daily school activities and

create digital photo journals. Students can also use applications on their

phones to edit photos and even create cool photo collages. There are so many

ways for students to express themselves using photography. The more they

do with photography, the faster they will be able to find their niche.
C. Guided Practice
1. Step-by-Step procedure:
a. I will do a step-by-step presentation on finding your niche in photography.

The title of the presentation is Are You Choosing the Wrong Photography

Niche? The presentation does not necessarily say step 1, step 2, but it does

give the participants the steps needed to find their Niche in photography. The

presentation will be printed for each participant, so they can follow along and

take notes. The link will also be emailed to each participant. This step-by-step

procedure will prepare the participant for the upcoming group activity.
2. Interactive collaboration
a. The interactive collaboration portion will be group activity in collaboration with

the hands-on activity. There will be 3 participants in each group. They will

analyze and take notes of the strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, and interests

from each person in the group. The will be asked to construct a classroom

lesson/activity where you have to integrate digital photography. The have to

use some type of tool for demonstration whether it be a PowerPoint

presentation, chart, skit, song, etc. They also have to demonstrate knowledge

of design elements, design principles, and composition styles.

3. Hands-on Activity
a. (included with the interactive collaboration)
4. Assessment of participatory/collaborative learning
 a. Each participant will complete a survey via Survey Monkey before and after

the activity. The survey will allow me to collect data on the effectiveness of

the activity. The participants will use their Chromebooks to complete the

survey. They will also complete a general survey on the effectiveness of the

entire workshop at the beginning of the workshop and at the end.

D. Application
1. ISTE Standards for Teachers
a. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
b. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments
c. Model digital age work and learning
d. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility
e. Engage in professional growth and leadership

2. Career & Technical Clusters and Pathways

a. AAVTC-IGD-10
Generate and manipulate various graphic imaging processes.
10.1: Discern appropriate use of technology in areas of color and design choices.
10.2: Evaluate photographic digital input techniques for maximum effect.
10.3: Manage resolution issues.
10.4: Assess the issues of sizing images in various forms.

b. AAVTC-IDM-18

Create and organize portfolios through the use of a variety of web design tools.
18.1: Apply and explain concepts to create professional and functional portfolios.
18.2: Distinguish elements of web design as it pertains to creating a portfolio.
Responsive design, portfolio usability, relation of site to employer, story the site
reveals about individual job skills.
18.3: Design simple web pages incorporating media elements (e.g., sound, video,
graphics, text, and motion graphics), navigation, and linking.
18.4: Investigate the trends and emerging sites that impact portfolios. (e.g.,
blogs and social media sites)

E. Resources
a. Print:
Hands-on activity directions
This print-out will list the directions for the collaborative activity.
Workshop agenda
This print-out will show the participant what activities they will be

doing and time frames they will be completed in.

b. Electronic:
Introduction Presentation
This presentation gives the participant an overview of what the

workshop will be about.

Step-by-Step Procedure Presentation
 This presentation give the participant the opportunity to get an idea of

what area of photography is best for them.

c. Online/Web:
Survey (survey monkey via Chromebooks/laptops
There will be 4 surveys completed during the workshop. The first survey

will be on how the participant feels about attending the workshop prior to

attending and after attending. The second survey will be on how the

participant feels about the collaborative activity prior to completing it and

after.
https://expertphotography.com/are-you-choosing-the-wrong-

photography-niche/
This article will be used in conjunction with the step-by-step

presentation and collaboration activity. Participants are to read the articles

and use the information given to complete the activity.

https://digital-photography-school.com/find-photography-niche/
This article will be used in conjunction with the step-by-step

presentation and collaboration activity. Participants are to read the articles

and use the information given to complete the activity.

https://www.slrlounge.com/narrowing-down-your-photography-niche-for-

success/
This article will be used in conjunction with the step-by-step

presentation and collaboration activity. Participants are to read the articles

and use the information given to complete the activity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAOJaUQAQRU
This video will be used in conjunction with the step-by-step

presentation and collaboration activity. Participants are to read the articles

and use the information given to complete the activity.

d. Others:
Print-out of Step-by-Step presentation
Participants can follow along and take notes.
F. Evaluation
1. Collecting qualitative data: Q&A at the end of the workshop
a. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session at the

end of the workshop. This will give them the opportunity to ask questions that

may have not been answered during the presentations or workshop. They will
 also have the opportunity to make any additional comments and/or

suggestions on the overall effectiveness of the workshop.

2. Collecting quantitative data: Surveys at the beginning and end of the workshop
a. There will be 4 surveys completed during the workshop. The first survey will

be on how the participant feels about attending the workshop prior to

attending and after attending. The second survey will be on how the

participant feels about the collaborative activity prior to completing it and

after.
3. As stated earlier, participants will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A

session at the end of the workshop. This will give them the opportunity to ask

questions that may have not been answered during the presentations or

workshop. They will also have the opportunity to make any additional comments

and/or suggestions on the overall effectiveness of the workshop.

G. Conclusion
1. Teachers are to complete a follow-up activity with their class after the workshop.

Teachers have 30 days to complete the activity with their class and submit a

follow-up summary on the effectiveness of the activity. Teacher may submit the

summary using a word document, presentation, video, or audio recording.

References

Cappello, M., & Lafferty, K. E. (2015). The Roles of Photography for Developing Literacy Across the

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Chen, Y., Mark, G., & Ali, S. (2016). Promoting Positive Affect through Smartphone Photography

(8th ed., Vol. 6). doi:10.1186/s13612-016-0044-4

Ching, C. C., Wang, X. C., Shih, M., & Kedem, Y. (2010). Digital Photography and Journals in a

Kindergarten-First-Grade Classroom: Toward Meaningful Technology Integration in Early

Childhood Education.
Dyer, J. E. (2015, May 20). Learning Beyond the Classroom: Photography as a major design

element in graphic design layouts for print and web. Retrieved May 1, 2017, from

http://scholarworks.rit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=9841&context=theses
Integrating the Arts with Technology: Inspiring Creativity. (n.d.). Retrieved May 01, 2017, from

http://www.ldonline.org/article/30245/
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2008, from https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200809/OnOurMinds.pdf

Oravec, J. A. (1999). Every Picture Tells a Story: Digital Video and Photography Issues in Business

Ethics Classrooms (3rd ed., Vol. 3). doi: 10.1023/A:1009869905418

Papademetre, L. (2000). Integrating Culture Learning in the Languages Classroom: A Multi-

Perspective Conceptual Journey for Teachers.

Schwartz, K. (2015, January 13). How Integrating Arts Into Other Subjects Makes Learning Come

Alive. Retrieved May 01, 2017, from https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/01/13/how-

integrating-arts-into-other-subjects-makes-learning-come-alive/
Segars, G. (2007). A Participatory Photography Toolkit for Practitioners and Educators.