Robin's blog

In July 2011, the Westhaven Skillslink group learned the basics of video documentary film-making, including script development, filming with digital video equipment, and basic video editing. On Monday August 29th, the group had a chance to screen their work at the Westhaven Elmhurst Community Center.

Check out their documentary on Netball called 'Time To Act Plays Netball.'

Created by Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG, Jeunes en Action,
During a 5 week stop motion animation workshop held at the Digital Literacy Project, Atwater Library and Computer Centre, Montreal.

This video features an original song by Feist. All rights remain with the artist. Learn more about what constitutes fair use of copyrighted material here, at the Centre for Social Media:

The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education

Participants in the Westhaven-Elmhurst Community Association's SkillsLink program came to the Library for one afternoon during March for a crash course in audio recording and editing using Audacity, an open source software. After learning how to download and install the program, participants played with tracks provided by musician and workshop facilitator James Irwin, mixing and recording their own audio over top. Check out a couple of their practice tracks here:

Kelsey's Practice Track
"Kiyyaaa" by Kiya
Toto's Practice Track

The Winter 2011 semester of the Atwater Library's Digital Literacy Project is well underway! There are eight workshops currently underway! Partner organizations for this Winter include Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG’s Jeunes en Action, Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi Sud-Ouest de Montréal’s Jeunes en Action, Head & Hands Young Parent’s Program, HipHopNoPop, Root.Ed, and Westhaven-Elmhurst Community Association's Skills Link. We're planning for more exciting new partnerships for the Summer, so stay connected!

The Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG’s Jeunes en Action is back at the Library to learn about stop-motion animation! Artist, educator and DLP facilitator extraordinaire Zohar Kfir will be teaching them the ropes of stop-motion animation, as well as filming and editing basics on Tuesday afternoons in March.

The Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi Sud-Ouest de Montréal’s Jeunes en Action is also back at the Library. After coming to the classroom last December and January to learn digital photography, the group is returning this March for an introduction to Photoshop. They will be creating their own comic books using the images they manipulate in Photoshop. We're excited to announce that this is the Digital Literacy Project's first workshop to be conducted entirely in French by co-facilitators Victoria Nam and Nina Pariser.

HipHopNoPop, a program that teaches youth about the non-violent origins of hip hop, is a new partner for the Digital Literacy Project. Video artist Victoria Nam is working with them on a Video Documentary Project to create a vignette about HipHopNoPop. We're also working with them to create video tools for teaching.

The participants of the Head and Hands Young Parents Program are coming to the library for workshops over the Winter to learn about digital photography and Photoshop. After gathering for lunch in the auditorium, parents are spending the afternoons working on a photo zine project about their experiences as young parents in Montreal. This workshop is co-facilitated by Arwen Fleming and Robin Kelley.

New partner organization Root.Ed visited the library in January for an intensive 1-day workshop on blogging, citizen journalism, and video. The group hung out for an entire Saturday, learning from and interacting with the likes of multimedia journalists and activists Montréal Boban Chaldvich, Nantali Indongo, and Aaron Lakoff. The group is going to be back at the Library for two Saturdays this Winter for some more intensive video work with video artist Victoria Nam!

Another new partner is Westhaven-Elmhurst Community Association's Skills Link. Young adults participating in their Skills Link will be visiting the Library on March 21 for an intensive afternoon in audio recording. Montréal musician James Irwin will lead the group through recording, importing, editing, and exporting audio projects.

Youth from the Sud-Ouest Jeunes en action program participated in a workshop on digital photography and photo manipulation workshop over the course of six sessions. On one afternoon during the workshop we braved the cold and headed down to the Atwater Market to test out our digital photo-taking techniques. Check out our highlights from a chilly afternoon of picture-taking! Click the "read more" button at the bottom of this post to check out more pictures.

Youth from the Jeunes en Action program took a six week digital media production workshop with new media artist Zohar Kfir, developing their technical skills of digital imaging and movie making. Participants from Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG’s Jeunes en Action program worked together to film and edit this short video about an eccentric library patron looking for a special book. Editing was done in groups of three, using Windows Live Movie maker. Click the "read more" button at the bottom of this post to check out each version to see their different takes on the film.

"The Book" by Jared

The Digital Literacy Project is looking for schools and community groups interested in creating new and exciting learning opportunities for their students, participants and volunteers!

Workshops are developed to match the specific needs and interests of your group. They can take place in the computer classroom at the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, at your organization's space, or in the community. The Digital Literacy Project provides facilitators whose experience and expertise match the needs of your group, as well as technical support, equipment and materials.

If you are interested in setting up a partnership, or would like to discuss possible projects, please don't hesitate to contact us!

Contact: Robin Kelley 514 935-7344 ext 210 or dlp@atwaterlibrary.ca

In recognition of Media Literacy Week 2010 the DLP is offering a free special workshop on Gender and Media Literacy for schools and community groups!!!

Youth participants will explore the gender roles and stereotypes in the mainstream media they encounter daily. Discussions on why gender stereotypes go unquestioned and how they inform our personal experiences and relationships will be encouraged. Along with developing the skills to analyze the media they engage with on a daily basis, the participants will have the opportunity to learn either digital photo manipulation or video editing software as they work to create their own print ad or commercial that plays with the discussed issues. The level of complexity of the workshop will be modified to meet the specific needs of each group.

Duration: 4 to 6 sessions of 1.5 hours. This is flexible and can be modified to fit the needs/schedule of the group.

Location: Workshops can take place at the Atwater Library's Computer Classroom or at a school or community centre, depending on the size of the group and the technical capabilities of off-site locations.

If you are an educator or community worker interesting in setting up this special workshop for your group, please contact Digital Literacy Project coordinator Robin Kelley at dlp@atwaterlibrary.ca to set up a meeting!

Summer may be over but the DLP is heating up for seven new partnership projects taking place this fall!

New partner organizations for Fall 2010 include Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG’s Jeunes en Action, Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi Sud-Ouest de Montréal’s Jeunes en Action, Contactivity Centre, John F. Kennedy High School, Quebec 4 H, Trafalgar School for Girls, and the Yellow Door Elderly Project’s Ribbon Social Club!

The DLP is excited to being a new partnership with Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG’s Jeunes en Action! Youth from the Jeunes en Action program will be coming to the Library on Tuesday afternoons during September and October to learn about digital photo manipulation and video. With the help of new media artist and educator Zohar Kfir, participants will learn the skills to creatively express themselves in using a combination of still and moving images while developing their repertoires of digital media production.

The Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi Sud-Ouest de Montréal’s Jeunes en Action program is another new partnership for the DLP! Under the guidance of a DLP facilitator, youth from the program will learn new media skills that will strengthen their employment portfolios and broaden their tools and skills for self-expression! The group will begin their workshop with artist and art educator Nilesh Patel, learning digital photography and photo manipulation.

Youth involved in clubs from the Quebec 4 H will be coming to the Library this September for a special workshop on social technology, with a focus on blogging! The Quebec 4 H promotes the personal development of youth in agricultural and rural communities. Approximately 20 youth are set to descend upon the Computer Classroom to learn about the history and varied uses of blogs, as well as how to set up and manage a blog for each of their individual clubs! This is a great opportunity for the youth to share about their unique activities and experiences and communicate with each other. The workshop will be instructed by Zohar Kfir and Arwen Fleming.

Trafalgar School for Girls will also be partnering with the DLP for the first time! The youth from Ms. Litvack’s grade 10 art class and Ms. Jarrett's grade 11 North American Literature class will be coming together for a special workshop combining media and digital literacy. In connection with this year’s Media Literacy Week the DLP is offering workshops relating to this year’s theme - Gender and Media Literacy. With the guidance of Skye Maule-O'Brien, participants will learn to identify and break down gender representations in the media and then use their new knowledge to create a poster with a positive gender representation that they'd like to see in the media.

Students from Isabelle Duclose's Ethics class at John F. Kennedy High School will also be participating in a gender, media and digital literacy themed workshop. Skye Maule-O'Brien, Robin Kelley and the participants will identify and break down gender representations in the media and then play with gender stereotypes to create a short video.

The DLP is excited to be working with the Yellow Door’s Elderly Project Ribbon Social Club for the first time. Artist and educator Kristy Boisvert will be leading the group through a basic digital photography and photo manipulation workshop. We hope to have an exhibition of the works created by participants to celebrate their achievements at the end of the workshop!

Seniors from the Contactivity Center will be participating in Sharing Stories: An Introduction to Video Making, a four part workshop taking place during October. This introductory video workshop is designed for seniors interested in learning new technologies so that they can share with other generations. The goal is to combat intergenerational isolation by giving seniors the skills to use the media young people engage with on a regular basis. With the help of artist and educator Nina Pariser, participants will have the opportunity to tell a story, document one's life, and share with their families using video.

Head and Hands Young Parents Program returns for more DLP fun! This fall the group will be visiting the Library for a blogging workshop, instructed by Liz Perrin, expert adult educator and computer course instructor here at the Library! Liz will walk participants through the steps to setting up and managing a blog, and discuss the various uses and considerations involved in blogging!