Digital Media

Academies

Digital Media Academy

Argyle Secondary

General Information and Q&A

Introduction to the Digital Media Academy
In today’s fast-changing technological world, people who have critical and creative thinking skills will be able to adapt and excel, especially in the area of digital media. The North Vancouver Digital Media Academy, located at Argyle Secondary School, is an enriched, hands-on program that will provide you with access to a broad and useful range of skills and knowledge in digital arts, project management, and problem solving. You will learn to create meaningful, visual stories and solve challenging problems. One of our main goals is to prepare you for post secondary training as well as the many careers and lifestyles in digital media.

Purpose of Digital Media Academy
The Academy offers you an enriched, real-world learning environment where you can express your creativity while “rubbing elbows” with digital media professionals. In BC there are many opportunities for post secondary training and careers in digital media. The entertainment industry offers you many exciting careers and working lifestyles. British Columbia is a world leader in the film and television, computer animation, new media and game design industries. The entertainment industry in BC is the primary driving force for the demand for knowledgeable, flexible, creative workers who have lot of experience using their imaginations to solve problems.

The main instructional goals for this program are to provide a base skill set and knowledge of digital media and design, as well as to offer students’ a real world experiences. Students would gain this experience through project based learning, contact with digital media artists and industry.

Features and benefits of the program

• Broad exposure to digital media careers and life style through projects, field trips, guest speakers, and workshops giving students a comprehensive and holistic learning and experience in digital media.
• Strong links to post-secondary institutions and the cutting edge digital media industry.
• Exposure to real-world projects, technology, and tools of the art and craft of digital media.
• Curriculum that combines a career focus with meeting college entrance requirements
• Rigorous, relevant curriculum that engages students in learning and encourages students to be self-motivated and pro-active in achieving academic success. Preparation for most college and university programs
• Develop strong project management and communication skills to prepare students for the knowledge-based world
• Emphasis on the processes of learning and problem solving rather than product outcomes
• Small, heterogeneous groups, or “cohorts”, of students who are together for a significant portion of the school day working with a Team of teachers who work with the same students and collaborate to better meet the instructional needs of all students
• Developing and nurturing a student's creative aptitude, the ability to problem solve, imagine new uses for information, find innovative solutions, and become more visually literate.
• A culture of ongoing improvement that allows and encourages teachers to examine student work and reflect upon teaching methods to determine if goals are being met – teachers engaged in “learning about learning.”

Admission Requirements, Application, and Fees
Students from all North Vancouver schools are eligible to apply.

Applicants should be interested in a media career path and they must suit a hands-on and self-directed means of learning. Please fill in an application and include a short letter outlining why you desire to enter the Academy. A portfolio of any media related work will be beneficial to your application. A program fee of $250 will cover the cost of supplies, guest speakers/workshops, some fieldtrips, and other supplemental resources.

Please see the Digital Media Academy web site for the application form.

Contact information
For more information contact Murray Bulger at mbulger@nvsd44.bc.ca or 604-903-3300

Q&A

How does it work?
The Digital Media Academy will challenge you to become an independent self-directed learner with the skills and knowledge to solve real world design problems. You will learn to plan and organize your projects and use your creative, technological and intellectual skills to become the media design visionary of the future. We are committed to educating responsible media artists for the information age by teaching you the fundamentals of project management and the design process. You will be exposed to various media professionals through guest speakers, workshops, field trips, and work experience. You will be encouraged to experiment and be innovative. You will learn to shape messages that communicate to various audiences and develop an understanding of how to communicate ideas with all media.

What will I do in the program?
In a flexible learning environment your team will work on projects to integrate your knowledge of media design, technology, and production. You will learn to express yourself in the creation of animations, short films, audio recordings, music videos, special effects, magazines, websites, CD covers, posters, advertisements, logos, and countless other media. In your senior year you will concentrate on building your portfolio by solving realistic design problems in a variety of media. At this time you will have the opportunity to explore and further concentrate on personal areas of interest. This portfolio will help you enter the post –secondary program of your choice.

Here you'll find some examples of work produced by DMA students.

How do I know it's right for me?
Students will work in cohorts and take their core courses together. The Academy best suits students who are highly motivated and self-directed learners who have a strong interest in art, design, and digital media. Students are typically interested in; art, design, animation, creative writing, game design, music and sound, video and film, radio, photography, web and interactive design. A good candidate for this program would be a self-starter, independent but a team player and interested in collaborative learning. This program is especially useful for students who are focused on a career in digital media and the lifestyle that goes with this career. The Academy is scheduled into the student’s Grade 11 and 12 years during either Day 1 or Day 2 of a linear timetable. Students from all North Vancouver schools are eligible to apply.

How many students are there in the program?
Each year we will take in a maximum of 24 students per grade. There will 24 students in the grade 11 year and 24 in the grade 12 year.

How will I be evaluated?
For most courses we will offer field trips, guest speakers, workshops and work experience. This will allow students to make contact with media professionals and experience various settings in the digital media industry. Students will be largely evaluated as they learn (formatively) while solving hands-on projects while working with their teachers as guides and collaborators. A final portfolio will allow students to apply to institutes of their choice and present broad and strong evidence of their experience in digital media art and design

What courses are offered?
Students are required to take four core courses in their grade 11 year. In their grade 12 year they are required to take Portfolio and Project Management 12 and two electives in Digital Media and Art as shown in the table below. All the required courses are modified to suit the needs of the Digital Media Academy Students.

Grade 11 Year	Grade 12 Year
IT Digital Media 12	Portfolio and Project Management 12
Drawing and Painting 12 (for Digital Media)	Game Design 11/12
Graphic Design 12	Animation 11/12
Media Studies and Project Management 12	Film and TV 11/12
	Photography 11/12
	Sound Design and Recording 11/12
	Journalism and Desktop Publishing 11/12
	Sr. Level Art Courses
	Sr. Level Drama Courses
	Creative Writing

Required courses
Elective courses

What teachers and resources will be available?
Argyle Secondary school has the resources and staff to deliver an excellent Digital Media Program that will suit the broad and specialized educational needs of the students. Students from across the district will have access to Argyle’s excellent equipment and software resources. The staff members that will be involved in the Digital Media Program have a strong background in digital media and art as well as having experience in collaborative and self-directed learning. One of our staff won the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence, which is given to only 16 teachers in Canada.

As a parent, how do I know this program is right for my child?
If your child has a passion for an area of digital media such as game design, film production, design, then they are an excellent candidate for the DMA. The DMA suits students who are self-directed learners who love hands-on and project-based learning. Students in grades 10-12 are often at a stage where they are considering career and academic options. The digital media program provides an educational opportunity for this age group that helps make career decisions and preparations and in such focuses on the transition to life after post secondary.

What grade does the DMA start?
The DMA is a two year program and the students start in their grade 11 year and complete the program in grade 12.

Where is the program located?
The DMA is based out of Argyle Secondary. Students spend day 1 at Argyle and then go to their home school on day 2.

Will DMA students be able to attend college and university after they graduate?
Yes, students will be able to attend most colleges and universities. In the case of more science-oriented programs a student will likely have to supplement their courses with the required courses. Some students in the DMA have completed such courses in Summer School or by correspondence.

Are any other organizations or professionals associated with the DMA?
Yes, we gratefully acknowledge the involvement of the following agencies:

• EA Sports
• Dell
• Epson
• CIS (Visual Effects)
• ThinkTank
• AutoDesk

For more information contact Murray Bulger at mbulger@nvsd44.bc.ca

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