Zoom in On Culture – CultureALL’s photo-ethnography program – teaches young people to use the art of photography as a tool to document, analyze, and appreciate different aspects of their own and other cultures. Through a 7-week workshop, a professional photographer/CultureALL Ambassador teaches students the fundamentals of photography while leading them through exercises that facilitate ongoing discussions about culture. The following information should answer your questions about bringing a Zoom In On Culture experience to your students.
The primary goal for the project is for students to learn how to use photography to express themselves and their individual cultures. They will decide which images to photograph and what stories they tell; consider different perspectives that help them understand themselves better; and thoughtfully select how they want to present their work to their classmates, family, and neighbors.
Throughout the project, students take photographs using their smart phones and digital cameras or tablets supplied by the school. As they share their work in class, they discuss what each image reveals about their personality, values, and culture.
According to teacher Karla Thayer, “Students understand prejudice and judgment, but not culture. This project gives them a way to examine local concerns using a more global perspective.”
According to David Johns, Principal at Meredith Middle School in Des Moines, “The concept of cultural diversity is too rich in importance to leave it to a textbook to define. Through Zoom In On Culture, our young people can discover and document what it is that makes them unique, and what it is that they hold in common. Through this discovery, we can be hopeful that mutual appreciation and acceptance will follow.”
Yes. The project culminates in a public Photo Exhibit and Artists’ Reception to showcase the students’ photographs with written descriptions that put the images into perspective and establish a sense of place. In the past, the Zoom In On Culture exhibit has been on display at Grinnell College, Grandview University, Bankers Trust and other locations in Central Iowa.
Contact us to start planning this unique educational program.
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