Pop Culture
These "Pop Culture" digital stories were created by graduate students at the University of Houston who enrolled in a course on the Educational Uses of Digital Photography and Digital Storytelling that was taught in conjunction with a course on Popular Culture in Education.
In the popular culture course, the students, many of them first year teachers, critically analyze issues and trends regarding popular culture in education and select a specific theme related to their teaching areas. They then create and collect media (such as images, speeches, interviews, music, video clips), write scripts and design and develop digital stories based on their popular culture theme.
You Are What You Eat
Examines fast food choices and considerations for consumers, including a realistic comparison of supposed healthy alternatives.
Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum and the social and political allegory of the Wizard of Oz.
Where have all the Heroes Gone?
This story looks at some of the heroes we looked up to in the past and questions who is a hero and what is important in today's society.
Visual Literacy
Visual literacy: what it means and why developing visual literacy skills is needed to evaluate images with a critical eye.
Vietnam
Reflections on a family members involvement in the Vietnam War and its effects on the family.
Unemployment
Unemployment is a severe problem in America today and some people are resorting to new techniques to ensure that employers are aware of their need for a job.
TV & Childhood Obesity
What are the connections between television and the current state of childhood obesity in America?
Third Ward Yates vs. Wheatly
Reflections on the "Turkey Day Classic" as a means of bringing together the local black community.
The Tupac Project
This story describes how a new teacher developed a lesson utilizing Tupac Shakur's song "Brenda's Got a Baby" to teach the narrative structure in a high school English class.
The Reality of TV
The video shows how television affects our reality and our way of thinking and living
The Reality of Television
Television and its effects on life and society.
The Reality of Reality TV
This digital story examines the reality of reality television, as Jon and Kate Gosselin "put their 10-passenger van in cruise control, riding the TLC highway to fame and fortune no matter how deep the potholes become."
The Power of Television
Examining how television is the leading form of communication to the American public and how the contents hold tremendous power.
The Painting Process
Learn about the process of painting and what happens after the painting is finished
The Legacy
Examining the past, externalizing the present, and contributing to the future through art.
The Internet & Telepresence
A reflection on the evolution and societal implications of the internet.
The Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962
This digital story examines the cause of the Cuban Missile Crisis, while also addressing the personal effect of this important period in history.
The American Dream
Economic repercussions of keeping up with the Great Gatsby.
Teaching America to use the Telephone
The development in understanding of telephone use for social purposes in the US rather than just business is shown in the video
Symbols of the Dollar
Historical exploration of cryptography and its variety of applications.
Superman
The video looks at the history of superman and why he has endured as a cult hero.
Streamlining and Fashion
Thoughts on streamlining and fashion, high culture, and pop-culture.
Relaxed or Natural?
The objective of this project is to bring attention to the negative perceptions associated with African American women who choose to wear their hair in its natural state by emphasizing the positive perceptions bestowed upon African American women who relax their hair.
Printmedia
A look at the evolution of print media.
Pompeii
Explore the last days of Pompeii to uncover and ponder what really pushed Pompeii to destruction and its rediscovery later by the archeologists
Muse's Tale
Exploring how life sometimes affects one's creativity and passion for writing. How can this be overcome? Will the muse ever resurface?
Money
This digital story focuses on money as an abstraction of goods and services.
John Lennon
This story is about the importance of our memories on our future with an example of the day John Lennon died and how it has affected the author's life from age 6 to now.
Ice Cream
Ice cream as a frozen treat, a dessert, an icon of American dependance on unhealthy fast food....sounds like a problem...
How Pop-ups Got their Pop
This digital story presents the history of paper engineering, more commonly called popup books, including some of the science behind this technology-based art form.
How Low Can You Go
Exploring the use of scientific research & design (SRD) as an innovative educational opportunity for students.
How I Got Here in 24 Hours
The relatively recent blending of politics, media, and news can make it very difficult to distinguish facts from opinions. This digital story explores how the show 24 has contributed to the torture debate in America as well as serve as ammunition for people who are pro-torture
Hollywood and the Old South Myth
Exploring the Old South Myth through the eyes of society and Hollywood.
Frankenstein
Engines of Our Ingenuity
Food and Waste
Human intelligence is questioned in this digital story that explores the amount of garbage produced, the improper disposal of trash and the waste of edible food.
Everlasting Kids
One of the most vivid childhood memories I have is of my first trip to the toy store. My first steps into that store were met with awe and wonder.
Energy and its Discontent: A New Appreciation of the Sun
A look at how solar energy is the ultimate source for much of the power we get on Earth, describing a plan for a full world-wide conversion to renewable (ultimately solar) energy.
Edward R. Murrow
The news media has become a product of commercial broadcasting. The excitement and sensationalism exists to attract viewers, while some of the respectful aspects of journalism which existed in the 1950s are gone.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Explore this episode to learn about the concept of invention as a three step process through the eyes of a preacher who worked towards education of racial harmony in US
Classroom Blogging
Examining if classroom blogging is benefiting students in the 21st century.
Chinese Footbinding
A historical look at extreme body modification focusing on Chinese foot binding.
Candids
A trip to East & West Berlin, before the wall fell down, challenges an American teenager to contemplate the idea of freedom.
Blue Bell Ice Cream: A Texas Tradition
The major objective of my digital story was to educate the viewer on the history of the Blue Bell Creamery, show how ice cream relates to my family, and to share my travels.
Birth of Internet
This digital story provides a personal reflection of the magical technology that opened up a world of possibilities.
Bias and Propaganda in Journalism
This story looks at how Journalism plays a role in shaping peoples opinion and its use by parties with power to spread ideologies to the masses.
A Surgeon's Perspective on Medical Television Shows
The author reflects on how television shows about medicine helped inspire her to become a surgeon.