COMPUTING PIONEER VIDEO ASSIGNMENT
The Life and Contributions of a Computer Pioneer in Minute
Create a video precisely one minute in length that describes the life and achievements of a famous computer pioneer. In this video, you should give some insight into the subject's background, personality, and times in which he/she lived, which should lead into the contributions made to the history of computing.
Your narrated video (narrated by you) should only be one minute in length, so you'll have to speak quickly and get a lot of information in there. Try to have fun with the assignment, you may add humor, but make sure your narration is accurate and factual. As far as what the video should look like, you may use a series of still images (like a slide show) or video clips if you can find them. Just make sure the video you make is informative and visually interesting (i.e. not raw text). You should be narrating over images/clips that enrich the viewer's understanding of the subject. Note that you may use images and clips from any source you like.
You will find a number of such videos on YouTube like The Wire - Season Three in One Minute, which summarizes an entire season of HBO's The Wire program. Note the arc of the story, the touch of humor, and the rapidity with which the information is presented.
As far as how to create your video, there are a number of tools for doing so. One such tool is CamStudio, which is free to download and use. View our CamStudio Tutoria for how to use this tool. Bascically, it can be used to record activity on the computer while you narrate. So, for example, you may run a Powerpoint presentation, transitioning between the images of a presentation, which you narrate. Other tools like Windows Move Maker may also help in the creation of your video.
Note that all videos must be named XXInOneMinute, where XX refers to the name of the computing pioneer, for example, BillGatesInOneMinute. The file extension of course would depend on the file type you create. Also note that all videos must have a title screen that says the name of the video (i.e. Bill Gates in One Minute), as well as your name, and Stony Brook University. Note that all submissions will be uploaded to YouTube for the world to enjoy.
The Computing Pioneers Draft (like the NFL or NBA draft)
Students should select the subject of their videos from the instructor's list of eligible pioneers. No more than two students may pick the same pioneer. To ensure this, on Wednesday, November 9th, we will have a Computing Pioneers Draft, where students will be randomly ordered, and will then "draft" their pioneer of choice from those still available. Students should do some research before the draft such that they have multiple picks in mind in the event that their primary choices go early in the draft.
Students who wish to selectt a pioneer not included in the instructor's list must get prior instructor approval.
Students who do not attend the draft will be assigned a pioneer by the instructor.
Handing in your Video
When completed, email your finished video to your constructor.
Academic Dishonesty
Understand that plagiarism in any form will be taken very seriously. Any student who copies information from another student or from some other source has committed plagiarism and will face a charge of academic dishonesty. The contents of your video should be written by you, not anyone else. You may certainly appropriate images and video clips from other sources, but all words you narrate must be your own.
Late Videos
For videos that are handed-in late, a full letter grade will be taken off for every day the video is late. So, if you hand-in your video one day late, the highest grade you can achieve is a B.
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by Richard McKenna