I am by no means a technology wiz. I get into fights with my computer, I throw temper tantrums when I can’t get a flash drive to work, and I have minimal experience with programs such as iMovie. That being said, the Unit Four project will provide me with quite the challenge. However, I am excited to conquer some of my technology inadequacies and learn how to communicate in the rapidly evolving multimedia format.
When it comes to choosing a public controversy to discuss, I am torn between two options. The first option involves analyzing a very well known controversy from an unconventional perspective. For example, my group could research the Holocaust or the causation of the American Civil War and view these occurrences through a new network of interpretation. The second choice consists of presenting a controversy that is not as well known. Controversies that fit this description include the argument over whether American schools should teach creationism and controversies that may have been more prevalent in other countries. Both approaches would provide new and interesting data that would engage an audience.
While the controversy that is discussed is very important, the most critical aspect of engaging an audience is the format and style used to present the controversy. Even the dullest information can become fascinating when it is presented in the right manner. To keep our topic interesting, we could utilize methods such as speakers paired with slides of images, dramatic video clips, and creative animations. These animations could include interactive timelines, staged debates, or pictures that transform from motionless to video. Unfortunately, I currently have no idea to create animations such as these so I may be overly ambitious. However, it would be intriguing to see if my group could research a seemingly boring topic and make it exciting through innovative presentation methods. Whatever topic we choose, we will have to efficiently utilize rhetoric principles to create an appropriate medium of communication.