Asian Canadians and Community Media

Life histories and media representation of Asian Canadians have often been left to mainstream media to interpret and present to the general public. Have Asian Canadians developed community media and alternative communications strategies that have led to first-voice perspectives on the Asian Canadian experience? This course will be an inter-disciplinary study of the diverse approaches to communications and media representation in the Asian Canadian community of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. This course will begin with an introduction to the history of Asian Canadian community media practices, and then look at basic community media theory and explore community media such as radio, television and web-based technologies. We will examine themes and issues present in the Asian Canadian community, and the course will include basic technical training to produce short documentaries or a website. Students will hear lectures which include examples of community media projects, and in small groups discuss these and other examples, giving brief oral evaluations as well as explain historical and theoretical points to the seminar class. Students will undertake community research projects in the Greater Vancouver Regional District that they themselves will create and execute which will focus on visual life stories and documentation of community history or contemporary issues such as community activism, migration, family, aging, politics, or arts and culture. It is a chance for the students to gain experience on how to conduct research in real-life settings. Individuals and small groups will conduct research on a topic of their choice, collect and analyze data and incorporate community based media research, methodology, and digital video production or website creations into their final project.

Course Grading and Assignments

Grading Breakdown:

Viewing Response Papers - 15%
Video Diaries: 10%
Assignment #1 - 20%
Rough Outline for Assignment #2 - 10%
In-class essay – 15%
Assignment #2 - 30%

Course Requirements:

This course will be student-centred and conducted as a seminar. The emphasis will be to engage students with the course content as much as possible. To facilitate this, classes will consist of small and large group discussions, videos, student presentations, and guest speakers. Participation is crucial to learning as well as to the learning of others.

Students will be expected to have completed the assigned readings or media viewings before class and be prepared to summarize and discuss the major arguments of each reading, or give an analysis of the film/video/website or book.

In addition to readings and discussions, students will undertake research projects that will result in a short video, website or term paper.

Viewing response papers - 15%

Readings or films are assigned each class. Students will be responsible for these readings and films in short reading response, reaction papers. The readings are available online through the class web page. All films are on reserve at the Media Library. (3 papers - each 5%. Total 15%)

Video Diaries: 10%

Students will submit 2 video diaries.

In-class essay: 15%

In class essay based on assigned readings, viewing assignments and class lectures and discussions.

Assignment #1 – Community Non-profit Group Documnentation - 20%

Groups of 3 students will choose a non-profit organization somewhere in the Greater Vancouver area. The organization can be of any kind, but preferably should be one that is run by Asian Canadians. Each student will work together in a coordinated way to examine the non-profit organization from a multiple number of perspectives. For instance, some students may try to arrange an interview with the administration or clients, perhaps even do an oral history. Each student should take turns going to the organization at different times on different days to see what kinds of clientele they serve and why. Some students may examine the services available and find out how it was created--did they copy other organizations in the city, or is it a unique group specific to the community? Some students may examine the history of the location in relation to the community. Were there other Asian Canadians there before? Why were they there? What is the history of that locale or the surrounding block? This will entail some historical detective work, involving city records. In the end, each student will write up the work that they did as individuals, but the whole group's findings need to be coordinated with each other so that it comes together as a team project. The students will present the material on a website mounted on the class website.

Rough Outline for Assignment #2 – 10%

This should be a 3-4 page paper discussing what the students will be doing as a term project. It should take the following format:

Section 1) What will they be doing? Why is it interesting? What are the questions that they will be interested in answering?

Section 2) What are the parameters of the project? What kinds of material will they be using? Will they be talking to people? What will be the process they use to answer the questions they have? What methods and techniques of research are appropriate? Can it be done in the time allotted?

Section 3) What kinds of studies and scholarship exist already that might help them? Are they useful for background knowledge, for possible approaches? Or perhaps they are useful to illustrate how they will do things differently, and how they will ask other kinds of questions? In the end, this assignment is their blueprint for the project.

Assignment #3 – 30%

The initial research provided by the rough outline will then be used for the student’s final project.

This may take the form of an

A) academic paper;

B) short documentary film or

C) website.

If the students choose B or C, the assignment will consist of a 2 page summary of the project which should include the research question, the methods of research and analysis, and how the findings will be introduced, discussed and presented in the form of a short documentary or website.

The short documentary film must be a minimum of 3 minutes in length to a maximum of 8 minutes.

The website should consist of a minimum of 3000 words with text, graphics or video.

The final academic paper should be 8-10 pages in length.

HOW TO POST YOUR ASSIGNMENTS

How to submit your video diary, website or assignments:

1) Email karin_lee@sfu.ca with your FULL NAME and your assignment title in the "Subject" field of your email.

2) In the body of your email, include the link to your video diary, website or assignment. Youtube.com and Vimeo.com are useful sites to upload your videos. Yola is a website publishing site, that you may also find useful. Please note that the entire contents of your email will be published on the asc400.blogspot.com website.

3) Due to the amount of spam that has been posted onto the site, I will upload your links as posts.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Mark Cervantes - Reflections of a Filipino-Canadian

Hi Karin,

Here is the link to my video diary #1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpK-xmdXwJU

Again, sorry its late. Please mark accordingly.

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Monday, February 8, 2010

Hansen Ng Interview Exercise 3 minute

Hi Karin,

Here's the link to 3 minute interview exercise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJAzd4Nd1UM

Thank you,

Hansen Ng

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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Harpreet Kahlon (ASC-400): Interview

http://www.vimeo.com/9286535

Looking for the perfect gift? Give the gift of Flickr!
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Harpreet Kahlon (ASC 400): Video Diary #1

http://vimeo.com/9284056

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Aaron, Jiwon, Anita, Beverly - 3min interview exercise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=268AA_KEFFs

3 Minute Interview Exercise for ASC400 @ Simon Fraser University

Question: What are you doing during the Olympics?
Featuring Aaron Cheung, Jiwon Shin, Anita Wong, Beverly Wu

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ASC 400 - Group Interview Project

Dear, Karen
 
Sorry I sent the wrong link. Here is the correct link of our project.
 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY8YrOTYehc
 
 
filmed by : Judy Lee
Interviewer: William Tu
Interviewee: Cheryl Lim



 
Thank you

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ASC 400-Group Interview Project

Dear Karin,

Hello, here is the link to the 3-minute interview
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRoQTLd66gM  


filmed by : Judy Lee
Interviewer: William Tu
Interviewee: Cheryl Lim


Sincerely,
 
Judy


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Saturday, February 6, 2010

Mike, Helen, Julie, Mark 3 minute interview

This is our three minute practice interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhC3qjK96yo

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Friday, February 5, 2010

ASC 400: 3-minute Interview Exercise

Dear Karin,

This is the link to the 3-minute interview:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtGhaPNVoBQ

Camera person: Katie Tsang
Interviewer: Jenny Lin
Interviewees: Lisa Chen and Mandy Leung

Sincerely,
Jenny
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Monday, February 1, 2010

Stereotypes

Hi Karin,

Here is my video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EaxoF1VGWg

Roman Wu

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ASC 400

http://www.vimeo.com/9132225
Mariko Tajiri

Mariko Tajiri
That's Life Gourmet Ltd.
Premium WInes and Fine Sake
mtajiri@thatslifegourmet.com
c: 778 862 2952

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Guy Wong : ASC 400 Video Diary #1

Hi Professor lee,

Here is the link of my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WF4yy5lZwU

thanks,
Guy Wong

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Beverly Wu : Video Diary 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQjnNwf_BNM

Beverly Wu
www.beverlywu.com | beverlyw@sfu.ca

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Aaron Cheung : ASC 400 Diary 1

Hey Karin... at last here it is.

Get a glimpse of my life people...

I hope you'll enjoy it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4jWSaoFl_I

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Anita Wong ASC 400 Video Diary 1

Hey Karin,

Here's my video diary!


Anita
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Helen Kim ASC 400 Video Diary #1

Hello Karen,
Here's the link to my first video diary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzyo4TG_TuI


please ignore the time posted...
Thank you,
Helen Kim

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Jiwon Shin ASC 400 Video Diary #1

Hi Karen,
This is the link to my first video diary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A2FY70mTz4

Thank you,
Jiwon Shin

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Michael Kang video diary # 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZnzRmyXG40

Thanks

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ASC 400: Stereotypes

Hi,

This is Roman Wu, 301003959. I tried uploading my video onto my computer for a few times but it didn't work. But I have my video stored on a memory card. Can I just bring the memory card to tomorrow's class, share it there, and post it online with the school's computer? Thank you.

Regards,

Roman Wu

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Cheryl Lim ASC 400 Video Diary

Cheryl Xianteng Lim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGT54tfwb5U

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AJ Al-Janabi ASC 400 Video Diary # 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7Izpfbaw8
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