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College of the Arts 2020-2021 Projects

Click here to return to the main project listings page.  Questions: Email our@kennesaw.edu.

  • 2020-2021 First-Year Scholar: Emily Belinski

    • Digital Arts-Based Special Education

      This project involves work on the production of an edited book on the use of digital arts media (i.e. iPad, apps, video, gaming, etc.) for students with special needs. Research for this project will involve both literature reviews and conducting research surveys. This information will be compiled, analyzed and summarized in order to produce content for the edited book. Additionally, the First-Year Scholar will co-author a chapter and review submitted manuscripts for grammatical errors and adherence to APA format.

      The First-Year Scholar will participate in research and pilot studies on digital storytelling as it relates to the disability experience. This research will be conducted with people with various disabilities. The purpose of this research is to develop and refine tools and approaches to digital storytelling that enables and encourages participants to express their disability experience. Outcomes and findings of this research will be compiled for three purposes:

      1. The development of a proposal for the VSA TiLT Digital Storytelling Program Grant (VSA Arts is the major national/international organization that provides access to the arts for people with disabilities. It is housed in the Kennedy Center. The purpose of the grant is to implement digital storytelling classes or workshops of 5 or more hours for students with disabilities, middle and high school, grades 6-12, ages 11-22. Strong preference given to proposals that explore the theme of the disability experience. Serve 75 or more students with disabilities. $3,000 to $18,000.)

      2. The development of a book chapter co-authored with the First-Year Scholar for a book to be published by Routledge, a well-respected educational publisher.

      3. The development of a public exhibition of the digital stories created by the participants (location TBA).

    • The First-Year Scholar will be able to:

      • Research/evaluate digital applications relevant to digital storytelling (i.e. writing apps, speech to text apps, graphics/image apps, video apps, music/sound apps, augmented reality apps, virtual environment apps, etc.)
      • Research the use of digital interventions for various types of disabilities (i.e. autism, downs syndrome, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, dementia, Alzheimers, traumatic brain injury, etc.)
      • Develop intervention plans for implementing digital storytelling project
      • Implement/conduct digital storytelling project with participants
      • Analyze the methodology and outcomes of the each project to determine areas for improvement
      • Manage a data base of collected data/demographics and digital stories
      • Describe models and components of a digital story
      • Complete a range of tasks related to producing an edited book including: reviewing literature, conducting surveys, analyzing survey data, and APA formatting.
      • Perform reviews of literature in the following categories:
        - Context of Technology in Visual Arts and Culture: Digital Culture;
        - Digital Capabilities in the Visual Arts: New Media, 3D Printing;
        - Current Applications of Digital Technologies for Special Needs: Apps, Virtual Worlds, Video; Ethical   Issues and Future Possibilities for Digital Technologies in Special Education; Technology and Apps in Medicine and Mental Health
      • Review submitted manuscripts for grammatical errors and adherence to APA format.
      • Research and writing for co-authored book chapter.
      • Research/evaluate digital applications relevant to digital storytelling (i.e. writing apps, speech to text apps, graphics/image apps, video apps, music/sound apps, augmented reality apps, virtual environment apps, etc.)
      • Research the use of digital interventions for various types of disabilities (i.e. autism, downs syndrome, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, dementia, Alzheimers, traumatic brain injury, etc.)
      • Development of intervention plans for implementing digital storytelling project
      • Implement/conduct digital storytelling project with participants
      • Analyze the methodology and outcomes of the each project to determine areas for improvement
      • Manage a data base of collected data/demographics and digital stories
    •  Dr. Rick Garner, School of Art and Design, rgarner@kennesaw.edu

  • 2020-2021 First-Year Scholar: Alexis Lyons, art history and anthropology

    • Building a Digital Database to Document Photography and Carved Ivories from Central Africa

      Establishing an organized database is foundational to documenting, preserving, presenting and interpreting historical materials. For this project, the student will collaborate with the faculty member in the ongoing development and analysis of a digital database to record photographs and carved ivory sculptures produced during the late 19th century in the Congo, Central Africa. These materials are housed in archives and museum collections throughout the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. While a single or digital images may capture an archived photograph, each carved ivory sculpture is documented through hundreds of digital records that collectively capture the details of each. With thousands of carved ivories housed in museum collections, the digital database continues to grow. While travel restrictions due to Covid-19 has put a temporary halt on onsite production of digital records by the faculty member, the organization, refinement, cataloging and analysis of already collected records continues.

      Over the course of the year the student will contribute to the development of this database by editing, organizing and cataloging digital records and analyzing archival content to develop thematic clusters for conference presentation and potential publication. By conducting this work the student will contribute to the first-ever visual database on early colonial-era photographs and carved ivories from the Congo. This database serves as the primary source for the writing of a postcolonial African Congo history in counterpoint to established colonial narratives. The database will be utilized by source archives, museums and scholars in the field and serves as reference material for historical research and future publication. This is an opportunity for a student to gain experience in developing primary research skills relevant to archives, art history, history, anthropology, and museum collections management and to hone technical skills in image editing.

      Students interested in this project should be comfortable working with MAC computers and have a firm working knowledge of programs such as Excel, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Students in African and African Diaspora Studies, French, History, Anthropology, Art, Art History and Education are particularly welcome. Students should be able to work independently and under supervision through virtual meetings. An ability to read French is beneficial, but not required.

    • The student will: 

      • Learn how to collect and store data in an electronic form
      • Gain an understanding of how archives, museums and scholars develop and use archival databases for preservation and research
      • Identify, design and build a searchable thematic subset of digital records for qualitative research purposes
      • Develop skills in evaluation and analysis of primary documents and literature review
      • Gain experience writing brief research reports and professional presentations
      • Hone Photoshop and other digital editing software skills

    • The student will: 

      • Familiarize themselves with methods for collection and storage of data in electronic format
      • Edit, organize and catalog individual digital records
      • Conduct literature reviews
      • Conduct analysis of a thematic subset of digital records
      • Communicate with faculty, archives and museum professionals
      • Write up research for professional presentation and potential publication

    •  Dr. Jessica Stephenson, School of Art and Design, jsteph55@kennesaw.edu

  • 2020-2021 First-Year Scholar: Brandon Portalatin, music education

    2020-2021 First-Year Scholar: Katie Kosowski, vocal performance

    • Broadening the Western Music Theory Canon

      Working with faculty, students will help survey a variety of print music sources of underrepresented composers and music genres in the Western Music Theory canon. Project will evaluate, identify, and classify musical examples and excerpts to augment existing introductory undergraduate music theory and aural skills course materials. In addition to assembling materials to augment existing KSU curriculum, materials will be shared through a wider academic and educational readership, as possible.

      • Foster music analysis and music literacy skills
      • Develop understanding of music curriculum linked to repertoires explored
      • Explore issues of diversity and historic issues of hidden curriculum in Western music
      • Build music engraving skills with music notation software
      • Foster academic paper and manuscript preparation writing skills
      • Consult with supervising faculty
      • Library and online music researching
      • Analysis and sight singing of selected repertoire
      • Creation of music examples with music notation software

    • Dr. Peter Fielding, School of Music, pfieldin@kennesaw.edu


 

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