Massachusetts School Library Association
MEMBER PORTAL:                 
​Join or Renew     Member Directory
  • Home
  • About MSLA
    • Spotlight Archive
    • Executive Board Meetings
    • MSLA Leadership 2019-20 >
      • Meet the MSLA eBoard
    • Joint Statements: MLA, MassCUE
    • Professional Affiliations
    • Strategic Plan 2016-22
    • MSLA Constitution
  • Professional Learning
    • Annual Conference
    • MSLA and PDPs
    • Member Blogs
    • Unconference
  • Membership
    • Member Portal
    • Join or Renew Your Membership
    • Members Map
    • Email List
    • Regions >
      • Northeast
      • Boston
      • Metrowest
      • Southeast
      • Central
      • West
  • Resources
    • DESE Rubric: School Librarians
    • Certification & Licensure
    • Program Standards & Rubrics
    • Job Description: School Librarian
    • Job Listings
    • Literature Resources
    • ELL for School Librarians
    • Independent Schools
    • Vocational Technical Schools
    • MLS Strategic Planning
    • Intellectual Freedom
  • Forum Newsletter
    • 2019 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2019
    • 2018 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2018
      • May 2018
      • October 2018
    • 2017 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2017
      • May 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
    • 2016 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2016
      • May 2016
      • October 2016
    • 2015 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • April 2015
      • November 2015
    • MSLA Forum 2002-2013
  • Advocacy
    • MA School Library Study for Equity & Access
    • MA School Library Study Research Project
    • MSLA Advocacy Priorities
    • Current Legislation
    • Library Legislative Day
    • Library Legislative Breakfasts
    • ESSA
    • Exemplary Programs
  • Bookmark Contest
    • 2019 Winners
    • 2018 Winners
    • 2016-17 Winners
    • 2012-15 Winners
    • 2009-11 Winners
    • 2004-08 Winners
    • Bookmark Judges
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant Program
    • Archive: History of Awardees
    • 2019 Awards Pics
    • 2018 Awards Pics
    • 2017 Awards Pics
    • 2016 Awards Pics
    • 2015 Awards Pics
MSLA Spotlight School Library

Creative Technology Center at Winchester High School

6/22/2017

0 Comments

 
A dark haired woman with shoulder-length hair smiles at the camera
Winchester High School Librarian Andrea Zampitella
Librarian: Andrea Zampitella 
The Winchester High School Creative Technology Center is a place in the WHS Library for students and staff to come together, share ideas and come up with creative problem-solving solutions. The room  is designed to be flexible – with mobile furniture. The space is a combination of a lab, workshop and collaborative conference space which can be utilized by students and staff from different content areas, fostering a multidisciplinary way of thinking, and learning. This student-driven, creative space is equipped with tools that will help to aid students into hands-on learning approaches. 
​
Our goal is to help students to acquire collaborative strategies, critical thinking skills, and technical competencies in order to become independent life-long learners. The space is equipped with high end technology such as Mac workstations, HD video cameras, green screen, 3-D printers,and a sound studio with mixing boards, audio software and microphones. The Creative Technology center is research driven and encourages work at the intersection of culture, education, design and technology.  

This year, ITS Specialist Kathleen Grace, Art Teacher Paul Hackett and I developed the CTC Lecture and workshop series. The idea behind the lecture series is to engage students and staff through presentations and workshops that cross the boundaries of disciplines and include creative uses of technology. In addition, students developed their own research projects.
A group of students work at tables to create wearable tech. Some students are seated, others are standing. There are containers and supplies all over the tables, and a book on how to create wearable tech.
Students work on creating wearable electronics during a workshop with Deren Guler.
A student shows off their wearable tech creation - a bracelet that lights up.
A student shows off their wearable electronics creation.
One student used the Xbox Kinect to create gesture controlled music. By utilizing multiple platforms and reaching out to developers she was able to successfully utilize a combination of software to produce gesture controlled sound.
A computer screen illustrating the blue and green image of a person moving on one side and the sound waves generated on the other.
Students used the XBox Kinect to create gesture controlled music as part of an original research project.
Students also had the opportunity to work with Broadway producer and expert on the interactive projection software Isadora, Jared Mezzocchi. The CTC obtained a copy of Isadora and students were able to customize projections. These project-based learning opportunities allow students to question, research and complete independent projects using technology found in the CTC.  
Three students hold up pieces of paper with projections of a Native American icon.
A multicolored digital display of an eye
Students learned how to use Isadora, an interactive presentation software, to project images onto objects.
A computer screen demonstrating how to program the Isadora software
A man stands in front of a whiteboard that has an image explaining the physics of sound waves.
Learning about the physics of sound with Andrew Hylnski at a CTC workshop
Students attended a series of workshops given by Musical Mad Scientist, Andrew Hylnski on Abelton Live Software. During these lectures students learned how to effectively use the Ableton Live software and also learned about the physics of sound.  Students have been using their new knowledge to create a score called The Sounds of Winchester High School.  ​​​
CTC students also created the Shrek Dragon for the school play.  Students researched, designed, and built a 10 foot dragon puppet to be used in this years production of Shrek.  Art and engineering skills were needed in constructing the dragon puppet.
A group of students poses on stairs holding a ten foot long pink dragon puppet.
CTC students pose with the 10-foot dragon puppet constructed for the production of Shrek.
We were able to run the following lectures and workshops:
 
  • Brian Knepp (11/9/16)- Lecture media artist whose works range from large-scale interactive installations to microscopic sculptures.
  • Deren Guler (11/23/16)- Wearable Electronics Workshop
  • Jared Mezzocchi - Improv Workshop using Isadora software
  • Nathalie Miebach  (3/8/17) - Lecture on intersection of art and science and the visual articulation of scientific observations using traditional basket weaving techniques
  • Jeff Lieberman (2/16/17) - Host Time Warp on the Discovery channel. Lecture combining his passions for art and science in ways that reveal how one influences the other.
  • Regie Gibson and the Speakeasy Project- Shakespeare to Hip-Hop Authorfest
  • Andrew Hylnski - Ableton Live Workshops - Music and the physics of sound
  • Dr. Mukai (5/6/17)- Lecture on Ophthalmology and iPhone Apps​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Spotlight Editor:
    Amy McHugh

    Cape Cod Regional
    Technical High School
    amchugh@maschoolibraries.org

    Picture
    Amy McHugh

    RSS Feed

The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
ekristofek@maschoolibraries.org
​
508-276-1697 

Copyright ® 2019 Massachusetts School Library Association       All Rights Reserved.