Offering Advanced Offering Advanced Technology for At-Risk Technology for At-Risk Young Adults: Pros and Young Adults: Pros and

Cons Cons Darren ThompsonDarren Thompson

Mgr. IT, Tech & YA ProgrammingMgr. IT, Tech & YA Programmingdthompson@blueislandlibrary.orgdthompson@blueislandlibrary.org

&&

Jim NelsonJim NelsonTechnology AssistantTechnology Assistant

http://blueislandlibrary.org/library/ILA2010.pdfhttp://blueislandlibrary.org/library/ILA2010.pdf

Why even consider Why even consider

offering advanced/non-traditionaloffering advanced/non-traditional

technologies?technologies?

There’s a need…. There’s a need….

The NeedThe Need

►eSchool News article eSchool News article Solving the STEM Solving the STEM Education Crisis Education Crisis

““Recent results from the Program for Recent results from the Program for

International Student Assessment International Student Assessment

suggested the top-performing U.S. suggested the top-performing U.S.

high school students were bested by high school students were bested by

students from at least 20 other students from at least 20 other

nations in math and science.”nations in math and science.”

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2009/12/13/igniting-and-sustaining-stem-education-2/

The Need Cont’dThe Need Cont’d

►eSchool News article eSchool News article Survey: Women, Survey: Women, minorities need STEM encouragementminorities need STEM encouragement

“’“’Almost eight in 10 of our survey Almost eight in 10 of our survey

respondents say women and respondents say women and

underrepresented minorities are underrepresented minorities are

missing because they were not missing because they were not

encouraged to study STEM fields early encouraged to study STEM fields early

on,’ said Bayer Corp. President and on,’ said Bayer Corp. President and

Chief Executive Officer Greg Babe.”Chief Executive Officer Greg Babe.”http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/03/22/survey-women-minorities-need-stem-encouragement/?ast=17

The Tech AnnexThe Tech Annex

Video productionVideo production

Audio productionAudio production

3D modeling and animation3D modeling and animation

RoboticsRobotics

Digital photographyDigital photography

Graphic and fine artsGraphic and fine arts

Resources in The Tech Annex Allow for:Resources in The Tech Annex Allow for:

The Tech Annex was made possible by The Tech Annex was made possible by

generous donations from the Friends of the generous donations from the Friends of the

Blue Island Public Library and by the Blue Island Public Library and by the

support of the past and present Library support of the past and present Library

Boards and Directors. We appreciate their Boards and Directors. We appreciate their

continued support of the Annex.continued support of the Annex.

How Did We Pull This Off?How Did We Pull This Off?

► MS in Computer Science: MS in Computer Science: Electronic Visualization Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL), UICLaboratory (EVL), UIC

► Gaming Company, Software Gaming Company, Software EngineerEngineer

► Motion Capture Studio, Motion Capture Studio, Mocap SpecialistMocap Specialist

► High School District, High School District, Network Analyst and Network Analyst and supported TV Production, supported TV Production, Art and Music LabsArt and Music Labs

► Bachelor in Fine Arts

► Published Comic Books

► Video Production/Editing

► Teaches 2D Animation

► Web Design

Darren Jim

Computer Aided Virtual Environment (CAVE) –

Holodeck Prototype

LambdaVision: 55 MonitorsWith 155,000,000 Pixel Display

Varrier: 35 Panel Auto-Stereo Display

EVL:EVL:Where Scientists Where Scientists

andand

Artists Collaborate Artists Collaborate

Role of Libraries in the Future:Role of Libraries in the Future:

Interactive Flexible SpacesInteractive Flexible Spaces

Aarhus Public Library, Denmark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpFO_L_jA1c

USC 2007 Library of the FutureAwards Ceremony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPRAKpT6u6Y

Video Production Resources IncludeVideo Production Resources Include::

Five video cameras with tripodsFive video cameras with tripods

Lights and reflectorLights and reflector

Green screenGreen screen

Wireless and non-wireless mics and mixersWireless and non-wireless mics and mixers

Reference monitors – used for quality of soundReference monitors – used for quality of sound

Two seats of Adobe CS4 Production PremiumTwo seats of Adobe CS4 Production Premium

Five seats of Adobe Premier ElementsFive seats of Adobe Premier Elements

DVD and VHS players with capture cards – used DVD and VHS players with capture cards – used

to capture home movies and videos to capture home movies and videos

Some Teen Video Production ProjectsSome Teen Video Production Projects As of Sep 2010As of Sep 2010, we have over 130 videos uploaded to YouTube.

Teens Creating The Machinima: “Lock Your Doors”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5_DrlANsso

“This Has Been a Tech Annex Production:The Monkey King”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ZypWypuU4

Brit and Ethan’s Machinima: “Grand Theft Oddity”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB5lKwSDMok

Audio Production Resources Include:Audio Production Resources Include: Four mixersFour mixers

HeadphonesHeadphones

PA SystemPA System

10 microphones with stands10 microphones with stands

Five portable self-contained Five portable self-contained

microphones – allow for easy off-site microphones – allow for easy off-site

recordingrecording

Yamaha KeyboardYamaha Keyboard

Five guitars and a Cajon Five guitars and a Cajon

Three guitar pedalsThree guitar pedals

Three ampsThree amps

Full Roland electronic drum setFull Roland electronic drum set

Six seats of FL StudioSix seats of FL Studio

Audacity is loaded on all computersAudacity is loaded on all computers

Example Audio Production ProjectsExample Audio Production Projects

Joey Nava using the four Zoom Q3s and our acoustic guitar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc9FnchLNnc

David Jackson using FL Studio, TAB President http://www.blueislandlibrary.org/library/6cFiles/flstudio/david_j/supa_16_bit.mp3

Sample This: Open Studio Recording Programhttp://www.blueislandlibrary.org/library/6cFiles/performers/berry_w/whatYouGoingToDo.mp3

Lena Smith Recording a StoryPodhttp://www.blueislandlibrary.org/library/6cFiles/mp3story/Skippyjon_Jones.mp3

Graphic and Fine Arts Resources Include:Graphic and Fine Arts Resources Include: Two Wacom Bamboo TabletsTwo Wacom Bamboo Tablets

Two Adobe Photoshop Pro and Illustrator seats Two Adobe Photoshop Pro and Illustrator seats

and five seats of Photoshop Elementsand five seats of Photoshop Elements

Gimp, Paint.NET and Inkscape installed on all Gimp, Paint.NET and Inkscape installed on all

computerscomputers

Canvases and various other surface mediumsCanvases and various other surface mediums

Charcoal and drawing pencils with shaders Charcoal and drawing pencils with shaders

Prismacolor pencilsPrismacolor pencils

Professional oil and water-based pastelsProfessional oil and water-based pastels

Sharpie markersSharpie markers

Professional acrylic paints with brushesProfessional acrylic paints with brushes

Four easels Four easels

Wacom Bamboo Tablet

A sample of fine art materials

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

3D Modeling & Animation3D Modeling & Animation

Lavell Short using Google SketchUp Pro to model

our museum in 3D and create “fly-throughs”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-ppzcqil7M

We use Google SketchUp Pro

for 3D since it’s easy to use

and more intuitive than most

3D applications. We use

Scratch and Flash for 2D

animations.

Due to the 3D Museum

project, we were featured in

Chicago TimeOut.http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/kids/82991/high-tech-education-for-kids-is-more-than-computer-skills

RoboticsRobotics

We use Lego Mindstorms NXT

for robotics-focused activities.

This is one of the more

“involved” activities available to

the teens and requires critical

thinking and promotes an

interest in STEM.

Digital PhotographyDigital Photography

We use the Canon Rebel XTi

10.1MP Digital SLR Camera.

We teach teens how to

correctly take pictures, types of

lenses, manual camera settings

and about long-term exposure.

The camera also allows for

creative programs such as

stop-motion animation.

Long-term exposure

Stop-Motion animation using the camera, green screen and Adobe Premier Pro

What are some of the pros and What are some of the pros and

cons to offering these types of cons to offering these types of

resources? resources?

The ConsThe Cons► Noise, noise, noiseNoise, noise, noise

► Environment can become chaoticEnvironment can become chaotic

► Issues with keeping teens on taskIssues with keeping teens on task

► Projects can take a long time to finishProjects can take a long time to finish

► Difficult to manage all the equipmentDifficult to manage all the equipment

► Hard to find staff who can effectively use the Hard to find staff who can effectively use the

equipmentequipment

The ProsThe Pros

► Not all students can enroll in TV Production, art, music or CAD classes – can Not all students can enroll in TV Production, art, music or CAD classes – can

see if they’re interestedsee if they’re interested

► Promotes creative thinking and an interest in STEMPromotes creative thinking and an interest in STEM

► Teens grow as a person and mentor othersTeens grow as a person and mentor others

► Encourages collaborationEncourages collaboration

► Increased potential for new programs and servicesIncreased potential for new programs and services

► Staff and community can utilize the same equipment – which in turn promotes Staff and community can utilize the same equipment – which in turn promotes

partnershipspartnerships

Current PartnershipsCurrent Partnerships► Economic Development Dept.Economic Development Dept.

► Police DepartmentPolice Department

► Local SchoolsLocal Schools

► City HallCity Hall

► Senior Citizens Dept.Senior Citizens Dept.

► Chamber of CommerceChamber of Commerce

► Historical SocietyHistorical Society

► WDDE Channel 4WDDE Channel 4

► Chicago Teen MuseumChicago Teen Museum

► Electronic Visualization Laboratory, UICElectronic Visualization Laboratory, UIC

Latest Addition: Latest Addition: Historical Preservation StudioHistorical Preservation Studio

Resources Include:

•Video/audio production station

• Flatbed scanner

•Film and slide scanner

• Canon 50D 15.1 digital SLR camera for large-

format objects

• 4 ceiling-mounted video cameras/audio recorders

Historical Preservation StudioHistorical Preservation Studio

Impact of the Tech Annex on Its Impact of the Tech Annex on Its Community VideoCommunity Video

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueIslandLibrary#p/u/51/OILxofRfOrE