Workshops

CGLCK Curriculum Development Workshop
Instructor: Cindi McIlrath

We will begin with a brief over view of what curriculum, units, and lesson plans are (for the uninitiated). Then move into the development of the curriculum to accompany the CGLCK traveling exhibit, including a framework, big questions (and some answers), lesson templates, inclusion and diverse learners, the look and feel of the lessons and activities, pre teaching activities and lessons, assessment tools and styles, and more.  You don’t need to have experience with creating or designing curriculum, but there will be Homework!  We will establish teams to continue work on the processes begun here as we return to our home communities.

How to Brainstorm Ideas
Instructor: Saul Sopoci-Drake

Ever wonder how to develop all the great ideas you have or how to turn an idea into reality?

If so, this session of How to Brainstorm Ideas is for you. There are hundreds of options for brainstorming–and new ones arriving all the time in our fast-paced digital world. However, for some a classic approach might be better than the latest app. It’s all about finding what works best for you, taking into account learning styles, preferences, and any props you might have available. Throughout the session we will be focused on the numerous ways of how you can take an idea and turn it into a reality. Tips and strategies will be provided to build sustainable frameworks.

The topics covered in this class are heavily dependent on providing participants with ideas about how to use brainstorming methodologies and what types could be effective for differing scenarios. Participants will be encouraged to generate ideas in group break-out sessions and discuss new strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Class participants will learn methods and strategies for:

  1. Getting started and strategizing outcomes
    1. How to build ideas
    2. How do you know your idea is worth the time
  2. Resource presentation and discussion
    1. Practical tricks and tips
    2. Approaches and how to use them
  3. Taking the next steps.
    1. How much is too much
    2. How to move from ideas to reality

American Indians in Comic Books
Instructor: Mike Wilson

One of the major challenges in youth engagement is competing for their attention with the remarkable amount of entertainment options today. Some of the hottest properties in contemporary entertainment are comic books and comic book movies. This session will provide participants with an introduction to American Indian Characters as presented in the comic book industry and examine why, despite their flaws, they can be important tools for identity development. We will also explore what the possibilities are when tribal entities and individuals choose to create new works in comics, and how the medium can assist in meeting community specific needs

Scanning for Keeps
Instructor: Jolie Greybill

Come learn how to use high-quality portable scanners and related equipment to scan items of historical interest and get digital copies of the scanned materials as TIFF and JPG versions on a portable flash drive, along with a completed metadata form that fully describes the items’ context and subject matter. See how easy it is to set up and use these portable scanning kits. Basic digital preservation information is also shared.

Classes

Breaking the Rule: Community Curation and Content Gathering
Instructors: Holly Cusack-McVeigh, Travis Zimmerman, Courtney Cottrell

This course explores ways to involve community members as co-curators throughout the exhibition process (including the establishment and use of release forms, ways to “story” objects, and techniques for encouraging community-based research).  Through case studies, hands-on group activities and participation in an informal focus group session, students will explore models of participation that encourage a community-based approach to content gathering and exhibit development.

Learning Objectives

When you complete this session you will:

• have a better understanding of the collaborative approach to exhibit development;
• be able to identify ways to incorporate multiple perspectives;
• be familiar with strategies for identifying storyline ideas and organizing concepts;
• be able to identify key take-home messages;
• be familiar with techniques for community engagement and partnership building;
• be able to identify ways to enhance your museum’s role in the community;
• be able to integrate and apply knowledge of research techniques for content development;
• be able to generate ideas for building visitor participation into your existing exhibits;
• be able to identify outcomes and community benefits.

Digital Storytelling: A voice for our ancestors and a story for our legacy
Instructor: Missy Whiteman

Workshop Description: Independent Indigenous Film and Media writer producer and director Missy Whiteman will guide participants through a completely hands-on digital production workshop.

By understanding how digital media can be a powerful means to document, reclaim, preserve traditional stories and teachings for generations beyond. Missy will share her personal films and other works that represent the concept: “ We are still here”.

This intensive in-depth workshop will also cover budgeting for digital media production, distribution platforms, Creative Natives: DYI on less than a shoestring budget and youth media. Digital Storytellers will use professional digital video and audio equipment to create a collaborative video incorporating their ideas and concepts developed during the workshop.

How to Tell Stories within and Exhibition
Instructors: Saul Sopoci-Drake, Shannon Martin, Willie Johnson

Ever wonder how to create compelling narratives within an exhibition?

If so, this session of How to Tell Stories within an Exhibition is for you. How do build themes and decide what story to tell? How do you work with your community to assess needs and build consensus? What are need to know elements of exhibition panel writing? Throughout the day we will be focused on gathering these and other insights with the goal of being able to effectively construct a story into exhibition text. Our class will focus on four main subject areas for exploration: Community Connections, Strategizing Narrative Outcomes, Practical Resource and Information Gathering, and Exhibit Panel Structure and Design

The topics covered in this class are heavily dependent on seeking out a multitude of perspectives and developing strategies for compelling storylines in a collective manner. Participants will be encouraged to generate ideas in group break-out sessions and discussing new strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Class participants will learn methods and strategies for:

How to Tell Stories within an Exhibition

  1. Community Connections
  1. Drawing direction from your community. How does that get gathered?
  2. Creating opportunities for community involvement and advocacy.
  3. Community needs. Assisting and/or resisting trends.
  4. Group dynamics and building consensus.
  5. Real world approach: Ziibiwing Center
  1. Strategizing Narrative Outcomes
  1. Building themes and subthemes
  2. Building stories and gathering information.
  3. Who are you telling your story to?
  4. What do you want people to know?
  1. Practical Resource and Information Gathering.
  1. Tricks and tips.
  1. Exhibit Panel Structure and Design
  1. How to structure narratives.
  2. Word limits.
  3. Aesthetic considerations.

Planning A Mukurtu Site
Instructor: Michael Wynne

Mukurtu is an open source content management system built to meet the needs of indigenous communities to manage and share their digital cultural heritage. It is in use by diverse communities and institutions around the world, to serve many needs including providing access to materials within a community, as a tool for public outreach, and as a space for collaboration.

And Mukurtu will be the digital hub for the Great Lakes Culture Keepers traveling exhibition––where participants can collaborate regionally and share planning documents, resources, photos, audio files, and anything else that will help tell the story of “We Are Still Here.” Eventually, it may even serve as a platform for a public online exhibition.

The first day of this class will give attendees an opportunity to actively design and set up a real Mukurtu site and workspace. You will learn basic skills like creating digital heritage items and community records, how to manage a range of media types, how to build collections, manage access, setup basic site customization, and more. The second day will be less formal, focusing on troubleshooting and guided hands-on experience.

At the end of the class, participants will be able to confidently use the sharing platform, understand the basics of Mukurtu, and be able to start actively working on the exhibit!

If possible, please bring a laptop if you intend to participate in the hands-on training. Consider having some materials ready to share (notes, documents, images, etc)

Note: This workshop is focused on preparing for the traveling exhibit. If you are interested in learning more about Mukurtu for yourself or your organization, Michael will be happy to make time outside of the group training to discuss more with you!