{"id":13671,"date":"2026-08-15T20:07:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T00:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/about\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T06:58:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T10:58:56","slug":"syllabus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/syllabus\/","title":{"rendered":"Syllabus"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"13671\" class=\"elementor elementor-13671\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bbb8bc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1bbb8bc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6fdf7e31 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6fdf7e31\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-241e6489 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"241e6489\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Syllabus<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a5d85b1 elementor-fixed animated-slow elementor-hidden-mobile elementor-view-default elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon\" data-id=\"4a5d85b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_position&quot;:&quot;fixed&quot;,&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:1800}\" data-widget_type=\"icon.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MjIsInRvZ2dsZSI6ZmFsc2V9\">\n\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-slack\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c78ef00 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5c78ef00\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b31e492 e-n-tabs-mobile elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-tabs\" data-id=\"1b31e492\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;horizontal_scroll&quot;:&quot;disable&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-tabs.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-tabs\" data-widget-number=\"456254610\" aria-label=\"Tabs. Open items with Enter or Space, close with Escape and navigate using the Arrow keys.\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-tabs-heading\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546101\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546101\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"true\" data-tab-index=\"1\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546101\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 1;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tOverview\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546102\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546102\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"false\" data-tab-index=\"2\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546102\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 2;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tLearning\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546103\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546103\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"false\" data-tab-index=\"3\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546103\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 3;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tAssignments\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546104\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546104\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"false\" data-tab-index=\"4\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546104\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 4;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tGrading\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546105\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546105\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"false\" data-tab-index=\"5\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546105\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 5;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tConduct\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546106\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546106\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"false\" data-tab-index=\"6\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546106\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 6;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tAI\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<button id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546107\" data-tab-title-id=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546107\" class=\"e-n-tab-title\" aria-selected=\"false\" data-tab-index=\"7\" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-controls=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546107\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 7;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"e-n-tab-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\tPolicies\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-tabs-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546101\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546101\" data-tab-index=\"1\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 1;\" class=\"e-active elementor-element elementor-element-5e764697 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5e764697\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59937934 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"59937934\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Course Name:<\/strong> NMD 343, Designing Stories, \u00a03 credits<br \/><strong>Meeting:<\/strong> Fer 337, T\/TH 2-3:15<br \/><strong>Instructor:<\/strong> Prof Joline Blais<br \/><strong>Tools:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.org\/nmd343\">Website<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/nmd343-26.slack.com\/\">Slack<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/maine.zoom.us\/j\/2324708112\">ZOOM<\/a>, Camera, Shorthand, StoryMaps, Davinci Resolve.<br \/><strong>Office Hours:<\/strong><br \/>\u2014 Prof Blais: T\/TH 11:30-12:30 (248 Boardman or Ferland); \u00a0Wed 3-5 (<a href=\"https:\/\/maine.zoom.us\/j\/2324708112\">Zoom<\/a>); \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nmd343-26.slack.com\/\">Slack<\/a> anytime<\/p><h3>Description<\/h3><p>This course is for students who want to strengthen their creative storytelling and digital media skills through work grounded in real places. You will use <strong>photography, video, audio, text, and interactive mapping<\/strong> to create original stories about Maine\u2019s landscapes and communities.<\/p><p>Across three projects, you will practice noticing what makes a place meaningful, capturing strong media, shaping a clear narrative, and combining different media into engaging digital stories. Along the way, you will build practical skills in photography, video production, editing, mapping, and digital publishing while learning how stories can reveal connections among people, culture, history, and the living environment.<\/p><p>The goal is to move beyond simply documenting a place and learn how to make audiences <strong>see it differently, understand why it matters<\/strong>, and recognize the possibilities within it.<\/p><h3>Disclaimer<\/h3><p>In order to best accommodate student projects and course goals, the format, schedule or content for this course may be modified. In addition, student input may alter the content and direction of our work. In such case, changes will be made directly to this online syllabus, with in-class announcements.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546102\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546102\" data-tab-index=\"2\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 2;\" class=\" elementor-element elementor-element-54cc54c1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"54cc54c1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2def64b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2def64b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3><p>By the end of this course, you will be able to:<\/p><ul><li><b><\/b><b>Find stories worth telling<\/b> by exploring place, people, ecology, history, and community.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Shape compelling narratives<\/b> with a clear focus, purposeful sequence, meaningful context, and strong conclusion.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Create effective visual and audio media<\/b> using thoughtful composition, recording techniques, and creative choices.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Combine text, photography, video, sound, and maps<\/b> into cohesive digital stories.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Edit with intention<\/b> to strengthen clarity, pacing, visual quality, and audience engagement.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Design and publish multimedia stories<\/b> using platforms such as Shorthand and ArcGIS StoryMaps.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Evaluate digital storytelling and New Media technologies<\/b> by considering design choices, audience experience, and their social and cultural impacts.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Practice ethical storytelling<\/b> through accurate reporting, responsible representation, permissions, and attribution.<\/li><li><b><\/b><b>Use critique, collaboration, and reflection<\/b> to strengthen your stories and develop your skills as a digital storyteller.<\/li><\/ul><h3>Peer Feedback &amp; Collaboration<\/h3><p>Digital storytelling gets better through conversation, critique, and collaboration. Part of your class\/lab grade reflects how actively and thoughtfully you contribute to the work of your peers.<\/p><p>You can contribute through <b>class and lab discussions, Slack conversations, and WordPress assignment comments.<\/b><b><\/b><\/p><p>Good feedback is <b>specific, honest, supportive, and useful.<\/b> Start by identifying something that is working well. Then point to something that feels unclear, less effective, or worth developing further. Whenever possible, offer a question or suggestion that helps the storyteller see new possibilities.<\/p><h3>For example:<\/h3><ul><li><b>What\u2019s working:<\/b> What caught your attention? What feels strong, memorable, or effective?<\/li><li><b>What could grow:<\/b> Where did you lose interest, become confused, or want to know more?<\/li><li><b>What might help:<\/b> What question, experiment, or change could make the story stronger?<\/li><\/ul><p><br \/>Helping someone else\u2014and asking others for meaningful help\u2014are both valuable forms of participation. <b>You receive credit for giving substantial help and for seeking out and using help from your peers.<\/b> Let me know about significant peer collaboration through Slack.<\/p><p><b>Storytelling is collaborative. Intelligence is social\u2014and interspecies. Listen closely. Share generously. Ask good questions. Help each other make better work.<\/b><b><\/b><\/p><h3>Tutoring<\/h3><p>Tutoring is available for a wide range of UMaine courses using the tutor matching platform Knack. To meet with a UMaine peer tutor, go to <b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.joinknack.com\/school\/university-of-maine\">UMaine Knack<\/a><\/b> and sign up with your MaineStreet account. During signup, there will also be an opportunity to download the Knack app for apple or android. Using the Knack app, you will be able to select the course in which you want tutoring and then select a tutor. You will communicate with the tutor through the Knack app to arrange a time and location for your tutoring session.<br \/>For more information or with questions, contact: Office of Student Academic Success in 104 Dunn Hall, or call 207-581-2351.3<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546103\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546103\" data-tab-index=\"3\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 3;\" class=\" elementor-element elementor-element-1a190feb e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1a190feb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6694c7e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6694c7e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>PROJECT \u00a01 \u2014 PHOTO PLACE STORY<\/h3><h4>Seeing Place: A Story of One Maine Place<\/h4><p><br \/><strong>Format:<\/strong> Photo-based digital story using approximately 8\u201315 original images with concise text\/captions.<\/p><p><strong>Place can be broadly defined:<\/strong> a neighborhood, street, forest, river, lake, shoreline, farm, trail, workplace, gathering place, building, campus location, small town, or other meaningful Maine location.The goal is not simply to show what a place looks like.<\/p><p><strong>Use photography and storytelling to investigate what happens there, who or what belongs there, how it is changing, and why it matters.<\/strong><\/p><h3>PROJECT \u00a02 \u2014 VIDEO STORY<\/h3><h4>People, Place &amp; Change<\/h4><p><strong>Format choice:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><strong>Shorthand multimedia story<\/strong> combining photography, text, and optional audio\/video, or<\/li><li><strong>Short video story<\/strong> exploring place with visual and audio media.<\/li><\/ul><p><br \/>This builds directly from the single-image project by asking you to create sequence, movement, character, sound, pacing, and narrative arc. The course models support this progression through examples like \u00a0Patagonia&#8217;s advocacy films, NYT Op-Docs&#8217; concise documentary structures, National Geographic&#8217;s scientific storytelling, and Beau Miles&#8217; ability to find stories close to home.<\/p><h3>PROJECT 3 \u2014 RICH MEDIA \/ ARCGIS STORYMAP<\/h3><h4>Mapping Relationships: A Living Landscape<\/h4><p>The final project asks you to synthesize your photography, writing, video, audio, research, editing, and storytelling skills in a more complex spatial form. This allows you to move beyond documenting landscapes toward revealing your relationships, histories, ecological systems, and future possibilities.<\/p><p><br \/>Some useful models include Craig Mod&#8217;s integration of walking, photography, maps, and essays; National Geographic&#8217;s multimedia integration of maps, photography, video, and science; and UMaine&#8217;s own ARC-GIS repository of stories about conservation and community.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546104\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546104\" data-tab-index=\"4\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 4;\" class=\" elementor-element elementor-element-67d957ba e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"67d957ba\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36dbc38c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36dbc38c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>How To Thrive<\/h3><p><b>1. Show Up &amp; Do the Work<br \/><\/b>Missing work = zero. That hurts your grade fast\u2014so keep up and turn things in, even if not perfect. \u00a0A 65 grade will NOT lower your grade as much as a 0.<\/p><p><b>2. Freebies = Lifelines<\/b><br \/>Life happens. You get 1 chance to turn in late work, no excuse needed. Your second late project gets docked 5% per day late. \u00a0Try not to use this, it\u2019s for unusual circumstances.<\/p><p><b>3. Absences Add Up<\/b><br \/>You get 2 free absences. After that, each one drops your attendance grade by 5 points (out of 100). No distinction between excused\/unexcused\u2014you\u2019re in charge of managing your time.<\/p><h3>Grade Breakdown<\/h3><ul><li>25% Class <strong>Participation<\/strong>, Attendance &amp; Task or Quizzes<\/li><li>25% <strong>Project 1<\/strong><\/li><li>25% <strong>Project 2<\/strong><\/li><li>25% <strong>Project 3<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><h3>Grade Descriptions<\/h3><p><b>A = Outstanding<\/b><br \/>Above-and-beyond effort, strong work, active help to\/from peers, clear growth.<br \/><b>B = Very Good<\/b><br \/>Met all expectations, showed effort and thoughtful input, supported others.<br \/><b>C = Just OK<\/b><br \/>Did the basics, little extra effort or class contribution.<br \/><b>D = Slipping<\/b><br \/>Work mostly incomplete, little learning or engagement, low scores.<br \/><b>F = Checked Out<\/b><br \/>Missing or failing most work. No signs of effort or progress.<\/p><p><b>Bottom Line:<\/b><br \/>Come up with asome good portfolio projects that you cause to showcase your skills. Pick topics that interest you. Start early, and keep working. Last minute projects are often poor, and well below your creative abilities. \u00a0Stay engaged, do the work, and ask for feedback or advice if you need it\u2014we\u2019re here to help you thrive.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546105\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546105\" data-tab-index=\"5\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 5;\" class=\" elementor-element elementor-element-8408b75 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8408b75\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fbc649 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3fbc649\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>SUCCESS CHECKLIST<\/h3><p>Being present with focused attention on your work and your classmates is key.<\/p><p><b>Show Up, Speak Up<\/b><br \/>Be in class, on time, and ready to participate. Attendance counts toward your grade.<\/p><p><b>Do the Work\u2014On Time<\/b><br \/>Turn in assignments by the posted deadlines. Partial work is better than none.<\/p><p><b>Revise &amp; Improve<\/b><br \/>Low grades? If you turn in work time, you may get 1-2 chances to revise or replace them\u2014stay on top of your work.<\/p><p><b>Communicate Early<\/b><br \/>Missing class or struggling? Tell me ASAP. I\u2019ll help if you show effort and responsibility.<\/p><p><b>Respect Matters<\/b><br \/>Listen actively. Speak thoughtfully. Support diverse perspectives.<\/p><p><b>Stay Focused<\/b><br \/>No phones out during class. Don\u2019t multitask unrelated work on your laptop\u2014do use it to expand your engagement with class work.<\/p><p><b>Be Ready to Work<\/b><br \/>Bring your laptop or necessary tools\u2014phones alone won\u2019t cut it for in class work. Use your phone when required for tasks or fieldwork.<\/p><p><b>Use Your Resources<\/b><br \/>Take advantage of TA office hours, tutors, labs, equipment, and campus support services.<\/p><p><b>Life Happens\u2014Talk to Me<\/b><br \/>Illness? Family duties? Reach out early. I won\u2019t grade based on personal setbacks, but I need to know to support you.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546106\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546106\" data-tab-index=\"6\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 6;\" class=\" elementor-element elementor-element-7f90e8ad e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7f90e8ad\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7824d872 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7824d872\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>AI Policy: Storytelling, Creativity, and Ethical Use<\/h3><p>Your stories have something AI does not: lived experience, relationships, observation, memory, judgment, responsibility, and a point of view. Take pride in developing your own creative, storytelling, and technical abilities. These skills\u2014and the ways you use them to represent people and places\u2014matter more than any single course grade.<\/p><p>This course emphasizes <b>place-based storytelling<\/b>, which depends on being present: noticing, listening, photographing, recording, interviewing, and discovering what is actually happening in a place. AI can simulate a generic story about a place, but it cannot replace your own embodied experience of being there. AI may support your learning, but it should not replace the observation, creative decisions, media capture, or storytelling an assignment is designed to develop. You remain responsible for every idea, claim, story choice, and piece of media you submit.<\/p><h3>Projects and Portfolio: AI as a Learning Assistant<\/h3><p>Unless an assignment states otherwise, you may use AI selectively to:<\/p><ul><li>Brainstorm questions, themes, or possible story approaches<\/li><li>Organize your own field notes, research, or story ideas<\/li><li>Develop or test an outline, sequence, or story structure<\/li><li>Receive feedback on clarity, pacing, accessibility, or organization<\/li><li>Check grammar or create rough transcripts, captions, and alt text<\/li><\/ul><p>Begin with <b>your own observations, photographs, recordings, interviews, research, and creative direction<\/b>. Use AI to respond to your ideas rather than asking it to invent the story for you. Evaluate, revise, and often reject AI suggestions rather than accepting them automatically.<\/p><h3>Keep the Storytelling in Your Hands<\/h3><p>Do not submit AI-generated stories, scripts, reflections, interviews, photographs, video, audio, or other creative media as your own, or use AI to replace required fieldwork and media-production practice. Never fabricate sources, quotations, interviews, experiences, or community perspectives, or imitate another person&#8217;s identity, voice, image, or style without permission.<\/p><p>For this course, the most important creative work should come from <b>being somewhere, paying attention, making media, and deciding what the experience means<\/b>.<\/p><h3>Use AI Ethically<\/h3><p>Protect privacy and consent, represent people and communities fairly, credit sources and collaborators, and avoid unnecessary AI use. Ask whether AI genuinely helps you learn or tell the story better\u2014and whether it is replacing something you should be learning to do yourself.<\/p><h3>Document Your Use<\/h3><p>Include <a href=\"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.org\/nmd200\/ai-for-students\/\">a brief AI Use Note<\/a> naming the tool, explaining what it contributed, and describing what you changed or verified\u2014or state <b>\u201cNo AI used.\u201d<\/b> Clearly label AI-generated material included in a final project; routine spelling and grammar checks do not require documentation.<\/p><p>Your grade reflects your <b>storytelling, observation, creative judgment, media craft, accuracy, ethical choices, and ability to explain your process<\/b>\u2014not how much AI you use.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"e-n-tab-content-4562546107\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-tab-title-4562546107\" data-tab-index=\"7\" style=\"--n-tabs-title-order: 7;\" class=\" elementor-element elementor-element-68ae1f8b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"68ae1f8b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39567064 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"39567064\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>UMaine Policies<\/h3><p>Covid 19: \u00a0For more information see Black Bears Care Pact: <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/return\/black-bears-care\/\">https:\/\/umaine.edu\/return\/black-bears-care\/<\/a><br \/>And: \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1CWBUnB23ps8X6n1Zc9wHC2doZQ5jjHWTBJ5s8-HSgGI\/\">UMaine Covid 19 policy<\/a><\/p><p>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#I\">Academic Honesty<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#II\">Students Accessibility Services Statement<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#III\">Course Schedule Disclaimer<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#RH\">Observance of Religious Holidays\/Events<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#VI\">Sexual Discrimination Reporting<\/a><\/p><h3>Additional Policies<\/h3><p>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#IV\">Student Conduct Expectations<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#CV\">Classroom Civility<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#IX\">Inclusive and Non-sexist Language<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#VII\">Copyright Notice for Materials Accessible through the Course Website<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/computingcoursematerials\/umaine-policies\/#VIII\">Contingency Plans in the Event of an Epidemic<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Syllabus Overview Learning Assignments Grading Conduct AI Policies Course Name: NMD 343, Designing Stories, \u00a03 creditsMeeting: Fer 337, T\/TH 2-3:15Instructor: Prof Joline BlaisTools: Website, Slack, ZOOM, Camera, Shorthand, StoryMaps, Davinci Resolve.Office Hours:\u2014 Prof Blais: T\/TH 11:30-12:30 (248 Boardman or Ferland); \u00a0Wed 3-5 (Zoom); \u00a0Slack anytime Description This course is for students who want to strengthen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13671","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13671"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14516,"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13671\/revisions\/14516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umainenewmedia.net\/nmd343\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}