This is an interview with Vern Bisho a teacher of media arts at Center High school in Sacramento California. Vern runs a program that operates from one of the only digital media arts departments in California comprehensive high schools.

(PM) Vern welcome. Thanks for doing the interview.

(VB) No problem.

(PM) You teach at a comprehensive high school. What classes do you teach?

(VB) I teach:

Beginning Video Production
Advanced Video Production
Computer Graphics
Digital Audio

(PM) What standards do you use in these classes?

(VB) I utilize the Visual and Performing Arts Standards almost exclusively.

(PM) Can you give me an example?

(VB) Sure. Let's take my digital audio course.

(PM) What do you cover there?

(VB) Audio is a one-year course of study that will enable students to research and study the cultural context of audio recording including. We study the history of the technology and the impact of music on society. I want students to get a feel for what professional audio requires. So the students in this course utilize digital audio to express themselves by communicating through the performing arts. The students will study and conduct research on the history of music in film, audio recording, they will also work in studio production, music editing and mixing and CD production.

(PM) can you relate that to the VAPA standards?

(VB) Yes. This class utilizes the five basic standards. First there is artistic perception. The students will learn processing, analyzing, and responding to sensory information through the language and skills unique to music.

This standard relates to using the language of music to read, notate, listen to, analyze, and describe music and other aural information, using the terminology of music. Specifically they will learn to identify the elements and principles of music. That means they will recognize and discriminate among the musical characteristics of pitch, melody, harmony, timbre, tempo, rhythm, meter, dynamics and instrumentation. From there we go to creative expression, learning how to create music and in this case select and mix music They will use acoustic and electronic instruments and editing techniques to make new music to express different and distinct ideas and moods. Hopefully they will begin to perceive the world in a musical manner by refining sensory perceptions of musical works, sounds in nature, events and the environment.

Then we would move on to the second standard; creative expression. They will make new music using acoustic and electronic instruments, mix the work, use the editing techniques that are imbedded in digital pro-sounds and other software. They will have to arrange music.

Third we move on to historic and cultural context, learning about different forms of music in cultural contexts. Why do some cultures emphasis instruments and sounds over others. We ask the question, what is the artist trying to communicate within their culture. We look at ceremonial music for example.

Next we have a whole list of standards within aesthetic valuing where they will learn to make critical judgments. They will learn that the music business is all about recognizing what is appropriate to a genre and to markets.

Finally we also use the fifth connection standard where students apply what they learn here across disciplines and also develop competencies in problem solving, communication skills, and management of time and resources. We also study what careers use these skills such as careers in music related video, film, and television jobs available in California as well as develop a healthy musical outlet for personal growth as an avocation.

(PM) So basically the students are learning about the arts through musical editing and production.

(VB) Yes, the idea is that the computer is a tool, almost an instrument. It can be an instrument if you use a midi or synthetic reproduction. People get hung up on the word digital and lose the sense that this is an arts class.

(PM) What do you mean hung up?

(VB) Well they think that the student is somehow learning less than they would in a real or traditional class with only acoustic instruments. The guts of the class is not computer driven but arts centered.

(PM) Good art is good art.

(VB) Yes and bad art is bad art. They learn that too. It's about making judgments. The computer can tend to mask mistakes by substituting a standard esthetic for a specific esthetic. but the students learn very quickly how to spot those. After all, no matter how it is produced all music is notes perceived by the listener.

(PM) We don't have the space or time to go through the other courses. I imagine though you could say the same for them.

(VB) I was all prepared to go through more standards. (laughing)

(PM) The standards you mentioned are academic standards are they not? What about vocational or career tech standards?

(VB) The classes do in a way relate to career. If you use professional standards and equipment the students will gain an appreciation of what it takes to make it in the business. It's an interesting question. Let me digress for a moment. You asked for recommendations and I suggested that the powers that be should consider developing a separate framework for the digital media arts because the existing framework are not really accurate. What I mean is, the students have to do projects, so yes they learn how to work as a group, how to communicate, how to compromise, they have to show up on time and they can't dog it or the other members of the team will get on them. These are all of those standards that are in the career tech standards. However, if they do the assignments faithfully they can't help but get exposed to work requirements.

(PM) I am glad you cleared that up. You did say that the objectives of the class are academic and career oriented.

(VB) Yes, that is an issue in that the digital media arts are not purely one or the other. Hopefully, students will be able to use the class if they go onto college or if they go to community college to further their digital studies or go into the workforce. The other problem is what do you expect from a digital media arts teacher. What are you expected to know and how do you keep up with changes in the field.

(PM) Yes, you said in the survey you wanted to have educator study the issue of credentialing in digital media arts.

(VB) Right. I know the commission on teacher credentialing hears that a lot, but in this case it is true because the arts teacher will probably not have the experience to teach media and the computer teacher will not have arts background.

(PM) You are a music educator, correct?

(VB) Yes prior to getting into digital media I taught music. I kind of morphed into digital media through music.

(PM) Did you ÒinventÓ the media classes?

(VB) The digital and video classes I invented. The design class was here but I updated that class a lot to incorporate technology.

(PM) I asked you in the survey if these classes have any impact on other classes and you said no.

(VB) I did because I don't think they help or hinder any other course of study. The rise in my enrollments came when the new college requirements in arts came into being, so I think we just added more kids into art. Now there are prerequisites for say the digital audio class, so maybe the students take these classes to get to the digital courses but I tend to think they take foundation arts classes first and then get interested in how to make music digitally. The video classes are probably different in that the first beginning class in the sequence is a first course.

(PM) They have to know some music to get in the digital class?

(VB) Yes, the students have to already know how to read music and play music to some extent. A student couldn't just wander into the class.

(PM) Are your classes articulated with any other institutions?

(VB) Not at the moment. They are modeled on courses at Rocklin High School that are UC approved but ours are not yet. We do visit community colleges so students can see what courses are offered at those institutions.

(PM) You also indicated that you thought showcases are important. How so?

(VB) Showcases are essential opportunities to display. Showcases are important to the process. Students need to see other student examples to assess their own levels of performance. The community needs to see the student's accomplishments to validate the entire process.

(PM) Thanks for your time.

(VB) Anytime.