#captsone

[techturd]

Always an entertaining show here folks

[cootiekid]

The voice of Wonder Woman has tweeted her approval!

Let the weekend COMMENCE.

Buy all these books HERE.

[ilicktea]

Capstone Ideas: 

- Immigration : Diaspora. When there is no where to go, no where is home.

[alainaydesigns]

[rileysavagecapstone-blog]

Topic Research and Exploration

Just to get the ball rolling, we looked through newspapers for current events and tried to discover design problems appropriate for capstone topics. I tried to think about which topics i’d like to learn more about, and then analyzed them from an educational standpoint; by doing this, I can more effectively find design’s place within the issue. 

I intentionally selected spaces that i may not want to work in, but that i still think would make interesting capstones. I researched the Puerto Rican debt crisis first - mostly because I wanted to learn more about it and how design could aid in a solution. This is not to say I could solve the debt crisis with my capstone, but rather how I can tackle an aspect of it - like America’s awareness of the issue and existing solutions we can participate in. I did the same with the destruction and killing of the coral reef in the Kiritimati and the severe budget cuts for Chicago State University. I found that getting very specific within the context of a larger issue is important. When you can tie your solution back to a more broad problem, but address it on a specific level, it gives you a chance to find solutions and think about your problem on a few levels.

But again, these are not topics I’d want to cover in my capstone; however, this did help me think about how i’ll approach finding the space I want to work in. 

[yoursarahfriedman]

A campaign for the Salton Sea, after 2 decades of ineffective efforts, would need to gain a fast and large response.  It seems that efforts up until now have not been widespread enough.  The messages of activate and advocate will be used and delivered using EPPM in a documentary that will be distributed using Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations.  The documentary would have 3 audience segments: people directly at risk for Salton Sea caused health risk, innovators within the area with voting power, and politicians in power to effect change.  All three segments would be featured in the documentary, however their interviews and input would be as much of a way to reach them with the message with interpersonal education.  The brand would be of an impending crisis but with a clear solution.  The wider audience would be called to action/activated to advocate for the locals using celebrity media advocacy.  Interviews with people already suffering the health risks would be featured to gain emotional appeal.  Other stakeholders featured will be CA environmental health experts and politicians like Senator Boxer that is already vocal about the issue.

Diffusion of and creation of the documentary will happen in two segments.  The first will be the light of the documentary.  It will be the central route information from scientist of the breakdown of environmental effects and health risks.  The health risks will be the only fear appeal used and will be presented using population attributable risk logic.   Current rates will be shown of dried up sea caused disease within certain geographical area, then graphics to portray the future geographical growth of the risk.  In this first part there will also be the objective motivation garnered in the audience to understand why this has not been addressed in 2 decades?  So, the central route will guide the film to explore that issue with politicians.  Any politician or lobbyist willing to discuss the problem and potential solutions will be featured.  This portion of the film will be presented in a very clear and direct manner, because politicians discussing scientific issues can be confusing.  What will also be made clear in this portion are means by which the our activated innovator voters can take action.

The heat of the film will be the portion of the film that features the populations at risk for or already suffering from the health effects of the dried up sea.  Locals of the Coachella Valley will be shown the objective informative first part of the film about the science and policies regarding the sea.  Then, they will speak to their experience of the drying up of the sea.  Their opinions of suggested policy change and health initiatives will be explored.  And stories of living with existing health issues will be shown by interviews with Erin Brockovich.  As this population is largely migrant agricultural laborers, activism within their community will not be pushed.  This is a group already disenfranchised by many parts of political systems.  However, their health needs will be addressed.  All health related interviews will be done by a doctor and they will receive care on the spot.  All HIPAA issues will be taken into account, however IRB permission will not be sought because this will be disseminated under the guise of edutainment.  This portion of the film will activate viewers to advocate for the environment and Coachella Valley population with emotive interviews and panning views of the current destruction.

The innovative voters that care about water issues in California carries across all party lines, but is mostly white.  Targeting this segment will be done with lots of “waste,” or while targeting many others in an effort to gain as much attention for the documentary possible.  Matt Damon, water conservation and access spokesman will be invited to speak at the release of the film in San Francisco, San Diego, and LA.  Media will be involved in the release of the documentary and interviews and further comment afterward.  This has shown is a successful way to gain exposure as seen with Naomi Klein's most recent effort.  All media interactions will include specific political maneuvering to address the issue such as politicians to support and not to support, and organizations to vote for.