CMNS 401 (Cultural Policy in Canada) – Exhibition Creation
Grade weight:
35%
The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate your mastery of the course material through analysis, synthesis and the creation of an exhibition. From the categories listed below, choose an area of cultural policy you would like to research in detail. Choose at least two policy studies or documents, and examine them in terms of their content and socio-political context. Your exhibition will have three sections: context, content, and analysis.
Length: approximately 2,100 words
Context: Support your description of the context using secondary research sources (such as the course articles and related works, many of which are cited in the notes and references sections included in the articles themselves). Effective projects tend to include 4 – 6 secondary sources.
Content: For your discussion of content, focus on a particular section or theme of interest to your main topic. Where applicable, consider both the content and the context of the primary document in terms of:
- relevant events, economic conditions, technologies, institutions, agencies, departments.
- central players or interests involved (commission members, sponsoring political party, community representatives, others).
- mandate and stated objectives of the authors.
- central themes, definitions, assumptions and philosophies of culture.
- main areas or issues of concern (the authors’ evaluation of contemporary conditions).
- critiques, rationales, and recommendations for policy.
Analysis: In this section, you will analyze the effects or results of the policy. You will consider subsequent legislation or the institutions established; the operations or approaches of these acts or institutions; the relationship of the policy or its outcomes to later studies or policy developments; or anything else that may be significant to your topic. Limit your discussion to a specific period; for instance, you might study the establishment of the CBC and its immediate social and policy contexts, but not the entire history of the institution.
First, take notes on the aspects of the issues addressed above (draft). You will then use an exhibition tool from the tool cupboard to demonstrate visually how the context, content and analysis relate to one another within the context of Canadian cultural policy. Note that the exhibition creation tool will allow you to customize the appearance and layout of your exhibition and also allow you to include images and other forms of media – you are welcome to take advantage of all of these options. Submit your exhibition to your tutor for evaluation.
Topics
Note: Some studies and policies deal with more than one area of culture, and are repeated in different categories below. Choose excerpts that apply to your particular topic.
Arts and Cultural Development Policy
Canada. Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences. [Massey Commission]. Report. Ottawa: King’s Printer, 1951.
Canada. Department of Communication. Speaking of Our Culture. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services, 1980.
Canada. Department of Communication. Report of the Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee [Applebaum-Hébert]. Hull, QC: Canadian Government Publication Centre, 1982.
Canada. Communications Canada. A Special Program of Cultural Initiatives. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services, 1983.
Canada. Citizens’ Forum on Canada’s Future. Report to the People and Government of Canada. [Spicer]. Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada. 1991.
Multicultural Policy Canada. Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Book IV⎯The
Cultural Contribution of Other Ethnic Groups. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1971.
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. A Broadcasting Policy Reflecting Canada’s Linguistic and Cultural Diversity. Public Notice CRTC 1985-139. Ottawa: CRTC, 1985.
Canada. Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada. The Multiculturalism Act: A Guide for Canadians. Ottawa: Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada. 1990.
Cultural Policy in Canada
Canada. Citizens’ Forum on Canada’s Future. Report to the People and Government of Canada. [Spicer]. Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada. 1991.
Heritage Policy
Canada. Democratization and Decentralization. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1972
Dixon, B., A. Courtney, and R. Bailey. Museums and the Canadian Public. Ottawa: Secretary of State, 1974.
Canada. Department of Communication. Report of the Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee [Applebaum-Hébert]. Hull, QC: Canadian Government Publication Centre, 1982.
Canada. Task Force Report on Museums and First Peoples. Report. Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1992.
Mass Media and Broadcasting Policy Canada. Royal Commission on Radio Broadcasting [Aird Commission]. Report. Ottawa: F. A. Acland, 1929.
Canada. The Canadian Broadcasting Act. Ottawa: King’s Printer 1936.
Canada. Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences. [Massey Commission]. Report. Ottawa: King’s Printer, 1951.
Canada. Royal Commission on Broadcasting. [Fowler Commission]. Report. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1957.
Canada. Special Senate Committee on Mass Media. Good, Bad, or Simply Inevitable? Selected Research Studies: Report of the Special Senate Committee on Mass Media. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer 1970.
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. A Broadcasting Policy Reflecting Canada’s Linguistic and Cultural Diversity. Public Notice CRTC 1985-139. Ottawa: CRTC, 1985.
Canada. Task Force on Broadcasting Policy. Report of the Task Force on Broadcasting Policy. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services, 1986.
For this assignment, you will:
- Identify and research the context and content of your chosen topic. You will use your primary and secondary sources to generate analysis. You will make note of this content as a draft before creating your exhibition.
- Using a visualization tool focused on exhibition creation found in the e-lab’s Virtual Tool Cupboard (e.g. Omeka), build an exhibition that demonstrates the relationships that exist between and among the context and content that you have generated above. If you would like to work with a visualization concept-mapping tool that is not included in the Virtual Tool Cupboard, please discuss with your tutor.
- Create an exhibition of roughly 2,100 words that clearly demonstrates the context, content and analysis that you have generated above.
A recommended methodology is presented below as well as a marking rubric that will be used to evaluate your work. Your finished exhibition should be roughly 2,100 words in length. Note that APA or MLA formatting or a system of footnotes (depending on what the exhibition creation allows) should be used consistently throughout your essay to acknowledge the source of the material included; please advise your tutor if you require guidance or resources for citation. Note that the Purdue University On-Line Writing Lab (OWL) offers current information on both styles of academic formatting, which could be of great use to you: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/. The Athabasca University WriteSite also presents useful tools and information on academic writing and formatting: http://www2.athabascau.ca/services/write-site/.
Methodology:
1 – Researching – Using Primary and Secondary Sources to Identify Context, Content and Generate Analysis
In a draft format and following the guidelines specified above, research the context and content of your chosen topic. Generate analysis accordingly.
2 – Establishing Relationships Between/Among Elements
Once significant concepts and events have been identified, decide how each element relates to the other; consider how concepts and events are connected. How could you present the relationships between these ideas visually within your exhibition?
3 – The Visualization Tool – Exhibition Creation
Familiarize yourself with an on-line visualization tool focused on exhibition creation, such as Omeka included in the e-lab Virtual Tool Cupboard. Review instructional material and tutorials included on the tool’s website. Build your own exhibition based on the elements and relationships established above. Format your exhibition to ensure that information sources are acknowledged with in-text references that appear in an accepted format/style.
Example: You may decide to study the area of broadcasting, and specifically the development of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. You would examine the historical context of public broadcasting initiatives and ideals in Canada, referring specifically to statements made in the Aird report, and also to analyses of conditions and influences of the time. Then, you would analyse the establishment of the CBC in terms of its mandate, its efficacy, and its role in Canadian cultural life. You would use the exhibition creation tool to demonstrate how context, content and analysis are related.
Evaluation:
The following rubric will be used to evaluate your submission. Please read the criteria before beginning the assignment and refer back to it as you work on your paper to make sure that assignment expectations are being met.
|
Criterion |
A Range |
B Range 70 – 79% |
C Range 60 – 69% |
F Range 0 – 59% |
|
Content |
Relevance - demonstrates thorough understanding of course concepts by presenting the most appropriate information for inclusion within the exhibition
- demonstrates thorough understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
demonstrates considerable understanding of course concepts by presenting highly appropriate information for inclusion within the exhibition
- demonstrates considerable understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
- demonstrates general understanding of course concepts by presenting appropriate information for inclusion within the exhibition
- demonstrates general understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
- demonstrates limited understanding of course concepts by presenting some appropriate information for inclusion within the exhibition
- demonstrates limited understanding of the relationships bewteen/among the elements chosen |
|
Reasoning |
Definition and precision of terms - shows thorough understanding of the relationship between the context, content and analysis
Use of evidence - offers pertinent arguments to justify response, draws from a variety of course materials; demonstrates a subtle understanding of relationships between ideas |
- shows considerable understanding of the relationship between the context, content and analysis
- offers pertinent arguments to justify response, draws from course materials |
- shows some understanding of the relationship between the context, content and analysis
- offers some arguments to justify response, draws from a limited selection of course materials |
- shows limited understanding of the relationship between the context, content and analysis
- offers few arguments to justify response |
|
Organization |
Logical consistency - follows all recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, follows an appropriate academic style rigorously (APA or MLA)
- exhibition demonstrates visually relationships between ideas in a highly effective manner |
- follows most recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, follows an appropriate academic style consistently (APA or MLA)
- exhibition demonstrates visually relationships between ideas in an effective manner
|
- follows some of the recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, follows an appropriate academic style (APA or MLA)
- exhibition demonstrates visually relationships between ideas in a generally effective manner |
- follows few of the recommended writing guidelines as set forth in the Student Manual, and fails to use an appropriate academic style (APA or MLA)
- exhibition does not demonstrate visually relationships between ideas presented |
|
Research Skills |
Accuracy and variety of information - demonstrates a high degree of research ability: includes a wide variety of course concepts
|
- demonstrates research abilities: applies a variety of course concepts |
- demonstrates some degree of research ability: applies some course concepts |
- demonstrates little research ability: applies few course concepts |
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