Category Archives: Student Work

Sleep Deprivation

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For my capstone project, I will be focusing on the importance of sleep and how it affects your overall well being and health. I chose to discuss the importance of sleep because I personally never get enough sleep. As I was looking for topics to base my project on, I found it interesting that sleep deprivation is actually a lot more then just missing out on a few hours of sleep. In fact, sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain, insomnia, stress and even depression. Within my capstone project, I will be highlighting various sleep facts and why sleep is so important in a re-edited and remixed video. If I can’t find more than one good video to showcase, I plan on creating an animation of some sort instead to replace the remixed video. I will also be creating an infografic through adobe illustrator that presents the importance of good sleep hygiene and the benefits of getting enough sleep each night. Although sleep deprivation is my main focus, I plan on discussing everything sleep related considering my topic is the importance of sleep and not just sleep deprivation.

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795904334655426560

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795903738158268416

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795892140047900677

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795890143487889409

https://twitter.com/sleepcapstoneks/status/795888695798706176

Capstone Project: Acne & Self-Image

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For my Capstone Project, I have decided to focus on acne and its effects on self-esteem. It is a fact that the majority of people have experienced acne – in fact, it is “…the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually”. Unfortunately, acne is also known to cause “…significant physical and psychological problems such as permanent scarring, poor self-image, depression and anxiety.” And while it can affect everyone, the ones most commonly affected are teenagers, who are the most at risk for self-esteem related issues.
The purpose of my project will be to campaign for a better way of thinking – the self-deprecation that often comes along with acne is tough to get through, but it can be overcome, with a change in attitude. And while it is important to treat the acne, which can be done through seeing a dermatologist for treatment, as well as doing things such as getting enough sleep and eating healthy, it is just as important to treat mental health. This means healing the underlying self-esteem issues that can come with acne. In order to accomplish this, I will be creating an infographic with information about treating both sides of acne – taking care of your skin and your mind. I will also be creating a video with some animated elements, with more of a focus on how acne can make an individual feel, and how to overcome. I hope that all of those affected by acne, upon seeing my project, will finally say with confidence, “My acne does not define me.”

How Art Accesses The Brain

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For my Capstone Project, I plan to explore the idea and question of how art accesses the brain. In other words, what kind of benefits does art provide for mental health, performance, education, and overall happiness? Having a great personal appreciation for the arts, this is a topic that I personally stand true behind, and want to encourage others to express themselves freely through artistic and creative works. It has been a very meaningful outlet in my own life through various life struggles, and want others to feel the same passion that I do.

To employ this idea, I will be creating an infographic, as well as an animated infographic to illuminate the most well-researched and important information that has been shared in regards to this topic. A theme in this information that I would like to focus on is based off a quote by Leo Tolstoy, stating “Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced”. I would also like to inform the viewer ways in which art can heal, make an impact in various aspects of one’s life, and further enhance learning abilities. Art as a form of therapy is also something that falls into this category of art accessing the brain, and how developing interpersonal skills, reducing stress, and accessing both the right and left side of the brain are involved. There are many avenues in which art can better enrich our lives, and can leave a powerful influence in doing so. Because of this, I hope to educate and inspire viewers of my project to actively participate in just one opportunity that art can provide for your overall health.

Importance of Water in human life

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The subject for my Capstone Project will be about the water in human life. Without water, the body would stop working properly. Water makes up more than half of a body’s weight, and a person cannot survive for more than a few days without it. In the United States, we have many different options for our drinking water, but they are not all healthy. Drinking the wrong kind of water may do more harm than good. Children and teenagers in today’s world do not drink water at all. They tend to drink soft drinks, which can harm their health rather than drinking water.

The two media objects I will do for my project are an infographic and a remix video. The infographic will illustrate the benefits of water. I want to show the importance of water for the human body and how much water we should drink in a day. For the video remix I will explain interesting and useful water facts, showing the good types of water that we should drink to be healthy and the reasons to use a whole house water filter.

I will create this two media piece plus a website .I will present information about water and it’s benefits. I hope with my project I can encourage people, at least one of my classmates, to think about what we drink; get an idea of all the different types of water that we have and choose the best type; and show the importance of water for our human body.

Urban Agriculture and Your Health

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For my capstone project, I will be focusing on Urban Agriculture and how it can affect the health of those who participate. Urban agriculture has been defined as “Urban agriculture, urban farming or urban gardening is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around a village, town, or city. Urban agriculture can also involve animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry, urban beekeeping, and horticulture.”

When economic difficulties began to be experienced in recent years, people began to explore alternative ways to feed their families. In the United States, “food deserts” appeared in places like Detroit and Los Angeles,as grocery stores closed, and food could only be found at convenience stores or fast-food restaurants. As these places generally only carry “junk” or low quality food, obesity and health problems began to run rampant in these areas. To provide a source of healthy food without having to spend lots of money, many people began to turn to urban agriculture. This can include everything from large community gardens to small patio container gardens.

Studies have been done on the health effects of participating in urban agriculture: results include everything from increasing exercise, to increasing the amount of vegetables children eat. I will produce an infographic and a video that will focus on urban gardening (as it is the easiest urban agricultural practice to get involved with), highlighting some of the health benefits and how people can begin to get involved for themselves. I will include resources to investigate urban agriculture locally.

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I have decided to focus on the mental disorder ADHD in my capstone project. The project will explore how ADHD is treated in our society, observing whether or not ADHD is properly treated and cared for in the United States. This is a personal topic for me, as I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. I have taken medication to help me with ADHD since I was in the 5th grade, so this is a topic that I truly care about. The two pieces of media that I will complete are the infographic and a remixed video. The infographic will give basic statistics on ADHD diagnoses in children and adults. The infographic will also further dive into which ADHD patients are medicated and what they are medicated with, depending on their age and/or gender. The infographic can also give information about whether or not people truly realize what ADHD is and that it is a serious mental disorder, as I have met some people that dismiss ADHD as an excuse for children that misbehave. My remixed video will further focus on the narrative of ADHD awareness and how it’s viewed by people in society, as I plan to find different interviews or conduct interviews of my own on how people with ADHD have dealt with their condition in society.

Gun violence affecting kids and teens

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For my capstone project, I have decided to discuss gun violence in America. Specifically, I would like to focus on gun violence as it affects children and teens. On average over 111,000 people are shot yearly, and this is just in America. 17,000 of this total number are children and teens. 2,624 of these kids (ages 0-19) die from their wounds. Through the use of a main website page (home page) an infographic, and an animation, I will discuss the different gun safety factors and how they could be implemented to provide a safer environment for children. These will include locking up guns, in high out of reach places. As well as looking at the opinion that houses where children live should not own guns.
One of my media objects will be an infographic. There is a lot of statistics that I can use to create an in-depth infographic that will display the information in a way that will make sense. I will include daily statistics as well as yearly statistics.
For my second media object, I will create an animation using after effects. Since the infographic focused on more of the statistic side of gun violence, the animation will focus more on preventive measures. This will provide a different point of view from the infographic while still maintaining a cohesive unit through the website.

SUV’s Vs Car Crashes

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Roger Balch
Brenda Grell
Digital Technology and Culture
November 7, 2016
SUV’s are large vehicles that when they get into accidents it poses a large threat towards other vehicle passenger safety. According to ohiotiger.com, “The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found in 2013 that a total of 21/268 passenger vehicle occupants died in 2013, 30% fewer than in 1975… with the likelihood of SUV accidents 15 times as high.” SUV’s have become popular so in contrast accident numbers have increased significantly. Popularity has been shown studies that according to the Insurance Institute for highway safety, “8% of all vehicle fatalities happens to passengers in the back seat. So, large cars are safer for all passengers, but especially those in the back seat.” Something has to be said for those purchasing a car. To purchase a vehicle for larger stability a and safety or for people trying to save money to go for the cheapest option possible and select a car with little to nothing for safety options just to save money. Reports show the higher center of gravity make them prone to rollovers in which case cause higher fatalities than any other type of accident. Most of the 6800 occupants in 2010 who died of rollovers did not happen to wear seatbelts. For most accidents are caused by some third object whether its driving angry, driving under the influence, or just as the reason mentioned not wearing seatbelts. According to consumerreports.org, “In car vs SUV head-on crashes, the study found that the odds of death were 7.6 times higher for the car driver than the SUV driver… Just because a big, heavy vehicle has the advantage in a head on [collision] with a smaller lighter one, it doesn’t mean that lighter vehicles are unsafe. In truth, they’re safer than overall traffic fatalities are near their all time low.” Overall the important thing to look at is type and demographics of vehicles whatever is the most comfortable option that meets the needs of the driver. The 2 sources of media I plan to use is a narrative piece video along with a graphic narrative.

Study: SUVs Safer Than Cars, Front Seat Most Dangerous Place to Sit http://www.ohiotiger.com/suvs-vs-cars-crash-survival/

Reduced vehicle weight does not compromise safety. http://ow.ly/ZFhr302n0Qw @ACCESS_Magazine

SUVs are safer than cars in front crashes, but there is more to the story http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/05/suvs-are-safer-than-cars-in-front-crashes-but-there-is-more-to-the-story/index.htm

Which Type of Vehicle is Safest: SUVs or Sedans? – Quoted https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-news/1704/which-type-of-vehicle-is-safest-suvs-or-sedans/

Benefits of Being an Entrepreneur

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Benefits of being an Entrepreneur
According to the Oxford dictionary an entrepreneur is “a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so”. With this definition people might ask themselves why would someone want to be an entrepreneur? Why risk more financials than a normal person? Well I hope to outline 5 good benefits of being an entrepreneur.
1) Opportunity
With being an entrepreneur individuals have the opportunity to decide what their work is. A decision of what you work on rather than just being told what to work on can really help motivation and the spirit of what you do.
2) Freedom
This one stays in the same vein of Opportunity. Perhaps Aaron Pitman, president and founder of API Domain Investments says it best when he states “Freedom is my driver…I always wanted to be able to call my own shots, be in charge of my destiny, and have the ability to set my own life.”
3) Responsibility to Society
Entrepreneurs have the opportunity to constantly watch the world around them on a large and small scale and acknowledge how themselves/their companies fit into it. They have the responsibility to enact change to help form that world they see into one they envision.
4) Control
There is something to be said about control of their work area and environment to be a driving force behind why many entrepreneurs follow their dreams. People can design out their work space and environment however they like.
5) Time
In the beginning most Entrepreneurs will trade their 40hrs/week for 60, but some can get themselves to a spot where they are only working 10 and still making the company run. This frees up time to allow the owner to invest in other things such as hobbies and family.

I would like to portray my capstone project through an infographic and a moving infographic. I think these are the two best ways in which to showcase the benefits listed above about being an entrepreneur.

Baily Anderson’s Capstone Project

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For my capstone project, I have decided to educate my audience on the issue of plastic waste build up in our oceans. Because of people’s massive consumption of plastic materials, a threat has been posed to the natural wildlife population and, in return, ourselves.  I feel this is a very relevant topic that many of us should be concerned about and I feel very passionate about how we affect the environment around us.

To illustrate my information, I would like to create an infographic combined with animation. Working previously with Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects, I have decided to use these tools to create this project. I feel these two tools work very well together and make it easy to correlate between files. By producing most of my graphics in Illustrator, I can import these files into After Effects to animate. I feel this would compliment my website satisfactorily since I feel that these are where my strengths or “superpowers” lie.

I’m still a little unsure as to how I will narrow down my subject. I could discuss how plastic materials are damaging our ecosystem, but I also feel it is important to explain how everyone can help to make it better. I have pondered the thought of having a host, such as a seal or a fish, to help narrate the subject. My intent to lighten the seriousness of the topic is to try and focus on the positive. By providing solutions to this serious topic, we can begin to hope for a brighter future for the generations yet to come.