Project Overview
Events in our lives often have immense historical significance that we don't realize in the moment. History is made up of a collection of these defining moments; the result of piecing together these individual stories in order to recreate an idea of what once was.
In this moment you are living through a unique point in history and can share an experience that no one else can, in a way that no one can, through various artistic expressions. Whether you are affected by the issues involving the pandemic, human rights, political, economic, social, global, or other personal circumstances - you are living during a unique time in history.
We are a UTSA community and desire to unite in our experiences and gather, create, share, and preserve our stories. This project brings together students from multiple disciplines across the university allowing you to express your defining moment.
Consider your moment in time and create your own first-person account to share the effect these events have had on the people who have lived through them.
Project Objectives
- Grapple with changes and movements that are affecting student lives, and reflect on those experiences during this unprecedented and historically significant time period.
- Create artistic responses representing the defining moments of UTSA students.
- Preserve student memories by publishing these artifacts so that future historians can have a rich collection of primary sources, and share with future generations.
- Gain insight into the experience of others to promote unity and support amongst UTSA students and faculty by showing a shared experience.
Roadmap:
Complete the following steps in your Blackboard course:
Step 1: Prepare for the project
- View the Defining Moments Spark Page
- Fill out the FERPA form in your Blackboard Course
- Consent to the project
Step 2: Post your artifact
- Review the instructions on how to interact with Padlet
- Create and post your artifact on the Padlet
Step 3: Publish your artifact
- Publish your artifact
- Submit your feedback on the project
History
Students in the History course will reflect on how this defining moment is impacting their own life. The final outcome is a journal entry about current events, recent personal circumstances, and historical events that have been a defining moment in their lives.
View Defining Moments in History for more information on the project requirements.
Art
Art majors will work under the guidance of art faculty to create an artistic representation of the works provided by students in the Department of English and journal entries provided by students in the Department of History. The art may be delivered in a variety of mediums including but not limited to new media, photography, sculpture, painting and print making.
Music
Composition majors will work under the direction of composition faculty to musically render a number of poems provided by English students. These renderings may take the form of art song (text set to music), or as purely instrumental works that strive to realize sonically the intent and imagery of the poem. Student composers will work with instrumental and vocal students to prepare these original compositions for performance in a multi-disciplinary showcase
Dance
Dance students will have the opportunity to learn original movement phrases and choreography created in collaboration with and under the direction of dance faculty. Students will create dances for themselves and other dancers to present. All dances will be based on the music compositions and art pieces, with the goal being to create a visual and physical representation of the personal histories, which will then be performed in a final showcase.
Architecture
Having studied the information presented by the students from the Departments of History and English, students will synthesize this information into a built space for performance. As a group, students will choose work that are most interested in, and receive feedback from the departments as well as those using the performance space. The project will culminate with a scaled model of the space.
Academic Innovation
Academic Innovation supports this project through the Office of Digital Learning. The assignment is designed to integrate into all online courses and provide the best experience for faculty and students. Released of content based on students' interest, and the use of an interactive forum such as Padlet, allows students to map their experiences, build trajectories and journeys to live in this time as one in a life time experience together with the UTSA community.
“You are the author of your own destiny; write yourself into history books.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo
Credits:
Created with images by Tim Mossholder - "Colorful Hands 3 of 3 / George Fox students Annabelle Wombacher, Jared Mar, Sierra Ratcliff and Benjamin Cahoon collaborated on the mural. / Article: https://www.orartswatch.org/painting-the-town-in-newberg/ " • geralt - "bulletin board stickies post-it" • Brad Neathery - "Heart on Paper" • Elizabeth S. Rowell Mattheson - "My late grandmother, Elizabeth Stocker Rowell, in her Girl Scout Uniform. She was having her photo taken for a news article about her. She was the first Girl Scout in her city to receive the Golden Eaglet award and badge for her accomplishments as a Girl Scout after seven years with the organization, she joined the Girl Scouts around 1929. The photo was taken on Friday, June 12, 1936 at her home in Haverhill, Massachusetts." • Jeffery Erhunse - "untitled image"