MAP changes elective sequence for juniors

In previous years, students in their junior year of the Media Arts Program (MAP) took the obligatory classes, English and History, as well as an elective of their choice: either Animation, Multi-Media Journalism or Film Making. 

Starting next year, however, juniors will no longer have the option of choosing one of the three possible electives. The incoming MAP juniors will take a new elective that combines all three of the previous elective choices into one class. If any students wish to take SHSTV, it will be an extra elective.

MAP coordinator Tony Palma said this change was made in an effort to better reflect the real-world media. Who will teach this class has not been determined yet. This combined class will be taught by, is still undecided by the administration. Palma is not concerned as he believes “it’s the content that matters” most.

“The fact is, in the media world that we live in today, film makers work with animators, who work with journalists, who work with information, collectively, and as part of teams,” Palma said. “We felt that having these three [electives] as separate classes didn’t emulate how the real world works and so we wanted students to be able to have an advanced experience in all three classes.”

 As freshmen, students are introduced to the program by taking English 9 MAP. And as sophomores, students take the elective Media Arts 1, which combines both animation and filmmaking together. Many of their projects correlate to what they learn in either English 10 MAP or World History MAP.

The MAP department found that many of its students were not interested in specializing in their junior year, but rather in learning the different artistic skills each of the three electives had to offer.

To create this advanced experience, the MAP team has been planning the new elective for about a year and a half. 

According to Palma, having an elective combined with students’ English and history classes “fits the whole MAP experience” and gives students more time to work.

Combining the three electives will also open up students’ schedules and simplify the scheduling for MAP students.

“This year it’s really helpful how we can learn more in this one [elective] class,” sophomore MAP student Shreya Sheel said. “[The new change] will make us learn a little more of everything just like this year, and will build up more on everything next year.”

Along with media-related projects, this year’s sophomores had a career unit in which community professionals are invited to talk about job markets, current trends and applying for jobs. 

“[It’s] a really exciting and fun unit that gives students a taste of what it’s like to be in a real working world, and I think it really opens their eyes to some of the things they need to be aware of moving forward,” Palma said.

Next year, a college unit will be added to the new elective. It will give juniors the chance to listen to college speakers, tour colleges as part of the MAP program’s Los Angeles trip and understand the requirements of the college application. 

“A lot of juniors are really thinking about how to get into the school that’s best for them, and this [unit] gives students the opportunity to get a portfolio together, learn how to apply to college and better to position themselves,” Palma said.

These changes will only affect current sophomores in MAP. There will be no change to the senior level of MAP since an elective is optional. 

“[The current juniors] have participated in the MAP program fully and they are going to continue on to the MAP 12 grade year,” Palma said “They’ve got some options to take classes there but [the change] won’t affect them at all.”

Palma and the rest of the MAP department is confident that the change will benefit students.

“I think by making this change we have made a positive impact on the program overall and I think students are going to be happy with [it],” Palma said.