Media and Public Event Production

The Media and Public Event Production Certificate addresses both current and emerging media and public event production technologies, which are presented both as a vehicle for creative endeavor and commercial activity. Opportunities are created for the development of relevant techniques in media content creation, content management, and public event technical support in a vast range of professional settings. Course offerings are both individually configured and strategically interrelated to facilitate the attainment of students’ professional goals in a wide breadth of production scenarios. Skill sets developed can prove vital to activity in diverse fields including commercial music, theater arts, marketing, science, education, journalism, hospitality, entertainment, law enforcement, art, and audio/video/multimedia content creation, management, and presentation. Students of Media Content and Public Event Production become qualified for positions in areas such as audio/video/multimedia media content production, sound reinforcement, multimedia presentation support, systems design and integration, stagecraft, lighting design, production equipment transport, stage management, event promotion, and artist management. Students also develop skill sets necessary for successful long‐term professional activity in today’s multifaceted and increasingly entrepreneurial scenarios of gainful employment.

Music Department Program Student Learning Outcomes:

o PSLO H: Differentiate; evaluate verbally or in written form a musical or media assignment through self‐analysis and classwork that assignment’s technical and artistic success

o PSLO I: Analyze, create or perform a musical composition using appropriate techniques that meet standard criteria for a successful performance event

o PSLO J: Practice and demonstrate appropriate, safe and sustainable rehearsal and production practices when creating, producing solutions to meet project criteria and artistic success

 Theatre Arts Department Student Learning Outcomes:

o PSLO A: Verbal & written evaluation: Differentiate and evaluate verbally or in written form a theatre‐related assignment or project (self‐analysis and class work of other students) in terms of technical and aesthetic success

o PSLO B: Access, analyze, create, and build solution: Analyze problem, formulate/invent idea then execute and use appropriate techniques to build or construct a solution/project that meets assignment criteria

o PSLO C: Best performance/production/rehearsal practices: Practice and demonstrate appropriate, safe and sustainable rehearsal/production practices, when inventing and producing solutions, to meet assigned project criteria

o PSLO D: Play Analysis/Interpretation: Use pre‐compiled knowledge and devise alternative knowledge structures to demonstrate understanding (including scene breakdown) of plays or musicals. Identify, analyze, and communicate understanding of performed works or objects built for production

o PSLO E: Historical: Identify, recognize and express through discussion and written analysis the achievements and contributions of significant and diverse artists (playwrights, designers, directors, actors, producers, stage technicians) and cultures throughout history

 Mechatronics Department Student Learning Outcomes:

o PSLOs:

 PSLOA: Actuators Outcome: Analyze pneumatic/hydraulic and VFD/electric motor control diagrams and construct them with appropriate hardware

 PSLO B: Electronics Outcome: Analyze, construct and test electrical and electronic circuits from schematic diagrams

 PSLO C: Fabrication Outcome: Fabricate and assemble mechanical assemblies from technical drawings using hand and machine tools.

 PSLO D: Overall outcome: Analyze, construct and test automated systems including electronic sensors, mechanical actuators and computer control.

 PSLO E: Programming Outcome: Demonstrate the ability to create PLCs and micro-controller programs and properly interface them to input and output devices

 MECH 0010 – Fundamentals of Electronics:

 CSLO 1: Construct and analyze functional electronic circuits from schematic diagrams

 CSLO 2: Evaluate results from electronic multimeters and oscilloscopes

 CSLO 3: Construct and evaluate electronic circuits build using solder

 Business Department Student Learning Outcomes:

o PSLOs:

 PSLO A: Communication: Communicate effectively in written and oral forms

 PSLO B: Business Problems: Analyze and critically evaluate information to solve a variety of business problems

 PSLO C: Technology and Information Competency: Evaluate and use appropriate technology in the changing business environment

 PSLO D: Business Knowledge: Display competency in the functional area of business related to the student's certificate or degree

 PSLO E: Citizenship: Analyze ethical and social issues and make business decisions that reflect professional responsibility

o CSLOs:

 CSLO 1: Evaluate the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs

 CSLO 2: Compare and contrast four forms of ownership

 CSLO 3: Construct a business plan

Enrollment and Completer Projections

In the 2016‐17 academic year, the Music department awarded 5 AA degrees. Over the same term, the Theatre Arts department awarded 11 AA degrees and 5 skill certificates. As an original, hybrid program harnessing the resources of multiple departments, enrollment expansion tied to the certificate are anticipated, though the generation of accurate enrollment and completer projections data is challenging. Factors considered include current Music and Theatre Arts department enrollment data, proposed additions to course schedules tied to the new certificate, and class section/instructional facilities capacity. Additionally, with approximately 2% of Sierra College students currently earning certificates, the district office of Planning, Research, and Development anticipates a scenario of the program initially awarding 6‐10 certificates per year, with potential for significant long term expansion. Both departments anticipate an increase in both the number of degrees and certificates awarded per department. Also anticipated is a significant enrollment increase in preexisting course sections that will have to support the new certificate program in addition to satisfying original demand. Additional enrollment is anticipated in newly‐developed courses that are intended specifically to support the certificate offering.

The Certificate of Achievement in Media and Public Event Production is being proposed in the interest of establishing clearer paths to scenarios of gainful employment for Sierra College students of Commercial Music and Technical Theatre. Demand for the Media and Public Event Production Certificate of Achievement is driven by evolution in multiple areas of industry, where both the scale and diversity of activity in media content production, content management, and public event technical support have expanded significantly. As a result, the breadth of demonstrable skill sets expected of new personnel entering these areas of professional activity has expanded commensurately.

Central to certificate development is acknowledgement of need to address this growth in both scale and diversity of demand. The interdisciplinary certificate will harness resources of multiple departments, affording students opportunity to develop a wider breadth of skill sets and as a result, address a significantly expanded range of employment opportunities.

The Media and Public Event Production Certificate of Achievement originated in the observations of Sierra College Commercial Music and Theatre Arts Faculty and direct advisement of the Vocational & Technical Education Act (VTEA) Career Technical Education (CTE) Technical Theatre Advisory Committee. Observations were made both through professional activity in course/program‐related areas of industry outside of the institution, and direct interface with active professionals in targeted areas of practice for which students were being prepared. First among these observations was the recognition of evolution of industry demand, resulting in the call for development of a wider breadth of skillsets in Commercial Music and Technical Theatre students. Second was the students themselves, expressing a desire for clearer and more efficient paths to scenarios of gainful employment. The final observation revealed many of these students independently forging these paths, creating their own “hybrid majors,” combining Commercial Music, Technical Theatre, Mechatronics, and Business training.

Inquiry into both the evolution and expansion of labor market demand, and levels of student preparation to fulfill demand, were facilitated firstly by direct investigation into the perspectives of professionals holding active or recently active status in areas of private industry whose personnel demands had been fulfilled by Commercial Music and Technical Theatre students. Additional insight was provided by “instructor‐practitioners” who in addition to teaching either within the California Community College system, or for private, for‐profit trade schools, maintained active status in related areas of private industry. The primary vehicle chosen for investigation was a focus group, moderated by an instructor practitioner who posed targeted areas of questioning, and compiled/analyzed participant responses. All focus group participants were confirmed as being able to act as representatives of hiring entities. Findings suggested that in the preparation of new personnel, 1) “overspecialization” typically resulted in compromised fulfillment of employer needs, and 2) the development of an expanded breadth of skill sets should be assigned elevated priority.

Consensus among the Sierra College Music and Theatre Arts departments are as follows on three primary points: 1) Continued proliferation of new media content management and public event support technologies will drive long‐term evolution of demand for technical personnel with increasingly diverse skill sets. 2) Continued population growth, combined with both the establishment of new event venues, and updating of existing venues, is anticipated to drive commensurate expansion of personnel demand in northern California (e.g. Golden One Center – Opened 9/30/2016; Sacramento Convention Center – $120M remodel and technical infrastructure upgrade, est. completion: 2020). 3) Students will continue to address this evolution and expansion of labor market demand, by either creating their own “hybrid majors,” or enrolling in new, innovative programs of instruction such as the interdisciplinary certificate program outlined in this proposal, with the intent to establish clearer, and more direct paths to scenarios of gainful employment.

Advisory

Students of Media and Public Event Production will need to be enrolled in the following courses in order to become qualified for positions in areas such as audio/video/multimedia media content production, sound reinforcement, multimedia presentation support, systems design and integration, stagecraft, lighting design, production equipment transport, stage management, event promotion, and artist management. These courses will develop skill sets necessary for students for successful long‐term professional activity in today’s multifaceted and increasingly entrepreneurial scenarios of gainful employment.

Semester 1 includes MUSIC 16 Media Content and Public Event Production that surveys technology and employment scenarios that will be covered in more specific depth in Semester 2 (Music 15 Audio Recording, Music 18 Live Sound, Music 29 Audiovisual Event Production). Semester 1 also includes Thea 14 Stagecraft and Thea 15 Stage Lighting courses fundamental to understanding a variety of stage venues. MUSIC 25 Introduction to Entertainment Industry covers a variety of contract scenarios with vendors, employers and employees for a variety of venues.  BUSINESS 140 Small Business Management  gives the student tools to manage W-9 and 1099 forms for example.

Advisory course Mechatronics 10 Fundamentals of Electronics will ground the student in electronic energy and devices safe practices; MUSIC 10 Music Fundamentals and MUSIC 40A Beginning Piano will aid students in both composition with electronic media (MUSIC 7) and being able to understand and converse with musicians in various settings. THEA 22B will deepen the students understanding of behind the scenes stage requirements of various venues.