There’s a great essay on academic commons, Multimedia as Composition: Research, Writing and Creativity.
The part that may be most valuable for professors considering assigning such a project is the short list of recommended techniques:
- pitching (where ideas are presented to the professor or class for feedback)
- storyboarding (the visual equivalent of outlining)
- drafting (early projects that get feedback)
- peer evaluation
- group work (so students can supplement each others’ skills)
- revising (to promote the idea that the project’s quality is more important than the grade)
The essay is practical and concise. Well worth the time to read. If you’re just getting started reading blogs and using rss readers such as Bloglines or Google Reader, the Academic Commons is a great blog to get you started.