Hallo Goa Nara

The one day program titled "Hallo Goa Nara" Goa Nara students interaction programme will be held on September 6th at the International Centre Goa. In this regard professor Alito Sequeira from the department of Sociology Goa University, professor Kyoko Matsukawa from the department of Sociology Nara University, Gasper Desouza photojournalist whose work has appeared internationally, Preeti Padgaonkar a student from the department of Sociology Goa University sat together at a restaurent in Panjim, Goa discussing what the event should focus on.

As our Japanese collegues do not share common language with Goan students various activities such as dancing and painting were suggested. It was emphasized that the language should not be a barrier in interacting and the variious activities of the day should give a glimpse of the other person and culture.

GoCreat to be represented at Panos South Asia workshop on Multimedia

Even as we have been in the thick of the DST workshop in Holy Cross School Siolim, we have just received news that Gasper has been selected to attend the Panos South Asia workshop on "Multimedia Local Content Production for ICT4D" in Katmandu, Nepal for his work with GoCreat.

The 8-day workshop starts on 22nd Sep, through to 29th Sep.

The workshop will focus on how organisations and groups like GoCreat can use multimedia to give voice to the community at the grassroots. It would also give us an opportunity to see how to use Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) and establish synergies with the media.

This is a major shot in the arm for GoCreat and the exposure gained from this international workshop will go a long way in our endeavours in multimedia with the local communities in Goa.

Holy Cross, Siolim: Trail blazing at 75

When Holy Cross Convent Siolim turned 75 years old it tuned on into an ancient learning approach and combined it with sophisticated modern technology – the digital story. The digital story is a media artifact. It is personal narrative that enables new approaches to reflection and engagement from our story teller students. It is made from digital images and sounds. Selected students of the school participated in a hands on and minds on Digital Story Telling Workshop from August 18 to 23, 2008 facilitated by Gocreat.

Our little story tellers spend six enthusiastic fun filled and intensely serious afternoons and have produced for us their little stories. “My favorite place” was the theme and the students were free to craft the story just as they wished. The digital stories they made invite us to enter their intimate world ranging from their living room at home, to the bounty that Mother Nature has given Siolim the springs and rivulets and one of the presiding deity of Siolim – Sateri. You will see that our little citizens indeed have their heads, minds and values in the right place. At the end of the workshop we are optimistic about all that is central to life and love, to humanity and its survival. No words can be a substitute to experiencing the films of these young people.

From Gocreat we want you all little citizens to know that we are deeply touched first by your stories and so also by all that you put into making your stories. We want to thank you for giving us this opportunity to be in your presence while you were at your most sincere and fun filled best. We wish you all good things and sure some day you will all be artists in your own unique ways.

We would also like to than Sr. Principal, for taking the risk and allowing us to work with you all and tolerating all the noise and disturbance during the six afternoons we spent with you, often overshooting the time allotted to us. We were also deeply encouraged by the enthusiasm show by your teachers who were around to help us and who were so keen to learn DST themselves. Martin was all things to all persons and helped with everything from setting computers and making sure that we have nice snacks and tea to keep us going. And all the other teachers and students who kept peeping in and enjoying the fun…you too made it fun to be around.

Digital Story Telling is a blend of the ancient art of story telling and modern computer and digital technology. We all know that whether we should use computers in education is no longer an issue. The question that confounds us is how to do it? Perhaps on its 75th birthday, Holy Cross High School has introduced yet another innovation in Goa, just as it had 75 years ago been one of the pioneers in women’s education in Goa.

From all of us at Gocreat….and keep the fun going….

- A note by Alito Siqueira

GoCreat DST workshop at Holy Cross School

Over the next week, GoCreat will be helping out in conducting a digital storytelling workshop in Holy Cross High School, Siolim, Goa. This workshop, is organised as part of the Goa-Nara Neighbourhood project (see: http://siolimdiaries.blogspot.com).

This workshop marks another outreach for GoCreat. So far we have worked in the 5-day format (6 work-hour days). The school environment comes with its own special needs and considerations and we will address them in following posts.