I'm Slightly Uncomfortable With This Assignment....Opinions?

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StevieMont927

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I'm taking a Deaf Theatre class, and my teacher has assigned what he calls a "Joint Stock Project". The assignment is to copy down a conversation between either yourself and a Deaf person (in ASL), or between two Deaf people (also in ASL).....but the thing is, the participants aren't supposed to know about the assignment. Now, names and other identifying features will be changed, and I know this isn't exactly something that's uncommon, but I still feel a little uncomfortable, especially if it's two people that don't know I'm watching them.

I was always taught eavesdropping is rude, and while the intent isn't malicious, and identifying features will be altered, I still feel a little uncomfortable.

My teacher says screenwriters often do this kind of thing to get inspiration, but I feel like there's a difference between overhearing a conversation (since it's impossible to filter out sound without other measures), and intentionally watching and trying to copy down a conversation......

Opinions? Should I bring it up with my teacher? I was just going to use a conversation between myself and my roommate.....but I really don't feel comfortable watching someone else's conversation.
 
Completing this assignment would be illegal in my state and both the instructor and student could be jailed 2 years and/or fined $2000! While it is unlikely to actually happen the teacher should have common sense and know better!
 
Konijnen said:
Completing this assignment would be illegal in my state and both the instructor and student could be jailed 2 years and/or fined $2000! While it is unlikely to actually happen the teacher should have common sense and know better!
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Holy crap what state are you in? I think we're going to be tweaking the content, and he said it should be more like general chit chat than an actual discussion involving in-depth topics, but still....
 
StevieMont927 said:
Holy crap what state are you in? I think we're going to be tweaking the content, and he said it should be more like general chit chat than an actual discussion involving in-depth topics, but still....
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I would probably ask the teacher if an alternate assignment was available and if not the use that conversation with the teacher for my homework ;)
 
Konijnen said:
I would probably ask the teacher if an alternate assignment was available and if not the use that conversation with the teacher for my homework ;)
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That's one way to do it. I don't think I'm going to see the teacher in person before the assignment's due. Maybe I'll just make something up?
 
I would say do a conversation between yourself and your roommate if that makes you more comfortable. Not sure I see the point of this assignment. Have your teachers been using the Signing Naturally curriculum? I know that's for the ASL classes but on the DVDs there's lots of good stories my husband had to copy and record to YouTube for his classes.
 
Watch a movie that has two people using ASL and use that for your assignment . I was also going suggest using your teacher while he was talking to someone. I personally feel it's wrong to use your roommate unless you ask them first if he is OK with this. Your teacher does not have know you did this. I know it's illegal to record a conversation in my state without telling a person so your assignment could be illegal in my state too.
 
AlleyCat said:
I would say do a conversation between yourself and your roommate if that makes you more comfortable. Not sure I see the point of this assignment. Have your teachers been using the Signing Naturally curriculum? I know that's for the ASL classes but on the DVDs there's lots of good stories my husband had to copy and record to YouTube for his classes.
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It's Deaf Theatre specifically, so we discuss theatre things, companies like Deaf West, and whatnot. I used Signing Naturally in my ASL classes, but I'm in ASL 5 and Translation so we don't have a textbook anymore. This is the prompt as written:

"The objective of the assignment is to observe other deaf people's dialogue (or monologues). They should not know that you are writing this paper and you will be making mental notes about what they said. You can be the one who is talking to them or watching a conversation from two or three people. Please try not to edit too much as we want the conversation to appear natural. The editing will take place later after the rest of the class turn in their papers.
After leaving the conversation with deaf people, you should write quick notes to help you recall information and you will write approximately 1 to 2 pages of material. Please submit the word document via the link provided here on this page."

I mean, it looks like he's going for a more 'inspired-by' thing rather than verbatim, but still.

The Signing Naturally curriculum isn't anywhere near casual and natural enough for this assignment, I don't think....
 
whatdidyousay! said:
Watch a movie that has two people using ASL and use that for your assignment . I was also going suggest using your teacher while he was talking to someone. I personally feel it's wrong to use your roommate unless you ask them first if he is OK with this. Your teacher does not have know you did this. I know it's illegal to record a conversation in my state without telling a person so your assignment could be illegal in my state too.
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I think if I talk with my roommate after I jot stuff down (since I don't want her to feel super super awkward), it'll be easier. I just....you know? I get that he's going for a screenwriting vibe but it feels skeevy. Maybe I'll take the movie idea (an excellent idea I hadn't thought of) and tweak the dialogue some......
 
It may help if 2 guys were talking about vehicles with turbocharged engine. Maybe they wouldn't mind you eavesdropping. I'm sure they would love it if you pretended to be an interested student in world of turbocharging.
 
dereksbicycles said:
It may help if 2 guys were talking about vehicles with turbocharged engine. Maybe they wouldn't mind you eavesdropping. I'm sure they would love it if you pretended to be an interested student in world of turbocharging.
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I'm surprised you chose that instead of clapping cats and ferrets. :)
 
AlleyCat said:
I'm surprised you chose that instead of clapping cats and ferrets. :)
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I'm not....I know him as the guy who's always talking about turbocharged engines. But then I'm just now coming back after a long spell of being gone. I think I'm just going to check with my roommate, get a basis for my paper, and elaborate and tweak things on my own.

Ugh.
 
Just use one of the CODA Brothers youtube skits. :lol:
 
Remember the film "Fight Club" with Brad Pitt and Ed Norton?

"According to author Chuck Palahniukhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0657333, much of the specific content of the novel (such as splicing single frames of pornography into family films, attending support groups for the terminally ill, erasing video tapes etc) came from stories told him by friends, and from things his friends actually did."

So your teacher isn't far off the mark. I still think there's a better way to complete the assignment...be creative, it is theater after all....

Laura
 
Lau2046 said:
Remember the film "Fight Club" with Brad Pitt and Ed Norton?

"According to author Chuck Palahniukhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0657333, much of the specific content of the novel (such as splicing single frames of pornography into family films, attending support groups for the terminally ill, erasing video tapes etc) came from stories told him by friends, and from things his friends actually did."

So your teacher isn't far off the mark. I still think there's a better way to complete the assignment...be creative, it is theater after all....

Laura
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I know he's not off the mark. I just don't like eavesdropping. I like literally feel uncomfortable thinking about it. I'll maybe put my creative juices to uses.

Then I'll email him like "Dude this makes me feel icky."
 
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