Education

8 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2017 Visit Prov.ca/Communications to learn more MORE IMPORTANT MEDIA LITERACY HAS NEVER BEEN Providence Communications & Media students learn to be critical consumers of media. They also go on to work as videographers, radio journalists and corporate communications professionals. By Jennifer McFee for the Free Press Assiniboine Park and Zoo offers an abundance of educational and entertaining classes for adults and youngsters alike. Fall and winter workshops are divided into four different themes: sustainable living and DIY, creative arts, recreation and leisure, and children and family. "We have about 20 workshops planned. They're usually in the evenings or weekends to work around people's general work schedules," says education co- ordinator Melissa Scouten. "The ticket sales for each workshop help facilitate the education and programming department to bring more people to the park through education programs. So people who sign up for these workshops are essentially helping other people to access the park through our programs. It's like a fundraiser for our department." Do-it-yourselfers might be interested in signing up for workshops focused on honey harvesting and cheese tasting or canning and preserves. "We also have workshops on how to make your own body scrubs with sugars and essential oils," Scouten says. "It's really fun and we get lots of entire families coming. We do them in the fall and during the holidays, so it's a nice thing to do with the family before Christmas." If you're looking to indulge your creative side, artist Willow Wolfe is hosting painting workshops as well as several park paint nights. "In about three hours, you could complete a very nice painting to take home for yourself," Scouten says. "You can learn some tips and tricks of painting and then get to take your artwork home." Other artistic options include a paper-marbling workshop with Janet Carrol and a felted mitts workshop with Cathy Sutton. Under the category of recreation and leisure, you can learn about everything from fall birding to holiday-themed crafts. "For people who like making things out of botanical materials, we have workshops on making your own fall wreaths, holiday wreaths and holiday containers with a woman who owns a company called Front Door Stories," says Scouten. "She brings in wonderful materials to dress up your front door and make it festive. Anything to do with botanicals at the conservatory is always very well received." In addition, an eight-week yoga series will run every Wednesday from 6-7:15 p.m. starting Sept. 13 and running until Nov. 1 in the Ivan Eyre Gallery located in the pavilion. Families with kids aged three to five can look forward to the six-week Nature Tots program, which runs Wednesdays from 10-11:30 a.m. from Sept. 13 to Oct. 18. "Nature Tots runs out of the Acorn Room in the Qualico Family Centre, so they explore all the animals and plants around there," Scouten says. "They do activities related to the theme of the day. There's story time and a snack and usually a hands- on activity." After that, families can sign up for the eight-week Zoo Tots program that runs on Wednesdays from Oct. 25 to Dec. 13. In addition to being interested in the workshop topics, many people are also drawn to the scenic settings at Assiniboine Park and Zoo. Most of the workshops are held at the conservatory, while other locations include the pavilion, the Qualico Family Centre and the zoo. "I think what really sells our workshops is not only the themes but our venues too. It's really nice to have access to them after hours and get them to yourself. That way, you can explore the space and connect with it," Scouten says. "The park and zoo are great places to connect with nature but also to learn." The workshops follow the calendar of the Leisure Guide, which comes out Aug. 17, so that's when the courses will be available for purchase on the Assiniboine Park and Zoo website at assiniboinepark.ca under the Learn and Play tab. For added incentive, zoo members receive a 10 per cent discount off the cost, and membership information is also available online. Scouten notes that the Assiniboine Park courses also make great gifts to give to others. She encourages people to keep checking the Assiniboine Park website because new activities might be added to the schedule. ❚ Fall and winter workshops are divided into four different themes, including sustainable living and DIY, creative arts, recreation and leisure, and children and family. Assiniboine Park and Zoo photos PROVIDENCE PROVIDES TOOLS TO DECIPHER AND MAKE MEDIA Everything is mediated. People, things, information — the world around us is constantly communicating. So how do we hear, how do we read what it's saying, and why? PROVIDENCE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE "Media literacy — the ability to access and evaluate the information you consume — is a vital study in this age of 'post-truth'," says Dr. Nicholas Greco, Associate Professor of Communications & Media at Providence University College in Otterburne, Man. "I'd argue that if you can analyze media, you can do media." And Providence graduates are certainly doing. Some work as videographers and radio journalists. Others are employed in corporate communications. In May a Communications & Media grad was invited to present at the Popular Culture Association of Canada Conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. Greco, himself, has made significant contributions to his field of study and is currently authoring a book on U2 that will be published next year. "I'm not looking at the members of the band as people, but as celebrities that express who they are through stage performance, music video and music itself," he explains. "This is why studying Communications & Media is important. We only get to see people and things through mediation. We need to be able to decode these things if we're going to figure out what is really happening in the world." Communications & Media study at Providence is unique in that it engages students with prominent communications theorists and semiologists, equipping them to decipher media before making it. Adds Greco: "Providence will give you the edge as a critical consumer of media as well as one who can learn to create media that will ultimately make an impact." ❚ '' Media literacy — the ability to access and evaluate the information you consume — is a vital study in this age of 'post-truth'..." NATURE & CREATIVITY ASSINIBOINE PARK & ZOO

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