ICP Kicks Off World's Largest Photography Class

The International Center of Photography (ICP) is pleased to announce that we have joined the Phonar Nation collaborative, which will present the world’s largest photography class this summer as part of the MacArthur Foundation’s Cities of Learning initiative.
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School
Jun 16, 2014
The International Center of Photography (ICP) is pleased to announce that we have joined the Phonar Nation collaborative, which will present the world’s largest photography class this summer as part of the MacArthur Foundation’s Cities of Learning initiative.

Phonar Nation is a free online photography class for youth, which can be taught and taken on a mobile device. The class, which is estimated to reach more than 250,000 students, was designed by award-winning photographer, National Teaching Fellow, and open education pioneer Jonathan Worth. His original #PHONAR (Photography and Narrative) class launched in 2009 and quickly attracted large audiences and notable guest lecturers. Worth says the Phonar Nation course is about "democratizing access to education and empowering youth to actively participate in their own representation.” In the course, students learn to speak clearly through images and engage a connected audience.

ICP’s Executive Director Mark Lubell says, “We are excited to be a part of Phonar Nation. ICP shares Jonathan’s expansive view of photographic education, which includes visual literacy and digital fluency. These are essential 21st century skills, and ICP welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the project.”

The online class will be accompanied by a physical component—the Phonar Nation Book-in-a- Box. The box features a selection of photography books curated collaboratively by the Phonar team with ICP’s Stephanie Shuman Librarian Deirdre Donohue, along with ephemera from the artists and the artist files of the ICP Library and handmade journals. These materials— accompanied by lesson plans created by Lacy Austin and Carly Goldman from ICP’s Community Programs team—encourage students to engage with the books and share their impressions in the journals. The Book-in-a-Box will travel to libraries, schools, and community centers across America that are participating in the Phonar Nation class through the Cities of Learning program.

ONLINE CLASS DETAILS

SESSIONS
Phonar Nation includes five class sessions that each focus on a different aspect of photography and storytelling.

FEE
All classes will be free.

ACCESS
All five classes can be accessed anytime at PhonarNation.org. Those wanting to earn a digital badge or enter weekly contests should register through pursuitery.com.

SCHEDULE
Live class sessions take place on Mondays from June 23–July 21, 2014. 

Press Release