Murray Bulger

Year: 2008 – Province: British Columbia

Certificate of Excellence Recipients

School: Argyle Secondary School
1131 Frederick Road
North Vancouver, British Columbia
V7K 1J3

Principal: Olga Woodland
School Telephone: 604-903-3300
School Fax: 604-903-3301
School Email: scott.wouters@lpsd.ca
School Website: www.nvsd44.bc.ca/SchoolSites/Argyle.aspx
Subjects and Grade Taught: Digital imaging and photography, animation, film and television, graphic design, Web design, recording and sound design, a design course that requires students to work with clients and yearbook in Grades 11 and 12

Teaching Approach

• Apply lessons learned working as a scientist and in digital media to the classroom.
• The computer is only a useful tool if it helps students produce meaningful work. With this in mind, Mr. Bulger divides each course into three parts: learning the software, design concepts and principles, and project work.
• Require students learn to master the technology and not just acquire a series of skills necessary to pass a test. Back this up with hands-on learning and opportunities to solve real-world problems.

Outstanding Achievements

• With a colleague, created 14 digital media courses. As a consequence of his leadership and drive, enrollment in courses has more than doubled.
• Designed and set up a multi-use studio for photography, film, television and sound recording. The studio, which is in constant use, is a space for students to shoot yearbook photos, fashion photos and portraits, to record television broadcasts, to produce stop-motion animation and to carry out full recording projects.
• Created the first multimedia cart prototype (2000). The carts give teachers easy access to equipment so they can use media content such as movies, animations and images to demonstrate various concepts to their classes. The school now uses 50 of these carts, each equipped with an LCD projector, DVD player, VCR and computer connection.
• Created the Design 44 course where students produce a quarterly art and lifestyle magazine for youth by youth, "FortyFour Magazine." Over 5000 copies of the magazine are in circulation. The kids are so proud of what they have produced. This course focuses on the process of designing and project management as opposed to the outcome. Creative and passionate students who apply good design process and project management methods will always produce excellent results.

Rave Reviews