KJones,+Action+Plan,+Round+3

=Digiteens Project - Action Plan Phase=

> (A) interpret both explicit and implicit messages in various forms of media; > (B) interpret how visual and sound techniques (e.g., special effects, camera angles, lighting, music) influence the message; > (C) evaluate various ways media influences and informs audiences; and > (D) assess the correct level of formality and tone for successful participation in various digital media. > > * || Discussion: include component="comments" page="KJones, Action Plan, Round 3" limit="100"
 * **Title**: ||< Digiteens - Action Plan ||
 * **Subject**: ||< Digital Citizenship Campaign ||
 * **Grade**: ||< 8 ||
 * **Time Frame**: ||< 4 weeks ||
 * **Summary:** ||< Students plan, design, and execute a campus/community campaign to teach principles of digital citizenship ||
 * **Tasks**: ||< 1) Describe the main steps of the activity/lesson/project here
 * Be sure to highlight opportunities for students to practice/employ an "early adopter" or lifelong learning skill
 * The learning outcomes of Phases 1 & 2 of the project is to learn a higher degree of technical proficiency with collaborative research and writing AND to acquire substantive understanding of digital citizenship principles or attributes: // Safety; Privacy; Copyright and Legal Compliance; Etiquette & Respect; Information Literacy & Fluency; Access; Habits of Learning & Managing Online Activities: Health, Social Media, Virtual Worlds; Digital Citizenship Perspectives: Parents & Communities, Teachers, Students //
 * The action phase of the project is to provide an opportunity for students to transfer the knowledge acquired in the form of an educational campaign. The digital citizenship areas included ( // see above // ), the methods this campaign will utilize (posters, screen casts, PSA's, posters, skits, formal presentations, etc), the audiences targeted (peers, faculty, elementary students, PTA, Board of Trustees, community groups, etc) is to be determined by the students. The process through which these decisions are made will be facilitated by the teacher, but decided by the students. If students agree to form specialized teams, the roles, processes, timetables, and conflict resolution will be determined by the students.
 * The goal here is that all participating students (77) will find a way to contribute to the success of the campaign. ||
 * Objectives: || * What TEKS or other objectives does this activity/lesson project meet? §110.19. English Language Arts and Reading (b)
 * (13) Reading/Media Literacy. Students use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more complex texts. Students are expected to:
 * Assessment: ||< How will you assess the students learning? ||
 * Resources: ||< * What resources will be needed? ||
 * **Teacher**
 * Reflections:** || Please share what went well, what was challenging and what you might tweak or modify for your next round.... ||
 * **Examples**: ||< * Links to teacher or student work examples. The idea of a collaborative project never really took hold in any of the 3 classes that "undertook" the project. Despite my attempts to scaffold the steps and break the project into manageable steps, I think the most honest assessment would be that the project, the engagement that I thought/hoped would be forthcoming, simply did not materialize. I have given this considerable thought as to some tangible reason for this. One reason that I find that prevented the students from buying in is that it was done on a piecemeal basis, even though I vowed specifically NOT to do with this roll out. The piecemeal aspect flowed from a natural friction with the demands of the curriculum. I felt there were items that needed to be addressed (poetic analysis) that did not mesh in any respect with the aims of the project. Another aspect that compromised engagement, were technical barriers. Student participation in the project required receivership in 3 separate and distinct, though seemingly related platforms: 1 Ning and 2 Wiki's (interconnected). For starters the process was cumbersome and frustrating. For another, despite following the process exactly, it was a constant battle to get everyone "on" the various platforms. Lastly, this project has grown such that it has become "Too BIG to Manage". Some 350 students spread out over a matrix team grid that the kids never could grasp a handle. As a a result, our school was always "Behind". This led to my frustration, which it turn was mirrored by the students. Despite these and other considerations, I think the main reason for the failure goes to the heart of my underlying purpose for embarking on the project. My overall frustration lies not with the "problems" of the project, but with the lack of by in or genuine engagement of the students. I think the key here is that "I" rolled the project. I attempted to pound a square "canned" project (developed by others) into the very round intrinsic student motivated hole. Looking back, I wonder why I expected different results. My grand project was received with much the same reaction as the Ho Hum worksheet or just another assignment.
 * In reality, the Digiteen experience was to provide a real world experience with 3 real world skills: Confidence and comfort moving among various platforms, information fluency (finding the things you need independently, efficiently, and effectively), and true collaboration. I had hoped to take the experiences with these 3 and build on in another Global project. ||