Creating Media Messages
Engaging students in the process of creating to learn can help students develop project management skills that will serve them well in the future. Specific skills students work on include time management, backwards design, speaking and listening skills, goal setting, and collaboration.
Public service announcements are a great way to introduce students to the idea of creating to learn. First, students might work in small groups to research a topic about a controversial issue. Students can use digital annotation tools like Diigo and the immersive reader to independently research a topic and share their findings digitally with a group of their peers. Students can then work collaboratively to develop a point of view from their research. Finally, students use their research to develop persuasive video to share with an audience of their peers.
Public service announcements are a great way to introduce students to the idea of creating to learn. First, students might work in small groups to research a topic about a controversial issue. Students can use digital annotation tools like Diigo and the immersive reader to independently research a topic and share their findings digitally with a group of their peers. Students can then work collaboratively to develop a point of view from their research. Finally, students use their research to develop persuasive video to share with an audience of their peers.
Prior Knowledge and Skills
It can be helpful to be proficient with image and video editing basics as well as cooperative learning techniques to support students working in small groups. Familiarity with the research process will also help you lead students through the process of drafting a research question, creating a search strategy, and using MeL.org's databases to find relevant information. It is also recommended that you know the basics of copyright and fair use. A useful resource to share with students can be found here.
Key skills for implementing projects that ask students to create a digital artifact using original and/or remixing the work of others include:
Key skills for implementing projects that ask students to create a digital artifact using original and/or remixing the work of others include:
- editing digital images (upload, download, crop, resize, recolor)
- editing video (trim, cut, separate audio, insert effects, add sound)
- copyright, creative commons, fair use, public domain
- In classrooms with limited devices, understanding how to use Airdrop can be helpful. Students can work in small groups and record and edit on their own device. Content from personal devices can then be airdropped to an iPad or Macbook where another student puts together the final product.
The Process
Consider how you will engage students in the process of creating to learn. Will students use a mobile device and/or computer? Will students need a headset or earbuds with a microphone to participate in the process of creating to learn? What image and/or video editing apps will students have access to?
Creating to learn is a process. Different technologies are used to support each step in the process. In the next section you will explore the process of creating to learn. At each stage several tools are introduced as well as classroom management recommendations and teaching strategies to implement a project that engages students in the process of creating a digital artifact. Use the reflective questions provided to begin to think about applying each step to your professional practice.
Creating to learn is a process. Different technologies are used to support each step in the process. In the next section you will explore the process of creating to learn. At each stage several tools are introduced as well as classroom management recommendations and teaching strategies to implement a project that engages students in the process of creating a digital artifact. Use the reflective questions provided to begin to think about applying each step to your professional practice.
Step 1 - BrainstormingVisual learning tools are helpful at this stage because they have features that make it easy to arrange ideas into clusters and/or connect ideas to show relationships and/or processes. For an in depth look at the different types of visual organizers teachers and students can use for brainstorming and research, check out The Ultimate List of Graphic Organizers for Teachers and Students from creately. The list of tools below can be used with students of all ages. *Tool does not require an account to use
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Step 2 - ResearchGale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints is an eResource Gale's editorial team curates around popular controversial issues. Select "Browse Issues" to view all topics. A topic page begins with an overview essay that explains the controversy surrounding the topic. The curated resources for each topic are organized into subcategories.
To Google or Gale? Beyond providing complex issues for students to grapple with and draw their own conclusions, the affordances of using a database such as Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints compared to search engines such as Google, Bing, and Duck, Duck, Go can not be understated. The Gale databases include tools students encounter on high stakes assessments. Students can practice using the tools in a low stakes environment. When the stakes are high the tools will be automatic and the student can focus on performing their best. Gale Tools
Save to Drive provides a way for students to collect and organize information. Check out how middle school students are using the feature for researching passion projects. Additional Tools Annotate the web Insert Learning, Kami, *Annotator Tool from Thinkport Education Annotate Video Playposit, EdPuzzle Step 3 - Project ProposalStudents draft a project proposal at this stage of the process. They have completed their research, synthesized ideas, and developed a viewpoint that answers their driving question. The project proposal guides students through the process of meeting ISTE student standard six - Creative Communicator. If you are just getting started with the ISTE Standards for Students, view the Creative Communicator standard in action by watching the Youtube playlist below.
Purpose for Viewing: What are the benefits of having students draft a project proposal? Which indicators could potentially be met by incorporating a project proposal like this one in the classroom? |
Possible Steps for Students
Project Work Days It's important to communicate expectations clearly and hold students accountable for having work completed within the time allotted. Loss of instructional time is a common concern when teachers are thinking about having students create media messages in the classroom. Consider how the strategies below support productive project work days.
As teachers we want our students to be successful so we create detailed project description handouts and support resources in anticipation of the student behaviors and questions we expect to see. How often do the students who need this level of detail read the details? A point to ponder-- helping is not always helping. When we always do the planning for our students we rob them of opportunities to learn how to do it for themselves. Which approach will prepare students for life after k12? Step 4- StoryboardingA completed storyboard should leave no question unanswered. Storyboarding can take many forms. The resources provided can easily be adapted for use in a variety of tools and mediums. The story frames help guide students to develop messages that follow common story structures. A film shots glossary can provide an idea bank for students that choose to create video. A classroom set film shot glossaries with depictions of various shots can be helpful for students to have as a reference.
Storyboard That Canva from Boords
Adobe Spark TIP: Download and save to computer before using fillable form to prevent losing work. Educreations and Adobe Spark fillable storyboards by Kate Grunow are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. |
Step 5 - Peer Critique
PBL Works editorial team defines critique protocols as "structured processes that guide students in giving and receiving high quality feedback." Engaging students in peer critique improves the quality of student work produced. Facilitating a Gallery Walk is one way to engage students in peer critique. To participate in a Gallery Walk students display drafts around the classroom for viewing. Students are then prompted to walk to various locations in the room and leave sticky note suggestions for their peers. Online adaptations might include the use of a Padlet, media album, discussion board, and/or the use of breakout rooms. For more ideas on how to engage students in peer critique check out Critique Protocols: TIPS for Remote and Hybrid Classrooms from PBL Works. Peer Critique tools and protocols can also be adapted to showcase student work in small groups.
References
Ferriter, W. M., Garry, A., & Ebook Central - College Complete. (2010). Teaching the igeneration: 5 easy ways to introduce essential skills with web 2.0 tools. Solution Tree Press.
Tucker, C. (2018, August 24) InsertLearning: Transform Any Web Page into an Interactive Lesson. Dr. Caitlin Tucker. https://catlintucker.com/2018/04/insertlearning/
Common Sense Media. (n.d.) What is media literacy, and why is it important. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/news-and-media-literacy/what-is-media-literacy-and-why-is-it-important
ISTE. (n.d.). Playlists [ISTE channel]. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6aVN_9hcQEGwvJdR-0FHjCAv1dbmlMRe
Ferriter, W. M., Garry, A., & Ebook Central - College Complete. (2010). Teaching the igeneration: 5 easy ways to introduce essential skills with web 2.0 tools. Solution Tree Press.
Tucker, C. (2018, August 24) InsertLearning: Transform Any Web Page into an Interactive Lesson. Dr. Caitlin Tucker. https://catlintucker.com/2018/04/insertlearning/
Common Sense Media. (n.d.) What is media literacy, and why is it important. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/news-and-media-literacy/what-is-media-literacy-and-why-is-it-important
ISTE. (n.d.). Playlists [ISTE channel]. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6aVN_9hcQEGwvJdR-0FHjCAv1dbmlMRe