RILS---SIXENT

Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

SIXENT.COM

Karen “E.K.” Smith

Objective:

The purpose of this Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario “Every Picture Tells a Story” is to connect through education Teachers and their students with either Military or Civilians impacted by the Vietnam War.   As part of a History project, the student will gather photos and associated stories based on interviews and research. They will upload them to the site as part of their coursework Project of studying the Vietnam War.    This makes the student interact on several levels including within the community, with the subject they are interviewing, and within the Forum of National Vietnam War Museum. The web 2.0 platform being used for this project is Sixent.com. A Social Network platform that includes many levels of content upload opportunities lending themself to the Format of a Forum.

                                                                                                                    

1.     Target Audience: 

a.     High school and University Teachers

b.   High school and University Students

c.   Veterans, Military and Vietnamese Families.

2.     Materials:

a.     Access to a Computer

b.     Internet access

c.      Photos (scanned or on a Disc)

d.    Recording Device or Pen and Paper for Interviews.

3.     Objectives: At the end of this learning scenario students will be able to:

a.     Upload Photo and relevant story describing the experience of person interviewed.

b.     Interact with people and develop content relevant to a real historical perspective.

      c.      Engage with each other in creative ways being able to share knowledge of learning concept with each    other and create tangible elements to demonstrate knowledge and share history.

4.     Procedure:

      a.     Teachers will look at site and create a page for their Class.

      b.     Students will be connected with a relative group like the American Legion, VFW, or Family. Students must obtain a signed release for photo and interview subject matter.

      c.      Students will participate in small groups to discuss and develop an understanding of the Subject matter.

      d.      Students will meet in small groups and define roles of the group in order to create a format for their interview questions and associated photos.

      e.     Teachers will distribute information to parents and students about the Forum and how and when to access it.

      f.    Students will coordinate interviews, and conduct them.  They will obtain photos and save them to a disc or thumb drive.

      h.     Students will create content according to their photo and complete a story based on their interview.

      i.     Students will upload their photo and associated story to the assigned page as a blog.

      j.       Students will Share the information of where the story is being posted with the person they interviewed and ask them to comment on their completed assignment.

5.     Emerging Technology Web 2.0 Tool:  http://sixent.com/

      a.     Sixent will be used to create a page within the Forum http://nvwm.sixent.com/  set up for the Museum http://www.nationalvnwarmuseum.org/  .  Sixent offers teachers, students, family, and veterans a social network platform to collect and share information by creating open dialogue and interaction with all those impacted and a relative tool for conscious education.

6.     Social Participation/Learning:

      a.     Students will use their provided resources to find someone to interview.  Students will make contact and an appointment for their interview.  During the initial phone call, students will take down basic information regarding the person they are interviewing and complete some relevant research. Students will work in groups to discuss and create a format for interview questions. Students will learn to communicate socially on a one on one capacity through the interview, and learn the skills of communication and open dialogue.

7.     Making Connections:

      a.     Students will learn about their subject and the subject matter through research.

      b.     The student will interact with the person they are interviewing and will be engaging in a living history format through the creation of an end product representing the relevant subject matter.

      c.      All persons involved will be building knowledge and creative interaction. Teachers, Students, and Interviewees benefit through the collaboration of reaching forward to add content and develop community bonds.

      d.  Students will offer the site, and/or set up the log-in for the person interviewed.

8.     Create/Produce:

      a.     Student will study the subject matter, interview a person, compose a story from the interview and upload a picture or video relevant to the subject matter to the appropriate page.

9.     Assessment Rubric:

RILS Rubric
	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor
Creation Student is able to create content including media and a narrative story.	Story was relevant historically, including content that is clear, concise, and demonstrates knowledge of the project.	Story met requirements but lacked specific details reflecting the learning concept.	Story was completed in form but lacked association to the learning concept.	Story did not meet learning concept criteria and lacked proper form.  Ideas were not translated according to subject matter.
Participation Student is able to work as a group to comprise questions, interview a person, and create collaborative experience.	Present at all workgroup discussions.  Organize subject matter, and associated questions, complete interview, select associated media and upload finished product.	Present at most workgroup discussions.  Complete subject matter. Upload finished Product.	Missed workgroup discussions, worked independently, created product, Uploaded finished product.	Did not participate in workgroup discussions.  Completed a unfinished product.  Did not understand subject matter or translate the information well.
Collaboration Student is able to exchange ideas, create historically and personally relevant content in reasonable and confident manner.	Student demonstrated strong skills in all group roles and worked to successfully demonstrate and  teach others the learning concept.	Student was able to participate and interact in most roles within the group and was able to teach others the learning concept.	Student is able to create content. Student cannot work within the group.	Student is unable to understand the concept, create content and cannot work within the group.
Application Student is able to create content including, story/interview and media that accurately reflect the learning concept.	Student Completes and uploads all components including media and story/interview and delivers them to the site in the appropriate place.	Student creates a average narrative and media upload that exhibits learning concepts relevant to subject matter.	Student can only create a basic story, does not have knowledge of the subject matter.	Student does not follow through with interview, does not complete story or associated media.  Can not upload media to site.

10.   Reflection:

A.    As part of the Students reflection they will conduct a follow up assessment with the person interviewed.  The student will add the comments to their web page.  The assessment will be comprised of Four questions.

1. How did you feel being interviewed and telling your story?
2. What do you think of the Forum and what should be added?

      a.  Would you invite other Veterans or Families to the Forum?

3. Do you think this is a good way to share history and engage students in their education?
4. Did telling your story show how important and relevant your experience was?

B.     As part of the students’ reflection they will discuss their experiences in the interview process in a presentation for the class.

C.    As part of the students’ experience, they will add their own reflection on their experience and what they learned to the page.

D.    The Teachers will assess the value of the web2.0 platform, the project/forum, and relevance to significant learning for coursework with their students.   The assessment will be comprised of four questions.

1. Did this type of interactive History and Community involvement help you understand the War and the people involved more?
2. Do you think this is a good way to gather History and learn at the same time?
3. How were you impacted by this project and do you feel it encouraged you to learn more?
4. Is there anything that you would add or change about this Forum?

As part of the teacher’s assessment of the project, an open letter will be sent to all interview participants, including students’ insights and the value of the collaborative and interactive learning experience. The teacher will share the impact of the experience on the students, and share their observations. Student will be assigned new groups to create the letter to represent the class.