Julia Gray

ISLT 9440
Spring 2018
LU-5 Project

Online Product: BEU Spring Podcast Project

https://sites.google.com/a/cpsk12.org/beu-spring-podcast-project/home

Users and Purpose of Project

The instructional site that I designed is intended for 5th grade students. However the
project content and depth could be modified and used for grades 3rd through 8th. The
project and learner goals are technology and media related and will be taught during 5th
grade media class. The structure of the project could also meet a variety of ELA
standards and could be implemented in the regular classroom setting. The purpose of
my online site is to guide learners through an exploration of podcasts, collaborate with
peers through group research, and share their findings through an audio recording. This
project will give students experience with a new type of media and technology that they
may not have used in the past. At the conclusion of the project, students will understand
what podcasts are, why we might listen or produce them, and their research and
collaboration skills will be further developed.

Learning Outcomes, Objectives, and Standards

The learning objectives for this project are broken up into three categories, research,
collaboration, and producing. Each of these categories relates directly to collaborative
meaningful learning by design. There is also an entire separate category of learning
goals that develop collaboration skills when working online. In each category, the
learner objectives directly correlates to ISTE student standards.
Our 8 learning objectives, the standards they meet, and learner outcomes are:
Research
1. I can access digital databases and use search engines to find information that I
am looking for.
3a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information
and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
Outcome: Students are able to find information on topics by searching databases
available to them or using a search engine.
2. I can recognize credible information on a website.
 3b Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of
information, media, data or other resources.
Outcome: Students can recognize if information is credible and true based on the
source.
3. I can use Google Slides to gather and process information I find.
3c Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and
methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful
connections or conclusions.
Outcome: Students and their group members create a Google Slides project that
contains the information from their research on their topic. They can use this
Slides project to refer to when recording their podcast.
4. I can cite my sources appropriately.
2c Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and
obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
Outcome: Students accurately cite the sources of their research on a page in
their Google Slides project.
Collaboration
5. I use safe and positive behavior during social interactions online.
2b Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using
technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices.
Outcome: When collaborating with group members online, conversation is
respectful and positive. Students are responsible when browsing the internet for
information.
6. I can use Google Slides to collaborate and communicate with others.
7b Students use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers,
experts or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple
viewpoints.
Outcome: Students use Google Slides to collaborate and communicate
throughout the research and collection part of this project. They understand how
commenting works and use it to collectively work through ideas of the topic they
chose.
7. I can work towards a goal with my classmates by contributing my work and ideas
in an online space.
7c Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles
and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.
Outcome: Students contribute a fair amount of work into the group project
demonstrated by using separate colors on the Google Slides project. Each group
member has clear speaking parts in the final recorded podcast.
Producing
8. I can communicate my ideas and research by creating a digital audio recording.
 6c Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or
using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
Outcome: Student will have a recorded podcast that shares the information they
learned, through research, about their chosen topic. Students will be able to
share this podcast on the podcast webspace for classmates, teachers, and
families to listen and learn about their topic.

Assessment

To assess my students in the three categories for this project, I will use a simple
“+” or “-” rubric. If the learning objectives under each category were met, and the
desired outcome performed, groups will receive a “+”. If groups came short to meeting
the outcome it will result in a “-”. For the research portion of the project, I will use what
each group has gathered on their Google Slides project to assess if goals and
outcomes were met. I will check for credible information with cited sources. I will also
give comments and feedback on each groups Google Slides project throughout the
research stage. For the collaboration goals, I will assess through group interactions in
class, edit and comment histories on the Google Slides project, as well as the
differentiated colors students wrote their information in. The production goal will be
assessed by listening to the groups recorded podcast and if students successfully
shared facts from the research they gathered. At the end of the project, I plan to allow
students to listen to classmates podcasts, and take time to reflect on their work using a
Google Survey. I will ask students to write about something that they learned,
something that they felt they did well, and something they would like to improve on.

Collaborative Meaningful Learning

A big part of this project I created is exploring what podcasts are and then
attempting to create our own. This is active meaningful learning and work. In
MeaningFul Learning With Technology, Howland describes learning as active when
humans interact with their environment, observe effects, and construct knowledge
(Howland, 2012). My students are actively engaged with the media both when listening
and manipulating the technology to record with their group. Students are constructing
knowledge about podcasts and applying what they observed to their own work. This
process is also collaborative, as they are working to apply all group members
interpretations of podcasts to their work. As they collaborate and share their different
ideas and knowledge, students will continue to modify the knowledge they have on the
material.
When working collaboratively in this project, students can offer suggestions, add
to ideas, and offer help to their group members. This will naturally lead to each student
reflecting on the work they have done, and working to better it. Students apply the new
knowledge gained from their peers and apply it to prior knowledge already constructed.
The group collaboration and reflection process allows students to continuously deepen
the knowledge they have constructed, “their mental models become increasingly
complex” (Howland, 2012, p. 4).
This project has 8 learning goals that will lead students to develop research and
collaboration skills, and produce a voice recorded podcast with their group. The
overarching common goal that the group members are collaboratively working towards
is to create a podcast that shares ideas from their research. Howland states that
meaningful learning is goal-directed and intentional. When technology supports learners
goals, students are learning meaningfully (Howland, 2012). For this project students will
collaboratively use multiple technologies to meet their common goal and all learning
goals. The goals for this project are clearly stated and written on the project website for
easy access for students.
This project is based on collaboration. When students work together, they gain
multiple perspectives to problem-solving. The technologies used in this project allow
students to both be connected in the classroom through in person communication and
online communication, allowing for more meaningful learning through collaboration.
When this project is implemented, I expect my students will communicate and
collaborate in both ways allowing for more integration of ideas and perspectives.
Howland states that it is natural for humans to work in collaborative groups and use
each others knowledge to complete tasks (Howland 2012). My students will do this
through the research and producing phase of their work.
The authenticity of this project lies in the result of a set of podcasts that can be
listened to by classmates, peers, teachers, and families. Others can potentially listen to
the recording that the groups have created and learn about the topic that was chose. On
the web space there is a page designated for the links to each groups podcasts upon
completion. At the conclusion of the project students will get to visit this page and
choose other recordings to listen to. Howland describes that when learning has a
meaningful real-world task, it is better understood and remembered (Howland, 2012).
The real world task of producing something for an actual audience will be motivating for
my students, and a project that will not be easily forgotten.

Project Reflection

I really enjoyed creating this web space for my students and I am eager for them
to get to use it for the project. This is the first time that I have created an online site that
my students can reference throughout a major project. I believe that having this site will
make my instruction on the content easier and my students understanding deeper.
What I liked most about doing this project was that it enabled me to plan for a project I
wouldn’t have thought of on my own. The most difficult part was thinking of a project
that would be collaborative as well as hit all aspects of true meaningful learning. I
wanted my project to be a true “learning expedition” for my students (Jahnke, 2016). I
truly think that this project will challenge my students to strengthen their skills in both
media and technology content, but also collaboration. Because I teach media class,
many of the standards and learning objectives fit easily into this project. Developing how
my students would achieve these goals and demonstrate their knowledge led me to
decide on research and podcasts.
I believe the collaboration piece of my project is the strongest part and my
students will learn in a more meaningful way because of this. In Digital Didactical
Designs, Jahnke writes how the reflective piece and social relations is often left out of
the design process (Jahnke 2016). Reflection will naturally happen throughout my
project because the learning is done through collaboration. I am eager to see my
students learn from each other through this process of knowledge building as a team.
I am only in the beginning phases of implementation, because I only get to meet
with my classes once a week for less than an hour. This project will be very long term
because of the time restrictions I have. My students are listening to podcasts and
participating in listening activities. I am getting a lot of positive feedback from my
students. They are engaged and excited to research and eventually record their
podcast. My students are also familiar with using Google Drive and Slides, as we have
used it for many activities in the past. They love to communicate with each other
through commenting and are enthusiastic about the research portion as well.

Implementation

I have just begun the introduction phase and listening portion of this project with
my students. I was surprised to find out, most of my students have had no prior
experience with podcasts, and had no knowledge of what they are. Because this topic
was so new to them, we have spent class time listening to podcasts as a whole group,
as well as doing some listening activities together to gain experience and have a base
knowledge, and good examples to refer to, before beginning to think about our own
podcasts. I am really excited to see how my students take these new ideas and apply
them to their own work.

Peer Review

Becky Brinkmeyer reviewed my project and project report. She gave all positives
comments about the website I developed for my students. Based on what she saw on
my site she said that she would be revising her own work. Becky wrote that she liked
that I discussed how my project could be modified to fit other learners or learning
outcomes. She thought that I could include ELA standards along with the ISTE
standards I used. I do believe that my students are meeting several ELA standards
through their work with this project, however I chose not to assess them in this area as
they are not the learning goals we focus on in Media. Digital Learner Standards and
English Language Arts do go hand and hand, but we are focusing on the prior. Becky
also gave praise for my simple +/- rubric. This is the type of rubric we use at my
elementary school and how we give grades. She suggested that I add a portion for
specific feedback through comments. I added that I could do this throughout the
research portion, digitally, since my students would have their work shared with me on
Google.
 References

Howland, Jane L., Jonassen, David & Marra, Rosa M. (2012) Meaningful
Learning with Technology, New York, NY, Pearson.

Jahnke, Isa (2016). Digital Didactical Designs, New York, NY Routledge.