The goal of my ImagineIT project is to use video as a pedagogical tool. In short, my objective is to use video as a medium to improve communication skills, reinforce subject matter being taught, and to provide students an outlet for exploring artistic creativity. My first dilemma deals with curriculum and deciding on how much control I should have over the video projects they produce. My second dilemma revolves around assessment and how to critique the content presented, as well as, the way it is presented in a video.
The two colleagues that I solicited feedback from were Sandra Jackson and Preston Lewis, both participants in the MSUrbanSTEM program. After explaining my ImaginIT project and dilemmas, Sandra and Preston provide me with some great suggestions. Both Sandra and Preston thought that it was important to create a balance for both my dilemmas. My colleagues thought that I should require students to outline project goals before searching or creating media to use in the project. They also suggested that I require students to write a script and submit it before they start using the production tools. This would give students a focus which in turn would lead to less time wasted. Once an outline has been established and approved, I can then encourage them to use their creativity to interpret and demonstrate their understanding of the required content. Preston and Sandra offered some questions to consider when assessing students final products. For example, did students demonstrate what they said they would in their outlines and scripts? Did students demonstrate what you wanted them to demonstrate? Was the final product engaging? Did the audience (classmates) learn something from the final product? Lastly, I should not be the only one to assess the project. I should have audience evaluation sheets.
My focus group of students also provided me with some feedback on my dilemmas, yet the suggestions were not as useful as the feedback I received from Sandra and Preston. One interesting suggestion that was given was to have video project roles. Some of the suggested roles included director, producer, researcher, script writer, artist, set designer, camera operator, sound, and actors. Depending on the number of people involved with the video project, roles could be combined and assigned to one person, or could be assigned to two people to work as partners in the same role. Students also suggested that they assess each other's projects.
Considering the feedback I received from my colleagues and students, I came to the realization that the purpose of this project is to provide a structure through which students can demonstrate mastery of a subject by creating and presenting a video that is driven by their own interest in a topic and allows them to work within the same parameters as real researchers. While I can assess the students’ knowledge of content and the level of depth to which students have explored, it is important to allow students to think deeply and to question a topic which has meaning for them. So, a healthy balance between artistic freedom and a content focus will be essential.
The two colleagues that I solicited feedback from were Sandra Jackson and Preston Lewis, both participants in the MSUrbanSTEM program. After explaining my ImaginIT project and dilemmas, Sandra and Preston provide me with some great suggestions. Both Sandra and Preston thought that it was important to create a balance for both my dilemmas. My colleagues thought that I should require students to outline project goals before searching or creating media to use in the project. They also suggested that I require students to write a script and submit it before they start using the production tools. This would give students a focus which in turn would lead to less time wasted. Once an outline has been established and approved, I can then encourage them to use their creativity to interpret and demonstrate their understanding of the required content. Preston and Sandra offered some questions to consider when assessing students final products. For example, did students demonstrate what they said they would in their outlines and scripts? Did students demonstrate what you wanted them to demonstrate? Was the final product engaging? Did the audience (classmates) learn something from the final product? Lastly, I should not be the only one to assess the project. I should have audience evaluation sheets.
My focus group of students also provided me with some feedback on my dilemmas, yet the suggestions were not as useful as the feedback I received from Sandra and Preston. One interesting suggestion that was given was to have video project roles. Some of the suggested roles included director, producer, researcher, script writer, artist, set designer, camera operator, sound, and actors. Depending on the number of people involved with the video project, roles could be combined and assigned to one person, or could be assigned to two people to work as partners in the same role. Students also suggested that they assess each other's projects.
Considering the feedback I received from my colleagues and students, I came to the realization that the purpose of this project is to provide a structure through which students can demonstrate mastery of a subject by creating and presenting a video that is driven by their own interest in a topic and allows them to work within the same parameters as real researchers. While I can assess the students’ knowledge of content and the level of depth to which students have explored, it is important to allow students to think deeply and to question a topic which has meaning for them. So, a healthy balance between artistic freedom and a content focus will be essential.