Digital Storytelling ProjectSend a Video to Your Representative

Create the video described in this unit using digital storytelling technologies and techniques. You do not need to submit the handouts (you can use them for your own brainstorming and organization). When you are done, submit the video to YouTube or TeacherTube (you might want to try both to see the differences), and post the url. This unit is from mybook, Technology in the High School English Class (ISTE, 2008). For examples of the project go to http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL48709FDDC753FE03 . Persuasive CommunicationSending a Video to Your Representative Standards ISTE NETS for Students 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 IRA/NCTE Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 Keywords: persuasive communication, digital video, digital storytelling, current events, authentic assessment, anchored learning, Webquests, YouTube, Internet video Introduction This project gets students to create a short video or digital story for a national issue and then send it to their Member of Congress or Senator; the video and appeal to the Representative are also made publicfor viewing and commentthrough video sharing services such a YouTube (www.youtube.com), TeacherTube (www.teachertube.com), Castpost (www.castpost.com), or Revver (www.revver.com). This motivates and empowers students with a wider audience and increases the influence of their videos. Students can choose a topic in national discourse, or they can propose legislation on an issue that is important, but not prominent (more funding for research on particular disability, greater awareness of a specific concern, person, or event). Though the topics might differ, the process, product, and evaluation are similar. This unit is loosely based on the popular technique of a Webquest. The Webquest is a popular format for research projects and has six components: Introduction, Task Process, Resources, Evaluation, and Conclusion (Dodge, 1997). This unit is loosely based on the Webquest because I have noticed a problem with teachers who frequently use the Webquest templatethe difficulty for students to transfer the research skills

beyond the Webquest assignments. Webquests are excellent opportunities to provide anchored projects that scaffold the students in research techniques by providing a selected list or resources. However, an over reliance on the format can impede developing student research skills, and overly contrived tasks can undermine goals associated with learnercentered pedagogies. The task of this project is not just anchored in a scenario that simulates real world situations as Webquests should do, but directly connects students to authentic phenomena and situations outside of the classroom. This project can work effective with a variety of digital storytelling software or digital video. Students are given a task, a set of resources, a variety of software options, an assessment, and a time for reflection. Online video is a powerful force in todays societyit played a mainstream role in presidential politics with the CNN/YouTube Primary Debates of 2007. It would be irresponsible not to address it with todays students. However, it would also be irresponsible to give impressionable and vulnerable minors an education using online video without caveats and security measures. I would strongly recommend adapting the permission letter from the podcasting unit (Unit 1) if students will have their own accounts. You should particularly emphasize the need to refrain from divulging personally identifying information. I would also strong recommend monitoring all comments on the students videos. These comments are public and can all be monitored from one site using an rss aggreator. You should also require students to report any messages that they receive via the video-sharing Web sites messaging system. Finally, if students have the option of using their own accounts, I would strongly recommend obtaining parental permission. Without parental consent, the teacher can use an account for him or herself and post the students videos and then report back to the students. A single teacher account for all videos is an option for this project. This way the teacher can filter and report all of the communication and activity. If this is the direction that you choose, I would also recommend sharing the gist of all communication with students in a sensitive and developmentally appropriate way. For example, if a profane comment is posted, this can be shared with the students, though not necessarily verbatim, as an illustrative example of abuses on the Web. In this way you avoid giving students a dangerously nave view of the Internet without the blunt realities of inappropriate language and online solicitation. Technology Digital Storytelling Software GarageBand (Apple) IPhoto (Apple) Photo Story (Microsoft) Digital Video Editing Software MovieMaker (Microsoft)

IMovie (Apple) Premier Elements (Adobe) Premier (Adobe) ShowBiz DVD (ArcSoft) Vegas Movie Studio (Sony) MediaStudio (Ulead) Please refer to the Appendix Using Video Video Sharing Web Sites TeacherTube (http://teachertube.com) Modeled on YouTube, but a focus on educational videos and student projects. Castpost (http://www.castpost.com) Revver (http://ww.revver.com) YouTube (http://www.youtube.com) Note that Google now owns YouTube and the site itegrates with Google Video Google Video (http://video.google.com) Resources For an expanding list of Web resources, go to http://del.icio.us/cs272/video and http://del.icio.us/representative/ Resources for Teachers The Flickrs of Video (Techcrunch, http://www.techcrunch.com/2005/11/06/the-flickrsof-video/) --overview of the choices and features of video sharing Web sites. Resources for Teachers and Students Politics 1 (http://www.politics1.com/issues.htm) -- a site that attempts to present balanced overviews (liberal and conservative) on contemporary political and social issues. Idebate Database (http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/)--A resource for student debaters that provides contrasting perspectives on many topical issues. I have found this site to provide balanced perspectives on issues, but please note to yourself and to students that the About page indicates the organizations affiliation with the Open Society Institute (OSI), a part of the Soros Foundation Network, whose Chairman George Soros is a activist in liberal and democratic causes The OSI has a clear mission to separate itself from the political activities of George Soros (http://www.soros.org/about/bios/a_soros/political). I have found this to be the case for the Idebate Web site, but this is an important and teachable issue for you and your students.

Opposing Viewpoints (book series edited by William Dudley--an online database from Thompson/Gale http://www.gale.com/OpposingViewpoints/)-- Balanced views on a variety of contemporary topics. Thomas at the Library of Congress http://thomas.loc.gov/ --Library of Congress site that will give you information on recent or pending legislation. Excellent source for ideas about Under Recognized Issues as well as pending legislation on Prominent Issues. Both Under Recognized Issues and Prominent Issues are terms used in this unit. US House of Representatives Home Page (http://www.house.gov/)--Find your Representatives address, email, and Web site. The Web site should contain the Representatives positions on most major issues. US Senate Home Page (http://www.senate.gov/ )--Find your Senators address, email, and Web site. The Web site should contain the Senators positions on most major issues.

Objectives *Students will gather and organize credible information using a variety of sources and media. *Students will integrate communication technology and persuasive media to address social and political issues. Activities and Handouts Day 1-2 Days 1-2 The class will brainstorm with the teacher on the two types of topics that can be the subjects of their video. Their task will be to Students brainstorm create a video addressed to their representative on an issue in the topics for their public discourse (Prominent Issues such as gun control, abortion, persuasive video. war, foreign aid, oil drilling in the Artic, etc) or on an issue that should have more national attention (Under Recognized Issues such as the need for autism awareness, need for increased breast cancer screenings, need to address teen violence, acknowledgement of under-recognized groups such as women in WWII). In groups of 3-4, students list 4-6 possible topics in each category. You can scaffold them by proving examples of each category. Please note that students do not have to take a position on these issues now, just map out the landscape. For each issue they will develop a concept map that illustrates the major components of each issue as they know them now. Teachers should remind students that this is an initial brainstorming session and that this information is likely to be faulty and incomplete.

Days 3-5 Students start to pick topics and begin their research. Student can refer to their brainstorming notes, pick topics that were discussed in class or go in a new direction. They will describe three topics, Prominent Issues and/or Under Recognized Issues, and submit them for your feedback (Worksheet 1). Typically, Days 3-5 you will allow a student to work on his or her first topic. However, there are cases when the topic is either dated or Students select their would not make a substantial research project. Having topics and begin their two others topics that the students are already invested in research. makes selecting another one easier. If the first topic is not practical, this process also gets the students to better conceive of what topics interest them. They can refer to the following three resources for ideas Politics 1 http://www.politics1.com/issues.htm -- A site that attempts to present balanced overviews (liberal and conservative) on contemporary political and social issues. Idebate Database http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/ A resource for student debaters that provides contrasting perspectives on many topical issues. Thomas at the Library of Congress http://thomas.loc.gov/ --Library of Congress site that will give you information on recent or pending legislation. Excellent source for ideas about Under Recognized Issues as well as pending legislation on Prominent Issues.

For example, a students might use Idebate for his brainstorming. She can type in United States and 12 topics were retrieved. 1) Should the United States ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty? 2) Should the United States drop its sanctions on Cuba? 3) Whether the United States should provide debt relief through the UN to countries affected by natural disasters 4) Should the United States Congress allow drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? 5) Should the United States support a global tax? 6) Should the United States or any other State continue to reject the International Criminal Court (ICC)? Is the ICC both dangerous to democracy and doomed to fail? 7) Should the USA discontinue the production of landmines, and sign the Ottawa Convention? 8) Should the United States conduct research into mini-nukes? 9) Should the United States, Canada and Mexico come together to form a North American Economic and Security Community? 10) Is the United States of America imperialist?

11) Should the United States participate in UN peacekeeping operations and, if so, should the United States permit its troops to serve as UN troops (rather than as US troops under an independent command)? 12) The United States has a policy of making its support to the United Nations conditional on its maintenance of a no-growth budget. This means that the UN must maintain roughly the same bottom line while reprioritizing its spending within those parameters. Should this US policy be changed?

Figure 9. IDEA Database (www.idebate.org) Material is Copyrighted and used with Permission of the International Debate Education Association

From this list and the brainstorming in class, she might choose to explore the issue of drilling in the Artic Wildlife. I debate can give her an initial overview of the topic, and she can then research and explore it further. She might have an inclination to either support it or oppose it, and her further research can affirm or confound her expectations. She can also develop persuasive power by knowing and addressing the arguments of her opposing side. Idebate is an excellent starting point for this process.

Figure 10. Issue in IDEA Database (www.idebate.org) Material is Copyrighted and used with Permission of the International Debate Education Association

Persuasive Video Handout 1 Name___________________________________ List three different ideas for your video. Remember, your purpose is to influence and/or inform your Representative in Congress to act on a particular issueone that is either well known or one that you want to make better known. Write down your idea and a brief explanation for why it is important for your Representative to know. Idea 1 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Teacher Feedback ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Idea 2 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Teacher Feedback ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Idea 3 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Teacher Feedback ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Days 6 to 10 Once the students pick their topics they will research material to create an effective 3-5 minute video. Conducting research, writing narration, selecting and arranging effective images, and articulating the salient points are processes that dynamically affect each other towards the goal of creating an effective video. Use Handouts 2 and 3 to inform your instruction and guide your students. Handout 2Resource List is used for students to organize Days 6-10 all of the persuasive and informative elements of their presentations. Once they have their topics, they will need to Students research collect supporting evidence and incorporate it with their ideas. topics, gather This sheet will help them organize the facts, ideas, quotes, and material, and create images as well as the main points that they want to emphasize. their videos. This is a dynamic process in which a persuasive image might inspire a few sentences of narration, or a necessary fact might require an accompanying image. Students must have a main idea and supporting information and ideas. However, there is no single way to organize the videothe keys are credibility, clarity, and persuasion. Handout 3Storyboard Outline is used for students to organize their video. They will definitely need several pages. This worksheet is especially useful if you have a limited number of computers or students without computers at home. They can learn the general procedures for creating a video without the software or media. If your students are proficient users of technology or video editing software, this paper version might slow them down. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it can spur reflection and thought before they use the technology.

Persuasive Video Handout 2Resource List Supporting Research and Quotes (Use Additional Paper if Necessary) Fact, Idea, or Quote Source

Effective Images Image Name, Description

Source

Points for Narration Points for Facts and Images

Related to Fact, Idea, Quote, and/or Image

Name _________________________ page _____ of ______(copy as needed)

Audio Effect and Music Images

Handout 3Storyboard Outline

Narration

Notes

Teacher Comments

Organize the content and order of you material here. For images you can list ones that you have or will be getting. Your narration can apply to one image or go across several. You can also have images and video without narration. Please remember that this storyboard will be a starting point. You will change your content and organization as you develop your work on the computer. Considering that this video will be made public and sent to an elected official, consider the effects of directly addressing the Senator or Representative in their narration or using a more objective tone.

Days 11-12 When students complete their work and you have assessed it, you might want to consider having a short film festival in your class or school. When the videos have been finalized, you should then prepare them to go public. I would recommend two related methods of dissemination. Students should directly email it to Days 11-12 their Senator or House Representative, noting that it will also be made public with the url. At the same time, students should make Students share their it public on a video sharing site such as YouTube. When they do work with classmates, this it is important that you review the tags or keywords that they the school and their will use. This will make it searchable. Once it is up, other people elected officials and from around the world will be able to view, rate, and comment on the world. it. You can set up a RSS feed for each video and track the comments in an RSS aggregator throughout the rest of the school year. Students will see the impact that their video has.

Assessment

Narration (and text transcript) Organization

Approaches Lacks main idea and/ or supporting details and evidence Ineffectivel y uses facts, quotes and/or interviews Narration does not correlate to images Narration is not clearly written or is not clearly spoken Few/no facts and quotes or from sources without experience/e xpertise in topic No/little citation of sources for facts and interviews

Meets Main idea presented with supporting detail and evidence Effectively uses facts, quotes, and/or interviews Narration appropriately correlates to images

Exceeds Main idea clearly presented and expertly supported with detail and evidence Effectively uses facts, quotes, and interviews

Relevant ISTE NETS-S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Relevant IRA/NCTE Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 ,11, 12

Use of Evidence

2, 3, 4, 5

7, 8

Synchronization

Articulation

Narration enhances and is enhanced by images and other audio Narration is Narration is clearly written expertly written and spoken in and spoken general Many facts and quotes are from sources that have experience/ex pertise is topic. Most/all facts are from sources that have extensive experience and expertise in particular topic

2, 6

4, 6

2, 6

4, 6

Research Credibility

3, 4

3, 7, 8

Citation

Some citation of sources for facts and interviews

Appropriate 2, 3, 5 citation for facts and interviews effectively incorporated

7, 8

into the narration Images Effective Few/none images effectively communicat e the purpose of the presentation Image sources are not clearly or consistently documented Sequence, timing, and transitions are not used effectively and/or thoughtfully Lack or excess of music and sound effects or use is generally indiscrimina te Many images effectively communicate the purpose of the presentation Most image sources are consistently and clearly documented Most/all images effectively communicate the purpose of the presentation 1, 2, 4, 6 4, 6, 8

Image sources

All image sources are clearly documented at the end of the video

2, 3, 5

4, 8

Media Integration Coordination of Images, Narration, and Audio Sequence, timing, and transitions are generally used effectively and thoughtfully In general, music and other audio used purposefully and effectively Sequence, 1, 2, 6 timing, and transitions are consistently used effectively and thoughtfully Music and other 1, 2, 6 audio used purposefully, effectively and consistently throughout the video 4, 6, 12

Music and other audio

4, 6

Works Cited Dodge, B. (1997). Some thoughts about Webquests. Retrieved October 17, 2006 from http://webquest.sdsu.edu/about_webquests.html