Submitted by: Julia Marsh & Kristina Nero
School: L. Douglas Wilder Middle School
Summary
Since human communication first started roughly 2.5 million B.C.E, humans have created ways to tell their story. The History of Communication project serves as a model for students to connect the current standards of writing while exploring the tools that have been invented for communication throughout history. The students will investigate an individually-chosen era ranging from 2,500,000 B.C.E. to 2010. Students will research their time period using both print and online sources; develop a digital and manipulative timeline; create a working bibliography using both Word and Google Docs; generate a works cited page; construct a Webquest that teaches others about their era; virtually collaborate with an off-site project partner located in either the Three Chopt or Fairfield District via SchoolSpace discussion board, Google Docs, and Illuminate. The ultimate goal of this learning model is to provide opportunities for learners to create an original product by applying critical thinking, communication tools, various research methods, and collaboration.
TIPC Ratings
Ideal: Students select appropriate digital tools, evaluate, and utilize information; apply varied research skills to find and evaluate resources; use information and resources to accomplish real-world tasks. The real-world tasks include: research, synthesizing information, deciphering which source is credible, reliable. The resources were print (magazines, journals, books, newspapers) and non-print resources (eBooks, YouTube, TeacherTube, SchoolTube, Google, Wikipedia, and various websites).
Ideal: Students initiate communication in real and non-real time; communicate and collaborate with learners of diverse cultural backgrounds; form collaborative teams to solve real-world problems {(digital literacy, collaboration in real time (ie. Elluminate) and non-real time (ie. Discussion Boards, Community Group)} , and create original works.
Developing: Students did not solve any specific problems in this lesson, but were able to become problem solvers in determing the best tools to use when communicating within and beyond the classroom.
Approaching: Students are required to apply critical thinking skills as they make decisions about the reliability of sources, the myriad of sources to choose from, and effectiveness of the sources. Students are able to choose the research methods and the communication tools to create an original work. In addition, the students will collaborate effectively beyond the regular classroom using such tools as Elluminate, Discussion Boards, Google Docs, and TypeWith.me among others.
