Summary
To gain a deeper understanding of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs and the impact of radio as a medium for delivering information to the American public during the 1930s, students create a 60 second narrated slideshow emulating one of President Roosevelt’s fireside chats. Narrated slideshows act to modernize radio chats in the form of contemporary podcast/vodcast, while honoring the personal connection when hearing another’s voice.
Students self-select small groups, and conduct research on their chosen New Deal program using a teacher scaffolded research chart. Student groups collaboratively organize the information to write a narration for a fireside chat, explaining how their program will bring relief to the American people. Groups then select appropriate images to further illustrate the plight of the American people and the sense of hope their program seeks to bring. The teacher models the features of multimedia programs that students choose to use in creating the project. To help establish context to the new learning, and encourage creativity, students create a fifteen second advertisement for a household good, commonly used during the 1930s, for their chat.
Each group’s chat is uploaded to Vimeo and posted on a single project blog, shared by students in all four VA and US History classes. Viewing their peers’ submissions on the blog, students complete a chart investigating each New Deal program and provide peer evaluations, focusing on the effectiveness and level of engagement of the chat. Lastly, students self-reflect on their role within the group, justify problem-solving strategies, creativity displayed, as well as how they conveyed the message of their New Deal program in a Reflection Google Form.
TIPC Ratings
Ideal/Target – The students select a New Deal program, then identify, evaluate and choose information sources to ultimately synthesize into their 21st Century Fireside Chat. The teacher takes a facilitative role, allowing students to work beyond scaffolded questions that guide their research. Students are responsible for responding to a problem in the United States during the Great Depression by powerfully displaying and interacting with their information in creating a ‘chat” using the digital tool of their choice, and posting their product to a blog. The teacher formatively assess the students level of information fluency using the Project Rubric.
Ideal/Target – The teachers facilitates collaboration by letting students choose members and type of roles for their group, which they report. The project promotes collaboration towards an authentic task, creating a informative narrated slideshow, both during class and unsupervised time. Students select the preferred digital tools for communication with group members. All the classes, collaborate together, via the Project Blog, as individual groups gain expertise in one program and share their learning with the rest of the students. Reflection becomes a collaborative process, as the students complete peer evaluations. The teacher formatively assess the student’s level of collaboration and communication with the Project Rubric. Students reflect on their roles in collaboration and communication during the learning process using the post-project Reflection Google Form
Approaching – The teacher scaffolds inquiry for students to begin their research and then moves into a facilitator role as groups synthesize information into a 21st Century Fireside Chat. The teacher models options for creating the ‘chat’, from which students select the tool that best fits their skill and risk level, in creating an authentic product. The teacher formatively assess the student’s level of critical thinking and problem solving using the Project Rubric. Students reflect on their roles as critical thinkers and problem solving strategies displayed during the learning process using the post-project Reflection Google Form.
Ideal/Target- The teacher models options and risks for students in creating a “21st Century Fireside Chat,” before moving into a facilitator role as student groups create their original product. Providing options for creating the ‘chats’ involve students in risk taking towards innovation and creativity within and beyond the assignment. The teacher formatively assess the student’s level of creativity and innovation using the Project Rubric. Students reflect on their creativity and innovation displayed during the learning process using the post-project Reflection Google Form.
