In this assignment for pre-service teachers taking the Elementary Social Studies Methods class at the University of Calgary, students were asked to develop an inquiry question that takes up a particular issue or theme related to teaching Social Studies in Alberta. Specifically, students were asked to take up a question that relates to themes and issues directly connected to the twin pillars of citizenship and identity that guide the Alberta program. Drawing on class readings, independent research, insights gained from group discussions, along with their own personal experiences and observations in the classroom, they investigated this inquiry question in groups of two or three.
In order to represent their insights, each group was asked to create a Pecha Kucha presentation video consisting of twenty images with twenty seconds of speaking time devoted to each image. You can learn more about the Pecha Kucha format by visiting this website: http://www.pechakucha.org/faq.
To create their presentation each group was further asked to start a Google doc with a two-column twenty-row chart. Within the chart, they could place images on the left and the script for each slide in the next column. By creating a Google doc, myself as instructor was able to provide formative feedback once they had finished the script.
To support students in developing their presentation I moreover asked them to introduce and develop no more than three big ideas and then following the SES (State, Explain, Support) format develop and support these insights.
Here is the assessment rubric the students help create that will be used to evaluate their presentation:
2
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3
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4
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Visuals
/8
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Many images lack vividness and
clearness and/or poorly reflect the central ideas in the script. The
images do not provoke understanding and thought.
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The images are vivid and clear. The
images reflect the central ideas in the script. The images provoke understanding
and thought.
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All images are extremely vivid and
clear. Each image strongly reflects the central ideas communicated in that
portion of the script. The images are provocative and draw you in.
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Voice and Speech
/8
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The
voice recording only occasionally demonstrates strong feeling about the
topic. At
times the
voice is hard to hear. The presenter allows no time for pauses, emphasis of
important ideas, and they are simply reading the script rather than ‘saying’
it.
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The
voice recording generally demonstrates strong feeling about the topic. The
voice can be heard loud and clear; however, the presenter allows little time
for pauses, emphasis of important ideas, and may sound at times like they
were reading the script rather than ‘saying’ it.
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The
voice recording consistently demonstrates strong feeling about the topic
allowing for pauses and emphasis when necessary.
The
viewer can clearly hear the full speech without background noise or any
static.
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Insightfulness of ideas
/4
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The ideas and insights
the presenters have chosen to explore lack originality, are common place and
do not reflect recent research in the field.
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The presenters have
chosen to explore fairly original and insightful ideas in response to the
research question reflecting relevant research in the field.
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The presenters have
chosen to explore extremely original and insightful ideas in response to the
research question reflecting current and highly relevant research in the
field.
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Exploration of main ideas
in response to the inquiry question
/8
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The presentation
demonstrates an original exploration of the topic with a generally thoughtful
engagement with the research question.
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The presentation
demonstrates an original exploration of each of the key ideas introduced
working to develop and explain these ideas in a way that draws on relevant
scholarship and research in the field.
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The presentation
demonstrates an extremely deep and original exploration of the key ideas
introduced working to fully develop and explain these ideas in a way that
reflects a deep engagement with relevant scholarship and research in the
field.
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Flow and Coherence
/4
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Thoughts and ideas
explored in the presentation flow and are coherently bound together in a
logical progression or sequence. It is clear throughout the presentation from
the introduction, through the body, to the conclusion your inquiry question
and topic.
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Thoughts and ideas
explored in the presentation flow and are coherently bound together in a
logical progression or sequence. It is clear throughout the presentation from
the introduction, through the body, to the conclusion your inquiry question
and topic.
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Thoughts and ideas
explored in the presentation flow and are coherently bound together in a
logical progression or sequence. It is clear throughout the presentation from
the introduction, through the body, to the conclusion your inquiry question
and topic.
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Evidence/
Supporting details
/8
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The three big ideas taken
up in the presentation are lacking specific evidence. There are no specific
practical possibilities for how these insights could be applied within an
elementary classroom context.
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At least two of the big
ideas taken up in the presentation are comprehensively supported with
powerful evidence often reflecting recent research in the field. There is evidence
of ways teachers have attempted to live out these insights showing how they could
be applied within an elementary classroom context.
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Each of three big ideas
taken up in the presentation are comprehensively supported with exceptionally
powerful evidence often reflecting recent research in the field. There is
ongoing evidence of ways teachers have attempted to live out these insights showing
how they could be applied within an elementary classroom context.
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Here are the Pecha Kuchas they created:
Second Pecha Kucha:
Third Pecha Kucha
Fourth Pecha Kucha:
Fifth Pecha Kucha:
Aboriginal Perspectives in the Classroom from Richard Russell on Vimeo.
