Task Analysis Part I

This week, I worked on putting together a task analysis for my project. I modeled my analysis on announce Behavioral Task Analysis procedures. This post will include my initial analyses: (1) identifying the job to be analyzed, (2) identifying tasks that make up the job, and (3) describing each task. I will post a second blog entry later on that will further describe each task.

Project: 3-hour Lesson on the Music of England (and London)
Date: April 5, 2005

Tasks:

(1) Email Inventory
(2) Introductory Discussion (Discuss from email)
(3) Lecture
(4) Listening
(5) Group Work
(6) Elluminate (Virtual Guest Speaker)
(7) Closing Remarks
(8) Evaluation

Task Descriptions:

(1) Email Inventory: Two weeks before the class session, students will be sent an email asking them to write a paragraph or two on what they know about the music of England. This is meant to get a feel for what the students already know. I'm hoping the answers will be all over the map and provide some initial chaos for me to filter through. I will also use the email to take a brief interest inventory? (What do the students want to learn?)
(2) Introductory Discussion: This time will be used to discuss the email responses and introduce the topics. Students will be given a handout with everyone's email inventory responses (anonymous).
(3) Lecture: This will include direct instruction relating to the topic. Visuals and audio examples will be employed and accessed through Blackboard.
(4) Listening: Longer listening examples will be provided.
(5) Group Work: Students will be divided into groups and asked to report on various music examples. Students will be engaged in student-centered critical thinking exercises as part of this session (e.g., one tasks will allow the students to work together to guess a composer or the musical era for several listening selections; the students will then have to explain why they answered the way they did).
(6) Elluminate (Virtual Guest Speaker): Students will listen to a guest speaker discuss a selected topic related to the music of England.
(7) Closing Remarks: This will include any final thoughts from the instructor. Also, any final student questions will be answered.
(8) Evaluation: Students will be sent a follow-up email asking them to evaluate the lesson in general as well as the teaching methods and technology used for the lesson.