Task Analysis Part II

Two blog entries ago (in Task Analysis Part I), I defined and described tasks in relation to what the instructor (me, in this case) will be doing with the lesson. The following task analysis relates to the tasks of the students.

Tasks:

(1) Complete Email Inventory
(2) Introductory Discussion (Discuss from email)
(3) Listening to Lecture
(4) Listening to Music Examples
(5) Group Work
(6) Experiencing Elluminate (Virtual Guest Speaker)
(7) Engage in Final Discussion
(8) Complete Evaluation

Task Descriptions:

(1) Complete Email Inventory: Students will respond to an email questionnaire that they are sent two weeks before the class session. In this email, students are asked to write a paragraph or two on what they already know about the music of England. This is meant to get a feel for what the students already know. The students will also write a paragraph stating what they want to learn. This will serve as an interest inventory. The questions will be designed so that the students are not limited in their responses. For example, the first question will not ask students what they know about the music of England during the 1960s or during the 18th century but will be left up to student interpretation. Student answers on the questions will vary greatly (or the instructor hopes this will be the case).
(2) Introductory Discussion: Students will receive handouts with everyone's responses from the email questionnaire (anonymous). Students will be asked to consider the responses of other students. Students will then discuss (in large group format) their responses to the email questionnaires (after being prompted by the instructor). What surprised them? Were some students surprised that another student listed Duran Duran as being something that comes to mind when they think of the music of England? Students will hopefully learn that their idea of the music of England might vary greatly from the ideas of their peers. The purpose of the lesson will then be to help students make connections to what they already know with what the other students in the class know and the information that the instructor will provide.
(3) Listening to Lecture: Students will listen to lecture material, which will include information relating to the different eras of music and what was going on in England at the time (society, musical genres, musical forms, composers, important works). Students will learn information that will add the knowledge they already have relating to the music of England.
(4) Listening to Music Examples: Students will listen to musical examples from the eras of music discussed. Students will be exposed to a variety of genres and forms and will listen to instructor commentary on how the listening relates to the lecture material (previously and simultaneously delivered). By listening to the examples, students will more likely be able to discern features, genres, and forms when they hear them in the future.
(5) Group Work: Students will work with small groups on listening exercises where they will listen to short musical examples and discuss them within their group. Students will work together to guess a composers, genres, and forms. As part of this listening exercises, students who know the answers right off will be encouraged to sit quietly and let the remainder of the group discuss options. Hopefully, the group will think back to the lecture material and listening examples from before and systematically formulate an answer. For instance, if the first example is a lesser-known Beatles tune, the students might immediately come to a consensus that the piece is not from the Romantic era but is instead a 20th-century British rock song. Students will learn to discriminate.
(6) Experiencing Elluminate (Virtual Guest Speaker): Students will listen to a guest speaker discuss a selected topic related to the music of England. As part of this experience, students will become familiar with the components of Elluminate (why it was used and how it can be used).
(7) Engage in Final Discussion: Students will listen to closing remarks and final thoughts from the instructor. Student will ask questions relating to anything they might need clarified. Students will comment as they see pertinent.
(8) Complete Evaluation: Students will evaluate the lesson in general as well as the teaching methods and technology used for the lesson.