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.

Using Sage with Firefox

Hi, everyone... I've created a tutorial on how to use the SAGE Reader with Firefox.

This tutorial will teach you the benefits of news feed readers and will demonstrate how to install and use SAGE with Firefox.

The tutorial is available here: http://web.uncg.edu/dcl/temp/Scott/rss/rss.html. The link will open in a new window and utilizes Flash technology . If you are using dial-up, it might take a short while to load.

[Note: Warning! I sound like a big ol' queen in the video.]

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.

New York, New York

Hi, everyone... I'm in New York City for a long weekend. So, I won't be posting any new blogs until I return.

Concept Map

I created a concept map for my project using Inspiration. As a reminder, my project will be developing a 3-hour lesson on the music of London for a graduate-level, interdisciplinary liberal arts class, The History of London.

To download my map in MS Word format, click here.


Aren't these fun?

Needs Assessment: Conditions Met

According to Kaufman, there is a way to determine if a needs assessment is appropriate for a project; and, he has published a list of criteria that can assist an individual in determining "when to use" a needs assessment. My project meets two of his conditions, so I deemed a needs assessment necessary. Some of the criteria that my project satisfies include (a) the lesson adds value to the students learning (that is, related to the content of the course as a whole) and (b) new equipment and processes will be employed (e.g., using Elluminate to host a virtual guest speaker).

I certainly expect results on the mega (societal) level, although the impact is will not be [obviously] gigantic. That is, the delivery of my lesson content has the potential to support the auspices of advancing informed citizenry.

Results at the macro level are easier to discuss in concrete terms. Students who participate in the lesson will be one step closer to completing the requirements of the course and, therefore, completing the course and getting graduate credit.

Results on the micro individual level are numerous. Some examples include students becoming more knowledgeable and students experiencing [and learning about] new technologies.

Needs Assessment & Concept Map Intro

I'm excited about this week's assignment (that is, the parts of the assignment that are related to my project--developing a needs assessment and concept map). At my job at UNCG, I am often assisting others with these types of tasks. However, it has been a long time since I have had to design for myself. Although, I teach aerobics on the side... and, in a way, each time I design a new fitness routine, I am designing. Plus, there's the music that I compose. Of course, that's all about design. Anyway, I will stop the rambling for now. Stay tuned to my blog this week because I will be posting drafts of my needs assessment and concept map here.

The Research Metaphor

I believe it was Dr. King’s who suggested using blog entries to keep a record of thoughts pertaining to the development of our course projects. What a great idea! In fact, this week, as I was thinking more about my project, I was able to look back at my last few blog entries and see an organized, chronological record of ideas I’ve had thus far.

I am going to dedicate this entry to initial thoughts related to the framing of my project. After watching Dr. King’s narrated presentation this week, one metaphor that immediately struck me as being representative of [at least one portion of] my project was the research metaphor. Elluminate will be new to the students in the class that will serve as my audience, and the software is still fairly new to me. Plus, by using the software to assist with the facilitation of a virtual guest speaker, we will be moving even further towards the unknown. Therefore, I look forward to the opportunity for all of us (the students and myself) to experiment with this software and learn (through action research) if the software will be successful in providing an avenue to host a virtual guest speaker.