LME 537-Blog 3: Real-World Learning Framework Activity Evaluation
Marc Prensky (2009) hit the nail on the head when he spoke of needing a new vision for learning. In his video, Wartburg College Commission on Mission (2009), Prensky says, “There is an enormous opportunity to help all prepare for the 21st century. There is a need to learn the skills and tools of the future.” Teachers, parents, students, and library media specialists need to work together to build these skills in students to prepare them for their future careers. “Integrating technology into the classroom is a great way to reach diversity in learning styles and helps students stay engaged,” (Networks, n.d.). It is vital that we, as teachers, teach inquiry-based learning through the use of technology.
The project presented by Maxwell, Stobaugh, and Tassell (2015), Sneaky Sneaker Salesman, was very interesting and real-world. In this project, the students are creating an advertisement for a new style of tennis shoe using persuasive techniques. Students will be expected to give a sales pitch to their classmates upon completion. Advertising is everywhere and it is important for students to see and understand the reasons and importance of creating an ad that sells the merchandise. According to Maxwell, Stobaugh, and Tassell (2015), the Real-World Learning score was a level 3: Investigating for this activity. In order to increase the rating in this area, students could contact local shoe departments to inquire about percentages of sales for each type of tennis shoe sold in the last month or two. This would give them a better perspective of what type of shoe consumers are buying at this time. Cognitive Complexity scored a 4: Integrating. To increase this rating, students could review information discovered about sales for different types of shoes. Students could look at low sales, brainstorm ideas, and research the shoe design for the shoes that are not making a profit. Students can create a pros and cons board to demonstrate the next steps in designing a tennis shoe and advertisement. Student Engagement was rated a 4: Integrating. Increasing this rating would include students collaborating with experts in sales and advertising and collaborating with their classmates to determine the best approach to creating the advertisements for the sale of the new tennis shoe. Students can involve the local community through a poll or survey to question what catches the consumer’s attention when shopping or looking through an advertisement. Technology Integration was rated a 4: Integrating. Students can interview local advertising agents or sales persons through skype in order to ask questions or get suggestions for their team’s advertisement. Students could compare poor advertisements to successful ones to determine what sells best. Students could create a presentation that includes the ad for the sneakers. Students could include information about the shoe businesses they visited and interviews from those working to sell shoes. The students could ask the administrator or advertising agent to sit in during each sales pitch and choose the one that is the best.
As for the teacher’s involvement to help partner with students to make the task more authentic, the teacher can permit students to use technology to enhance their learning through research, skype, facebook, etc. The teacher can create screencasts to help students learn new online tools to create webpages or commercials to help sell their new product. Students can use social media to ask friends or family about ideas in advertising during the classroom schedule. The teacher can set up interviews with advertising agencies so that students can ask questions that can guide them to the best possible solution. The teacher can provide a reward for the winners of the best sales pitch (restaurant certificate, movie tickets, etc.)
In science, my students learn about different types of circuits. During a STEM project, students are to build an electric house. Certain requirements must be met. Students research design and circuits, skype with professionals, and piece together their electric houses. The best electric home is presented at a university sponsored STEM Expo. Here is how I would rate my students’ activity of building an Electric House based on the Create Excellence Framework: Real-World Learning - 3: Investigating because students are simulating the real-world by building and lighting a home. I choose a 4: Integrating for Cognitive Complexity because students are generating their own questions based on trial and error and research. They must organize their information and learn how to problem-solve when things don’t work out. Student Engagement would be given a 4: Integrating because students are collaborating with each other and learning through full implementation of problem and solution. Technology Integration is rated as a 3: Investigation because technology is not completely necessary for the completion of the project. Students can use alternative resources to help identify the correct circuits to use throughout the completion of the house.
References
Maxwell, M., Stobaugh, R., & Tassell, J. L. (2015). Real-world learning framework for
secondary schools: Digital tools and practical strategies for successful implementation.
United States: Solution Tree.
Networks, S. E. (n.d.). 10 reasons today’s students NEED technology in the classroom.
Retrieved November 17, 2016, from http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/10-
Reasons-Today-s-Students-NEED-Technology-in-the-Classroom
Wartburg College (2009, May 22). Marc Prensky - Wartburg college commission on mission.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCBztboW348
