The Technology Infusion Process

Applying the framework to existing lesson plans

Social Studies

An AP Government lesson plan was submitted as follows:

 

Name	Department: Social Studies	Course: AP Government
Date:  25 Feb 02	Period:	Topic:  The Media & U.S. Politics
State Goals, CAS, & CFS: ·          14 A3, B1, 18 C3, D1

Learner Outcomes/Objectives (Students will be able to know and do): Define Mass Media Outline the evolving influence of the media over the past 200 years Identify & explain factors that influence how people interpret political messages

Instructional Strategies:  Case study  Cooperative learning  Discussion  Direct instruction

Teaching/Learning Activities

Monday: Introductory lecture/discussion on key topics addressed in Chapter 13: Mass media, influence of radio, newspapers, & TV, “ media bashing” etc.

Homework: Students will read pages 305-311 in the textbooks & define key vocabulary terms in their notebooks.

Tuesday: Working in pairs students will analyze & discuss an excerpt from the Peter Zenger Trial with an emphasis on how this trial established a precedent for freedom of the press.

Homework:  Read pages 312-318 in their textbooks & define key vocabulary terms in their notebooks.

Wednesday: Students will view & discuss the film: Media & Politics. The teacher will pause the video at specific segments to further classroom analysis & discussion.

Homework:  Students will read pages 319-323 in their textbooks & define key vocabulary terms in their notebooks.

Thursday: The class will view, analyze, & discuss various political cartoons on domestic & foreign affairs  to determine whether they have a conservative or liberal bias.

Homework: Students will study for their Chapter 13 Vocabulary Quiz.

Friday: Students will view & discuss segments of the Lehrer News Hour & McLaughlin reports. The class will focus on such discussion topics as to whether the programs are informative and whether they contain a particular political bias.

Homework: Students will answer the following questions: Does the media have excessive influence on public opinion? How does the media influence elections, nominations, & referendum?

Curriculum integration (arts, technology, other): ·        Language Arts – Vocabulary development & reading comprehension skills ·        Technology – Video on Media & Politics, Lehrer News Hour, McLaughlin Report ·        Law – Analysis of Zenger Trial

Bell Ringers: ·        Based on previous lectures, discussions, and readings.

Resources / Materials needed: ·        Textbook, lecture notes, notebooks, overhead projector & transparencies, films on the media ·        Zenger Trial excerpt

Assessment:  Daily Homework  Teacher-made quizzes  Video

Analysis

	Comments: What is Essential? What strengths do you see? What possible areas of improvement do you see?	Technology Infusion Possibilities
		Internet/Web	Application Software	Specific Software or Hardware
Subject-matter	Lesson plan introduces concepts of mass media. Strengths and weaknesses of content would only be available by looking at textbook.	Web sites devoted to introducing concepts about mass media A   E   T   M	N/A A   E   T   M	N/A A   E   T   M
Resources	Strengths include use of video clips, text from actual trial, and real political cartoons. One question is how current some of these resources are.	Mass media outlet web sites News consolidators Videos Cartoons Images Audio A   E   T   M	N/A A   E   T   M	N/A A   E   T   M
Learning activities	Strengths include whole-group discussion of video clips, small group work on trial transcript. Weaknesses include very traditional homework assignments.	Comparison of different news outlets on the same story to see bias WebQuest on the essential qualities of a good political cartoon Examination of press freedoms in various countries   A   E   T   M	Create PowerPoint presentation about media bias Create database of status of press freedoms in various countries Use Spreadsheet to show trends on media consolidation over time A   E   T   M	Create own newspaper (satirical or serious) using desktop publishing software           A   E   T   M
Communication activities	Students do not currently communicate ideas with anyone outside of class.	Email to contact authorities on media and/or media figures A   E   T   M	Use of Word to communicate results of small group investigations PowerPoint presentations to outside audience (younger students?) A   E   T   M	Use scanners to create database of news stories about current topic A   E   T   M
Assessment activities	Vocabulary quiz. Essay as homework on last day. Not clear what criteria of assessment are for this or other homework.	Online vocabulary quizzes A   E   T   M	Rubrics to assess projects produced during unit A   E   T   M	Use of Computer-based testng software A   E   T   M

Comments

• This lesson plan already incorporates some technology: video, overheads.
• Only experience teaching the lesson in the classroom can tell us whether the learning activities are engaging and effective.
• The Internet includes many, many resources related to mass media. Whether these are better than resources already used would be a question answered only by trial and error.
• If students have access to the Internet for doing homework (and they probably do, whether at home or the library), homework activities could be made more engaging.

 

Concluding thoughts