Having looked at a number of ways for students to take their work outside of the classroom, it’s important to give them something that they will want to strive towards. A project based task that encourages them to discover and work to solve an issue in their own community is a great way to engage your students, and encourage their unique voices.
Framework: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations has put forward 17 goals for Sustainable Development. They apply to the macro and micro environments that your students inhabit. By allowing your students to choose from one of those goals, they will have a focus for the rest of their project.
Making a difference close to home
While it’s one thing to attempt to change the world, that can seem like an impossibility for a number of students. Focusing on their own community can be a great place to help them start thinking about how they can create a change for the better.
Once students have identified a concern or a problem in their neighbourhood, they can start considering what type of project they would like to make.
They may created:
- A written piece
- A visual piece
- A video piece
- An audio piece
- A digital experience
Ultimately, they will use one of the previously mentioned PUBLICATION METHODS to try and place their work into the world.
Working with a Timeline
This will be a fully fleshed out unit that presents an opportunity for students to research and create. A number of check-ins along the way will help keep students focused. By using ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, students will de-silo their own research, while honouring the effort they put it.
By teaching this assignment in line with the DESIGN THINKING process, you will create another framework that will help focus student effort.
Assignment Specifics
Below, you will find the specific information that will help guide your students through their project. Feel free to modify as needed.
Researching Publication Methods
You will need to decide on where you will place your creation into the world. There are a number of options to choose from:
- Submit to newspaper, journal, or magazine
- Submit to radio station
- Host on digital store
- Host on popular – targeted – website or social media account
- Other options: Discuss with your teacher
You will need to take notes on the specific place you will submit your piece (What journal? What newspaper? What website, etc.)
Prototyping your Concept
On Day 9 you must use SCRATCH to create a prototype of your finished work. This prototype can be a storyboard, a short explanation animation, or a fully fleshed out rough copy.
Sharing / Peer Editing
You will be partnered with three other people. You will take turns running through your CREATION, showing it off and demonstrating what you have created (even if it is only the ROUGH COPY from your Scratch piece.)
You will explain why you selected the publication method you chose, pointing out the strengths of your method, as well as the mechanics and process of submission. Through this process you will become aware of a number of avenues available for creation and publication.
Pitching your Project
You will have to explain to the class the information you presented in small groups during PEER EDITING. Having revised your work, you should be closer to the final copy. This NEARLY GOOD COPY is what you will present to the class. You will also demonstrate your methods for creation and publication.
After this portion of the assignment you will have a wide range of ideas for creation and publication of personal projects.
You should be looking to PUBLISH YOUR PIECE directly following your presentation.
Final Presentation
Your FINAL PRESENTATION will take place AFTER you have attempted to publish your piece. You will return to class two weeks later and explain what the outcome of your publication attempt was, as well as providing evidence of your publication.
Evidence can take the following forms:
- Screen shot of your digital submission
- Website viewership information
- Letters from companies
- Links to digital stores
- Other options: Discuss with your teacher
Resources
The Creation and Publication Project – WhatBinderDotCom.pdf
What’s Next
In the next, and final section, you will see how the assignment conforms to all requirements of the Toronto District School Board’s Global Competencies.
First Steps
Type of Publication Projects
- The Poetry Publication Project
- The Gender Publication Project
- The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Publication Project
Creation and Publication Project
- Making Projects Meaningful
- Placing Work into the World [Written Work]
- Placing Work into the World [Self-Distribution]
- Placing Work into the World [Media Arts]
- The Creation and Publication Assignment
- Connecting the Global Competencies
- Creator Spotlights
What Binder Education 