You can see many standards embedded in this project. In this assignment students have to integrate ideas into their presentation.” CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.” (corestandards.org) They have to evaluate other types of propaganda and create their own using different types of media. They have to use convincing language and data to support their claims. There are also speaking standards that this will complete as well. “CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.” (corestandards.org) Students will need to use visuals that help persuade so the use of visuals will be important in this digital media project.

In order to transition this project online I think you will need to have very clear instructions and to lay out a few formative assessments before they complete their final presentation. In a classroom setting you can check for understanding while they work on the project but in an online class you will need to set up some goal posts they will have to reach each week before they move on. It will be important for them to get both student and teacher feedback on this project. The final presentation can be easily posted online onto a Padlet for all in the course to see and share.

I think the biggest challenge you would encounter is how to foster collaboration on this project. You will need to show students what resources they can use and should use in order to collaborate with one another. They will need to demonstrate and show the teacher they are collaborating along the way so that one person is not doing all the work. They will have to explain how they plan on collaborating and the roles and responsibilities of each student in the group.

I believe this project could have an equal amount of authenticity if it were to be transitioned into an online project. I feel that in order to do this the teacher would need to make his/her presence felt as the teacher did in person. We have learned how to do that already in earlier modules through the use of screen-casts/video tools. 

I think one of the challenges that always presents itself when working in online courses is the collaboration piece. Although it its very attainable thanks to certain tools such as: google docs, hangouts, and an increase in accessibility to technology, it can be difficult to find the time to be the same schedule as someone else. For a project like this where everyone needs to play an active role, it would have been difficult to make a video where everyone was involved. 

3. What challenges might your encounter in conducting a project of this type online?

Because I teach English 9-12 and  taught Speech & Debate last year- I could see the Common Core Standards throughout this project- including: researching, finding credible sources, citing sources properly, evaluating the audience, analyzing and using rhetorical devices and strategies, writing an argument, revising, public speaking, use of technology, etc. Project-based learning can be chocked FULL of many standards, but it’s the collaboration that I was struck by. These students looked like they loved the real-world challenge of not only finding out what the current CA propositions were all about, but also navigating the group dynamic to sort out which direction to go. You could see the process in action- but since I’ve done a similar project in a classroom- this can take a very long time, even with deadlines. I was really curious to hear how much time they devoted to this whole project, but I did not hear that bit of info. This of course does not detract from all the skill and knowledge-building going on. You could sense the seriousness and urgency as well. Most students do not want to end up with the worst project or present in front of an audience without being totally prepared. It’s the “good” kind of stress that makes them have to be involved.

These types of projects can be done in both a blended and online setting with high school students- I can’t vouch for the younger groups from a teacher-perspective, but as a parent, I can think of way too many times I had to help facilitate and or teach my sons’ how to do the school project they were required to do. Let’s just say- I prefer when students are taught how to do the project, have realistic  timelines  to collaborate and don’t need expensive gadgets or need a professional (biologist, engineer, geneticist,  or filmmaker) to  actually accomplish it. Ok- I’m off my parent-spending too much time on school projects- soap box. But to transition this type of project into an online or blended environment, first the (preferably step by step) guidelines have to be very, very clear, with a rubric to match. Students do much better when they have a  framework and know the expectations. Most high school students these days use Google  docs and Slides to collaborate. Many parents do not like their teenagers using live video conferencing technologies and many schools do not allow it.  In a blended classroom, they could meet face to face to discuss, brainstorm and then divide up the work- with occasional meetings to regroup. In my experience they need class time to meet because most of them have so many other commitments outside that time. Once they have their project together, they also need time to practice for the presentation. They love having a clicker in their hand, or a microphone, but any and technical glitches that can occur, will occur, so the practice step can take a long time with a class of 38 in groups of 4 or 5.   From experience, I also require that the presentation be included in the grade.  So it sounds basic, but group projects and activities  all follow  pretty much the same process.  The difference these days is usually with the technology. 

Ok, so in the previous question, I outlined some of the challenges in a large traditional classroom or blended environment, and all of these challenges still hold true for an online project, times 3. In my experience, the online students usually have more technology at their disposal, but less time and interest in collaborating. This of course is a generalization, but getting students to communicate is really one of the most challenging parts, in person or online and the older they get, the busier they are. Most “students” do not like being in a group where one person is impossible to get a hold of or doesn’t get their work in on time or worse yet- have everyone’s grade negatively affected because a member didn’t meet their commitment. These are more the human challenges. Then there are the technical challenges- does everyone have the software or devices necessary to accomplish the task, etc. This is where the teacher comes in- and teaches how to do it, pre-selects the tools that all groups need to use and conform to- otherwise it isn’t really a level playing field. 

I might transition this project into an online or blended environment by building a Project-based unit in a HyperDoc format using a Google Site. The format would be based on the work of Christy Monge, Assistant Director, MDTV | Mater Dei High School, in a presentation shared at a recent Google Summit. The online/blended steps would Engage students by presenting old-style presidential campaign videos, asking students to Explore the Voter’s pamphlets and current television ads, Explain their own position on the topic, soliciting the online community’s feedback in a Skype-style format, Apply this knowledge and constructive criticism by creating their own video during a face-to-face session at the physical school site, and Share their video via YouTube, eliciting the comments of any number of voters below the video. As comments, likes, and dislikes are viewed, I would invite students to Reflect on possible improvements or learnings in a Zoom, Hangout, or Skype format with team members. Finally, I would Extend this unit  by asking students to analyze the results of the actual city, county or statewide voting, and compare the analysis and commentary to their original positions.

The obvious challenge to a project like this in a purely online format is the coordination of team members to meet deadlines for brainstorming, scripting, storyboarding, and especially filming. This argues for a blended rather that a purely online approach to projects like these.