#conraddonaldson

[portablepedagogy]

Idea Box #46: Summary Words

Summary

Reflect on a completed course or unit and list words or phrases that come to mind. Enter each word or phrase as a subject line on a new discussion thread. Respond to classmates' words that resonate with you. 

Source

Conrad & Donaldson (2010), p. 91

Notes

The authors note that this task is adapted from a training exercise from the American Red Cross, and that the activity can be done in a face-to-face setting with scraps of paper that are filled out and then posted on a wall.

Related

Idea Box #51: Dollar Store

[portablepedagogy]

Idea Box #45: IRAs

Summary

Students are assigned to post an IRA—Insights, Resource, and Application—to a discussion board. An IRA consists of:

3 Insights: one sentence each

1 Resource: book, article, website, flim, etc. that echoes the argument or theme, with two sentences of annotation

1 Application: provide an example from your experience. Does the assigned reading reinforce or change your perspective on this event or situation?

Source

Conrad & Donaldson (2010), p. 88

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[portablepedagogy]

Idea Box #44: Bumper Sticker

Summary

Students are asked to reflect on their experience in a course by crafting a bumper sticker that captures what they have learned or experienced. Extra points are awarded for making a graphic design of the bumper sticker.

Source

Conrad & Donaldson (2010), p. 85, taken from Siberman & Lawson

Notes

Similar to assignments to craft tweets or slogans, this task leads students to explore a different rhetorical register and to focus a thought or experience in a concise and compelling form.

Tools

bumper sticker generators

Pedagogical Values

Rhetorical Register

Related

Idea Box #40: Tweet It

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[portablepedagogy]

Idea Box #42: Dyad Debate

Summary

Students are assigned to debate an issue with a partner. Each student posts a summary of the debate on a discussion board. 

Source

Conrad & Donaldson (2010), p. 72 

Variations

In a progressive dyad, one student writes arguments on one side of an issue and writes supporting points, then sends the draft or collaborative document to a partner to write responding arguments with supporting points (Conrad & Donaldson (2010), p. 78). Alternatively, each partner could send each other the main lines or argument for their side, and the partner could fill in supporting points. This would lead students to articulate opposing points of view as a way of bolstering their own arguments or empathizing with opponents.  

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[portablepedagogy]

Idea Box #22: Progressive Glossary

Summary

Students compile a collective glossary of key terms, concepts, authors, or figures covered in course materials, an give clear and concise summaries for each term. 

Notes

This task could be given for a weekly response, or serve as an ongoing course project, or an ongoing exam review activity, or all of the above. Google Docs or a wiki tool could be used to manage the collective editing of the document. Students could also be divided into groups and then asked to compare different groups' entries for the same term. 

Related

Conrad & Donaldson (2012), (p.117-118) describe a similar activity they call Course Vocabulary Bank.