Talk:Unit 1: The Power of the Narrative Form

To Do List -- JRobinWard (talk) 21:30, 26 April 2015 (EDT)

Need to create reference section and cite text

Need graphics for interest

Propper Comments for Developmental Tryout

Hi Robin,

I am totally enthralled with your mini-course thusfar! I love that you open with a narrative on the main page for your course - it really works to engage the reader. Looking at Unit 1, I have the following comments:

• Your organizational style is very clean and straightforward. You never throw too much information at us in one section, so it is easy to digest the information that you do provide.
• You don't overwhelm us with technical terminology - you keep the language relatively simple, which makes it more comprehensive.
• I love that you bold key terms in order to draw our attention to them.
• Your assignment scaffolding is very strong. There's an "I do-we do-you do" feel to the structure of your assignments where participant gradually take on more responsibility for the work they do.

Looking at the evaluation criteria, there's only one minor tweak I might make, and it falls under the category of "instructional sequencing." You mention context, problem, and resolution, and the terms feature quite heavily into the practice assignments that your participants need to do, but the initial discussion of those terms is pretty brief. I might define them in further depth early on? This is just a suggestion - I do think the meaning is made clear in your unit as it stands.

Awesome work!

Best, Ashley

Thad's Comments

Robin,

It looks like our projects have a lot in common! I'll be using the context-problem-solution paradigm for academic introductions, and it's fun to see how it can be applied more broadly. It makes sense to me how this organization can support learning, and I appreciate that you included a section making that connection clear. It seems close to our natural patterns of thinking!

I'll say one quick thing about your front page, even though I know it's not the main focus of this tryout: I really appreciate how you give users an avenue to pursue this new teaching strategy without having to admit that they are bad teachers whose existing techniques aren't working. It's a wise pragmatic move that allows the users to save face and perhaps look upon your work in a more accepting and comfortable manner. I thought about this problem a lot when I built my course--why are people using this site? My site is a lot less welcoming, and I'll see if I can improve that. Oh, and did I notice some narrative structure in how you introduced your entire course? :) Well-played!

Like you, I have just text right now. I'm trying to find an interactive tool so that I can allow users to input text or mark up a paragraph. But obviously, you and I both need to add something to demonstrate or at least reinforce the messages in our text.

My big takeaway from your first lesson is that narrative is a natural thinking pattern that makes teaching seem relevant to real problems in the world, and less adversarial (we share the problem, so the teacher is not techign "at" students on the assumption that their existing knowledge is flawed). I wonder if your last section could include a nod to teaching as well as narrative itself. For example, "Think of a lesson that coul dbe presented in terms of a narrative. What's the context, problem, etc..." Maybe I'm jumping the gun here.

• Your TED Talk link is dead--the "http" is missing a colon. I was going to just edit it for you, but the link you inserted DOES have the colon...take a quick look at that. Here's the language for a working link of my page; you can copy/paste if you like. [http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Bologna-IntroParagraphs.html Click here to see a "hook" lesson plan for English language learners]

A link to the next lesson would be helpful as well. If you're interested in using linked images (for this or any other purpose), here's language that I used for my green button link. You have to upload your image to Wiki first, using a unique file name. [[File:Green globe next 590niles.jpg|150px|link=Lesson 2--The parts of real academic introductions and how to generate content]]

Good luck as you continue! I have a lot to do still and your page looks great :)

Thad

Thank you! -- JRobinWard (talk) 16:22, 2 May 2015 (EDT)

Thank you both so much for your encouraging comments! I've been a nervous wreck about this, so it's quite a relief to have it well-received (so far!).

Ashley, good idea about adding further descriptions for some of the key terms. Since my initial needs assessment revealed that most educators are already pretty clear on what narrative is, I decided not to spend too much time on that in the first lesson. However, you've reminded me that I was planning on creating a link to an optional page that gives a sort of refresher course on narrative elements.

Thad, thanks for the tip on the dead link. I think I've got it fixed, now (I had _https://_ in the address twice). I also really appreciate the language for using link images -- I couldn't figure that out, and it was SO frustrating!

I'll definitely be building links to the next lessons as I develop them.

Thanks again!

Robin's Developmental Tryout -- Jackie Russell (talk) 17:30, 3 May 2015 (EDT)

Hi Robin,

Ashley and Thad have helped to provide thoughtful feedback and I'd like to offer more.

Your first unit is powerful in that it allows learners to conceptualize narrative form and link your instruction to prior knowledge/experiences. Well done on this. Indeed I believe we are to look at introductory pages as well as the first unit of our team members. Mine was not presented in its entirety, as it is not completed, but I appreciate that you made it a point to make a clear indication that your lesson is still be constructed.

I want to note, similar to Thad, that I enjoyed how you captured the attention of learners through your clever introduction, but must note that it encapsulates more of a story-telling form than a narrative form. You may wish to include a fast-forward event for learners to present a stronger representation of true narrative as you have carefully described. I loved your use of questioning throughout your first unit and you've done great work to ensure relevance for learners.

Nicely done,

Jackie

Instructor comments on your mini-course -- Jz833665 (talk) 12:50, 4 May 2015 (EDT)

Robin,

Like your peers, I was really pulled into your mini-course as I went through it! This is a very effectively designed and creatively presented. Your sample unit creates a nice flow: invite and engage the learner, guided analysis of a case, independent analysis. This is a powerful process of learning. I also like your precise highlight of the case analyzed, showing how narratives can be educationally used: " In this way, Moore at first connects with his audience, then puzzles his audience, and then provides them with a revelation which they are then ready to receive."

Great work. Move on to finish the whole course.