Shakespeares Much Ado about Nothing: Collaborative construction of an Interactive Study Guide (8-10 weeks)

Context and description of class

The school is a K-12 Independent school of around 600 students. This particular group of year 9 students have demonstrated an average to high ability in English and have a high work ethic. The school has recently implemented laptops with students from years 9-12 each having their own. This class is somewhat proficient in using technology and have been taught a number of technical skills in previous years.

Overview of Unit
Note: This overview includes some suggested outcomes from the new syllabus. This list of outcomes, however is not exhaustive. The outcomes included are structured as follows: Black = Outcome Red = one key process from the content of the outcome

There are three key sections to this unit:

1. Background and revision 1 week
The previous year, students spent a number of weeks examining the Elizabethan culture and context. After class discussion and revision notes, students use popplet to organise their information on the context of the period. They include pictures and videos to support their information as they discuss the influences on Shakespeares texts and approach to drama. Students will then do a short presentation to the class allowing them to compare their information. EN5-8D - questions, challenges and evaluates cultural assumptions in texts and their effects on meaning: compare and evaluate a range of representations of individuals and groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts

2. Introduction to the play 3-4 weeks

Students watch the Kenneth Branagh version of Much Ado About Nothing in 15 to 20 minute segments (based on certain acts/scenes in the play) and discuss the storyline, motifs and key themes. They write a summary of the discussion into their books, and then participate in reflective activities. At the completion of viewing the movie, students complete a workbook (from Harker Brownlow) and other activities based around: Contextual representation Characterisation Features of language and overcoming the language style Dramatic techniques and use of costuming, gesture, expression and how it communicates meaning

EN5-4B - effectively transfers knowledge, skills and understanding of language concepts into new and different contexts: analyse texts from familiar and unfamiliar contexts, and discuss and evaluate their content and the appeal of an individual author's literary style EN5-7D - understands and evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent personal and public worlds: analyse the ways in which creative and imaginative texts can explore human experience, universal themes and social contexts

3. Deeper study and major task 4 weeks

Student are divided into groups and given an act of the play to read together. They will use the No Fear Shakespeare, along with Sparknotes and a comic book version of the text (classical comics.com) to become experts on their particular act. As they work through they begin planning their final task which will essentially be the collaborative construction of an interactive study guide. Using prezi.com students compose and integrate the following for their Act: A short written overview and discussion of the language style, dramatic techniques and themes and motifs. A comic strip using toondo.com Acting out a 60 second recap of their Act which they will film and incorporate into the presentation. They will represent a scene and attempt to verbally and visually communicate a theme or idea explored in the scene. Using a provided fake facebook template each student in the group takes on the persona of a character. They construct a facebook profile for that character along with a series of facebook posts and replies from other characters. The posts should demonstrate both plot and character development throughout the act. Various colours, images, music and clips that they feel communicate the tone and mood constructed by Shakespeare throughout the act. This will act to enhance the visual engagement of the responder.

EN5-1A- responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure: analyse ideas, information, perspectives, contexts and ideologies and the ways they are presented in increasingly demanding, sustained imaginative, informative and persuasive texts EN5-2A - effectively uses and critically assesses a wide range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for responding to and composing a wide range of texts in different media and technologies: use increasingly sophisticated processes of representation to respond to and compose complex spoken, written, visual, multimodal and/or digital texts for a wide range of purposes and audiences, considering and evaluating the effect of the technology EN5-9E - purposefully reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and collaborative skills with increasing independence and effectiveness: understand and confidently integrate their own processes of responding to and composing a wide range of different types of texts

Assessment
Assessment for learning The presentations using popplet enable feedback on students understanding of the context and how it may be applied in interpreting the text. Further to this, throughout the unit informal teacher observation during written and other activities will determine student engagement and understanding of the content. Assistance will be offered to students struggling with the various activities. Assessment of learning. The Prezi interactive study guide is the key means of assessment of learning. The three outcomes included above will be the basis for the assessment. The basic criteria will be: Demonstrates critical response and interpretation of the ideas in the text. Conveys appropriate characterisation by adapting the characters responses to a 21 st century context Competently uses technology to represent the required content Layout, graphics and media content effectively represents the mood, tone and overall ideas in the act Students work collaboratively and individually to construct the various elements.

At the completion of the task, students will use twiducate to outline and discuss the roles that they play in constructing the task.

Lesson Overviews
Lesson 1 60 mins. Analysis of the film
This lesson is one of a number that occur at various times throughout the viewing of the film version of the play. Each lesson may be similar in structure, but utilise a number of different activities and media to explore the play. Previously taught ICT skills: use of webcam 1) View the appropriate 20 minute segment. 2) Initiate class discussion on the plot, characterisation, themes, ideas and techniques, through a mind map and notes on the board. Students copy into books. (10 minutes) 3) Divide students into groups of 3. Each group is given one of the elements discussed above, so there is likely to be two groups covering each element. 4) Each group has 15 minutes to prepare, act out and record a quick (30 second) skit using their laptop camera. (e.g. TV interview with one of the characters, music rap or hip hop video, reflective video journal etc.). This skit will communicate the element that they have been given. This is not intended to be highly developed. (15 minutes) 5) Students will team up with other groups and share and discuss their clips, but most of all enjoy and have a laugh if appropriate. (10 minutes)

Lesson 2 120 minutes (double period) - Fake Facebook template

Previously taught ICT skills: editing PowerPoint, downloading from the internet, understanding of social networking 1) Discuss the concept of character development and give examples of both protagonists and antagonists from various popular movies. (15 minutes) 2) In their groups, students decide which character they will choose and individually begin selecting 4-5 key events in the act involving that character. They write a short description of the characters response in their books. (15 minutes) 3) Students to download the Facebook PowerPoint template from http://techtoolsforschools.blogspot.com.au/2010/01/facebook-project-template.html (5 minutes) 4) The teacher demonstrates how to edit the template and students begin designing the profile including finding a profile picture that they believe might represent the character. (15 minutes) 5) Students then begin creating a number of status updates representing the key events, along with posts from other characters in the play (60 minutes) 6) This task will most likely be continued into a further lesson, and will eventually be uploaded into the prezi presentation.

List of resources for unit

Popplet: www.popplet.com Kenneth Branagh (1993) Much ado about Nothing DVD American Playhouse theatrical films Specials Coursework: Shakespeare, Mary Green: Hawker Bronlow 2012 No Fear Shakespeare (online edition) http://nfs.sparknotes.com/ Sparknotes: www.sparknotes.com Much Ado About Nothing Comic: www.classicalcomicss.com Prezi: www.prezi.com Toondo: www.toondo.com Facebook template: http://techtoolsforschools.blogspot.com.au/2010/01/facebook-project-template.html 60 second recap: http://www.60secondrecap.com Twiducate: www.twiducate.com

Discussion
The NSW syllabus for the Australian Curriculum claims that by the end of Stage 5 students respond to and compose a comprehensive range of imaginative, factual and critical texts using different modes and technologies (stage 5 statement).This unit was essentially created to draw on students existing ICT skills to analyse, critically reflect on and respond to the contextual forms, features and meaning communicated through a Shakespearean text. A similar task had been commenced by a former year nine class, however, due to limited background knowledge and lack of specific ICT skills they were unable to finish the task in the apportioned time frame. As a result, throughout stage 4 students learnt how to use the various ICT tools needed for the task, and were grounded with an established contextual background of the influences of Elizabethan and Renaissance culture. This unit aims to target a number of approaches to learning that encourage deeper and critical thinking in a 21st century learning environment. Wang (2008) claims that an educational system is a unique combination of pedagogical, social, and technological components (p413). He refers to the ICT interactivity constructs of each as: learnercontent, learnerinstructor, learnerlearner, and learner Interface. The unit is grounded in these concepts in a variety of ways. The students engage firstly in contextualisation and analysis of the play (L-content) through teacher scaffolding (L-instructor) and collaboration and discussion (L-learner) before using the technology to compose their final task (Linterface). Essentially, the integration of these constructs assists to demonstrate the 21 st century competency domains; namely cognitive, intrapersonal and interpersonal. (VanderArk & Schneider, 2012, p4). The sequencing of this unit was constructed to establish a number of key components in its integration. Firstly there is an assumed ICT skill and knowledge content component. Students previously engaged in use of most of the applications so any technical instruction is utilised to build upon the current knowledge that they have. Along with this, assumed background knowledge is revised so that students can make connections to their understanding of Shakespearean context and its representation within the text. The second and third sections of the unit utilise a number of dimensions of the technical and pedagogical competencies of Lin, Wang & Lins (2012) technology*pedagogy model. The various activities span across a number of the technical domains from non-use (notes, discussions in books) to utilising Internet applications (for research and general organisational tasks) to creating and customising multimedia resources (the interactive study guide). The pedagogical domains of this model are also integrated in a specific way. The initial teacher guided analysis and activities based around the film, utilise the levels of direct teaching and cognitively active learning as students became participants in the collective construction of knowledge. They use this knowledge in the third section of the unit through constructive and social learning to actively demonstrate their understanding, knowledge and ability to respond to the text. The use of a multimedia representation of student learning is essentially designed to demonstrate students ability to apply creative critical and complex thinking skills. The English Rationale for the NSW Syllabus states that As students' command of English grows, they are able to question, assess, challenge and reformulate information and use creative and analytical language to identify and clarify issues and solve problems. These are arguably the fundamental skills for 21st Century learning and a key influence on this unit. Finger et. al. (2007) synthesises a number of aspects of critical, creative and complex thinking skills that are utilised through designing multimedia presentations. Their model outlines Jonassens (2000) identification of the skills of; researching information, organising and designing presentations and managing projects in relation to the elements of critical thinking. In this unit, students use these skills to demonstrate their capacity to evaluate, analyse and synthesise (via their initial responses to the text) they then elaborate on this information (through the various interactive activities) before using problem solving and decision making in designing a critical response to the text (the interactive multimedia presentation).

The variety of interactive digital and collaborative web 2.0 activities essentially serves two purposes. One is to target students motivation and engagement, which according to a number of studies contribute significantly to the learning process (Van Dam, 2013; Hickey and Zuicker, 2005; Hardreh et.al. 2007; Miller and Brickman, 2004; Huizenga 2009). The other purpose is to integrate learning experiences that represent the cognitive and knowledge dimensions of Anderson and Krathwols (2001) revised Blooms taxonomy . Bower et. al. (2010) presents a framework of digital learning design that outlines a number of applications and suggests their place in both of the taxonomic dimensions (p190). The framework has been used in this instance to model the implementation of individual activities and the unit as a whole. For example the use of Popplet to revise contextual information requires students to remember, understand and apply factual and conceptual knowledge. The various activities throughout the unit should in effect cover all of the dimensions and the final task will require the use of most, if not all of them. The new Australian Curriculum places emphasis on diversity of student needs and learning. The unit attempts to integrate multiple intelligences through collaborative tasks on a number of levels. Stewart (2009) outlines the implementation of a research project that utilises cooperative learning infused with multiple intelligences. She concluded that the strategy enhanced students academic performance and social behaviour (p26). As well as using intructionist ba sed strategies for scaffolding student learning, the socio-constructivist approach to many of the activities encourages students to share their skills and knowledge in the composition of cooperative tasks. The Prezi task for example targets the following:

Verbal-linguistic learners through the written summary and overviews The intrapersonal learner through the Facebook profiles and reflections on Twiducate The Interpersonal learner through organisational and collaborative aspects of the task The visual-spatial learner through the integration of images, the shooting and editing of student films and the general layout and overview The Bodily-Kinesthetic learner through acting out the scenes and managing the technical aspects of the application.

It is important that groups are structured with a combination of these intelligences so that students can combine their skills as well as improve their own competencies in each through peer modelling. The new syllabus claims that Assessment can enhance student engagement and motivation, particularly when it incorporates interaction with teachers, other students and a range of resources (Principles of effective assessment). It continues to outline different types of assessment including assessment for, as and of learning. The formative assessment methods throughout the unit centre on teacher instruction and collaboration in order to equip students to complete the final task. The Prezi task is essentially an electronic portfolio of student-guided learning. As well as assessing students grasp of the technology, the key focus is on how the technology is used to demonstrate their conceptual understanding of the text. A key construct in the completion of the task is continued peer feedback through collaboration in groups to assist in the editing and refining of skills. Further to this, students complete a reflection of their role in the task for the purposes of differentiating student involvement and encouraging metacognitive reflection on their own learning processes. There is a growing body of theoretical frameworks for the implementation of ICT into curriculum and lesson programming. For the English teacher, these frameworks should encourage critical thinking, representation, communication through collaboration and contextualisation of content. Concurrently, planning for higher order learning experiences should utilise the aspects of the taxonomic dimensions along with integration of multiple intelligences for cooperative learning. The included unit, although not exhaustive, employs an informed approach to these pedagogical implications and should initiate further discussion and consideration for future classroom activities.

References
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