Project 2

Timeline #

Topic Selection

Due Friday 3/10, 11:59 PM PT

Readings Selection + Activity Pilot

Due Friday 3/17, 11:59 PM PT

Lesson Plan, Slides, Presentation

Due Friday 3/24, 3:59 PM PT (this due date is before discussion)

Overview #

In this project, you get to design an H195 discussion! You will build a lesson plan for a 50-minute discussion for future H195 students to engage critically with the social context of a particular computing technology or concept. We will provide readings on pedagogical practices.

You may do this assignment in pairs.

Topic Selection #

The topic can be, broadly, anything that you are interested in as long as it has a computing component and a society component.

Some of the things that you shared at the beginning of the term in response to the question “What do you want to get out of this course?” might be good starting points.

On bCourses, submit a few sentences explaining your chosen computing topic and how you plan to draw a connection to society or identity concepts. Additionally, please provide a link or citation for one possible pre-reading. You aren’t obligated to use this pre-reading – this is just to give me a sense of the direction you’re planning on going.

For example, if I were to do this assignment, I might design a discussion around FOSS (free and open-source software), covering its history and sustainability in capitalism, and select the core-js README by zloirock as a possible pre-reading. If you’re uncertain whether a topic would be a good fit, please ask!

This is due Friday 3/10, 11:59 PM PT.

Pedagogy Readings #

Please read the following:

• Tools for Teaching, (p. 97-p.101, PDF 115-119). Read up to and including “Starting a Discussion.”
• How to Write Learning Outcomes
• Establish Course-level Learning Objectives
• 5E Lesson Plan
• Knowledge Integration Environment

Readings Selection + Activity Pilot #

1. Select 3-4 readings that students should read prior to discussion that will situate your chosen technology or concept in the context of society. Student readings should take about 1 to 1.5 hours in total, maximum.

   We won’t require specific kinds of sources, but please limit yourself to at most two opinion pieces (and at most one from any single group). Additionally, the UC Berkeley library is a good source for accessing possible readings.

2. Design a short “pre-work” activity for students to complete, which should involve about a paragraph of writing.

3. Brainstorm one 25-minute discussion activity to engage the students critically with the social context and implications of your chosen topic. The 25 minutes or so should include all parts (intro, exercise, takeaway/ synthesis).

4. Try it out with 3-4 friends! For maximum effect, ask them to skim / do the readings. Then, complete a 1-page writeup that consists of:

   • Your chosen readings
   • Your chosen pre-work activity
   • Your activity plan (see below)
   • A reflection on the pilot
   • Any changes that you plan to make for the final deliverable.

This is due Friday 3/17, 11:59 PM PT.

Activity Plan #

Construct one 25-minute activity where students engage with the social context of the computing technology. In your writeup, address the following:

Introduction

How will you introduce the discussion section? For example, will you provide any additional context beyond the readings?

Recall Activity (Optional)

Pose a question you to get students positioned and warmed up to discuss. It often involves students “recalling” what was in their required readings.

Activity Structure

How will you structure the discussion of this question (in small groups, pairs, as a class, a mixture, or something else)? Will you have time to review as a class before or after the activity?

Learning Goal/Outcome

Write a sentence for the instructor-facing lesson plan, e.g. “By the end of this activity, students will be able to…” (See Action Verbs)

Main Takeaway

Share the main student-facing takeaway(s) that you will state for students at the activity.

Presentation #

Slides #

Your presentation should be between 7-10 minutes, and cover the following:

Introduction / Contexualization

What are the computing topic and social context you are exploring?

Readings

What are your readings, and why did you choose each reading?

Activity Plan

See above. You should present a slide, or multiple that addresses your activity plan.

Additionally, include a slide with 2-3 “instructor readings,” or sources that you think an instructor would find useful, but may be too in-depth for a student. This slide will not be presented.