This project involves creating a presentation on a special topic related to learning and cognition. This presentation will mimic a “bite-size professional development” presentation, thus encouraging you to develop your professional practice as a future teacher leader. You may choose a topic presented to you in this course or a topic of current interest/trend related learning and cognition.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
Emotions and Learning
Metacognition in the Math Classroom
Neuroscience and Education
Learning and Technology
Creativity and Cognition
Self-Efficacy in Early Grades
Cognitive Factors of Motivation
Trauma’s Impact on Executive Function
Strategies for Retrieval for Middle School Science Classrooms
…and more!
Your goal in this presentation is to emphasizethe learning and cognition concept of your topic.
For example, if you choose “Learning and Technology,” your presentation and resources should prioritize the concepts of learning and cognition using technology (e.g. retrieval) and notthe technology itself. Resources should be about supporting learning using technology (e.g., a blog post about supporting retrieval using technology), not technology tools themselves (e.g. Google Classroom).
For example, if you choose “Emotions and Learning,” your presentation should be able recent research about emotions and cognition and/or the ways in which emotions influence learning, and not about social and emotional curriculum. Resources should be about supporting a greater understanding of emotions and learning (e.g., a TEDtalk from an affective neuroscientist), not a resource about emotions (e.g., feelings poster).
Project Components
For your presentation, you will create a 10-minute (max) screencast that includes:
Title Slide. Title your presentation and describe the intended audience for your presentation.
Introduction to Topic. Provide a brief orientation to your topic. This can include a “hook” to catch your audience’s attention, connections to classroom teaching and learning, or an overview of what your presentation entails.
Conceptual Overview. For this section, provide a general, broad overview of your topic. This means summarizing the concept, presenting definitions, theoretical underpinnings/frameworks, foundational understandings, etc. Citing your course textbook, along with other sources, is expected. This section should demonstrate your ability to explain your special topic in learning and cognition in an academic, professional manner.
Applications to Student Learning. For this section, begin to get more specific about your special topic and its educational applications. Specifically, make connections and provide concrete applications to student learning. Describe the ways in which your topic in learning and cognition directly influences or relates to student learning. Citing your course textbook, along with other sources, is expected. Slides should have appropriate citations using APA guidelines.
Implications for Teacher Instruction. For this section, make connections and provide concrete suggestions for teachers. Describe the ways in which your topic in learning and cognition directly influences or relates to the ways in which teachers can use this information to better understand and meet the needs of students. Citing your course textbook, along with other sources, is expected. Slides should have appropriate citations using APA guidelines.
Resources. Provide a brief list of 2-3 (can include 3+) accessible and appropriate resources for your audience to refer to for additional information, support strategies, or research findings specifically related to your topic of learning and cognition. Resources can be organizations, websites, podcasts, videos, etc. Provide a short description or overview of each resource. Since your presentation is a screencast, choose to display the title of the page/website so that viewers can easily locate the resource or see below for how to use EzPuzzle to create an interactive pop-up that allows viewers to click on a link.
References. Cite all references using APA 7th edition guidelines. Make sure your References slide is clean of any errors. You do not have to narrate your references, but viewers should be able to pause your video and read the references.
*Note: A minimum of 3 peer-reviewed research studies must inform your presentation. Appropriate APA citations should be provided when discussing the results or implications of the study. These research studies may support the Conceptual Overview, Applications to Student Learning, or Implications for Teaching.
Furthermore, your project will also be assessed for the following:
Script. In order to make your presentation accessible, you are required to provide a script for your presentation. You may choose to write your script and read from it during your screencast or you may choose to conduct your screencast and then use software to create your script. You will submit your script as a separate file.
Presentation. Your presentations should demonstrate best practices of screencast presentations. Slides should be carefully constructed to include supportive text and visuals to support the presentation. You may choose to write and read from a script
Avoid: Long sentences, paragraphs, small text, and font colors that are difficult to read; Reading directly from your slide; Shuffling papers and interruptions; Background noises.
Choose: Presentation templates with aesthetically pleasing (and professional) typeface; Picture and picture (optional); Using a microphone for clearer audio; Narrating clearly and including appropriate pauses for viewers to digest visual information on the screen.
Professionalism. Your demeanor as the narrator should demonstrate a professional, academic disposition. Your presentation should be polished. A viewer should be able to assume that you have practiced presenting this topic before.
Rubric
A rubric has been provided for you. Please refer to the rubric when planning your project and again before submission.
Exemplars
The following Special Topic Project Presentations demonstrate strong or exemplary submissions for this assignment. Some of these screencasts include interactive questions, an optional element for creating engaging screencasts. Scripts are not provided but should be included in your submission:
Boredom in the Classroom by C. Elam (Summer 2020)
Cognitive Factors of Motivation by K. Roberts (Spring 2022)
Metacognition in the Math Classroom by C. Tindall (Spring 2022)
Neuroscience and Education by C. Roberson (Spring 2022)
Self-Regulated Learning Strategies for 9th Grade Students by A. Waters (Spring 2022)
Screencast Resources
You may find the following resources helpful for creating your screencast:
Screencast-O-Matic Tutorial – You may use any software you’d like for your screencast. This resource provides instructions on how to create a screencast using Screencast-O-Matic.
How to Use EdPuzzle – This optional resource allows you to upload a video and include interactive pop-ups or questions.
Cult of Pedagogy Podcast: Everything You Need to Know About Building a Great Screencast Video- This page includes both the podcast and show notes for host Jennifer Gonzalez’s interview with Kareen Farah about his experience and approach to best practices of building screencast videos. You may find this particularly helpful for your own pedagogy in addition to finding inspirations for this project.
Submission Guidelines
Submit your Screencast as a movie file or URL link.
Submit your Script as a .docx or .pdf.