Documents

Primitive Navigation Final Project

The primitive navigation final project will involve researching a topic that requires data gathering and analysis, along with research into the history associated with that topic. The final presentation will take the form of a video that will be posted online.

spu_26_final_project_fall_2012.pdf

Policy Memorandum and Government Transparency

Students imagine themselves to be policy advisers and write a policy memorandum on government transparency and secrecy to the imagined Transparency Reform Council.... Read more about Policy Memorandum and Government Transparency

memo_assignment.pdf

Planning a Documentary Film on Developmental Biology

To foster science communication skills, students are asked to propose a plan for a documentary film about an issue in developmental biology. They have to create a film poster and pamphlet that is presented at a class showcase.... Read more about Planning a Documentary Film on Developmental Biology

French and the Community

In French 59: French and the Community, undergraduates teach French to Haitian immigrant children in order to improve their own French skills and to both serve and learn about the Haitian-American community.

Impromptu Public Speaking Simulation

This activity equips students with communication skills necessary for impromptu public speaking.... Read more about Impromptu Public Speaking Simulation

art_of_communication_hblunden.pdf

public_tv_exercise_guide.pdf

sample_link_public_tv_show.pdf

authentic_speaking_hblunden.pdf

World Music YouTube Culture Show

Dr. Michael Heller created this project for a World Music Class for International Students taught at University of Massachusetts, Boston. Students were encouraged to develop traditional academic skills and new media skills in this World Music YouTube Culture Show Project, by incorporating written word, public speaking, and storytelling tools like Zeega, Powerpoint, or Meograph in this project.

midterm_presentation.docx

Minute Physics Videos

Emily Russell designed this for Physics 95: Topics in Current Research aimed towards junior and senior concentrators in Physics. Students were encouraged to develop their skills in explaining complicated physics topics in layman’s terms through a short video presentation. This project incorporates public speaking skills and video technology like Final Cut Pro.

Section Presentations

In the 2008 offering of Math 154, Professor Paul Bamberg had small weekly sections where students prepared problems from the textbook in advance, which they presented for each other.... Read more about Section Presentations

Ancient Novels Sales Pitch

After reading all the novels, students split into groups and "pitch" their favorite novel to the instructor who plays the role of a publisher.... Read more about Ancient Novels Sales Pitch

Leading Swedish Class

In Swedish Ba, Ursula Lindqvist has students lead discussion on a current topic relevant to children's issues. This course focuses on children's literature and culture.... Read more about Leading Swedish Class

Off on a Tangent Pre-Texts Activity

This language activity asks students to bring a literary, scientific, historical or artistic page that they can relate to the common text and which has new vocabulary. They present these texts and use it to build vocabulary and analyze the text.... Read more about Off on a Tangent Pre-Texts Activity

Statistics Video Project

In EMR16, for the midterm and the final project, students have the choose of creating a 2 minute video that explains three statistical concepts to a novice.... Read more about Statistics Video Project

Exploring Medieval Chinese Religions

In this activity, students discuss three religious traditions of medieval China to consolidate knowledge and bring out the similarities and contrasts.... Read more about Exploring Medieval Chinese Religions

Chalk Talks

In Systems Biology 201, in an effort to prevent paper regurgitation, students were pre-assigned to present "chalk talks" of the reading at each session.... Read more about Chalk Talks

sb201_2010_chalktalk_review_gl.pdf

Paper Presentations and Discussions

In OEB 119: Deep Sea Biology, groups of students have to present and lead discussions on scientific papers throughout the semester. Before class each week, all students have to read an assigned scientific paper and post a summary paragraph and two questions to an online forum. A group of students has to prepare a short presentation about one part of the paper, so that each paper is presented by a different group of three to four students each week.... Read more about Paper Presentations and Discussions

how_to_read_a_paper.pptx

paper_discussion_overview.docx

Teaching and Communicating Physics

Introduction/Background: In Jacob Barandes' Physics 302, students are driven to learn how to teach and communicate physics by giving small, mini-lessons throughout the semester. They are then driven to perform a longer lesson as a final project to show what they have learned during the term.

syllabus.pdf

agenda.pdf

practiceteaching_feedback_guide.pdf

German Language Puppet Show

The instructor in a beginning German class wrote and filmed a puppet show for the class, who then created their own puppet shows using the vocabulary they had learned. This exercise fostered comprehension and decreased students’ inhibitions about speaking in public.... Read more about German Language Puppet Show

waldner_exercises_krok_widener.pdf

waldner_vocab_krok_widener.pdf

Final Project Video Presentations

Students created videos describing their final projects on language and identity in Latin America so that their peers could view them outside of class and provide feedback.

durayappah_harrison_presentation_email.docx

Team Web Development Project

Students practice creating a web development project and presenting it to an audience in teams, essential skills in this field.

kramer_assignment_3.docx

Religion & Climate Simulation

A three day simulation of the Parliament of World Religions teaches students about the role of faith groups in addressing climate change.

Goals:

to provide an opportunity to study religious teachings related to nature and the environment
to investigate ways these teachings might contribute to practical policies and actions by persons and communities of faith in the face of destructive climate change
to intensify the learning experience by simulating the work of delegates to a real world...

queen_relie1525_syllabus.docx