Podcasting+(&+class+rubric)

media type="custom" key="6661919" align="right"As a response to the reading done by groups in a year 8 literature circles class, we have been trying to engage students in reading reflections by creating podcasts of interviews with the book characters. Each group conducts an interview, with one person taking on the role of the interviewer and the others become characters from the novel. Each of the boys has to complete a character profile and then the group works on a script for a 3-5 min interview. Once they are satisfied with the script the use iRivers to do the recording, often conducting 2-3 "run throughs" before putting it all together using the Audacity (audio-only podcasts) software. They can put in special sound effects and create extra atmosphere by adding music before they send us the final product. The boys always love this project and enjoy using the technology. They become quite critical of their scripts, the timing and the effects, often re-writing and re-recording to get things just right. For most of the students very little teacher help is needed although they do like to discuss production ideas, etc. It is a great way for each of the groups to respond to their reading. To help students get started, we made a simple template to assist them to create their character profile. This works well and gives many of the students ideas that they take into the script writing. We have assessed a numbers of things from the different stages of the podcast:
 * Planning/preparation (character profiles, scripts) The student are given a template they can use/modify. [[image:http://www.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/file/Character%20profile%20table.doc?h=40&w=200]]
 * Production (recording the interviews)
 * Editing (and other technical processes) of the interviews
 * Publishing (Sharing the interviews)
 * The group work

The Assessment Rubric (Character Profile) || Character profiles revealed a very good understanding of the characters in the book || Character profiles revealed an understanding of the characters in the book. || Character profiles revealed some understanding of the characters in the book. || Character profiles revealed little or no understanding of the characters in the book. || (Script) || The interview script was prepared in great detail. The questions and comments indicated excellent insight into both the characters and events in the book. || The interview script was prepared with some detail. The questions and comments indicated a good insight into both the characters and events in the book. || The interview script was prepared with questions and comments indicating some understanding of the characters and/or events in the book. || The interview script showed little or no preparation. There was little or no insight into the characters and events in the book. || (Context) || The interviewer introduced himself clearly and succinctly. He put the interviews into context by explaining why the interviews were being conducted and introduced the interviewees. || The interviewer introduced himself and put the interviews into context with some explanation as to why the interviews were being conducted and introduced the interviewees. || The interviewer introduced himself and the interview put into some context. There was some introduction to characters being interviewed. || The interviewer did not clearly introduce himself. No context was given for the interview and there was little or no introduction of the characters being interviewed. ||
 * ~ <span style="color: #8a0f0f; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**CATEGORY** ||~ <span style="color: #8a0f0f; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**(10)** ||~ <span style="color: #8a0f0f; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**(7)** ||~ <span style="color: #8a0f0f; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**(4)** ||~ <span style="color: #8a0f0f; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**(1)** ||
 * ~ Preparation
 * ~ Preparation
 * ~ Interview introduction
 * ~ <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">**Understanding of the book** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The interview indicates a clear and thorough understanding of the book: the characters, the setting, the events and the theme or themes. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The interview indicates a significant understanding of the book: the characters, the setting, the events and the theme or themes. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The interview indicates a general understanding of the book: the characters, the setting, and the events. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The interview indicates a minimal understanding of the book: the basic plot ||
 * ~ <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">**Formatting and editing** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The group edited and organized the transcript in a way that made the information clear and interesting. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The group edited and organized the transcript in a way that made the information clear. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The group edited and organized the transcript but the information was not as clear or as interesting as it could have been. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The group did NOT edit or organize the transcript ||
 * ~ <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">**Sound Quality** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">All of the cast can be heard or understood very clearly on the tape with no distracting background noise. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">All of the cast can be heard or understood clearly on the tape but there is some background noise. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The interviewees can be heard or understood very clearly on the tape but the interviewer's voice is not easily heard. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The sound quality is poor making it hard to hear/understand the interview. ||
 * ~ <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">**Special sound effects** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The special effects were well chosen and greatly enhanced the quality and authenticity of the interview. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The special effects were well chosen and enhanced the quality and authenticity of the interview. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">There were some special effects used. They were moderately useful in adding to the authenticity of the interview. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">There were little/no special effects. If they were used they did not enhance the interview. ||
 * ~ <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">**Collaboration with peers** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Worked cooperatively with other group members all the time with no need for teacher intervention. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Worked cooperatively other group members most of time but had a few problems that the team resolved themselves. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Worked cooperatively other group members most of the time, but had one problem that required teacher intervention. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Worked cooperatively other group members some of the time, but had several problems that required teacher intervention. ||
 * ~ <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">**Use of class time** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Used time well during each class period (as shown by observation by teacher) with no reminders. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Used time well during most class periods (as shown by observation by teacher) with no reminders. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Used time well (as shown by observation by teacher), but required reminders on one or more occasions to do so. || <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Used time poorly (as shown by observation by teacher) in spite of several reminders. ||