Mike KarabinusIT 6710 Creative Designs for Instructional Materials25 April 2010

Das PerfektPresentation Prowess Project

OverviewMy presentation is to be used with my 8th grade German 102 class. We have been discussing formation of das Perfekt (past tense) in German. After some more practice with the tense, the students will watch the presentation as a review and an example of “putting it all together.”

Communicating in das Perfekt in German follows different word order than in English. It is a combination of “haben” or “sein” as a helper verb and past participle at the end of the sentence. For example,

Ich habe Golf gespielt.

Literally, I have Golf played.

Students must consistently and constantly practice forming sentences in this manner to build essential skills for fluency.

I was going to design a pecha kucha presentation because I wanted the students to see the sentences I was saying. After reflection, however, I decided to make a music video with subtitles. I did this because my middle school students would much rather watch a video than look at yet another power point. Pecha kucha’s limitation of 20 seconds-20 slides is not only an eternity, but also torture for my students. I want them to see an example of creating something “cool” in German and also having fun in the target language. They also need to see typical daily activities correctly expressed in the Perfekt.

AudienceMy audience is my 8th grade German 102 students. It is their second of year of studying German. There are 22 students, 17 boys and 5 girls which makes an interesting dynamic of hyper, extroverted 8th grade boys during 4th hour, the period before lunch. They all know each other and had class last year together. Their previous teacher was very structured and followed the book, whereas I create a relaxed atmosphere and don’t use the book. The students abuse my laid-back nature.

They are smart, motivated and always do their work, however. Each student seems to enjoy learning German, but sometimes lack maturity to sit and learn the traditional way. All personality types are evident and students are very social.

Learning Objectives1. Students will be able to correctly write in the das Perfekt.2. Students will be able to correctly speak in the Perfekt.3. Students will be able to correctly understand native German speech in the

Perfekt.

Problem/SolutionStudents do not have the necessary skills to communicate in das Perfekt. Using this tense must become second nature and mastered. It is an essential skill in operating fluently in German.

The presentation is in “real” German demonstrating “real” activities. It is designed to show typical daily activities that are narrated in a clear and accurate, yet fun manner. The Perfekt tense will be discussed and taught, but previous experience with and knowledge of the past tense is assumed and helps for a better understanding of the presentation.

AnecdotesDeciding whether to use personal photos or web based images was my biggest question when designing my presentation. I want some anonymity because it is posted on the internet, yet I want my students to connect with it more. When it’s personal, they seem to pay more attention.

FormatI was going to do a pecha kucha presentation, but ultimately decided to make a music video. As I began building the presentation, I realized I couldn’t stick to the 20 seconds/20 slide rule. My audience is 8th graders and sometime in the future will be high school students. The music video format is much more fun for them and actually, me. When students are having fun, they learn.

I used Power Point to create the slides. Then I saved the presentation as a GIF file and imported it into Movie Maker. I used audacity to mix the audio and then saved it as a wav file.

Layout/Sequencing

1. I duplicate many slides so that the audience remembers what I am teaching: “Repeat to remember.” (Medina, 2008)

2. I vary layout on individual slides because, "readers like change and variety,” but the overall layout is similar so “that the changes in your ARTWORK aren't

distracting readers from more important changes taking place in your story," or lesson (McCloud, 2006 p. 20).

3. I created the “thumbs up/down” slides for audience interactivity and keep them connected to the presentation, because the “audience's attention checks out after 10 minutes. Get it back with …activity” (Duarte, 2008. p. 187).

4. I created a music video to keep my 8th graders engaged and my presentation "create<s> a sense of wholeness through beginnings, middles, and ends” (Vernaillis, 2004, p.195). It starts with what I’m trying to accomplish, shows how to form the Perfekt, and finally ends with examples. The music helps to create the wholeness, as well.

5. Using slides with concise text throughout the presentation is an example of "slow disclosure. <It> keeps the viewer interested in what is happening, and what will happen” (Vernaillis, 2004, p.197).

6. I used Abela’s (2008, p. 80) SCORE Model to build the framework of my presentation:

The Situation is learning the Perfekt;The Complication was how to form it;The Resolution was learning how to create it with a formula;There are many examples of sentences in the Perfekt. Some examples

are repeated so that the audience remembers the concept.

Graphics1. I chose stock pictures from the internet that were pleasant to look at and

universally appealing, because “Vision trumps all other senses” (Medina, 2008 p. 240). My graphics also create a “I can make that” and a “I do that” sort of feeling for the audience. Students will be expected to create something similar as a final performance assessment for the unit and my presentation is an example of what I expect.

2. Pictures are included and pleasant to look at, because "if information is presented orally, people remember about 10 percent, tested 72 hours after exposure. That figure goes up to 65 percent if you add a picture” (Medina, 2008, p. 324). On some slides, the image illustrates what the sentence means, while the monkey pictures represent the students or audience.

3. Some slides have no image because “it's okay to have clear space. Clutter is a failure of design” (Duarte, 2008, P. 106). It also focuses the audience on what I am teaching, as can be seen on the Perfekt formula slides.

Text1. My font is easy to read and pleasant because a good font is essential to any well

designed visual (Duarte, 2008). 2. There is minimal text on each slide so that the audience doesn’t feel

overwhelmed and can process it quickly: “Ask yourself whether your message can be processed effectively within 3 seconds....content should lend itself to quick processing, and should be typeset correctly” (Duarte, 2008. p. 140) Also, “the word count was kept as low as possible” because too much text on a slide is not good design (Duarte, 2008, p. 144).

3. The text is a quality font with contrasting color from the background to make it stand out more and easy to read. My peers agreed, the font was good.

4. I included subtitles or the sentence itself on the slide to demonstrate how to form the sentences in the Perfekt, because “students learn better . . . (2) when corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously (3) when corresponding words and pictures are near each other on the page/screen” (Medina, 2008, p. 210)

MeasurementI have worksheets and digital lessons prepared to measure their knowledge and growth using das Perfekt. Examples are included in Appendix B. Digital practice can be found at www.conjuguemos.com, where students have an account. Students will also be expected to create their own presentation as a final performance assessment. A rubric will be created as a class before the students begin building the presentation.

Peer Review ResultsHere are the questions I asked.

1. Would the overall effect of my presentation be better if I include pictures of myself doing the activities? Would the students connect more if the pictures were of me?

2. Are the font and text easy to read/ OK/ acceptable/ necessary? Should I narrate the slides?

3. Is the background OK? I like the black background, but does it follow our design principles?

4. Do the translations help/hinder the presentation? Should I translate everything?

5. Did you learn how to form Das Perfekt/ past tense in German?

My peers agreed that I should include some pictures of myself, but I had technical difficulties with my digital camera. In a re-do, I would add some.

My peers have no German background and one colleague said she understood my presentation and the other didn’t. It was designed for a second year and above German class.

BibliographyAbela, A. (2008). Advanced Presentations by Design. In A. Abela, Advanced

Presentations by Design. San Francisco, CA, US: PFeiffer.

Duarte, N. (2008). Slide:ology The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly Media, Inc.

McCloud, S. (2006). Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels. New York, NY: HaperCollins Publishers

Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear Press

Vernallis, C. (2004). Experiencing Music Video Aesthetics and Cultural Context. New York: Columbia University Press

Appendix A.Abela Worksheets

Worksheet A.1a. Audience Personality TypeAudience Personality Type

8th grade German 102 class. There are 22 students, 17 boys and 5 girls which makes an interesting dynamic of hyper, extroverted 8th grade boys during 4th hour, the period before lunch. They are in their 2nd year of studying German and they all know each other and had class last year together. Their previous teacher was very structured and followed the book, whereas I create a relaxed atmosphere and don’t use the book. The students abuse my laid-back nature.They are smart, motivated and always do their work, however. Each student seems to enjoy learning German, but lack maturity to sit and learn.

All personality types are evident. Students are social.

Worksheet A.1b. Audience Personality ImplicationsInstructional Product (presentation or job aid) Implications

I will have to appeal to all personality types. I will use of variety of activities to keep the students engaged. I will activate prior knowledge to motivate students to improve. Students will have personal interest and buy in to the mutually designed goal. Activities must be interactive. The students must do the work. Learning objectives and expectations must be clearly expressed.

Worksheet A.2. From-To Think-Do MatrixFrom To

Think Students have just started learning to communicate in the Perfekt (past) tense.

1. Students will be able to orally communicate in German in the Perfekt.

2. Students will be able to write in German in the Perfekt.

Do

Students lack the knowledge how to form sentences in the Perfekt.

1. Students will learn how to form sentences in the Perfekt.

2. Students will learn how to form questions in the Perfekt.

Worksheet A.3. Audience ProblemThe need is for students to know how to communicate in das Perfekt (past). Any level of fluency depends on it. It is a new construction for students and also different from in English. In German, the subject comes first, then the helper verb “haben” or “sein. Third comes the rest of the sentence and a past participle at the end. The basic formula:

Subject+haben/sein+blah……+Past ParticipleIch habe Golf gespielt.

Literally: I have golf played.

Stduents are familiar with conjugating haben, but past participles and sentence formation require a lot of time and practice to master. Students are expected to be able to communicate in the Perfekt for the AP Exam and using it is considered upper basic German. I

Worksheet A.4. Spectrum of Solution Contributions

1. Help Recognize that there is a problem:Students don’t know how to communicate in the Perfekt (past tense).2. Help define the problem:Students don’t have the necessary knowledge to form sentences and questions in the past tense.3. Help define the solution space:

A well designed, fun presentation that reviews and gives examples of using the Perfekt.4. Solve part of the problem:

Students give examples of what they do over a typical weekend. Teacher uses examples in presentation.5. Solve the whole problem:Students can accurately and fluently communicate in the past tense.

Evaluation Criteria

Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4Individual oral formative

assessmentIndividual written

formative assessmentPerformance Assesment Summative Assesment

Communicating in the Perfekt.

Students express knowledge through basic question and answering in class. Teacher gets immediate feedback, but not all students are addressed.

Students demonstrate knowledge by transforming present tense sentences into past tense sentences. Teacher has a lot of grading but gets feedback from all students.

Students prepare and present their own presentation in the Perfekt. They demonstrate knowledge through accurate sentene formation.

At conclusion of the unit, students take a written test. Teacher has lots of grading. Students demonstrate knowledge the traditional way; at the end.

Communicating in the Perfekt.

Students demonstrate knowledge by describing an action in the past, first in small groups then in a large group share out.

Students write an essay describing a picture in the Perfekt.

Students include photos and perhaps music to capture or create a mood.

Students write an essay in the past tense.

Worksheet A.6. List of EvidenceEvidence

Learning objectives are clearly stated at the beginning. Review of conjugating haben and sein is essential. It is critical for success. Formation of the Perfekt explanation must be presented in a variety of ways. Pictures, photos and music should follow good design principles. Activities are included in presentation to actively engage students. Examples of typical week end activities must be included. Students will complete worksheets and assessments for written evidence. Students will orally demonstrate to teacher an understanding of Perfeket.

Worksheet A.7 Stakeholder Analysis

Who will be impacted by the success or failure of this instructional product?

Student Teacher Friend/Family/Community

What is their role in the success or failure of this instructional product?

Students must actively participate and practice forming the Perfekt.

Teacher must be well prepared, organized and flexible.

They support the students in their education.

How will they be impacted if the instructional product is a success (i.e., learners achieve learning objectives)?

Students learn how to communicate in the past tense.

Teacher will feel good about delivering an effective lesson and enjoy communicating at a higher level of German.

They learn something from their student.

How will they be impacted if the instructional product is a failure (i.e., learners do not achieve learning objectives)?

Students continue to be communicate only in the present tense. Their German remains basic and simple.

Teacher fails again and has to re-teach material.

Appendix BRelated written assessments

Deutsch 102Herr Karabinus NameSchreiben Sie ins Perfekt!

1. Ich spiele Fußball.

2. Susi wohnt in Berlin.

3. Florian tanzt auf dem Tisch.

4. Frau Müller kocht uns Wiener Schnitzel.

5. Arbeitest du am Wochenende?

6. Besuchst du deine Oma?

7. Was kostet das?

8. Was kaufst du mir?

9. Wartet ihr auf mich?

10. Was machst du?

11. Es regnet.

12. Was sagst du mir?

13. Hören Sie mich?

14. Telefoniert er dich?

15. Bringen Sie die Cola?

16. Hans lernt.

17. Ich dusche mich.

18. Das schmeckt lecker.

19. Meine Mutti spült das Geschirr.

20. Sie zeigen uns, wo der Bahnhof ist.

21. Wir wandern in die Bergen.*

22. Sie reisen nach Deutschland.*

23. Er spielt am Samstag mit.**

24. Machst du mit?**Deutsch 102 Name

Setzen Sie ins Perfekt!

1. Wir gehen ins Kino.

2. Wer trinkt meine Cola?

3. Wo bist du?

4. Haben wir Hausaufgaben?

5. Das weiß ich nicht.

Deutsch 102 Name

Setzen Sie ins Perfekt!

3. Wir gehen ins Kino.

4. Wer trinkt meine Cola?

3. Wo bist du?

4. Haben wir Hausaufgaben?

5. Das weiß ich nicht.

6. Susi bleibt heute zu Hause.

7. Der Junge ruft seine Freundin an.

8. Wir sehen einen guten Film.

9. Fahrt ihr nach Denver?

10. Schläfst du gut?

6. Susi bleibt heute zu Hause.

7. Der Junge ruft seine Freundin an.

8. Wir sehen einen guten Film.

9. Fahrt ihr nach Denver?

10. Schläfst du gut?

Deutsch 102 NameHerr Karabinus

Perfekt Quiz

Schreiben Sie ins Perfekt!

1. Ich spiele oft Volleyball.

2. Heinz macht seine Aufgaben.

3. Wir gehen ins Kino.

4. Er hat einen Bruder.

5. Wer isst mein Stück Kuchen?

6. Sie schreibt ihrer Oma einen Brief.

7. Siehst du den lustigen Film?

8. Anja kauft mir ein Buch.

9. Sie laufen um die große Stadt.

10. Es ist sehr windig.

11. Besuchst du deine Freunde?

12. Sie lesen die Zeitung.

13. Ich bleibe zu Hause.

14. Ute und Bjorn sprechen mit ihren Freunden.

15. Er trinkt deine Cola.

16. Um wie viel Uhr kommst du?

17. Hörst du?

18. Was sagst du mir?

19. Ich bekomme gute Noten.

20. Rufst du deine Mutter an?