Broadening the Reach of Project Look Sharp Project Managers: Lisa Famularo & Kellie Palladino Consultants: Peter Davis, Kenneth Newberg, Alison Smith Presentation Date: December 5, 2014
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Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………….. 4 SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………. 5 Community Outreach Introduction: Why?……………………………………… 6 Pitch Letter…………………………………………………. 9 Target School Contact Info (Appendix) College Students As A Secondary Market Introduction: Why? …………………………………… 12 Opening A New Branch……………………………… 13 Conference Opportunities…………………………… 15 Top Schools of Education Contact Info……….. 17 Additional Suggestions Speak Up………………………………………………….. 22 Curriculum Kit Development……………………… 23 Marketing Suggestions………………………………… 31 Critical Thinking Games…………………………….. 33
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Executive Summary Project Look Sharp is an initiative of Ithaca College that works to effectively integrate media literacy and critical thinking into K-12 curricula. With an existing loyal client base and a strong set of educational materials and workshops already developed, Project Look Sharp approached Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO) in the fall of 2014 with the goal of expanding its reach to a more diverse group of schools. SCNO began the semester-long engagement in September with the goal of developing strategies for Project Look Sharp to expand their community outreach and increase the use of their educational resources in schools. SCNO worked to accomplish this goal by determining who would be the most effective people to contact, how to contact them, and what to say. This plan book contains information and suggestions in regards to reaching out to various individuals and groups in positions with the power to make changes in K-12 curriculum. These people include superintendents of school districts, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) groups, and college students with the intent to become educators. SCNO’s first recommendation is to begin working on expansion to other school districts in areas where Project Look Sharp is already known and loved. For this reason, SCNO examined districts in various counties of New York, Texas, and California, which are the three states most active on Project Look Sharp’s website. SCNO then developed materials for promoting Project Look Sharp in those areas, including a pitch letter and an extensive list of contact information for target schools. SCNO representatives also believe Project Look Sharp could benefit greatly from reaching out to college students majoring in education and education-related fields. Many K-12 teachers of the coming years are currently pursuing their degrees, and as millennials they will be uniquely prepared to develop media literacy programs with their students. SCNO developed strategies for reaching out to top-tier education schools stressing the importance of media literacy in the classroom. The SCNO plans book also includes a section of potential future opportunities Project Look Sharp can examine and evaluate independently that will aid them in the expansion of the Project Look Sharp mission. Project Look Sharp can use the strategies outlined in this plan book to increase overall awareness of the organization and the importance of incorporating media literacy into K-12 curriculum. By doing so, Project Look Sharp will be able to increase the number of programs that use their materials throughout the country while maintaining a high quality of education.
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SWOT Analysis Strengths • • • • • • •
free after sign-up downloads available directly off site easy to use provide summer institutes, workshops, internship opportunities, consulting, guides, and free handouts non-profit have full marketing team lots of resources and pamphlets created
Weaknesses • • • •
Opportunities • • •
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large target population numerous locations showing interest different communication channels can be utilized further (between Project Look Sharp and parents, phone marketing, etc.)
low budget level to invest low number of elementary/middle school kits created limited number of people working for Project Look Sharp office in one location
Threats • • •
educators may choose other kits to download from competitors educators may have opposing views/unwilling to change curriculum extraneous political forces preventing change
Community Outreach
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Why? Project Look Sharp can increase awareness and use of their products in schools by focusing more of its efforts on community outreach. Specifically, Project Look Sharp can expand its outreach by first contacting different counties within the states where their products are already known and used. New York According to Google Analytics, New York has more Project Look Sharp website users compared to all other states. By expanding outreach to the counties within New York that already have a moderate amount of website activity, rather than to counties with the least or greatest amount of activity, there can be a significant increase in awareness and total amount of users. One major appeal to these counties will be that others in their area are already using Project Look Sharp materials, so they should too. SCNO recommends expansion to more New York school districts located within Orange County, Albany County, Onondaga County, Monroe County, and Erie County. By focusing special attention to these counties, which already have a moderate interest in Project Look Sharp, the company has greatest opportunity for substantial growth. Texas Texas, which is the third most active state in terms of Project Look Sharp website users, should also be an area of interest because it has been mentioned many times in the media. Recently, it has been under a great deal of ridicule for censoring materials in schools. The state has banned many books within the past years; according to a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, during the 2013-2014 school year, the state banned a total of thirty-two books. The results of the ACLU survey covered 666 districts and found that roughly a third of all book challenges resulted in a complete ban. Many of the banned books are very popular books, such as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey, and Looking for Alaska by John Greene. In addition to banning books, The Texas State Board of Education, which approves textbooks, curriculum standards, and supplemental materials for the public schools, has controlled much of the content within history and science textbooks. An article from The New York Review of Books, for example, explains that after reading through deletions and additions of the textbooks, the board failed to mention certain aspects of history, like the Crusades, which tends to reflect badly on the Christian side of Christian–Islamic conflict. In addition, the new books consistently substituted the word “democratic” for “constitutional republic,” “capitalism” for “free enterprise system,” and “natural law” for “laws of nature and nature’s God.”
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SCNO recommends that, like in New York, Project Look Sharp begin outreach in counties with a fairly moderate amount of website activity. From here, Project Look Sharp can work on expanding to areas of Texas that might be more opposed to incorporating media literacy and critical thinking into the curriculum. The recommended counties to start, as indicated in the following list of contact information, are Harris County, Dallas County, Bexar County, Travis County, Tarrant County, Nueces County, Kaufman County, El Paso County, Tom Green County, and Willacy County. California & New Hampshire SCNO also suggests that Project Look Sharp expand its outreach to California and New Hampshire. Although contact information has not been provided for school districts in these states, SCNO strongly recommends also looking into them for a few reasons. Currently, California is the state with the second most Project Look Sharp website users. This is a great state for expansion because the clientele base is already fairly wellestablished. Recommended counties to look into are: Los Angeles County, Santa Clara County, San Francisco County, Fresno County, San Diego County, Butte County, and El Dorado County.
New Hampshire provides another opportunity for expansion because the Project Look Sharp website users in this area spend the most amount of time on the website per visit out of all states. According to Google Analytics, they spend an average of 2 hours and 14 minutes on the website. The second highest average (North Dakota) is 13 minutes. The recommended counties to begin with in New Hampshire are Grafton County, Rockingham County, and Hillsbourough County. Â
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Implementation For successful expansion within the suggested counties located in these states, it is important to contact people in positions of power who have influence on school curriculum. In the appendix, you will find contact information (phone and email) for the superintendents and PTA groups of various school districts. Superintendents’ specific contact information is provided, rather than the general office number, because it is most beneficial to communicate directly with the person in charge. After all, the superintendent is the person who makes day-to-day decisions about educational programs, spending, staff, and facilities. By sending an email or choosing to call, Project Look Sharp will have a greater chance of making a connection that can lead to the use of their materials in these schools. Additionally, contacting Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) could greatly benefit Project Look Sharp because these volunteers are typically proactive parents who seek ways to promote a successful learning community and experience for their children at school. They oftentimes tackle various projects such as raising money or working with teachers and principals on specific programs. By contacting PTAs and explaining the learning benefits of Project Look Sharp, these parents may develop the strong desire to tackle a new task— working with staff and faculty to include Project Look Sharp’s materials in the school curriculum. On the following page, you will find a pitch letter that can be sent when reaching out to the schools listed. This pitch letter addresses the largest benefits of media literacy and critical thinking and talks about why the school should take advantage of the resources Project Look Sharp has to offer. Ideally, this letter should be sent via email along with a sample lesson attached. Attaching a lesson plan would give the recipient a glimpse at how welldeveloped and comprehensive the lesson plans are and will likely encourage them to visit the website to find out more. The articles cited are provided in the footnotes for your reference.
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Project Look Sharp Ithaca College 1119 Williams Hall Ithaca, NY 14850-7290 [INSERT SCHOOL ADDRESS HERE] Dear [INSERT NAME HERE], A recent article published in the Wall Street Journal said “critical thinking is a critical skill for young workers these days… Mentions of critical thinking in job postings have doubled since 2009, according to an analysis by career-search site Indeed.com.” Critical thinking was also cited in Forbes’ list of the top ten skills that will get you hired in 2013. 1
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Project Look Sharp is a media literacy initiative of the School of Humanities and Sciences at Ithaca College working in collaboration with school districts, New York State BOCES, the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and national media literacy organizations. The resources provided by Project Look Sharp are free to download from their website. Each curriculum kit is designed to promote and support the integration of media literacy and critical thinking into curricula at all grade levels and across instructional areas. Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, critically evaluate, and produce communication in a variety of forms. It is similar to information literacy and involves many components of technology literacy as well. Media literacy is becoming more and more important in today’s digital society with the increased exposure to various media outlets. It is important for students to be prepared to interpret various forms of media that are presented to them after graduation because it is a valuable life skill that will allow them to form independent opinions and become better-educated citizens. Project Look Sharp works to provide K-12 educators across the country with curriculum kits and lesson plans that infuse media literacy into core content. Many kits even have lessons that are aligned with specific Common Core standards. Attached you will find a sample curriculum kit on the topic of [INSERT TOPIC HERE]. Other schools in your area have already begun using our materials, which are all available for free download at http://www.projectlooksharp.org. If you have any questions or would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at (607) 274-3471 or looksharp@ithaca.edu. We hope you decide to join our team and help enhance the education of today’s students through the integration of media literacy. Sincerely, The Project Look Sharp Team 1 http://online.wsj.com/articles/bosses-seek-critical-thinking-but-what-is-that-1413923730
2 http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2012/12/10/the-10-skills-that-will-get-you-a-job-in-2013/
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College Students as a Secondary Market
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Why? Another way to spread awareness of Project Look Sharp is using other colleges and their students. College students are the future leaders of America. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were 105,785 bachelors of education awarded in the United States in 2012. That number has remained fairly constant over the past 10 years. If Project Look Sharp wants to expand, it can greatly benefit from the assistance of these undergraduates studying education and their respective universities. Some ideas to reach out to these students include opening a new Project Look Sharp branch at a different college, attending and being a part of conferences focused on education, and contacting top-tier education schools. On the following pages, you will find suggestions based on the ideas outlined above. Information regarding the location to open a new branch, a list of related educationfocused conferences, and contact information for the top-tier education schools in the United States are included.
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Opening a New Branch Opening up a new branch to spread awareness for Project Look Sharp could be a great move. A new branch at a different college can really help publicize Project Look Sharp in areas outside of New York. Since the office is running so smoothly here at Ithaca College, it is likely that an office at a different college or university would do the same. In terms of location, SCNO recommends looking for an area where a high interest in what Project Look Sharp has to offer already exists. Below is a map created by the Google Analytics connected to the Project Look Sharp website. The different shades of blue indicate the level of activity in each state on the website. As discussed earlier, the two states (besides New York) that are most involved with Project Look Sharp are Texas and California. California has 491 sessions and Texas has 334. If opening a new branch becomes a reality, these two states should be the targets.
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The first step to opening a new branch would to be contacting a college in either Texas or California. Below are maps of Texas and California, where the larger/darker circles of blue show areas with the most use of the Project Look Sharp website. The darkest blue area in Texas is in Houston. Targeting The University of Houston would be an ideal target school for this area. The darkest area of blue in California is San Diego. Two possible target universities would be The University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University. Sending any of these universities a pitch letter summarizing PLS and stating its goals would be an ideal step in order to begin discussion of opening a new branch.
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Conference Opportunities All the conferences listed below involve exposing current teachers to new ideas. If Project Look Sharp could attend these conferences and show what it has to offer, it can pick up the interest of many teachers from around the country. SCNO recommends that Project Look Sharp build a workshop based on the workshop/training programs it already offers to schools and bring it to these conferences or others like them. The workshop should stress the importance of media literacy and critical thinking in a way that will spark interests from the teachers in attendance. The Association of Teacher Educators Annual Meeting Where: Hyatt Regency in Phoenix, Arizona When: February 13-17, 2015
The Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) was founded in 1920 and is the only national, individual membership organization devoted solely to the improvement of teacher education for both school and campus-based teacher educators. ATE members represent over 700 colleges and universities, 500 major school systems, and the majority of the state departments of education. ATE website: http://www.ate1.org/pubs/2015_Annual_Meetin_1.cfm Conference registration: https://www.registrationfactory.com/v3/default.cfm?EventUUID=F9CF7A47 National Field Experience Conference When: April 13-14, 2015 Where: University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado
The purpose of the National Field Experience Conference is to share information, practices, policies, and research pertaining to teacher candidates’ experiences in school settings. Accepted presentations will address the preparation, supervision, and evaluation of teacher candidates for their knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for success in school settings. University of Northern Colorado website: http://www.unco.edu/cebs/nfec/ Conference registration: http://www.unco.edu/cebs/nfec/costs_fees.html
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AAC&U Annual Meeting When: January 20-23, 2016 Where: Marriott Marquis Hotel, Washington, DC
Annual Meeting participants will probe higher education’s role in engaging students with the world’s “grand challenges” and “wicked problems” and in helping to create a more just and sustainable future for the United States and for societies around the globe. Together, we will connect the equity imperative to the US talent-development imperative, and explore both “what works” and how we advance what works to better prepare twenty-first-century students for work, life, and citizenship. With digital experimentation expanding daily, we’ll study these innovation hubs for ways that e-learning can help us fulfill the promise of an empowering education for “traditional” and “new majority” students alike. AAC&U website: http://www.aacu.org/ Registration for the 2015 meeting has closed, but registration for the 2016 meeting will be up in 2015.
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Top 10 Education Schools in the U.S. Below you will find contact information for people of influence at the top 10 education schools in the U.S. SCNO recommends that Project Look Sharp reach out to these institutions as well as K-12 schools to promote their message. Instead of recommending curriculum kits, Project Look Sharp could request to do a workshop or offer suggestions about how to integrate techniques of teaching media literacy into some previously existing courses for education majors. The workshop and suggestions could be developed directly from concepts covered in existing workshops provided to current K-12 teachers. Following the contact information, you will find a sample pitch letter that could be sent to these schools to let them know what you have to offer. The articles cited are included in the footnotes for your reference. Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan • Donald Heller, Dean of MSU School of Education • (517) 355-1734 • dheller@msu.edu • http://www.educ.msu.edu/ University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia • Craig Kennedy: Dean of UGA School of Education • 706-542-6446 • chk@uga.edu • http://www.coe.uga.edu/ University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin • Julie Underwood: Dean of UW School of Education • (608) 262-1763 • junderwood@education.wisc.edu • http://www.education.wisc.edu/ University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee • Ernest Rakow: Dean of U of M School of Education • (901) 678-4265 • erakow@memphis.edu • http://www.memphis.edu/cehhs/ University of Maryland - College Park in College Park, Maryland • Donna Wiseman: Dean of UM School of Education • (301) 405-2336 • dlwise@umd.edu • http://www.education.umd.edu/
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Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia • Paul E. Chapman: Dean of Longwood School of Education • 434.395.2051 • chapmanpe@longwood.edu • http://www.longwood.edu/cehs/index.html Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee • Camilla P. Benbow: Dean of Vanderbilt’s Peabody School of Education • (615) 322-8407 • camilla.benbow@vanderbilt.edu • http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/ Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio • Cheryl Achterberg: Dean of OSU School of Education • (614) 292-2461 • agliam.1@osu.edu • http://ehe.osu.edu/ Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee • Candice Mcqueen: Dean of Lipscomb School of Education • 615.966.5061 • candice.mcqueen@lipscomb.edu • http://www.lipscomb.edu/education Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana • Maryann Santos de Barona: Dean of Purdue School of Education • 765-494-2336 • msdb@purdue.edu • http://www.education.purdue.edu/
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Project Look Sharp Ithaca College 1119 Williams Hall Ithaca, NY 14850-7290 [INSERT SCHOOL ADDRESS HERE] Dear [INSERT NAME HERE],
A recent article published in the Wall Street Journal said “critical thinking is a critical skill for young workers these days… Mentions of critical thinking in job postings have doubled since 2009, according to an analysis by career-search site Indeed.com.” Critical thinking was also cited in Forbes’ list of the top ten skills that will get you hired in 2013. 3
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Project Look Sharp is a media literacy initiative of the School of Humanities and Sciences at Ithaca College, working in collaboration with school districts, New York State BOCES, the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and national media literacy organizations. The resources provided by Project Look Sharp are designed to promote and support the integration of media literacy and critical thinking into curricula at all grade levels and across instructional areas. In order to create an educational environment that will integrate media literacy with the requirements of core curriculum in grades K-12, we need to enlist the students of today and the teachers of tomorrow. Through conducting an information session for faculty and students pursuing a degree in education at your university, we can demonstrate the importance of incorporating media literacy into the education of all grade levels and explore the resources your students can utilize in their future education careers. We are also able to provide material that could be integrated into a previously existing course that addresses the importance of engaging students in critical thinking. According to the Next Generation of Learning, educators are constantly seeking ways to create content and assessments that would engage their students in deeper learning. Project Look Sharp’s materials provide an excellent opportunity to do so. While today’s young people may be media-savvy, they are not necessarily media literate. Media literacy will teach students to counter marketing techniques that use their insecurities to promote negative behaviors, stereotypes, and misconceptions. 5
The power to make change lies not only within current educators, but also within the teachers of tomorrow. If you have any questions or would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at (607) 274-3471 or looksharp@ithaca.edu. We hope you find a shared interest in Project Look Sharp’s mission to transform the future of education and enable us to provide your university with a learning opportunity that will open up the door to a media literate future. Sincerely,
The Project Look Sharp Team 3 http://online.wsj.com/articles/bosses-seek-critical-thinking-but-what-is-that-1413923730 4 http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2012/12/10/the-10-skills-that-will-get-you-a-job-in-2013/ 5 http://nextgeneration.org
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Additional Suggestions
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Speak Up Speak Up is a program that provides non-profit organizations with a free suite of online surveys and reports to collect authentic feedback from teachers, students, and parents on education issues. Dating back to 2003, Speak Up has provided a service to over 30,000 educators and has helped them create and implement their vision for 21st Century learning. How it works: Speak Up national survey results are released in February 2015 to all organizations that participate in and promote the survey. Speak Up will release the national results in the form of two written reports available at http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_reports.html in the spring at two congressional briefings. There are many opportunities for non-profit organizations to get involved and receive either individualized participant data or the state/national results. The state/national results are shared with education policy leaders in Washington D.C and the appropriate state capitol as well. Why it would be beneficial for Project Look Sharp: Using these free surveys in educational institutions would be a great way to leverage the power of community groups and PTA liaisons to create change. These groups can register and promote Speak Up by using the resources provided to them online. They can then promote these surveys in their own district to gather information about why media literacy isn’t currently incorporated into its students’ curriculum. Ultimately the findings from these results can help narrow down some internal issues within a district that doesn’t address media literacy and can also be used to narrow down the demographics and locations of where Project Look Sharp would be more/less likely to be used. In addition, Project Look Sharp can also use the data collected from previous state and national surveys in order to get new ideas. If Project Look Sharp chooses to participate in the national survey, those findings from the surveys will also reach a third party: education policy leaders and state capitols. This third party holds a lot of power and has a large influence over the future of education. How to get involved: If looking to collect data results from specific schools or districts related to your organization, Jenny Hostert, Speak Up Operations Manager, is willing to set up a phone call to further discuss how this could be done. She can be reached at (949) 649-4660 ext. 17. If Project Look Sharp would just like to gain insight through the national/state findings collected each year, then all you would need to do is promote the survey to your stakeholders and encourage participation in the survey. This can easily be done by utilizing the promotional materials provided here: http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speak_up_PartnerTools.html Please visit the Speak Up website for additional information: http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/
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Curriculum Kit Development The New York State government website boasts that NY has the most complete and interconnected system of education resources in the country. The state requires learning standards and a core curriculum for grades K-12, which can be found at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/standards.html. The core curriculum consists of seven different topic lists, each containing distinct learning objectives, which are categorized as “Standards.” The seven topics are as follows: (1) the Arts, (2) Career Development and Occupational Studies, (3) English Language Arts, (4) Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences, (5) Languages other than English, (6) Mathematics, Science, and Technology, and (7) Social Studies. This core curriculum was created to uphold the Commissioner of Education’s 100-Part Regulations that require every student the opportunity to receive the proper instruction in correlation to the New York Standards of Learning. 6
After careful research and consideration, SCNO discovered that Project Look Sharp could address more of the seven standards within their curriculum kits. As of November 2014, there are 19 kits offered in three different educational levels under the “Curriculum Kits and Lesson Plans” tab on the Project Look Sharp website. Below is a breakdown of the kits that Project Look Sharp currently offers: US History: 10 kits Elementary School: Science & Environment: 6 kits Middle School: Health: 1 kit HS/College: English Language Arts: 1 kit Other: 1 kit Current total:
3 kits 2 kits 14 kits 19 kits
+ 5 additional General Media Literacy Lessons
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http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/standards.html
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SCNO suggests two courses of action based on the data represented: (1) Implementing more kits of different subjects that correspond to the seven standards (2) Catering more kits by diversifying the grade level they are offered in Creating more kits containing different subjects: 1. More teachers will utilize resources. 2. Encourages teachers and professors to share with their colleagues in different departments. 3. More than 52% of topics are listed under History, 33% under Science, and 15% under the combination of the remaining topics. 4. Topics such as the Arts, Career Development, Physical Education, Mathematics, Technology, and Foreign Language are being missed due to a gap among kit topics. 5. Project Look Sharp becomes more marketable to schools looking for a diversified curriculum. Catering more kits for Elementary and Middle Schools: 1. About 75% of kits are to be used for High School/College, leaving roughly 25% of kits available to Elementary School and Middle School. 2. A large potential target market within grades K-8 is being missed. 3. There is a solid opportunity to expose younger people to topics through media literacy and instill critical thinking skills. 4. Collaboration between Elementary and Middle School teachers in terms of sharing resources is greater. The following five pages discuss example kits that include both topics listed in the Core Curriculum, as well as the incorporation of diversified grade levels.
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Heath: Course Title: Examining Fitness and Exercise; ES/MS Elementary School 1. Basic Stretching 2. Simple Exercise 3. Healthy Eating Middle School 1. Basic Stretching 2. Intermediate Exercise 3. Aerobic Exercise 4. Healthy Eating 5. Meal Planning Examining Fitness and Exercise was chosen as an example because it incorporates a new topic designated for Elementary and Middle School grade levels. Adding a second Health topic strengthens the overall portfolio for Project Look Sharp and gives teachers more to choose from. By serving Elementary and Middle schools, this kit serves as a tool that can be utilized for any grade level. This kit introduces grade levels between K-8 to the importance of healthy eating and exercising regularly. The media has a large influence on the thoughts and perceptions individuals have on body image and appearance and as a result are creating distortions in the way people think and act. Creating a kit that combats these common prejudices through health and exercise education would be a mutually beneficial to not only teach media literacy, but incorporate health education that students at this age need to learn.
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Languages other than English: Course Title: Spanish: An Inside Look at Culture, Language, and Media Representation; MS/HS Middle School 1. Introduction to Latino/Spanish Heritage 2. History of Spain/Latin America 3. Latin American Culture in the US 4. Language 5. Media Representation in the US High School 1. Introduction to Latino/Spanish Heritage 2. History of Spain/Latin America 3. Latin American Culture in the US 4. Language 5. Media Representation in the US - TV, Movies, Commercials 6. Immigration 7. Voting Demographics/Power 8. Population Growth This kit includes new elements that are not currently addressed by Project Look Sharp. Introducing Foreign Languages would further broaden its topic list and continue to include different grade levels. This new topic would explore a different country’s culture, language, and customs through media representations. Because of the rapid demographical change the United States is experiencing, there are new perspectives and ideas that are constantly combatting old ideas and theories. Creating a curriculum that would embrace these new perspectives and acknowledge the effects of this diversity would be a true benefit to Project Look Sharp. Students ranging from grades 6 - 12 can engage in critical thinking through a multicultural lens.
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Ethnic Studies: Course Title: Media Representation of Race in the US; MS/HS Middle School 1. Introduction to Race in the US 2. News Clips 3. Commercials 4. Media - Music Videos, TV, Movies High School 1. Introduction to Race in the US 2. News Clips 3. Commercials 4. Media Representation 5. LA Race Riots 6. Examining Privilege 7. Exposure to Perspective 8. Diversity Peer Education This kit includes a topic that is briefly touched upon by some of Project Look Sharp’s existing materials but could be more fully developed into a separate kit. Introducing Ethnic Studies to youth in Middle School and High School is fundamental in helping them understand diversity and the reality of race discrimination in the United States. This topic will be tailored to grades 6-12 and will help with educating students through critical thinking about media representation of race.
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Science: Course Title: Understanding the Earth Through Science; ES/MS Elementary School 1. What is Science? 2. Myths and Facts 3. Media Interpretation of Science 4. Science and Critical Thinking 5. Movies and Science Middle School 1. What is Science? 2. Myths and Facts 3. Scientific Method 4. Research Methodologies 5. Examining Scientific Data 6. How the News uses Scientific Data 7. Movies, TV shows, and the Internet 8. Science and Critical thinking Understanding the Earth Through Science is a collaboration of the sciences that are taught between the grades K-8. By working with the topics of Biology, Physics, and Earth Science, students will be able to see science as a whole as opposed to just one field. There are many scientific theories that are questioned by philosophy, religion, and other opposing viewpoints. This is often a controversial topic in an educational setting. Students should have the opportunity to learn where the scientific arguments are coming from and how they may be falsely publicized. Crafting a curriculum that teaches the skills and development needed to understand the way science is portrayed in the media is critical to every student’s development. By exploring science through the lens of the media, students will be able to make critical decisions about how science is represented.
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The Arts:
Course Title: Introduction to the Arts: ES/MS Elementary School 1. What are the Arts? 2. Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts 3. The Arts Depicted on Children’s TV shows Middle School 1. What are the Arts? 2. Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts 3. Media Interpretation of the Arts 4. Understanding the Culture Contribution of various Arts 5. The Arts in Movies and Popular TV Shows The Arts focuses on teaching students grades K-8 about the importance of creating, performing in, and participating in the arts. The purpose of this kit is to expose young students to the arts and various media representations. How is art represented? Is it seen as secondary compared to core education? These are all questions that this kit can explore.
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Other Suggestions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
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Media Interpretation of Banned Books and Literature; MS/HS Controversial Art; MS/HS Reimagining Asia through Media; MS/HS A New Look at Immigration; MS/HS Decoding Religious Redirect; MS/HS Geography by Continent; ES/MS Media Representation of Women; MS/HS Music and Pop Culture; ES/MS Media Construction of Psychology; ES/MS/HS
Marketing Suggestions Phone Marketing/Cold Calling: In order to reach audiences near and far, phone marketing could be beneficial because it is timely and very inexpensive/free to conduct. Although a lot of people frown upon cold calls, it is the way these cold calls are made (the approach) that can set you apart from any other competitor. Cold calling can enable Project Look Sharp to increase its confidence in talking to potential stakeholders and making an everlasting impact. In addition to this, cold calling would enable Project Look Sharp to respond to objections in the most creative manner possible and also help judge the prospects and behavior patterns. Ultimately, cold calling will enable you to create a more interpersonal connection with potential stakeholders. The success in phone marketing lies within the person conducting the calls. Success is found in how well the individual delivers the message, demonstrates competency and confidence, and the amount of respect given to the receiver of the phone call. To begin, cold calling can start by referring to the extensive list of schools our team has provided. Furthermore, Project Look Sharp research/marketing team can look into schools and other locations to build a more in-depth list of K-12 schools that could be used for phone marketing. Tips & Guidelines for Successful Cold Calling: 1. Get at least two opening pitches ready and get them so they roll off your tongue naturally - keep it simple but highlight the key points and purpose of Project Look Sharp. 2. Create a target number of people/places you would like to contact. Don’t be afraid to pick a target number that may seem challenging. Remember to keep recalling until you get the answer - don’t be afraid to do that. The aim is to gain as much information as you can from whoever you are calling and do not let them throw you off with a negative attitude! If the target expresses interest, send an email with information and send follow up e-mails later on. 3. Keep focused and mindful that the aim of ALL of your calls is to simply get an answer to your inquiry (will the target have an interest in using Project Look Sharp materials?): a. Do they have media literacy programs already incorporated in curriculum? If they do, GREAT! This is a potential user so do not be deterred. Ask for details of what their current program includes and provide them details as to why Project Look Sharp’s resources are a great addition to their curriculum. b. Do they have an interest within the organization? If they say yes, ask if you can speak to someone who would manage this. Or ask if it would be possible to get the information of an internal communication system (ie;
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intranet, staff notice board) to spread the message and intent of Project Look Sharp. 4. Keep light and to the point. If they don’t think it would be of use to them, ask if it would be possible to send some information to contacts who might potentially be interested in Project Look Sharp. Use a tone to ensure they understand that this is not a ‘sales’ pitch. 5. Remember these few key points: • You are not selling a 'product' • You are making an inquiry of interest • You are offering amazing resources to improve the educational system for all students • You want to find out if they currently have media literacy in curriculum • Keep focused on the conversation and do not let them deter you with their negativity • Be confident with your introduction 6. Make clear notes that will determine: • What is working well • What hasn’t worked well • Success of the day • Organizations that have media literacy in the curriculum already • How many calls you achieved out of your target • How many emails you sent • Any interested organizations
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Critical Thinking Games What are the benefits of interactive games in a learning environment? Critical thinking games for kids are fun and stimulate thought. They can serve as a valuable resource for homeschooling parents as well as teachers who are looking to engage students with productive activities. From puzzles to activities that require analytical reasoning, a game or app can be created on a website/app store that educators could use during class time. Students are open and willing to learn new fundamental skills as long as they are taught in a fun and entertaining manner. According to recent article on www.sophia.org, education technology is a growing area of interest for educators. Currently, only one in nine (11%) educators are implementing BYOD (bring your own device) programs. While there are many challenges educators face, such as time, money, and access to education technology, 92% of teachers agree that they would like to incorporate more education technology than they do now. 7
According to Apple, the iPad is an extremely handy device that has over 80,000 apps just for education. Creating an application will enter Project Look Sharp into another market that will help spread the name and message of the organization. Creating an app for the iPad or even an interactive game to include on Project Look Sharp’s website will enable students to absorb media literacy through fun and thought provoking activities.
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http://www.sophia.org
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