|
Goals & Objectives:
See Activity below. In addition,
the following objectives may apply to the instructor and not be shown
to the students.
After actively participating in a brainstorming session, students
will...
- familiarize themselves with the synchronous discussion tool,
- normalize group functioning in preparation for their advertising
campaign,
- demonstrate each individual's idea generation and ability to build
off of the contributions of others,
- evaluate the ideas of other group members, and
- develop problem solving skills
...as determined by active discussion participation. |
Prerequisites:
Before beginning a brainstorming session a few things need to be present.
The students must be willing
to share ideas with a group and accept the viewpoints of others. Prior reading
may be needed from which to draw ideas.
Materials and Resources:
The instructor must
set the goals for the session or provide the guidelines under which the students
will arrive at goals. Prior materials may need to be prepared as resources
during the brainstorming session. The instructor will want to make available
a synchronous or asynchronous tool within which the students can conduct
the brainstorming session. The instructor may also want to propose suggested
process ideas to the students for use during their session(s).
Guiding Questions for this Lesson:
The question can be open-ended such as how can we complete x in context
y given z parameters. Other guiding questions from the instructor's viewpoint
may include how well can the students share and compose ideas on problem
x in context y given z parameters.
Activity as Presented to Students :
 Brainstorming Assignment
Purpose:
In this activity, you will brainstorm ideas with
your group to advertise the product assigned to your group. Through
group processes, you will be able to come up with more ideas
and more fully develop the ideas that you do come up with.
Instructions:
- Check the list below for your fellow group members.
You will have this group throughout the project, so get to
know one another. See the course participants list for individual
contact information for your group members.
- Contact your group and agree on a time to meet
synchronously.
- Sign up for a time in the course synchronous
communication tool using the scheduling wiki. First come, first
serve.
- Meet for 15 minutes to an hour with your group
to begin to develop your ideas for the given product. If you
want to meet for more than an hour, you must wait until all
groups have signed up for an initial hour before signing up
for additional time.
- Each group will have a group asynchronous discussion
forum in which you can discuss issue before and after your
synchronous session. This forum will continue throughout the
project.
- During your session:
- Define your group objectives.
- Decide on a method for consensus or group approval of ideas.
- Brainstorm ideas .
- Categorize, condense, combine, refine, and prioritize your
ideas.
- Arrive at a choice or select choices for further consideration
in the asynchronous tool.
Postings:
Submit a transcript of your chat session to the instructor.
An asynchronous forum has been set up for your group if you wish
to continue your discussion after the synchronous session.
Next Steps:
Check the calendar for when your group should begin
the second step in the group project, developing a plan of action
for your idea.
|
Teaching Strategies:
- Brainstorming can be a useful activity to precede larger projects.
- Brainstorming in groups from 4 to 5 individuals work best in the online
environment. Larger groups become difficult to manage, and smaller groups
will not have as many ideas. This group size also allows for separate of
labor if a larger project is to follow.
- Brainstorming can help as a group forming activity as well. Setting this
process up as the beginning of a group project can help the group get to
know each other and dynamically create rules for arriving at decisions.
- Try to attend as many synchronous sessions as possible as an observer
if this is a beginning course.
Accommodations:
What accommodations may be needed for students with disabilities or other
special needs? In situations involving a synchronous tool, accommodations
may need to be made to allow full participation by some individuals. Disabilities
as overlooked as dyslexia can affect a students ability to effectively participate
in a synchronous text-only discourse.
Timeline:
A synchronous session should typically allow for at least 10 minutes to
one hour of brainstorming. Time requirements will differ depending on how
well the groups know each other and the material being discussed. The procedure
for the brainstorming may also add time. Asynchronous brainstorming should
allow at least 2 days, but no more than 4 days as students will begin to
lose interest.
Ideas for Lesson Evaluation and Teacher Reflection:
How did the students like the lesson? End of semester evaluations should
ask about the usefulness and learning accomplished through such activities.
Also, the conversation that occurs during the activity will help guage how
the students are enjoying various aspects and whether they are learning and/or
participating.
How was student learning verified? Participation is a major assessment factor
in brainstorming. A rubric can also be set up to help guage the quality of
any end products. A formative assessment can be used in brainstorming activities
that help to start off group projects. The assessment in this case is part
of a larger group project score.
Presented in the assessment criteria
for the course:
Group Project:
Stage 1 - Brainstorming
The brainstorming activity will be worth 5 points towards the total
100 points for this project. The activity will be scored as follows.
+ 1 point for quality of participation (Were you active? Did you provide
at least one quality idea?)
+ 2 points for quality of final consensus (How well does your idea
fit the product and the potential market?)
+ 1 point for timeliness of submission (Did you submit your transcript
and consensus idea by the deadline?)
+ 1 point for group aspects (Were you an effective, quality group member?)
Although the synchronous session will not be graded on grammar, your
final formulation of your idea will be. In other words, the idea that
you come up with must eventually be stated in words and grammar that
effectively describe your idea. |
Back to Top
 Return
to OTAI Main Page
Return
to Advertising Lesson Page
|
 |
