Editing Exercise: Mock Academic Conference
At a Glance
Discipline
- Languages and Literature
Instructional Level
- College & CEGEP
Tasks in Workflow
Social Plane(s)
- Individual
- Group
- Whole Class
Type of Tasks
- Gaming & role-playing
- Experimenting & conducting inquiry
- Collecting & seeking information
Technical Details
Class size
- Small (20-49)
Time
- Single class period (< 90 mins)
Inclusivity & Accessibility
- Diversity of engagement
- Variety of action & expression
Instructional Purpose
- Application & knowledge building
- Assessment & knowledge refinement
- Preparation & knowledge activation
Overview
The aim of this activity is to highlight student excellence while teaching research integration. Students end up feeling empowered (yes, we can measure that) and better able to integrate research to support their opinions through the use of individual work and group role-play. The activity requires students to write a response based on a case study or reading, interview one another, and then edit their writing.
This activity centres the students as emotional humans with unique contributions that we need to hear. Based on neuroscientific pedagogy re: communicating brain centres (Active Learning, Universal Design; Katie Novak, Paulo Freire, etc.).
The activity takes place in class. It requires 90 minutes. A reading or object image etc. should be assigned for at-home reading before the class takes place.
NOTE:
- This activity is for any course where a writing response is valued. For more information see the workflow – At home-consumption prep type varies by discipline; one teacher assigns a photograph, another a lawsuit, another a medical interview, etc.
- Useful Technologies: Chalk or PowerPoint, however you like to review the at-home consumption that was required before class.
- Citation to others: Katie Novak’s work on connections between ’emotion’ and learning, a need to clearly state desired emotional objectives to students when beginning activities.
Instructional Objectives
Students will be able to identify the value of writing to express their intelligence, and recognize the collective need for their contributions in order for the class to learn and grow intellectually.
Workflow & Materials
Activity Workflow
Contributor's Notes
- Provides clear steps to incorporate secondary sources in student writing;
- Establishes a joyful environment that facilitates intellectual risk-taking;
- Increases quality of student writing and research
Because the teacher’s acting is central to the success or abject failure of this exercise, it is necessary to engage in the exercise when the teacher is in a teaching mood (seriously: this is not everyday!). For example, while students may display initial reticence to writing bios or answering questions in the front of the class, the teacher’s enthusiasm and respect of the junior academics is what seems to completely resolve any of these anxiety-inspired issues.
It is important that the edited writing be graded (0.00001% if hesitant) so that the audience actively takes notes during the panel discussion. If explained as optional, these students tend to go on their phones or ____.
- The teacher should act as if they are encountering ‘serious’ academics during the talk, to avoid accidentally crushing morale.
- This could also work if dovetailed with a next-lesson essay or other form of research application, so that the final writing is not a ‘throwaway’
- If you are stuck teaching this for the day but are suddenly sick or fed up, dress extremely formally: this usually helps to balance any dwindling enthusiasm when interviewing the ‘expert’ panel.
Applied Strategies
Published: 22/04/2025
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