International Symposium: Programs: Summary: Session M11A

Upon the completion of social studies units, junior high school students were given a content area-related writing prompt and either shown a content-related video clip without audio (Authoring With Video-AWV) or asked to respond to the prompt using a traditional word processing approach (traditional). In the AWV condition, students were to use the video as a backdrop to the text being composed. In both conditions, students were to use what had been learned in social studies to respond to the prompt. The writing conditions (AWV and traditional) were alternated throughout the school year. AWV results in a video in which the student's text appears in the captioning space. The AWV approach utilizes standard computer hardware and MAGpie software. Using a single subject design, writing samples from participating students were analyzed against the Massachusetts' state composition rubric. Participants will be shown writing prompts and AWV and traditional writing products.
Outcomes of the session are that participants will be able to 1) identify the benefits of using AWV as a writing approach, 2) become familiar with where to freely access and download the MAGpie software and how to use it, 3) recognize the relationship between writing prompts, state standards in language arts and state standards in content areas and 4) describe and write engaging writing prompts.