Explanation of the Learning Project

The selection of the topics came from my experience of engaging teenagers on current issues
pertaining to them and how such issues can be explored through a theatrical medium.
Documentary Drama is a great vehicle for drama students (or any students) to investigate a
selected topic of concern. As the topic is one which the students will have had direct
experience or exposure to, they recognise they have a personal investment in the project. The
structure of Documentary Drama is a challenging and mature approach to devising multi-
formed theatre.
With the integration of using OneNote, Students will have the ability to collaboratively devise,
self-regulate and maintain reflections on the process and final product.
OneNote will be the engine room for the exploration, research, scripting, survey, success
criteria and reflection.
It would be fair to expect this task to take up to 10 - 12 hours to complete.
The task they will be undertaking is an Authentic Task for multiple reasons:
1. The two issues posed to the students are real issues in the students world.
2. Investigation will require students to explore varying views on their selected issue.
3. The students will have multiple checks on their process and understanding.
4. Students will be required to maintain a reflective journal.
5. A didactic performance will be created and success will be measured by immediate
audience response by a student created survey. This means they will be sharing their
work with the wider community.
So, to unpack the Task and link with the Elements of Authentic Learning there is the following
explanation. Text in GREEN is taken directly from the task sheet.

Authentic Context
The two choices of topics to investigate are real-world issues of concern in their local
community. Students in Year 9 are very much aware of NAPLAN and Bullying. By creating
Documentary Drama, the aim is to devise an informed and realized performance which cannot
be only to entertain it must be to inform!.
The Target Audience will be students of similar age. Their aim is to inform about both sides of
the argument with respect to NAPLAN or the affects and advice with regard to Bullying.
You are dealing with real issues which affect real people. You might not be able to provide
an answer; however, you can provide an awareness.
The audience will take way from the performance an awareness of the topics explored. The
level of understanding instilled in the audience can be evaluated after they complete the post-
performance survey.
 Authentic Activity
As an activity, the students are required to take part in the production of knowledge to devise a
topic-based performance. This will take place over a period of 10 12 weeks (depending on the
length and frequency of drama lessons). The outcome of the task could range from a simply
retelling of one real life incident or an eclectic ensemble drama performance which includes
different forms of theatre and multi-media.
Students will need to be selective in their choice of information when developing their
performance, as the source of materials will be varied.
The process from start to finish will take many steps to complete:

Decide on your topic and create a timeline of what is to be achieved, in your Group
OneNote page.
Brainstorm and discuss issues that relate to the article. All documentation is to be made
on OneNote.
Research: There are links to relevant material provided for you in OneNote.
Using Collaborative Page on OneNote begin your planning. This can involve typing,
digital pen or by even pasting in media.
With teacher guidance, as a class, you will construct a Success Criteria which will be
published to all members through OneNote relevant to your Authentic Context.
To assess whether your performance piece was relevant to the target audience and an
authentic context, within your group you will construct a survey to be completed by all
other members of the audience. The survey will be provided immediately post
performance via OneNote to glean immediate feedback. This will inform you how
informative and relevant your performance was in reference to the Authentic Context.
A link to build your survey is on OneNote. You will construct a survey and publish the
link on OneNote and invite your audience to respond post performance on OneNote.
Finally, after you have performed, retrieved feedback from your survey and have
viewed performances by your peers, you are to complete a written response reflecting
on your individual process and product, as well as the work of your peers. The outline
for the written response is on OneNote and your response is to be published there.
 Expert Performance
Students will have access (and will be shown during an introductory lesson) examples of
Documentary Drama available on YouTube.
o explore real data collected through interviews/research on selected topic.

E.g.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64C16TSedqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20qYf3PWF78
They will also have access to professional informed
opinions from the resources made available to them on
OneNote.
The available web links provide varying
opinions/findings
Relevant to their selected topic.

Multiple Roles and Perspectives

Collaboratively the students are to work as a-
production team
creative writing team
directing team
the performers
Examples taken from the task sheet below outline how cohesive they need to be when working
within their group.
This Multiple Roles and Perspectives will also be reflected in their final Success Criteria on
which they will be assessed. A portion of their mark will be acquired from their ability to work
in different roles while researching, devising and performing their task.
o creating a schedule for your work, such as timelines for key steps and deadlines
for completion.
o decide who will share responsibility, such as sub-dividing responsibility and tasks
within a team, or who will be involved in the assessment.
o develop a post-performance survey to register audience engagement.
 o work as part of a team.
o be a good listener who is prepared to make compromises.

Collaborative Construction of Knowledge

Collaboration will occur via two ways, by group discussion and recording in OneNote.
Brainstorming will be achieved as a group on OneNote within the Collaboration Tab as well as
script drafting. The Collaboration Tab of OneNote will also provide a clear indication as to who
has contributed what and when it was contributed during class time or outside of class.
OneNote is also where the final script will be published.
o collaboratively brainstorm, devise, write and rehearse an original script.

Reflection
A formative reflection will occur in action and during the action of the task from questions
directed by the teacher about the choices the students are making within their group.
Students are also to maintain a working journal as outlined below-

o You are required to create, develop and keep individual ePortfolios on OneNote
that represent your journey.

The key learning point of the reflection for the task is consider the individual choices they made
during the construction phase and assess what worked or what could have been done
differently.
The summative reflection (to be individually completed by the students, will also be informed
from responses to the survey each group receives from the audience following the
performance.
o complete a written response on the process and product of your task
reflecting on your work and evaluating the work of your peers.
 Articulation
The essence of the task allows the students to publicly present their argument on their selected
topic through the medium of theatre. Through the process they are to present a polished
product, i.e. a public performance.
However, at the beginning of the task students within their group, with teacher guidance, will
utilise Articulation to present their own personal arguments on the selected topic possibly
even to persuade their peers to follow particular ideas in developing the Documentary Drama.
The collaborative nature of the task will allow for ongoing Articulation throughout the process.
o Collaboratively brainstorm, devise, write and rehearse an original script.

Coaching & Scaffolding

From the initial devising, to brainstorming and through all rehearsals the teacher must be
present to assist the process of the students. Within the timeline constructed by the students,
there is to be scheduled check points with the teacher.
These checkpoints, as I call them, are essentially show and tell of their work so far. Students
will be expected to showcase points of developed rehearsal and discuss ideas/problems with
the teacher.
This allows for quality control of what the students are producing, and more importantly it
allows for ongoing formative assessment of individual understanding and group development.
o Decide on your topic and create a timeline in your Group OneNote page.
Taking time as the teacher to read through their ePortfolio will also allow for opportunities of
insight into the cognitive understanding and nurturing of ideas, as well as the chance to
comment and feedback to the individual student in a direct method and not in front of the
peers.

o You are required to create, develop and keep individual ePortfolios on OneNote
that represent your journey. Reflection in action and on action - OneNote
provides an ongoing digital journal of events and thoughts.

Authentic Assessment
The ultimate purpose of this task is for the students to explore the real-world opinions on their
selected topic. From investigating these opinions and with informed knowledge, they will be
able to formulate their own informed opinion.
As this task is developed over a significant period of time, the resulting product, the theatre
performance, should be of a polished standard. This is not a performance which can be
created the day before.
As there are scheduled points of engagement with the teacher, this will allow for ongoing
evaluation of each student individually, as well as the group.
It is important the Success Criteria, to which the students are assessed is, clear to indicate to
the students the descriptors on which they will be individually assessed and against which
criteria they will be assessed as a group.
Because the task is assessed throughout the entire working process, it is possible to provide an
end of task result (albeit slightly modified) for students who may be absent on the day of their
group performance if required.
Student will also have the opportunity to contribute to the construction of their Success
Criteria on which they will be assessed. Such a process is demonstrated below with a student
scribing using a digital pen on OneNote. This is also another example of Collaboration while
enriching the task as an Authentic Context.

Below is an empty Success Criteria presented to the class and opposite to that is a detailed,
completed Success Criteria after student involvement.
The final part of the task which truly provides an Authentic Assessment is the survey each
group provide to the audience to fill out immediately post their performance.
o develop a post-performance survey to register audience engagement
Each group is to create a survey using: https://surveyplanet.com/. The survey will be shared on
their OneNote for audience members to complete after the performance.

Below is the sample survey provided to the students in their OneNote:

https://surveyplanet.com/58cf51b4e6fd0952b5f78c91

Results from the survey will inform the students of how successful they have been in conveying
the message of their topic to the audience. This information will also assist the students in their
written reflection.