Single Content Format for Using the Public Policy Analyst
(PPA)
The Single
Content (SC) Format
The "single content" format involves the use of a single topic
area (e.g., drug abuse, crime, violence, school issues, environmental
pollution) for the entire class. The selection of the particular topic may be
made based on the teacher's area of expertise and existing supplemental
materials (e.g., the NYS mandate in government may have eliminated senior
electives in some schools in sociology, law-related education or psychology;
experienced teachers may continue to pursue their interest in such fields
through selecting a topic related to content materials from their former
elective course). If the teacher prefers, the class may be given the
opportunity to select the topic. If a teacher has only one computer in the
classroom with Internet connectivity and cannot access the school’s computer
lab frequently, the SC format is probably the most appropriate for technology
integration during class time. Regardless of whether the topic is selected by the teacher or the class, the "single content" format is the most "teacher-centered" format. The teacher, using the classroom’s single computer with an LCD projector, controls the pace of the steps of the PPA process. Everyone moves along together as the teacher guides the class through the policy skills and procedures contained in the PPA. On days when the LCD projector is not available, the PPA process may be supplemented through lectures, discussions, outside speakers, media, and/or assigned readings. The "single content" format poses several advantages. It provides a good introduction to the entire class in how to use the PPA. It enables the teacher to model for the students the PPA process—both the technology skills related to doing Internet searches and using links, as well as guiding the students through the public policy problem solving skills. Classes in which the students may not have sufficient background, interest or motivation to acquire the necessary content information on their own outside of class through the Internet can still attain the course objectives. Such students can focus their class time on the teacher’s demonstration of how to use the Internet for research and problem solving, and on tasks related to learning the public policy skills since they will not have to conduct their own research. Also, as already mentioned, it enables teachers to continue to draw from their expertise in a particular social studies discipline which may have been eliminated as an elective. Since the main disadvantage to the SC format is that students do not acquire hands-on experience with the Internet, the SC format should be supplemented by the other two formats.
|
