Relevant & Innovative Learning Scenario

Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario

Jason Smith

My RILS will be the creation of a fantasy football league.  I will use two Google applications to facilitate collaboration between players without face-to-face meetings.  Participants will create Google accounts & use the applications Docs, Groups, & Gmail to create & manage teams.   

Target Audience- Adult learners interested in playing fantasy football.

Materials

·      Computer, tablet, or handheld device with Internet connection

·      Fantasy Football account

·      Google Account with Docs, Groups, & Gmail

Objectives

After completing this scenario, participants will be able to

·      Create a Google account & utilize Groups, Docs & Gmail

·      Discuss Fantasy Football league play

·      Formulate an algorithm for drafting players

·      Collaborate with others to compete in a fantasy football league

Procedure

1. Sign Up for Gmail

2. E-mail instructor

3. Reply to Groups Invitation

4. Collaborate on 1st round draft picks using Groups

5. Begin posting other draft picks in Docs

Groups will be used to discuss elements of league formation: league platform, drafting order, team names, and logos. Docs will be used for the draft itself by sharing a draft spreadsheet among participants.

Connections– Football is the most popular sport in the American culture.  Each participant will have varying amounts of intellectual & emotional connections with football. 

This rubric will be used to assess participation.

Reflection

Participants were debriefed following their first round picks.  Two issues were common among them.  First, was the current Google upgrade of groups.  Google offers the choice of using the old or new Google groups, which was a bit confusing.  Second, participants wondered why we were not just using a particular league platform to conduct league business.

Using this learning scenario in the future, I may put more effort into showing students the benefits of using Google tools rather than a league.  It took more coaxing on my part to get people to engage than I anticipated.  I find the Google apps to be very friendly, but it seems participants were still daunted. 

Overall, I found the process to be very enlightening.  Giving participants a goal, using the applications, best teaches the Google apps.  I am curious to see the learning curve as the season progresses.   I hypothesize that students will gain confidence and move forward quickly.  

Below is a short documentary of my process...