Activism Unit: Research Activities

Issues and problems affecting the immediate community can go underground unnoticed. The bureaucracies or governments and other interested parties tend to curtail any awareness that will change the status quo. Information technology solutions have in the recent past been used to change the leadership of oppressive governments and alter what seem to be serious issues for change in communities. Different technologies have been used popularly to communicate ideas, create awareness to issues in the society. These technologies can be used to inform, to persuade, and even to spark awareness. With the many current IT related technologies, our messages and stories can be told with more clarity, emotion, and with impact. Read the article below http://en.reset.org/knowledge/digital-and-online-activism http://www.meta-activism.org/2012/02/digital-activism-101-the-5-activist-functions-of-technology/ Which digital tools are more effective and why? http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/11/20/study-shines-light-on-what-makes-digital-activism-effective/ What make digital activism effective? http://mashable.com/2011/07/15/online-tools-activism/ Attempt to use the listed online tools? Give your opinion on any of the tools. Social Media and Activism Read the following news article titled: Russians use Facebook to protest alleged election fraud http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/russians-use-facebook-to-protest-alleged-election-fraud/5975 Why did the protesters use Facebook? Videos for Activism Read and watch any video if possible on the topic titled: 5 Great examples of Activism through web video http://socialtimes.com/5-great-examples-of-activism-through-web-video_b15316 Why do you think in the activists the above articles opted to use a video to highlight their issues? Website for Activism Study the following website for activism Free Child project http://www.freechild.org/youth_activism_2.htm Clean water http://www.emergepovertyfree.org/donate/clean-water Cruelty against animal http://www.woaw.org.au/14andOver/cruelty-prevention/?gclid=CLT4nMi96rECFUR76wodyGYAsA Analyse the above websites in terms of their effectiveness and shortcomings. Animation and Activism Watch the following animations designed for activism share the reason animations where used in this case Universal declaration of human rights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTlrSYbCbHE An Environmental Activist Aniboom Animation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AagOjHpHJ0k Violence against women. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCwK8Y1Unr4 What are the strengths and limitation of using animations solutions for activism? Music for activism https://www.ssyoutube.com/watch?v=2RyYzMdPlUA

Activism Unit Current Chapter

Teacher(s)	Mr. Serem /Ms Bawazir	Subject group and discipline	Digital Design
Unit title	Activism	MYP year	5	Unit duration (hrs)	30 hrs

Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit

Key concept		Related concept(s)	Global context
Communication		Adaptation/ Innovation	Fairness and Development
Statement of inquiry
Adaptation and innovation in communication contributes fair treatment and development within communities.
Inquiry questions
Factual      — What are the impacts of the different communication systems/tools? Conceptual— How do communities express themselves using digital tools? Debatable  —To what extent have digital communication tools enhanced fairness?
Objectives	Summative assessment
Objective A: Inquiring and analysing Objective B: Developing ideas Objective C: Creating a solution Objective D: Evaluating	Outline of summative assessment task(s) including assessment criteria: There are many social problems facing the residents of Mombasa. Students will develop a digital solution aimed at driving the leaders responsible to be fair, develop benefitial projects and act for the betterment of the residents. The effectiveness of the solution will be determined by different actions taken by the leaders.		Relationship between summative assessment task(s) and statement of inquiry: Students will have deeper understanding of the role of digital communication tools in activism.
Approaches to learning (ATL)
Collaboration: Make fair and equitable decisions; Listen actively to other perspectives and ideas; Give and receive meaningful feedback; Advocate for one’s own rights and needs. Communication: Give and receive meaningful feedback during presentations; Share ideas with multiple audiences using a variety of digital environments and media; Organize and depict information logically; Understand and use mathematical notation Transfer: Compare conceptual understanding across multiple subject groups and disciplines. Information Literacy Skills: Collect and analyse data to identify solutions and make informed decisions; Process data and report results. Critical Thinking: Practice observing carefully in order to recognize problems; Gather and organize relevant information to formulate an argument; Recognize unstated assumptions and bias;  Interpret data; Evaluate evidence and arguments;  Draw reasonable conclusions and generalizations Creative Thinking: Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or processes.

MYP Design Current Chapter

Please click on the Design Guides' link below;

Design Guide

Task 1 (Conceptual Understanding) Read page 20-26 and write your responses in your note book for the following questions;

a) What is conceptual understanding or learning? What is a concept?

b) List the key concepts contributed by the study of Design.

c) What are related concepts? Are they similar or different in different subject areas?

d) What are global contexts? Are global contexts similar or different across the subject areas?

e) What is a statement of inquiry? 

f)  In your own understanding of the activism unit, write examples of inquiry questions

i)   Factual
ii)  Conceptual
iii) Debatable

g) Outline the five MYP ATL skills.


Task 2 (MYP Design)

Read page 8-9

Which strands are different and which ones similar with the previous assessment criteria.

Class Activities today

You have two options for the class activities today.

a) Continue with programming activities posted previously.
     You can use any programming languages of your choice   
      available online to develop a simple program and share your 
      experience.
Learn code
http://code.org/learn
http://learn.code.org/hoc/1
http://www.programmingbasics.org/en/beginner/gettingstarted.html

b) The other option is to study SDLC- Systems development life Cycle. You will need establish the link between SDLC stages in the development of the RDTC system.

Your task will be to provide sufficient details of what the developers of RDTC are expected to do at each stage of the SDLC.

Use this link for SDLC 
http://www.tutorialspoint.com/sdlc/sdlc_overview.htm

Somebody can create an interactive platform where where different contributions can be posted in your class. i.e a WikiSpace.

Revision Questions

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8VAiXCgqIIbVWVHWWEzSmxLX00/edit?usp=sharing

Introduction to Programming

Programming



Sign -up to http://www.programmr.com/ to learn how programme in C++.

Attempt http://www.programmr.com/node/33177/begin

Use the editor in the above to attempt the activities in
http://www.cppforschool.com/assignment/variable_1.html

Use can use other programmers in code academy
http://www.codecademy.com/tracks/python

Design Assessment Rubric

Levels	Descriptors
0	The design does not meet the standards of the descriptors shown below.
1-2	The design shows limited development of instructions statements thus not suitable for the development of the DFD. The DFD structure developed is not detailed, not logical and uses limited standard DFD symbols in it’s presentation. Limited processes are used to show the flow of data in the TAXI system of choice.
3-4	The design developed shows some good instructions statements that can a good DFD. The DFD structure developed is detailed, logical and uses a range of DFD symbols in its design. Some important processes are used to show the flow of data in the TAXI system of choice.
5-6	The design shows that most of instruction statements are comprehensive thus useful in developing a thorough DFD structure. The DFD structure developed is comprehensive, detailed, logical and uses a variety of standard DFD symbols appropriately. Several important processes are used to show the flow of data in the TAXI system of choice in a comprehensive way.