Viral Knowledge for Any Discipline:
A Health Communication Instructional Case
Exemplar for Teaching Students to Distribute
Learning!
Jessica J. Eckstein, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Communication Department
Western Connecticut State University
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgU
E
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU7fhIO7DG0
• http://www.youtube.com/user/ladygagaofficial?b
lend=1&ob=4#p/f/5/VEFgSV36vnA
Today…
1. Background/Rationale
2. Technologies Implemented
3. Steps of Project
– Lessons Learned
4. Student Outcomes
Background/Rationale
•
•
•
•
Emphasize Credible Knowledge
Use the System
Demonstrate Students as Agents of Change
Educators’ Responsibilities
– Social Learning Model or Relational Model of
Instruction
– Equalizing Power/Knowledge Distribution
– Accuracy, Clarity, Outcome Projection
Technologies Implemented
• YouTube video searches Online (content analyses)
• EBSCO & GoogleScholar Internet research engines
(background scholarly research)
• Digital video cameras (produce PSA)
• Editing programs/software (edit PSA)
• YouTube monitoring (track content & responses to PSA)
Proposed Timeline & Assignments to Implement Viral Project in a
Semester-Long Course
Steps &
Instructor Tasks
Optional Tools to
Grade/Evaluate
Suggested
Semester Placement
One: Preparing Students
- Lecture on persuasion, viral media
*Incorporate lecture material
into course quizzes/exams
*Lecture around 5th week
3-4 weeks before midterm
Two: Building Expertise
- Assign research:
Videos currently online
*Group summary paper of
existing online videos
*Assign around 7th week
Can finish over midterm
Three: Building Expertise
- Assign research: Scholarly resources
*Group “applied bibliography”
*Due around 9th week
Assign immediately after
Step Two papers
submitted
Four: Making the Video
- Assign video production
- Verify usability of video links
*Link to completed, posted video
*Due around 13th week, time
to distribute & get hits
Students may finish sooner
Five: Assessing Viral Success
- Grade videos on content &
production value
- Conduct class vote to select
category winners
- Assess most “viral” videos
term
*Instructor graded evaluation of
each video
*Grade before viewing day
*Instructor- & class-choice “bests”
*Hold viewing day last week
*Count of hits
*Tally on last day/end of
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCjxMvIKw-c
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siAVf9_DPHo
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTCp3DIbUw
w
Student Outcomes
• Students’ Internet-user skills developed
– Search engine technology
– Monitoring public feedback online
– Observational, content-analytic research conducted online
• Group collaboration
– via email, shareware, chatrooms, cell phones, text messages, in-person)
– Organization, collaboration, implementation, & data-sharing
• Students’ production skills
– Web-based video design
•
•
•
•
in-person media tools, software
online design resources
music files, photo files, video files
editing tools
• Students’ publication skills
– Publicizing compiled information creatively & successfully
• Shareware sites, managing multiple data file types
• Distribution abilities via email, social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter),
word-of-mouth, links on third party sites
– Tracking viewer feedback via online posts, numerical tracking “hits”