Great Public Schools Campaign
This culminating project is a requirement for HPR 201 Zombie Ideas in Education and is worth 30% of
your final course grade. Part 1 is due on 10/31/13, Part 2 is due on 12/5/13 and Part 3 is due on 12/12/13,
unless prior arrangements have been approved by Drs. Kern or Byrd.
PURPOSE: To inform or persuade a general public audience about a topic or issue. Hopefully, through
deeper exploration of issues facing public education today, you will gain a greater understanding of ways
citizens can become more engaged in supporting your vision for Great Public Schools.
PROCESS: Questions to be answered as part of the process in creating the Great Public Schools
campaign and then typed (each member turns his/her own in) in a 3-5 page, typed paper we will call the
Individual Written Campaign—Part I--10 points.
1.
2.
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6.
What is your Great Public Schools campaign (the issue or problem)?
What is the definition, history, general ideas and theories surrounding the issue?
Do you want to inform or persuade the audience? Which of the types of campaigns will you use?
What are some of the statistics, data or evidence related to the issue?
What problem(s) would be associated with this issue?
What solution(s) would you implement to change the problems surrounding your Great Public
Schools campaign?
7. How will knowledge about the campaign help the audience to make a difference?
8. What can the audience do to get involved?
9. What are some valid resources with accurate information about this campaign (research or local,
state, national organizations)?
PROCEDURE: Steps to you take, alone or with others, to promote your vision for Great Public Schools,
which we call The Campaign—Part II—15 points.
1. Determine an issue and create a campaign using one of the following formats:
a. Digital story/social media
b. Video
c. Policy
d. Student
e. If you would like to combine any of the above or have another idea for the format of your
campaign, see course instructors for approval and to co-create criteria for scoring.
2. See Great Public Schools rubric page 2 for specific requirements for each type of campaign
REFLECTION: Individual Reflection—Part III—5 points (each member turns his/her own in).
a. 1-2 pages typed (parts i-iv) with additional pages for parts v and vi, as needed
b. MLA format, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1” margins and submitted in hard copy on due
date.
c. Address the following questions and requirements:
i. Why do you think this is an important issue?
ii. What did you learn from doing the campaign?
iii. What specific contributions did you make to this campaign (how should you be held
individually accountable for aspects of this campaign)?
iv. What would you do differently and/or how might we make this assignment better in
the future?
v. Total of 5 references to be recorded in MLA format (paper hard copy)—try not have
all of the same references as other group members
vi. A sketch/outline or storyboard (for video, digital story/social media campaigns, which
may be created by another group member other than yourself) or a detailed log of
your own hours/activities (for internship and policy campaigns)
Great Public Schools Task Directions
Kern/Byrd Fall 2013
1
SUPPORTS:
Digital or social media campaign
URI Library, 1st floor, Curriculum Materials Library
Mona Niedbala: mflorea@mail.uri.edu
and
Jonathan Friesem: yonty@my.uri.edu
Video campaign
Chafee 217, Instructional Technology and Media Services
Dana Neugent: dneug@mail.uri.edu
Internship campaign with 1-2 page report
Tessa Cugno and Professor Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz
Mentor Tutor Internship (MTI) at URI, Washburn Hall, Room 126
mtiaturi@gmail.com
Hannah Hodgson, South Kingstown CARES http://www.skcares.org/contactus.htm
caresoffice@skschools.net
Diana Marshall, College of Human Science and Services Experiential Education Coordinator
dmarshall@uri.edu
Policy campaign with an ~800 word OpEd or Letter to Editor
URI Library, 1st floor, Curriculum Materials Library
Mona Niedbala: mflorea@mail.uri.edu
URI Writing Center, 324 Roosevelt Hall
401.874.5932
Other or hybrid campaign
Peer leaders, course instructors and any of the supports listed above
Great Public Schools Task Directions
Kern/Byrd Fall 2013
2