Experience+Portfolio

TEDP 415 FS2011

This project is designed as an opportunity to explore a variety of possible immigrant experiences through various media. Using immigrant experience as the primary base of inquiry, you will inquire into and explore a theme based on your interests.

The portfolio should include these components:


 * 1) Interview with an immigrant/person from another country (if possible)
 * 2) Middle of Everywhere Character Sketch and expansion
 * 3) Memoir/fiction
 * 4) Teaching tips in relation to your theme
 * 5) Reflection on your learning
 * 6) Group Format: electronic (website, wiki, Prezi, etc)

1. Interview: Interview an immigrant about their experiences of migration. Create a protocol and share it with Sheila. After you receive feedback, you may conduct the interview. Be sure to include general immigration questions, but also questions that help you focus on your specific line of inquiry and theme. You should plan to record the session so that you can go back and listen again later. Once you’ve conducted the interview, create a narrative of the interview and the experience of your interviewee. You will need to change your interviewee’s name, and you will need parent permission to interview anyone under the age of 18. Sheila can also help connect you with a person who will fit your theme. 2. Character Sketch: Choose a character in The Middle of Everywhere. Create a sketch of this person’s experience based on what you know from the text. Expand the character’s experience by inquiring into the experiences of that particular people group or around your chosen theme. Create an informative “text” sharing how someone from this character’s background may have experienced their immigration to the US, particularly in regard to schooling. 3. Read a refugee/immigrant novel or memoir. Based on this text, create a piece that illustrates the experiences of this group of people/the theme. It could be the form of a newsletter, a diary, a series of letters back home, a short film, a series of song lyrics, etc. Confirm your text choice with Sheila 4. Immigrants in the classroom: What information can you offer teachers about working with some of the people you’ve “met” through this project? Create a piece that offers advice, gives information and resources. This can be integrated in other parts of the project. 5. Reflection: Once you’ve completed all aspects of the portfolio, develop a two part reflection regarding what you’ve learned through your inquiry and the process of inquiring into the experiences of immigrants, or what you’ve learned through the project. This has two parts: a “text” (may be narrative) where you address formally what you’ve learned about immigrant experience, and a piece where you creatively reflect on the experience (poem, song, spoken word, visual art, video, photo project, etc) of learning itself (HOW you learned). 6. The format of this will be a collection of the group’s portfolios in an electronic format. We will decide as a class, and work together to create a space where we can publish this information.

You will be expected to use multi-media for this project, with an emphasis on digital media. In other words, you are encouraged to explore and seek out new formats for presenting for your work. Parts of your portfolio may create a digital story, a video, a podcast, concept maps, digital collage, prezi, etc. You should plan to include some visual, and some written work, all, in a digital format. The ultimate goal is to present our work during finals week in a professional format (to a live audience of people who can learn from this). The entire project will be submitted electronically.

Resources: http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory/howto.html

Tentative timeline

Interview Protocol: 2/25 Conducted: 3/25 Narrative: 4/10

Middle of Everywhere Character Sketch and expansion Finish Text: 3/18 Character Sketch: 4/10

Memoir/fiction Choose text: 2/10 Complete text: 3/18 Write up: 4/10

Teaching tips: 4/14

Reflection By 4/14

Presentation on Scholar's day: April 17 Presentation during exam time: May 11, 8-11

Group Format Decide by 3/1