Invasive Plant Student Video Challenge

Objectives:

The objective of this project is twofold: to provide educators with an alternative tool for assessing student retention of information about non-native, invasive plants in Florida AND to draw public attention to the issue through the use of web-based social networking.

Audience:

The target audience is local teachers and school children, their families and friends, the local community, and the general public.

Methods:

As part of the outreach efforts of Osceola County’s Demonstration Project on Hydrilla and Hygrophila, Stacia Hetrick (ANREP and FANREP member) with the University of Florida/IFAS Osceola County Extension Office and Amy Richard (non-member) with the University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (UF CAIP) worked with select elementary, middle, and high school teachers and students in Osceola County conduct the Invasive Plant Student Video Challenge. Students created short videos on topics relating to invasive aquatic plants infesting area lakes and ponds. A “Teacher Kit” was created and provided to teachers to guide them through the process with their students. The kit includes 1) a Teacher Instruction Sheet, 2) Job Description/ Grading Rubric, 3) Storyboard Template, and 4) Sample Video Scenarios (all files are attached and posted online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/challenge). Additionally, we provided technical support when students and teachers were ready to film the “raw” footage as well as assistance with the editing and final production, when needed. The videos are posted online through the Osceola County Demonstration Project website (http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola), UF/IFAS Invasive Plant YouTube channel, (http://www.youtube.com/user/UFInvasivePlantsEDU) and the event is also posted on Facebook™ (search for UF Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants – Education Initiative). To publicize the videos, press releases (attached) were created and sent to email distribution lists for numerous societies (including ANREP) and local newspapers and magazines. Business card-sized webcards (attached) were created and distributed to advertise the website where the videos are posted. Local teachers also held “parent nights” and “video showings’ to share the videos with parents and fellow students.

Why this program is innovative, unique, cutting-edge, risk-taking and successful in reaching its objectives.

In recent years, web-based video communication has become a very effective means for sharing ideas among large audiences, especially young audiences. We utilized new technologies to engage younger audiences and encourage them to be actively involved in the discussion about invasive plants by providing them an opportunity to produce their own short videos. It is anticipated the student videos will generate new interest among students, their classmates, friends, families and the community as individuals visit the website to watch these clever and youthful commentaries about invasive plants.

Evaluate this programs potential to expand, be replicated, or lead to changes in other programs that would benefit from this innovation.

This program can be easily expanded and replicated by teachers nationwide. The tools for conducting the project are available online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/challenge. Others can use this template as a useful model, should they want to produce similar projects in the future. UF CAIP plans to expand upon the project and utilize the template to conduct similar projects with teachers statewide.

Teachers can use these presentations as an assessment tool, to see what students learned from materials taught prior to the video project, and also as a basis of discussion and review afterward.

Other programs can benefit from this program because it provides a great way to engage young audiences about various topics and draw public attention to important issues through the use of web-based social networking.

Files

Photo- Stacia Hetrick

Resume- Stacia Hetrick

Teacher Instruction Sheet

A “Teacher Kit” was created and provided to teachers to guide them through the process with their students. The kit includes 1) a Teacher Instruction Sheet, 2) Job Description/ Grading Rubric, 3) Storyboard Template, and 4) Sample Video Scenarios (all files are attached and posted online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/challenge).

Job Description/ Grading Rubric

A “Teacher Kit” was created and provided to teachers to guide them through the process with their students. The kit includes 1) a Teacher Instruction Sheet, 2) Job Description/ Grading Rubric, 3) Storyboard Template, and 4) Sample Video Scenarios (all files are attached and posted online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/challenge).

Storyboard Template

A “Teacher Kit” was created and provided to teachers to guide them through the process with their students. The kit includes 1) a Teacher Instruction Sheet, 2) Job Description/ Grading Rubric, 3) Storyboard Template, and 4) Sample Video Scenarios (all files are attached and posted online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/challenge).

Sample Video Scenarios

A “Teacher Kit” was created and provided to teachers to guide them through the process with their students. The kit includes 1) a Teacher Instruction Sheet, 2) Job Description/ Grading Rubric, 3) Storyboard Template, and 4) Sample Video Scenarios (all files are attached and posted online at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/challenge).

Press Release

To publicize the videos, press releases were created and sent to email distribution lists for numerous societies (including ANREP) and local newspapers and magazines.

Project Webcard

Business card-sized webcards were created and distributed to advertise the website where the videos are posted.