Congratulations! You have almost completed an entire cycle of the process of technology design. (See figure 4-10.)
Throughout this chapter, you have worked to create a product for a person with a disability. You are not quite through yet. The process is not complete until you have evaluated the product and shared your results. In this Evaluate activity, Let Me Tell You About …, you will complete these last two stages of the process. Materials
-
Read your answer to Reflect and Connect Question 1 from the Elaborate activity to your team. All of your teammates should read their own answers.
-
Draw a large T-table on a sheet of chart paper. Label the left column “strengths” and the right column “weaknesses.” Use figure 4-11 as a guide.
Complete the T-table by listing the strengths and weaknesses of your team’s product. Use your answer from Step 1 to start. Then, work together to come up with additional ideas to put in the table.
Figure 4-11: Draw a large T-table on a sheet of chart paper. Label the columns “strengths” and “weaknesses.”
-
Work together as a team to come up with a 5-minute presentation about your product. The presentation should include each of the following:
- Describe the problem you were trying to solve for the person with a disability.
- Explain which materials you used to create the product.
- Demonstrate how the product works.
- Share the characteristics you included in the rubric and describe why you thought they were important.
- Explain the tests you ran, including the results.
- Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the product.
- Describe any changes you would make to the product if you had the chance to do so. Hint
-
Assign parts of the presentation for each person on your team to present. Everybody on your team should present.
-
Practice the presentation. Listen carefully to your teammates to make sure that they include all of the information having to do with their particular part of the presentation. Make notes about anything else that should be included. Discuss your ideas when your teammates have finished speaking. Hint
-
Present your work as your teacher directs.
Activity Overview
In this Evaluate activity, Let Me Tell You About …, students will complete the process of technology design by evaluating the product and sharing the results. They will do this by determining the strengths and weaknesses of the product and giving a 5-minute presentation about the product.
Before You Teach
Materials
For each class of 30 students, teams of 3:
- products the teams created
- 10 sheets of chart paper or butcher paper
- markers
- chart paper or butcher paper, or computer with presentation software (optional)
- timer (optional)
As You Teach
Outcomes and Indicators of Success
By the end of this activity, students will
-
evaluate the final product.
They will show their evaluation skills by
- sharing their ideas about whether the product was a success
- describing the strengths and weaknesses of the product
- presenting their ideas to the class.
-
demonstrate their understanding of the product design.
They will show their understanding by presenting the product to the class while describing the problem they were solving as well as the details of the product.
Strategies
Getting Started
Have students revisit the process of technology design graphic and ask which stages they have not yet completed. They have completed all the stages through evaluating the solution, or product. They will continue evaluating the product in this activity and will also share their results.
Process and Procedure
-
Have all students read their own answers to Question 1 in the Reflect and Connect section of the Elaborate activity to their teammates. This will give them an idea of whether each teammate thought the product was a success.
-
Make sure each team member draws a large T-table on the piece of chart paper. Students should label the columns “strengths” and “weaknesses.”
-
Give students time to complete the table. They should work as a team to come up with as many strengths and weaknesses as they can.
-
Give students plenty of time to create the presentation. As they work, circulate around the room to make sure they are including all of the information in Step 4a–4g. Let them know whether you will allow them to use a computer and presentation software for their presentation.
-
Have students decide who will present each part of the presentation. Make sure they know that each student needs to present some parts of the presentation.
-
Give students time to practice the presentation. Make sure they know what each person will say. Have them take notes as their teammates present, and then discuss any changes or new ideas.
-
Have students give the presentation. Give each team 5 minutes to complete the presentation. A timer will help you keep track as the teams present. Make sure that teams show the product and that they include information about each part listed in Step 4.