Option A: A Lesson Plan for Students – A lesson in Digital Media and

Marketing with Constructivist views of Knowledge

Derek Wong
April 5th, 2018
ETEC 530 65 B
Introduction

Constructivism comprises of a “community of discourse engaged in activity, reflection, and

conversation.” (Fosnot, 2014). In order for an educator to provide and account for a students’
learning needs, the concepts of constructivism need to dictate the blueprint of the lesson plan
and the learning activities to follow. The lesson I have chosen for my students is an analysis into
marketing strategies and digital media. The inspiration for this lesson came from a quote in one
of our Research Café’s that said “good pedagogues recognize that diverse approaches to
instruction are crucial in any classroom." (Krahenbuhl. 2016. P.102) in congruency with my
recent teacher education training at UBC. My lesson has an inclusion of several constructivist
strategies which involve the assessment of prior knowledge, the challenge to traditional
students’ understanding of “knowledge” and to create a situation where a variety of student
portfolios may be highlighted. In addition, there are micro-activities which explore the idea of
self-reflective learning and scaffolding.

Instrumental Value and True Belief

The introduction to my lesson includes a video clip of a marketing scheme produced by Derren
Brown, a world-famous mentalist and illusionist. The goal of his campaign is to challenge the
beliefs of “professionals” and to re-define what knowledge is by dictating their thought
processes’ through manipulation. Following the viewing of the video clip, we begin with a
discussion with the students about personal experiences. We make connections with our real-
world experiences, and we draw from the knowledge and experiences of others that we have
known. Pritchard, states that “Much of our knowledge is thus social in the sense that it involves
a process of co-operation between lots of different people, including people in different parts
of the world and even people who have long since passed away but who transmitted their
knowledge on to subsequent generations.” (Pritchard, D. 2014. P. 81). It becomes apparent for
the students on the diversity of experiences they share while sitting in a common classroom.
This initiates the thought for students to challenge their beliefs of knowledge. As the discussion
progresses, the educator is tasked with challenging the students to continue the conversation
through a posed question of “What if the video itself is fake/scripted and now I’m manipulating
their knowledge through a video of someone else manipulating another someone else’s
knowledge?” This provides me an opportunity to introduce the idea and help students see the
“instrumental value of true belief, think about any subject matter that is of consequence to
you, such as the time of your crucial job interview.” (Pritchard, D. 2014. P. 10). This first activity
intentionally highlights students that are high learners in discussion purposes as this portion is
heavily based off conversational knowledge. Continue to allow students to discuss and talk
about where they derived their knowledge from and how it can be manipulated, modified,
improved, or corrected in the context of their space-based learning needs. Ask them to make a
connection to the video and how the individuals in the video share similar or same relationships
as these students do with their peers. When the conversation begins to drain, end the
conversation with a quote from one of our readings: “The problem with mere true belief,
however, is that, unlike knowledge, it is very unstable. Suppose, for example, that as you were
walking to this restaurant you noticed that none of the landmarks corresponded to where they
ought to be on the fake map in front you. You pass the town hall, for instance, and yet
according to the map this building is on the other side of town. You’d quickly realise that the
map you’re using is unreliable, and in all likelihood you’d abandon your belief about where
the nearest restaurant was, thereby preventing you from getting there.” (Pritchard, D. 2014. P.
11). To complete the activity, ask the students how your example can be related to the video.
The reason I have chosen to mix instrumental value and true belief into a topic of digital media
and marketing strategies is because of the apparent growth in the use of technology, social
media and e-learning strategies in today’s education standards. Students should begin to realize
at a younger age that although these technologies have their benefits in supporting their
learning, they can also have the potential to manipulate their ideas and cloud the way the
students think in a critical manner. An understanding and challenge to the traditional way of
providing information for these students (through multimedia) is a hope that it will begin to
enable students to judge material for validity before accepting it as truth.

Assessing Prior Knowledge and Revisiting

Our lesson continues with an activity that presents itself as a worksheet. The students begin by
filling out a KWL (Sunal) worksheet (what do they know, what do they want to know and what
have they learned) on marketing strategies and digital/social media prompts. The KWL chart is a
constructivist activity that assesses prior knowledge, and allows for reflective practice in the
students. In summation, Murdoch, an expert on reflective practice has fought for the idea that
students must include forms of self-assessment and self-reflective practices in order to truly
understanding what it is they are trying to learn (Murdoch, 2005). This activity also acts as an
pre-cursor to our next activity which will be outlined in the next paragraph. The need for
assessing of prior knowledge assists the teacher in knowing where they have to bridge the gaps
in learning, and provide additional scaffolds in an appropriate fashion. Students in this activity
are also given a different opportunity to express their knowledge. In the first activity, it was
purely verbal whereas this activity is a written chart. As this activity is a bridge between the
introduction and the bulk of our lesson, we can conduct the revisiting technique which is a
“concept of taking a step back to recall the collective memory of the group through targeted
discussion and questioning, that sets the stage for establishing the foundation for the next
stage of the process/project” (Fosnot, Chapter 12). We re-visit what we had just learned, what
we have currently completed and discuss what we will complete next. We emphasize
collaborative learning and ensure that students know they “need to ask questions, generate
hypotheses, model, test for validity, defend and discuss ideas” (Fosnot, 2013, P. 33).

Scaffolding and Multiple Intelligences

In the largest activity of the lesson, the students will perform an activity where they will enter
their surroundings and connect the learning they have just completed in the classroom with
real models they search for in the school. This activity is a continuation of building on multiple
intelligence as “intelligences are relatively independent of one another and that individuals
have distinct profiles of intelligences; assessments of each intelligence have to be
developed.” (Gardner, P. 5). It gives students such as kinesthetic learners a chance to move
around and physically search in their surroundings for inclusions to their assignment. In an
article we read in class, it highlighted “The problem of the heavy reliance on textbooks during
science lessons was addressed in the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Report (1989), noting that the present science textbooks and methods of instruction
emphasized the learning of answers more than the exploration of questions, memory at the
expense of critical thoughts, bits and pieces of information instead of understanding in context,
recitation over argument, reading in lieu of doing.” (So, 2002). As a modern educator in varying
the context of learning for students, my lesson attempts to combat the problem highlighted in
the above quote by removing the reliance on textbooks, and having students figure out
problems and search for answers in the activity and in their surroundings. As Fosnot states,
“Students need to ask questions, generate hypotheses, model, test for validity, defend and
discuss ideas” (Fosnot, 2013, 33). and I attempt to provide that opportunity. Scaffolding is
present throughout the lesson as minimal information is presented and at each stage, the
students are guided through question and review on the next step forward to proceed in the
activities in their success. “More recently, the concept of scaffolding has been broadened to
include a multitude of different tools and resources that can be used by students to assist them
with instructional activities. These tools can be embedded within multimedia and hypermedia
software to provide students with support while they are using the software.” (Kao, Lehman, &
Cennamo, 1996). An example of the scaffolding I have provided is the video clip introduction to
present the concept, then the concept was thoroughly discussed before questions were posed
to the students. In the next stage of the activity, the students were asked again to answer and
discuss their experiences with social media and targeted advertising. Finally, the activity to
complete the lesson is for students to seek out these targeted advertisements to which they
should have come to a relatively strong understanding through the repeated concepts in our
prior activities.

Conclusion

Prior to becoming a teacher, I understood education as the simple task of question and answer.
However, through the production of this lesson plan and continued activities in constructivism, I
have learned that there are layers to education and they need to be peeled back one at a time. The
quote by Krahenbuhl, "students are not experts – they need extensive opportunities to develop
background knowledge and scaffold to even remotely engage in these “expert” skills in a way
that contributes positively to their development. Factual knowledge is not an enemy of higher
order thinking rather it is closely related to, and indeed, a necessary precondition to allow these
skills to occur (Christoloudou 2014)" (Krahenbuhl 2016 P.101). resounds in memory for me as I
remembered my childhood education development was a difficult process in which I am thankful
for the diversity in learning opportunities my teachers have posed for me. If I had to choose one
concept to summarize this lesson plan, I’d choose the one in collaboration. “As ideas are shared
within a community, the ‘surround’ may intensify individual cognitive activity. Multiple
perspectives may offer a new set of correspondences, and at times even contradictions to
individual constructions.” (Fosnot, 2013, P. 22.) Collaboration is the foundation to several skills
and can incorporate countless levels of constructivist strategies.
References:

Brush, T. & Saye, J. (2002) A Summary of Research Exploring Hard and Soft Scaffolding for
Teachers and Students Using a Multimedia Supported Learning Environment. The
Journal of Interactive Online Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/1.2.3.pdf (Links to an external site.)

Fosnot, C. T. Constructivism: Theory, Perspectives and Practice, 2nd Edition. Teachers College
Press, 03/2015. VitalBook file.

Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Educational implications of the theory of multiple
intelligences. Educational researcher, 18(8), 4-10.

Pritchard, Duncan. What is this thing called Knowledge? (What Is This Thing Called?) (p. 13).
Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Murdoch, K. (2005). Take a moment: 40 frameworks for reflective thinking. Australia: Seastar
Education Consulting

So, W. WM. (2002). Constructivist teaching in primary science. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science
Learning and Teaching, 3(1).

Sunal, D. W (n.d.) The learning cycle: A comparison of models of strategies for conceptual
reconstruction: A review of the literature. Retrieved
from http://web.archive.org/web/20160426173157/http://astlc.ua.edu/ScienceInElem&Mi
ddleSchool/565LearningCycle-ComparingModels.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to
an external site. (Links to an external site.)
 Name: Derek Wong
Period:
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School Advisor:

Digital Communications: LESSON PLAN

Subject: Digital Grade: 10-12 Date: Duration:

Communications Lesson: 1 of 8 80 minutes
Lesson Overview This lesson is the first lesson in our unit on the
impacts of social media. Technology is changing
rapidly and it is imperative that students
understand the effects of media and social media
on their personal and social lives. By informing
students about the impacts of social media, they
will have a chance to think critically about their
usage and apply their knowledge to make sound
decisions when using these forms of technology.
The content in this lesson will cover targeted
advertising. The teacher will be expected to
provide information, demonstrate targeted
advertising through videos and engage students
through activities. By the end of this lesson,
students should have a preliminary understanding
of targeted advertising and can identify elements of
the subject in their everyday lives.

Class Profile 30 students

• ELL
• Grade 8
• IEP

Big Idea(s) • Products can be designed for life cycle 


• Personal design interests require the
evaluation and refinement of skills 

 • Tools and technologies can be adapted for
specific purposes 


Curriculum Students are expected to do the following:

Competencies
• Conduct user-centered research to understand
design opportunities and barriers
• Defining:
• Identify potential users, intended impact, and
possible 
unintended negative consequences



• Make inferences about premises and boundaries

that 
define the design space 


• Ideating:
• Generate ideas to create a range of possibilities
and add 
to others’ ideas in ways that create
additional 
possibilities 


• Critically analyze how competing social, ethical

and 
sustainability considerations impact
designed solutions to meet global needs for
preferred futures 


Content Students are expected to know the following:

• Identify digital tools used to communicate and
solicit 
informations 

 • Analyze the impacts of social media in global

communications 


• Interpret the impact on language use of online

technology 


• Assess ethics and legalities in digital

communication 


• Demonstrate critical evaluation of online

resources 


• Recognize influences of digital marketing in

online content 
creation and curation 


Language • Define isolated words such as, targeted

Objectives
advertising, consumers, advertisers 


• Targeted Advertising: A form of

advertising where online advertisers can use
sophisticated methods to target the most
receptive audiences with certain traits, based
on the product or person the advertiser is
promoting. 


• Consumers: A person or organization that

uses economic services or commodities 


• Advertisers: A person or company that

advertises a product, service or event. 

 Materials and Equipment Needed for this Lesson

Visuals: Facebook advertisement samples, physical advertisements

(posters)
Text or Books: N/A


Equipment: Computer, projector, mobile device(s), computer lab


Materials: YouTube video, various social media platforms,
Activity worksheet

Lesson Stages Learning Activities Time

1 Warm-up Greeting: 3 mins

#instrumental • Ask and answer any questions unrelated

value
#truebelief to class 

#assess
#priorknowled • Take attendance 

ge
#constructivis
m • Allow students to settle in from break
and 
transition to starting class 


• Hook: 

7 mins
Play video of Derren Brown –
Subliminal 
Advertising
(https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=ZyQjr1YL0zg ) 


Ensure to give context to the video

– Tell the students we will be
 studying Targeted Advertising
today and Derren Brown
demonstrates a technique that
is used in advertising /
marketing for manipulation.
Ask the students to begin
thinking about where they
think this is applied in their
own lives (Hint: Social Media)



• Introduction: 

X`x`
Debrief the Derren Brown video 
 7 mins

Ask students if they have

experienced the same 
forms
of manipulation, marketing,
and advertising. Look for
answers within and outside of
social media. 


Play devil’s advocate and ask the

students: What if the video is
scripted/fake and I’m using it
as a form of manipulating
them to believe what I have to
say about targeted advertising
is true? -> Say
“Advertisception” as a joke 

2 Presentation Demonstration: 10 mins

#instrumentalv • Go over Power Point presentation of

alue
#truebelief advertising and how it is heavily used
#assess in social media 

#priorknowled
ge
#revisiting
• Ensure you remind students that forms
#e-learning of targeted advertising exists outside
of social media but with technology
growth, and its influence on people
that we will explore more in depth into
it 


• Ask the students to check for

comprehension: Can you give me an
example of a social media platform
where you have seen the targeted
advertising I am talking about? How
have these ads affected your decision
making? 


• Continue with presentation. Present all

the samples provided (Facebook
example of targeted advertisement). 


• Ask students to name the social media

platforms they currently use and list
them out on white board so it is
clearly visible 


• Pass out activity worksheet and outline

the instructions 


• Students will split into two. The first

 group is to head into the hallways and 30 mins
attempt to find examples of targeted
advertising in newspapers, posters etc.
Other group of students will focus on
targeted advertising on the social
media platforms they listed. Invite the
social media group to use their own
devices to see if they can find targeted
ads on their own accounts. Invite the
group looking for advertisements to
take pictures to share their
advertisements. After 30 minutes,
students will return to the room and
we will have a share and discuss. 


3 Practice and Housekeeping: 1 mins

Production
• Ask if there are any outstanding
#scaffolding
#multipleintelli questions the 
students have on the
gences content or activity 


• Prompt students with the question:

While you’re 
writing down
advertisements, think of how it has
affected your decision making and
the effectiveness of ad 


• When splitting the room in half, have a

good mix of strong students and
weaker students (ELL/IEP, Special
needs etc.) 

• Transition: 
 2 mins

• Call all the students back in to take

their seats 
and prepare to share 


Exploration:
15 mins
• Debrief the exercise and ask the
students to 
share their findings 


• Ask students to submit their activity 


• Preview the next lesson and project for

students 


• Starting next class, the students will be

tasked 
with creating their own
targeted advertisements 
on social
media platform(s) of their choosing



• The project for next class will have to

be 
completed and presented
through a digital media or
technology medium of their
choosing (Create a Facebook
account, make an advertisement for
their own e-portfolios, video editing
software to create a YouTube ad
etc.)
4 Closure Wrap-Up: 5 min

#revisiting • Check for comprehension by question

prompts: 


• For example, “I have been feeling sick

lately and 
have been complaining
about it on Facebook. They’re now
sending me ads about Tylenol etc.
What is the term to describe that
again? (Targeted Advertising) 


• Assign homework: Ask the students to

have paper on hand or their device
and note down at least 10 examples
of targeted advertising on their way
home or on their way to school
(Give an example: Billboards).
Remind them to begin thinking of
what social media and
advertisements they’d like to
research, create and work on next
class. 


Adaptations for • Pausing, repeating, and highlighting key points in

English Language
Learners
video 


#scaffolding • Multi-modal learning (Video that students can re-

watch, 
pictures, graphics, worksheets etc.) 

 • Comprehension checks (asking questions) 


• Students ask peers if teacher is unavailable 


• Simpler and more general terms used during

presentation 


• Power Point is accessible for review for students




• Students with special needs can take down less

than 10 
examples for the homework or find
examples within a 
controlled setting instead
of on the way home / to school 


• Students with special needs in creating media

projects can 
use different apps / mediums to
produce the project that 
will be started next
class 


• Graphic organizers for information presented and


structured breakdown of advertisements 


Assessment/ • Comprehension checks from guided questions

Evaluation of
Students’ Learning
throughout the lesson
• Check-in to see if the students are understanding
#self-assessment how to proceed with activity by monitoring
#reflectivepractice
progress (is only 1 student stuck? Is the whole
class stuck?) 


• Debrief of activities 

 • Review at the beginning of next class 


• Activity submission and homework submission

at beginning 
of next class 


• Homework used as a means of evaluating

understanding 
before students embark on the
large project 


Reflection • Did I deliver a thorough demo and provide

#reflectivepractice
enough information for the students to complete
#reflection the activity on their own? 

#self-assessment
• How did the ELL students find the subject-
specific vocabulary on top of the rest of the
lesson? 


• Is more direct instruction required, or is the

inquiry based lesson satisfactory? 


• What other forms of adaptations can I provide to

include all- learners? 


• Should I use a different method to deliver the

lesson next time? (Instead of Power Point
presentation, can I use some researched text?)