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In Search of Self - Human Qualities and Ideals
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Key Concept:

Many of the qualities and ideals that are most important in North America are universally valued. You have had the opportunity to look at texts from different countries and reflect on some of the values present in countries foreign to you. Through a panel discussion, you will delve further into the ideals and literature of other countries by researching and becoming experts in one area of the world.

Objectives:

You will be able to
- participate in a panel discussion
- speak to express understanding
- speak to inform and persuade
- ask for clarification
- assess the overall effectiveness of discussions, presentations, meetings, and speeches
- locate, assess, and summarize information from a variety of sources
- summarize information
- broaden knowledge of cultural heritage
- understand the ideas, values, and cultures of peoples past and present
- read to understand and appreciate an international literary heritage and world perspective

Resources:

- panel discussion outline
- panel discussion evaluation

Teaching-Learning Strategies:

Any type of oral communication requires consideration of your role, the intended audience, the presentation form, the topic of subject of representation, and the use of strong verbs for purpose and tone (RAFTS). In groups of four or five, you will be preparing a panel discussion after researching a country of your choice.

Task One: On Your Mark

A panel discussion is a formal, public speaking strategy and therefore can seem to be a daunting task without the proper preparation.

A panel discussion occurs when a group discusses an idea or issue, pools the group's knowledge and research, and presents its findings in a panel format (Definition adapted from the ELA curriculum)

Your panel discussion must include the following informational topics on the country your group chooses:

1. History
2. Politics
3. Economy
4. Culture
5. Literature (at least 2 examples and analysis of how each selection reflects the culture and/or values of the country you are discussing)

Task Two: Get Set

Begin by starting your research in the library or in the computer lab.

It can be easy to waste time internet searching if you do not know all the simple tricks you can use to narrow a search. For more information on effective internet searches, and to save you time, check out these web sites.

1. The Media Awareness Network's Searching the Internet Effectively and Authenticating On-line Information are excellent.

2. Bright Planet's How to conduct an effective search

In order to narrow down a search, you must first decide on specific keywords or phrases to enter into a search engine. By searching for your country on the following web sites, you will have some valuable information for your panel and some specific keywords that you can use to continue searching.

1. Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia
2. Encyclopedia.com
3. MSN Encarta
4. Infoplease.com

As you are researching, you should be working through the panel discussion outline. You have already determined purpose and audience with your teacher, now you will begin making jot notes in section three as you research.

Remember, you must be able to answer questions at the end of your presentation. Make sure that you know where all of your information came from and that you have proof of all your facts.

Once your group has enough research on your countries, you will need to begin organizing your information. Each person is responsible for presenting his/her information as an expert panelist.

Use section four of your outline to begin organizing. Remember that you must organize your own information so that you have an introduction, body, and conclusion, and your group must organize all the information into a smooth, formal presentation.

Task Three - Go!

In order to prepare your panel discussion properly, it is a good idea to view an example of a panel discussion.

Harvard University and MIT World both offer video archives of panel discussions on world events. Choose one that interests you and watch the introduction and an expert presentation. Pay close attention to the order of the presenters and the language (strong verbs) they use in their presentations.

Alternatively, you could watch this video clip of a small section of a prepared, student panel discussion and grade the students in the video using the same evaluation that will be used to evaluate you!

Discuss with the class what you noticed about the presenters and ask your teacher for clarification on anything of which you are unsure.

It is a good idea to practice both individually and as a group. Try practicing your expert testimony in front of a family member. This will help you become more comfortable with the information you will eventually present in front of the class. Practicing as a group will ensure that the order of your presentation is smooth and give you a chance to predict possible questions from the audience.

Once you have researched, organized, and practiced, you are ready to present your panel discussions.