"School Train" and "Fox Becomes A Better Person"

Assignment #1 deals with grading technology projects. How do you put a numeric value on creativity? What can you quantify? I watched two student-created movies ("School Train" and "Fox Becomes a Better Person") and identified the most important aspects to keep in mind while grading.


I see many parallels between grading papers and projects. Relevant assessment points include:

• Can I clearly identify the topic, thesis, or theme? If I cannot easily tell what the video (or other method) is designed to portray, then it is not clear enough.
• Are all parts of the production related directly to this theme? Whatever the media, all parts should tie directly back to the theme. In “School Train,” some of the effects are cute and entertaining, but do they add to the metaphor development? The kids making faces are fun, but how does it relate to learning or the train? Creativity and entertainment should count as a separate category on the rubric, but they should not be specious. Do not get swept away by technology. Special effects should add to the project, not overshadow its original purpose.
• The point of any project (be it paper or presentation) is to demonstrate ownership of a concept. It is important to identify what each student’s role was in creating the final product. It is easy to evaluate what Hannah contributed to “Fox Becomes A Better Person.” Keeping in mind the age of the students in “School Train,” it is hard for me to believe that the final product, with all its special effects, was student-driven. This makes me question their role in scripting and producing the video, and whether or not they understood the metaphor.