美国国家公共电台 NPR NPR Student Podcast Challenge: Turn An Idea Into Sound — And Win

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Some educators want kids in school to do more project-based learning - you know, where kids are given something concrete to do, like a history diorama or a project in one of my kid's classes where everybody in the class had to do a poster on a different disease. Advocates of project-based learning want to do a lot more of that, which is a trend that NPR's Anya Kamenetz is covering. Hey there, Anya.

ANYA KAMENETZ, BYLINE¹: Good morning, Steve.

INSKEEP: OK, so how is project-based learning different from what many people did in fifth grade, say?

KAMENETZ: Right. So this made me think of when I sewed a Woodrow Wilson doll in the seventh grade (laughter), which was great, with the little glasses. But basically, today's project-based learning is what John Larmer of the Buck² Institute for Education calls the main course and not the dessert. So they happen during class time. They're conveying the central concepts and skills in the curriculum.

And, you know, a lot of people say this is more like what the workplace asks of us. You know, people work in teams these days. And our output is more likely to be something like a PowerPoint presentation than perhaps like a five-paragraph essay.

INSKEEP: OK, so it's more practical. It's focused on some kind of project. But what makes it a better way to learn?

KAMENETZ: That's a great question. I talked to Heather Wolpert-Gawron, who teaches English language arts at a middle school in San Gabriel, Calif. And she's also part of the national faculty³ at the Buck Institute. And she said something great. Project-based learning is her antidote⁴ for what she calls...

HEATHER WOLPERT-GAWRON: The monstrous⁵ meh.

(LAUGHTER)

KAMENETZ: So the monstrous meh - you can tell she'd be a fun teacher, right?

INSKEEP: Yeah.

KAMENETZ: It's when learning is boring. And, you know, it's boring for teachers too, as well as students.

WOLPERT-GAWRON: And if it's not engaging, it's not going to stick.

KAMENETZ: So she has kids in her classes do projects whenever they can. For example, pretend to be superheroes. Form a league of superheroes. Pick a global problem to fight. And present it to a mock United Nations.

INSKEEP: (Laughter).

WOLPERT-GAWRON: Project-based learning combats the meh because it really creates an engaging and authentic⁶ experience for those students that stick with them long after their years in school.

INSKEEP: Authentic.

KAMENETZ: Yeah, yeah, I pulled out that too. I think that's a really key concept. So the idea here, in two ways - one, projects are authentic to students' own interests and voice. And projects are authentic in the sense they're connected to real-world problems. And ideally, there's a public audience for the output that the students are making. So John Larmer, again, from the Buck Institute, says...

JOHN LARMER: The public audience aspect really ups the quality of students' work. If they know that they're going to be standing⁷ in front of their city council to propose a solution for the polluted lake in their community, they better know their stuff. So it really ups their game. And it also just makes it - learning feel real.

INSKEEP: Anya, this is all very interesting reporting that you're doing here for us. But I'm thinking that it might be more memorable⁸ for people if you could put it in the form of a project.

KAMENETZ: Ah, that's a great suggestion. So there's an authentic reason for us to talk about this because today, Steve, we're launching the first-ever NPR Student Podcast Challenge.

INSKEEP: OK.

KAMENETZ: Yeah, so that's an opportunity for students between fifth and 12th grade to do project-based learning in their classes or afterschool clubs and, in this case, to put together a podcast.

INSKEEP: That's a project, all right.

KAMENETZ: Yes, it sure is. And submissions⁹ are going to open in January. Of course, you can start working on it now. Our judges are going to pick one winning podcast from middle school - that's fifth through eighth grades - and one from high school. And NPR journalists are going to visit your school if you win. And the winning podcasts are going to be featured on segments right here on the radio.

INSKEEP: Well, where can people get more information about this?

KAMENETZ: Teachers and students can go to www.npr.org/studentpodcastchallenge for more information, to read all the rules. And we are excited to hear what students have to say.

INSKEEP: Anya, get back to work on your diorama, if you don't mind.

KAMENETZ: (Laughter). OK.

INSKEEP: That's NPR's Anya Kamenetz.

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

3 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

4 antidote   

n.解毒药，解毒剂

参考例句：

• There is no known antidote for this poison.这种毒药没有解药。
• Chinese physicians used it as an antidote for snake poison.中医师用它来解蛇毒。

5 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

6 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

9 submissions   

n.提交( submission的名词复数 )；屈从；归顺；向法官或陪审团提出的意见或论据

参考例句：

• The deadline for submissions to the competition will be Easter 1994. 递交参赛申请的截止时间为1994年的复活节。 来自辞典例句
• Section 556(d) allows the agency to substitute written submissions for oral direct testimony in rulemaking. 第五百五十六条第（四）款准允行政机关在规则制定中用书面提交材料替代口头的直接证言。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法