Transmediation with International Humanitarian Law
Purpose/Rationale
This was the summative assessment I used for my unit of study on "International Humanitarian Law" ("war crimes" and "the laws of war") in Law Studies 12. The students were tasked with researching an assigned topic related violations of International Humanitarian Law by answering "assigned questions" related to the basic information about their assigned topic; additionally, students were to identify at least three additional "research questions" they had about their topic.
After completing their research, students were required to represent their research in a "creative/artistic way." They were allowed to choose any medium of their choice, but they were to incorporate what they learned from their research in a meaningful way. Students were encouraged to be as engaging and creative with this element as they could as the cases they were looking at would be relatively unknown to most in the school community, and many are not considered by the international community to be "war crimes." Throughout history, the arts have been used to connect the hearts and minds of people to issues concerning social justice and human rights, and this is how I communicated the importance and relevance of the "creative/artistic element" of their research.
After completing their research, students were required to represent their research in a "creative/artistic way." They were allowed to choose any medium of their choice, but they were to incorporate what they learned from their research in a meaningful way. Students were encouraged to be as engaging and creative with this element as they could as the cases they were looking at would be relatively unknown to most in the school community, and many are not considered by the international community to be "war crimes." Throughout history, the arts have been used to connect the hearts and minds of people to issues concerning social justice and human rights, and this is how I communicated the importance and relevance of the "creative/artistic element" of their research.
Process
1) Students were assigned on of the following topics: Rwandan Genocide, Armenian Genocide, The Yugoslav Wars, Guantanamo Bay, Omar Khadr, US Drone Strikes ("War on Terror"), Bloody Sunday (Irish War of Independence), Myanmar and Rohinga.
2) Students were tasked with "pre-reading" about their assigned topic and creating an annotated bibliography of at least three different sources on their topic. They were then required to research and find answers to "basic questions" about their case: the war crimes that were committed, why these crimes were committed, if these crimes lead to "retaliatory crimes," and if they felt that "justice had been served" for the victims of these crimes.
3) After they had finished their "basic research," students were asked to identify and research at least three additional "research questions" they had about their topic. Students were required to write their answers to these questions (and the "basic questions") as in-text citations according to MLA Citation Guidelines. For their research questions, they were also required to explain in their own words what they learned about their topic by researching and finding answers to these questions. On the last page of these "research notes," students were to write a Works Cited List of the sources they cited in their research.
4) After completing their research, students were to represent their learning from their research in a creative/artistic way. Students were free to complete this aspect of their project using the medium of their choice, but most students chose one of the following media: "Evidence Board" (similar to what one might see on CSI or similar shows), poem, painting/drawing, or letters/diary entries from the points of view of at least three people who were involved/impacted by these crimes.
2) Students were tasked with "pre-reading" about their assigned topic and creating an annotated bibliography of at least three different sources on their topic. They were then required to research and find answers to "basic questions" about their case: the war crimes that were committed, why these crimes were committed, if these crimes lead to "retaliatory crimes," and if they felt that "justice had been served" for the victims of these crimes.
3) After they had finished their "basic research," students were asked to identify and research at least three additional "research questions" they had about their topic. Students were required to write their answers to these questions (and the "basic questions") as in-text citations according to MLA Citation Guidelines. For their research questions, they were also required to explain in their own words what they learned about their topic by researching and finding answers to these questions. On the last page of these "research notes," students were to write a Works Cited List of the sources they cited in their research.
4) After completing their research, students were to represent their learning from their research in a creative/artistic way. Students were free to complete this aspect of their project using the medium of their choice, but most students chose one of the following media: "Evidence Board" (similar to what one might see on CSI or similar shows), poem, painting/drawing, or letters/diary entries from the points of view of at least three people who were involved/impacted by these crimes.
Reflection
In their increasing need to demonstrate independence as they transition into adulthood, providing students with opportunities to be advocates for larger issues and problems will most often lead to a very engaging and fulfilling assignment for both the students and the teacher. In upper-level academic courses, older students appreciate the opportunity to be "experimental" and "creative" in their work (as these opportunities are few and far between).
Overall, the students were very engaged in their work, and given the freedom to do so, found very interesting and engaging ways to represent what they learned from their research. For the most part, I tried to choose topics that either served as evidence of how difficult it is to prosecute war crimes against a nation as well as examples of cases that could be considered violations of International Humanitarian Law, but for many reasons (often "political reasons") they are not prosecuted, and the victims do not receive the justice they deserve. As I anticipated, students also appreciated the opportunity the be creative and represent their learning in another way that was not "just a research paper."
Overall, the students were very engaged in their work, and given the freedom to do so, found very interesting and engaging ways to represent what they learned from their research. For the most part, I tried to choose topics that either served as evidence of how difficult it is to prosecute war crimes against a nation as well as examples of cases that could be considered violations of International Humanitarian Law, but for many reasons (often "political reasons") they are not prosecuted, and the victims do not receive the justice they deserve. As I anticipated, students also appreciated the opportunity the be creative and represent their learning in another way that was not "just a research paper."