Can you help me understand this Writing question?

Each of the chapters you’ve read for this week has a section subtitled “A Flash Nonfiction Exercise” or “A Flash Nonfiction Prompt.” Choose one of these exercises/prompts as a jumping-off point for a flash nonfiction essay of no more than 500 words. This should not be a first draft but instead should be the culmination of a number of drafts as you craft the best essay you can by the due date. You will receive feedback on this draft from me and from other students in the class. Do the best job you can on it so that our feedback helps you further hone your writing. If you turn in a crappy draft that you haven’t spent time on, and we just tell you things you already know and would have changed if you’d taken the time to revise, then the feedback portion of the course is of little use. Write the author and chapter title of the exercise/prompt you chose in italics at the end of the essay.

Note that journals have to be at least 500 words and essays have to be no more than 500 words. This is to encourage a free-flow of ideas on the journal assignment (a first draft) and more careful editing on the essay.

Assignment #4: Personal Learning Theory

Throughout the term, you have reviewed many different perspectives on learning. Scholars and researchers have been debating learning approaches for almost as long as we have been learning. For this final assignment, Achievement First is interviewing you to work as a consultant to improve student learning. Part of your interview involves making a presentation about your personal learning theory. Relying on information learned and read in this course and at least two (2) outside references, create a six to eight (6-8) slide presentation describing your personal learning theory. You may choose presentation software you prefer. As you develop your presentation, include:

1. Describe the target audience with which you expect to work (e.g., 8 years old, special education, all-male). Discuss the theories or element of theories you have learned in this course that apply to the target audience you have described.
2. Prioritize the concepts that you must consider when formulating your personal learning theory. Next, explain your personal learning theory. Based upon your personal learning theory, describe the process by which you think people learn. Note: This is your personal theory that encompasses ideas or improves upon other theories studied throughout this course.
3. Outline a strategy for using your personal learning theory to help your target population learn.
4. Create a new and / or improved learning theory based on the theories or elements of theories that you identified in criterion #3. Create a new name for your learning theory. Describe the manner in which you would apply this new and / or improved theory to the target audience to help them learn.

The format of the report is to be as follows:

• Format the PowerPoint presentation with headings on each slide and relevant graphics (photographs, graphs, clip art, etc.), ensuring that the presentation is visually appealing and readable from eighteen (18) feet away. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• In addition to the six to eight (6-8) slides required, include a title slide containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The title slide is not included in the required slide length.

Note: You will be graded on the quality of your answers, the logic/organization of the report, your language skills, and your writing skills.

Outcomes Assessed:

• Analyze the basic principles of learning theories
• Develop a customized theory of learning specific to the students given environment
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in learning theory.

Unit VIII Research Paper  Your research paper should utilize the following guidelines:   Include an APA formatted title page.  Include at least five pages in 12-point font using Times New Roman. Indent block quotes (quotations over 40 words in length) .5 inch with no quotation marks around the block quotes. There must be a title to your paper.   Your paper should be about an intriguing concept or aspect you are interested in. You need to dissect something intriguing about your topic. Remember, the more focused you are, the more impactful/powerful your paper will be.  At least four outside sources should be included in your paper with in-text citations. The sources cannot include Wikipedia or any unreliable Internet sources. Go to the Waldorf Online Library or a publicly library, and find a book about the subject or a peer-reviewed journal. Any other sources used must be approved by your professor.  There should be a strong, solid thesis statement (the argument that ties your paper together). The thesis CANNOT be an obvious statement. There is no point in writing a paper if you are merely reiterating common facts. You need to be intriguing and insightful in your paper.  There should be strong development of your thesis as well as strong and solid claims.  You should conduct a careful and focused examination of your topic as well as maintain fluid transitions between paragraphs.  Think of the questions: Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? Could? And Should? Answer them!  Make your research paper as objective as possible. Eliminate pronouns such as I, me, or you as these will make you stray toward opinion. This is not a summary of your personal opinion on the topic. Instead, include a focused argument or illustration of your thesis. Also, do not back out of your claims by including phrases such as possibly, probably, I believe, or In my opinion.  A strong conclusion should be present, touching base with the claims you have made and how you have proven your thesis.  Make it powerful! Assert your claims, but always back them up with sources and evidence. Believe in yourself and what you have to say.

  Have confidence in your paper. Be very detailed as well. The more focused and detailed your writing is, the stronger it is.  Carefully present with your topic, and analyze the situation in detail. Back up your claims with evidence. Analyze that evidence. Immerse your reader in your topic and research. Your audience wants to hear all about it. Make him or her as excited as you are.

  Reminder: There should be NO slang or jargon. Also, this is not a standard five-paragraph essay. You will definitely have more than five paragraphs. Make sure to PROOFREAD! If you are found to be taking text or ideas from another source without citing that source, you will not receive a passing grade. Plagiarism is cause for disciplinary action.

  Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.  The final research paper is due in the end of Unit VIII.