Spring Reflections

As I reach the end of another semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on all I have learned about merging effective teaching strategies with new technologies through the MAET program at Michigan State University. I am especially excited and impressed by the topics in the areas of instructional design, the Scholarship of Learning, Universal Design for Learners, and assistive technologies. As a student and professional, I have learned firsthand the importance of goal-directed instructional design in the creation of technology-rich curricula.

This semester I have also had the opportunity to create and evaluate lesson plans that use technology in innovative ways to enhance student learning. Through MERLOT, I was able to publish a lesson plan, as well as a Stand-alone Instructional Resource (StAIR), and then receive feedback from other instructors and professionals. Giving feedback on MERLOT was also helpful in training myself to identify and assess compliance with UDL guidelines, ID principles, integrated technology, and alignment with content with curriculum standards.

MY GOALS

My own goals include integrating technology into instructional design in an innovative and interesting way and this program has helped me understand how to do that. Using the Universal Design for Learning checklist and the principles of instructional design covered in the first few weeks, I have learned how to design intentionally using technology to facilitate the best possible learning for the most diverse group of students.

My new goals consist of continuing work towards the MA in Educational Technology offered at Michigan State University, and more specifically to continue to design innovative and creative curricula in higher education spectrum. I understand that in order to maintain expertise in any field one has to stay informed and maintain a lifelong learning approach. I fully expect to be back in school and yet to find alternate sources of education through professional organizations and mentors in the field of educational technology.

Wikis

This week in I explored wikis. As part of my exploration of this technological tool, I edited the Wikipedia entry for Lansing Community College and added a section on the University Center (UC) that opened in 2007. I wrote a brief history of the center and listed the six universities that partner with LCC through the UC. I cited and saved my work, and you can now view the University Center listing at the following address: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansing_Community_College 

In addition to the Wikipedia entry, I also worked with some of my peers (nicknamed the DAASH) to create a wiki that contains an annotated list of key online resources in the development of information literacy and technology skills in students. Since my area of specialty is higher education, I assembled the Adult Learner resources.

This also provided a good opportunity for me to review the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education as published by the ACRL to make sure the resources I chose support these standards.

 

UDL Framework Applied to ID Lesson Plan

Adapting Innovative Technologies to Education

Below is a critique of a lesson plan I created at the beginning of the semester. You can see how I held it up to the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) guidelines and how it measured up (it didn’t, which was a critical point of this lesson). In the space below, I identified some features of the lesson that supported these UDL guidelines and also identified some obvious barriers in the lesson that would disable students from learning.

Click here to review my lesson plan “Creating E-Portfolios Using Google Sites.”

UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist
I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation:	My notes
1. Provide options for perception
1.1 Offer ways of customizing the display of information	FEATURE: written or audio/visual instruction options
1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information	FEATURE: subtitles on tutorial videos
1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information	FEATURE: audio linked to video instruction
2. Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols
2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols	BARRIER: web design terminology is left undefined
2.2 Clarify syntax and structure
2.3 Support decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbols
2.4 Promote understanding across language	BARRIER: tutorials offered in English with English subtitles
2.5 Illustrate through multiple media	FEATURE: multimodal instruction with multimodal assessment
3. Provide options for comprehension
3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge
3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships
3.3 Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation	FEATURE: tutorials organized, hierarchy of information clearly identified
3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization
II. Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:	My notes
4. Provide options for physical action
4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation	BARRIER: Google Sites is the sole assistive technology explained in the design of ePortfolios
4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies
5. Provide options for expression and communication
5.1 Use multiple media for communication	FEATURE: multimodal instruction: video, audio, web, text
5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition	BARRIER: lesson plan limits ePortfolio creation tools to Google Sites
5.3 Build fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performance
6. Provide options for executive functions
6.1 Guide appropriate goal setting
6.2 Support planning and strategy development
6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources
6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress	BARRIER: no existing tool for managing progress
III. Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:	Your notes
7. Provide options for recruiting interest
7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy	FEATURE: students are directed to follow a template, but have individual choice to customize the ePortfolio, and have some control of creativity of appearance, content, and overall presentation
7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity	FEATURE: relevance to “real world” and value is addressed
7.3 Minimize threats and distractions
8. Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence
8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives
8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge	BARRIER: no existing options for advanced learners to optimize challenge
8.3 Foster collaboration and community	FEATURE: open forum during class for the peer critique and assessment
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback
9. Provide options for self-regulation
9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation
9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies
9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection	FEATURE: performance tasks include a reflection of design strategies and e–portfolio plan

Goal-directed Instructional Design Plan

Lesson: Creating E-Portfolios Using Google Sites

1. A problem or a need – there must be a problem of practice or an educational need that should be addressed during the lesson.

An educational need for Lansing Community College is to provide LCC students with a method of showcasing their employment and/or coursework through the use of web-based student portfolios. The goal that will be addressed in this lesson is to provide students with the best practices and benefits of using e-portfolios to showcase work and advance careers.

2. A real-world performance – how the learning objective fit into a real-world activity or need.

The learning objectives of this lesson address the need for students to provide peers, professors, and employers with examples of their best work showcased in an e-portfolio. This can be achieved through Google Sites.

The exploration and customization of a Google site through student LCC email accounts (hosted by Google) will give students a starting point from which to expand and extend their professional portfolios.

3.  An instructional objective – the objectives are based on the final outcome, activity or test. These objectives will each be different for the four types of knowledge; performing skills, recalling facts, identifying examples of concepts, and applying principles.

The objectives for this lesson are based on performing skills and applying principles to e-portfolios that students create

• Create a thoughtfully-designed, multi-page  e-portfolio using Google sites that showcases jobs, skills, and coursework relating to your career path

• Write a two-page reflection on your design decisions as they relate to color choices, layout, font, and use of multimedia, and CRAP design principles; and also explain how you will use this e-portfolio to showcase your work and advance you in your chosen career path

4. A set of essential content – the basic ideas and skills that will allow the learner to complete the task or understand the content.

Basic design principles, navigation and effective use of Google Sites, the preparation of portfolio pieces, and best practices of e-portfolio utilization will be explored. The skill that will be evaluated is the ability to create a multi-page e-portfolio using a customized Google site that is well organized, accessible and unique to their career path.

5. An evaluation consisting of a test or observation – an assessment, observation or product showing that the objectives can be accomplished in the real-world setting.

There are two activities provided in this lesson that are used for evaluation.

• The students will create their own e-portfolio using Google Sites.
• The students will write a reflection of their design strategies and e–portfolio plan and present their reflection and e-portfolio to the class.

6. A method to help participants learn – the method to deliver the content; a lesson.

The lesson is provided in two sequential tutorial videos, and as written instruction as a PDF.

Motivation:

Meaningfullness – content and activities must have meaning for the learner

Google Sites is a technology that provides students with a free, effective, web-based method of showcasing their work. Through learning, reflection, and carefully planning, students will learn how to create their own e-portfolio, how to assess its effectiveness, and develop a plan to best utilize it to advance their career of choice.

Pleasant consequences – the effects that achieving the goal will have on the learner

The student will have an organized, multi-paged e-portfolio to showcase their work during and after their educational career at Lansing Community College.

Novelty – an attention-getting, humorous or curious manner that relates to the useful information in your lesson

The introduction to this lesson includes feedback from employers that stress the importance of the e-portfolio when pursuing a career path. Also, when relaying design principles, instead of using examples of effective design strategies, this lesson takes a humorous, over-the-top approach and shows examples of highly ineffective design strategies.

Socialization – a strong motivator for student learning

Students will have an opportunity to present their e-portfolios to their peers, and there will be an open forum during class for the peer critique and assessment. The lesson also includes an award ceremony for the students who show outstanding achievement in e-portfolio design.

Audience – For what audience are you designing this lesson? Consider the following:

• Age: 18+ or high school graduates
• Skill level (including technology skills): LCC students with varied technology skills, but all having basic internet literacy skills.

Prerequisite knowledge (including technology background): Able to access LCC student email account and navigate Windows or Mac OS.

Technology Needs – the computers, software, programs (such as Angel or other CMS’s) printers, equipment, Internet access, time in the computer lab will be needed to successfully complete your technology-rich lesson.

• Computer with high speed Internet access and sufficient memory and RAM
• Flash drive or external hard drive to backup work
• A basic collection of past coursework or work projects or creative pieces to showcase
• Basic technology skills such as e-mail, MS Office, GoogleApps and the desire to learn