Instructional Design: Summation

Good instructional design covers all stages of the ADDIE model, answering the critical questions of Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. As these critical questions are answered, the instructional designer identifies the overall goal, learner needs and additional learner information, as well as the targeted objectives. According to Ritzhaupt et al. (2017), “Beyond the general characteristics of learners, designers should know what prerequisite skills the learner should already have before attempting the course. Along with pre-requisite skills is a need to understand learners with disabilities.  While a knowledge of the population of the learners’ academic levels is important, the why behind their academic levels is equally important.”

Instructional designers who provide instruction that covers the different learning styles reach more of their learners; this is a student-centered approach. Admin (2019) states the golden principles of high- quality instructional design are as follows:

1.      It must begin with an end in mind.

2.      It must be student-centered.

3.      It is redefined through continuous assessment and improvement.

4.      It follows a well-defined system.

5.      It considers the big picture.

These principles align with the ADDIE model in that each principle is found within ADDIE. Principles 1-4 are easy to incorporate in Addie; however, principle number 5 may be a little difficult for some to interpret. When I really look at principle 5, I see the big picture as getting everyone involved to make things happen. This simply means getting all stakeholders involved in the process to exercise their talents and abilities. Ritzhaupt et al. (2017) states, “determining who the stakeholders are is an important part of the analysis process as well as the overall ADDIE process as these are the people who inform the process and will have some determination in the success or failure of the process due to their experience and knowledge.  Preferably the known stakeholders should convene to determine who else should be involved.”

As I read through the material for this course as well as researched material regarding instructional design, I worked hard to make sure I progressed through the stages of the ADDIE model while designing my pd session. My professional development session is designed to change mindsets in our building to establish clear expectations for all that will assist with the positive development of our climate and culture. My session consists of relationship building activities and reaffirming our purpose, which includes understanding why we do what we do, grounded in our school’s mission and vision. Additionally, my session requires the faculty and staff to work collaboratively to create our school’s flow of the day protocols for students, faculty, and staff.

My delivery method embraces all learning styles. For example, I have a Google Slide Presentation that includes words in print, images, and video clips. The learners within my session will move around to work on team building activities, be responsible for presenting information to the group (Jig Saw activity), as well as participant in a Socratic seminar where they get to further provide information that will help them to understand the importance of setting clear school-wide expectations for all. These expectations/protocols will be created using Google Docs, which will allow teams to work together outside of our work session for the day. I started including Google Docs two years ago at my school, so I feel confident about the faculty and staff’s ability to use it. Because I am the Lead Mentor at my school, I have been in communication with our new teachers, so I know they have worked with and feel comfortable with Google Docs.

I am extremely excited about my pd session and tracking the effects through classroom walk throughs, surveys, and one-on-one conversations.
Click here for PD Information

References

Admin. (2019). The golden principles of high-quality instructional design. Retrieved from https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/344888/the-golden-rules-of-high-quality-instructional-design.

[Anna Sabramowicz]. [2014, Nov. 10]. Role of the Instructional Designer. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI0r9hwDc6Q.

Rithzaupt, A., Lee, B., Eichler., Calhoun, C., Salama, C., Nichols, J., Wilson, M., Hafizah, N., Davis, A., Beatty, O., Yaylaci, S., Sahau, S. & Wildberger, W. (2017, December 12). ADDIE Explained [text]. Retrieved from http://www.aritzhaupt.com/addie_explained/# CC BY license 4.0.

Instructional Designing with ADDIE: The Development Stage

Instructional designers have the task of creating instructional experiences that are beneficial and meaningful to learners while fulfilling the need(s) of learners and the organization. This can be a daunting task in essence; however, the ADDIE model breaks this process down into five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The first two stages have been discussed in previous post. This post will focus on the third stage of the ADDIE Model, development. According to Ritzhaupt et al. (2017), “The Development phase addresses the tools and processes used to create instructional material”. This is another important stage in the planning process that designers must refer to a previous stage. In order to effectively choose instructional tools and processes, instructional designers must know where they are going (have clear objectives) and know their cargo (the learners) to make sounds decision about their form of transportation (tools) and the route they will take (processes).

As I reflect over my years as an educator, I can remember several times when I created lessons and did not take the time that was needed to invest in the appropriate tools for smooth delivery. Requiring second graders to type in web addresses can drain all the positive energy from a lesson; therefore, I quickly began creating Symbaloos for my students, a bookmarking tool. As an instructional coach working with educators, I found myself utilizing Symbaloo more with educators who were not accustomed to typing in URLs, and they were extremely excited when they learned all they had to do was click on the tile. Symbaloo has become one of the tools I use when I know that my learners may struggle with typing at a certain paste and/or hand- eye coordination.

Symbaloo has worked extremely well for me with students and educators. At this point, I want to utilize a tool that will be beneficial for me as well as learners. One tool I have not really used is Google Bookmark. I laugh as I type this and look at the top of my screen and see sites bookmarked. This was done without any prior knowledge of what I was doing. I have since researched Google Bookmark and found a way that it can be beneficial for me as a presenter and for my participants. 

First, Google Bookmark will enable me to organize my material that will be presented during my presentation/lesson. I like to navigate to different sites, which can get confusing at times. Google Bookmark provides me with the opportunity to create folders and place them on my tool bar, arranging them in the order I will use them. According to Recess Tec, “The main advantage of your Google Bookmarks page is the ability to store your bookmarks and to access them from any browser on any computer.” As I mentioned before, I have used Symbaloo and have had much success; however, I want to teach other educators how to save and organize sites as well. What better way for me to do this than to be a presenting model.

References

Addie Model in Training Slideshare (2015, Dec 22). Development Phase [Image File]. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=development+stage+of+addie&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgs6yu2tHjAhVQLK0KHdk-AOw.

 [J. Clark Gardner]. [2011, Sept. 25]. The ADDIE development phase [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzYDNWhQWYA.

Recess Tec (2015, May 24). Google Bookmarks. Retrieved from http://recesstec.com/google-bookmarks/.

Rithzaupt, A., Lee, B., Eichler., Calhoun, C., Salama, C., Nichols, J., Wilson, M., Hafizah, N., Davis, A., Beatty, O., Yaylaci, S., Sahau, S. & Wildberger, W. (2017, December 12). ADDIE Explained [text]. Retrieved from http://www.aritzhaupt.com/addie_explained/# CC BY license 4.0.

[WSD Training]. [2019, Jan. 22]. Using Bookmarks in Google Chrome to be more efficient on the web. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFx-3BML34Y.

Instructional Designing with ADDIE: The Design Stage

When designing a training session, it is important for designers to determine the type of learning that needs to take place. According to Ritzhaupt et al. (2017), “Many instructional designers refer to Gagne’s taxonomy of learning (1985) as a theory that identifies the major domains of learning: cognitive strategies, psychomotor skills, attitude, intellectual skills and verbal information. These classifications indicate the differences between these learning domains that must be accommodated in order to design effective instruction”. Once the type of learning is determined, designers must then establish learning objectives that could fall in one of the following categories: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. “Cognitive objectives are the most common in an academic setting; these objectives exist to determine how the learners can demonstrate they have gained new knowledge. Psychomotor objectives can be used to define the ideal execution of a physical skill set. Affective objectives are the last major category of instructional objectives.  These objectives pertain to attitudes and values” Ritzhaupt et al. (2017). Now that the learning domain and learning objectives are established, designers can write all objectives for the learners.

When objectives are properly written, designers are then tasked with selecting the instructional strategies and activities that will motivate, empower, and provide meaningful practice opportunities for learners. One strategy I have used is called Socratic Seminar (a combination of the fishbowl and Socratic discussion). During a Socratic Seminar, students respond to an open-ended statement by providing supporting evidence from the text that they have read, while making meaningful real-world connections.  Students (the outer circle from the fishbowl) use a rubric to assess the group as they participate in the Socratic Seminar and provide evidence for their ratings. This strategy always challenged my students and pushed so many out of their comfort zone because they had to speak in front of others. The first thing I had to do before starting a Socratic Seminar was have my students to set their norms to gain buy-in and set up accountability. Three objectives would be covered each time my students completed a seminar: a speaking and listening objective, reading objective. My students gained a love for Socratic Seminars and began creating questions and statements for me, based on the text they had read, and I must say, they did a great job creating them.

Another strategy I have used with students and teachers is “Stories with Holes” by Nathan Levy. These are short stories/ scenarios that omit information (holes) and learners can only acquire information by asking questions that warrant a yes or no response. Critical and creative thinking are nurtured, and great listening skills are a must. These stories work well with motivating and engaging learners. According to Education World (2013), “Community Toolbox contributor Phil Rabinowitz explains that critical thinking is an essential skill for 21st-century citizens, since it involves analyzing, questioning and challenging situations, issues and information of all kinds. We use critical thinking when we raise questions about survey results, theories, media stories, scientific research, political statements and conventional wisdom". Creating objectives and selecting the instructional strategies and learning activities are extremely important to student success.

References

 Education World (2013). Top 10 strategies for building students’ critical thinking. Retrieved from https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/critical-thinking-higher-level-instructional-strategies.shtml.

[Fairfax Network]. [2014, Aug. 27]. Best Practices: Socratic Seminar for Critical Thinking [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-PBzjeYdp0

[J. Clark Gardner]. [2011, Sept. 25]. The ADDIE Design phase [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhLIiF9QyTo&t=244s.

Rithzaupt, A., Lee, B., Eichler., Calhoun, C., Salama, C., Nichols, J., Wilson, M., Hafizah, N., Davis, A., Beatty, O., Yaylaci, S., Sahau, S. & Wildberger, W. (2017, December 12). ADDIE Explained [text]. Retrieved from http://www.aritzhaupt.com/addie_explained/# CC BY license 4.0.

Instructional Designing with ADDIE

At some point in our career, we have all experienced a workshop where we wondered why we were in attendance again and what exactly would we take away from the session that we could apply in our day-to -day life. It is sad to say, but the reality is that many professionals experience this type of workshop too often. Unfortunate experiences like this happens when designers do not effectively plan professional development sessions by focusing on the instructional design components. According to Ritzhaupt et. al (2017), “Instructional design is a field concerned with the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of instructional experiences designed to make the acquisition of knowledge and skills more efficient and effective” (pg. 1).

One instructional design model that is used by designers is the ADDIE Instructional Model, which stands for analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. These five components work cohesively, providing pertinent information that will enable the designer to make prudent decisions regarding the needs, goals, objectives, and action steps for the session/lesson. The first component, analysis, drives the remaining components. Ritzhaupt et.al (2017) states, “Analysis is the first stage of the ADDIE model because one must first determine what must be done in order to know what needs to be accomplished. The Analysis stage provides this gathered information to the remaining stages of the instructional design process, which builds upon this critical information to produce the solution” (pg. 5).

As stated in the beginning paragraph, we have all experienced a workshop where we wondered why we were there. This question arose because we did not see the relevance of the information and/ or we did not see the information as our primary need. Glynn and Tolsma (2017) believe that the analysis portion of ADDIE takes an empathetic role in learning about the learners and stakeholder. Glynn and Tolsma (2017) states," As ADDIE practitioners, we conduct interviews, document organizational and individual performance results, and identify measures and skill and knowledge requirements to determine the level of instruction needed. We need to do this; we should do this. Yet, as we do, we create distance between our work and the actual performer in the role. Empathy closes that distance". Instructional designers must make sure they take time to complete the analysis component of ADDIE before moving forward. One cannot move forward if he/she does not know where they are going.

Reference

Futuristic Playground-Wordpress [Image]. (2014). Retrieved from https://futuristicplayground.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/the-design-phase-of-addie/.

Glynn, K. & Tolsma, D., (2017). Design thinking meets addie. Learning and Development, 34(1714), 1-22.

[J. Clark Gardner]. [2011, Sept. 11]. The ADDIE Analysis phase [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdv5lrJs4U.

Rithzaupt, A., Lee, B., Eichler., Calhoun, C., Salama, C., Nichols, J., Wilson, M., Hafizah, N., Davis, A., Beatty, O., Yaylaci, S., Sahau, S. & Wildberger, W. (2017, December 12). ADDIE Explained [text]. Retrieved from http://www.aritzhaupt.com/addie_explained/# CC BY license 4.0.

The Addie Model [Image]. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.savannahstate.edu/elearning/addie.shtml.

Virtual Learning

Virtual learning has been around for years and continues to make headway. I have completed several online classes and have a clear understanding of how distance learning works. As an elementary/middle school educator, I have heard about ACCESS (of course from some of the high school teachers within my district), but I did not have a clear understanding of exactly what it is and how it works. As I read the chapter and completed my research for module 3, I learned several things about virtual learning, especially ACCESS and Edgenuity. I will highlight a few.

The first thing that I learned was that students decide to take virtual classes for other reasons outside of AP credit. Some of those reasons consist of having the flexibility to leave school early for work, other extenuating circumstances, and just the opportunity to take classes that would not have been available to you within the school building. According to Morgan (2016), “Virtual schools also help students take classes they would otherwise miss due to extenuating circumstances. Roblyer (2006) discusses several examples of students desperately needing an online program to graduate” (pg. 74).

Proponents by Lisa Lavender

Secondly, I learned that there are states that allow students to complete an online course for a fee; however, they will not provide the grade for the student. The numerical grade must come from the students’ school system. For example, GeorgiaVirtual School (GAVS) and Florida Virtual School (FLVS) will allow students from outside of their state to complete an online course. The last thing that I learned was that students who are incarcerated can complete online courses to receive their diploma and/or continue their education.

Virtual learning has many benefits; however, there are a couple of things I find concerning. As I completed my research, I could not find any clear data that shows the effectiveness of virtual learning as it relates to student performance. Morgan (2016) states, “Critics object to the rapid growth of online programs in K–12 settings because of insufficient evidence about its effectiveness” (pg. 74).  Another area of concern is the effect virtual learning has on students with disabilities. Many students with disabilities need the social aspect that comes with the traditional face-to-face classroom. I am confident that improvements and consistent evaluations are coming. Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek (2015) states, “As distance education in the United States increases in importance, evaluation will continue to be a critical component of the process of improvement” (pg. 318). I really like the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s evaluation approach because it focuses more on the student (Learning, transfer and results). When taking a close look at levels 2-4, instructors should be able to see what adjustments need to be done to make sure the conditions for learning are present within the virtual classroom.

Overall, I have gained a lot from this module, but I still have a question about how a teacher’s schedule looks when he/she teaches a traditional and virtual class. How does the planning time look for them? 

References

Morgan, H. (2016). Online instruction and virtual schools for middle and high school students: Twenty-first -century fads or progressive teaching methods for today’s pupils? Clearing House, 88(2), 72-76.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (6th ed.). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

[Yvette Sands]. [2019, Mar 3]. Online education students with disabilities [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyx3Fwl6BEA.

Why Schoology?

As I reflect over this school year and the many successes and challenges teachers and students faced, I ponder over what can assist both parties in their journey towards success. Our district has outlined reading and math initiatives including instructional shifts that will benefit students greatly, so what else is needed. Teaching and learning in the 21^st Century must effectively integrate technology to prepare students to compete in a global society. With this being stated, teachers and students at the elementary level should combine face-to-face traditional teaching with distance education (blended learning) to prepare young learners for technological advances in education. There is no research to prove which delivery method produces the best results in student performance. According to Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek (2015), “When courses are designed and instruction delivered, what are the templates, the processes, the approaches to be used to determine whether a module, course, or program should be delivered face to face or online? Instructional design processes help the instructor make informed decisions about technology use” (pg. 127).                  
Instructional Design

As an instructional coach, one of my major roles is to assist teachers during the lesson planning process. During this time, teachers work collaboratively through our district’s lesson plan protocol that is standards-aligned planning. We focus on the standard(s) and the needs of students asking the following questions:

·         What are my students’ misconceptions?

·         What background information is needed?

·          What barriers can I foresee?

·         What is/are the big take away(s)?

·         How do I deliver this information to the different tiers of students?

·         How will I check for understanding and adjust?

Because our lesson planning time is focused on making sure students are receiving and retaining information with a conceptual understanding, Schoology will work well at my elementary school. Schoology is an “LMS focusing upon individual students, tracking the learning needs and outcomes over periods of time that can be several years in length” (Simonson et.al, 2015).

  Teaching

       More than 200 educational tools and platform integrations teachers use to engage their students in the learning process while integrating technology are already embedded within the Schoology platform. This works well for young learners who find themselves on other sites because they have typed in the wrong URL or accidently clicked on another site. Teachers and students alike become frustrated and technology becomes the distractor instead of the tool. 

      

     Students

       Since Schoology is a closed system, this allows students and teachers to have the distance learning experience without the need to surf the World Wide Web. As an educator of young students, this provides the ideal setting to incorporate Digital Citizenship. Educators must teach and model proper online etiquette. As stated in Simonson et. al (2015), “It is essential that students understand the complexity of the distance education setting in order to be certain to participate in an appropriate manner” (pg. 192).  Additionally, Schoology provides a discussion forum where students can collaborate with other students practicing what they have learned regarding proper etiquette and content.

 Support Material

     Support materials and how to use them are extremely important. Schoology provides teachers and students the luxury of having support materials all in one place. It reminds me of ACAP (Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program), the new assessment for Alabama. Our school had the opportunity to be an ACAP Field Test School and we administered the ACAP to our second graders. ACAP is not adaptive like Scantron and it is packed with technology enhanced features like masking (ability to cover parts of a problem and only focus on one part), cross-out tool, highlighter, magnifier, and line guide. These are tools that students will use as support during the state mandated test. 

     We must expose our students to support materials and tools, so they are ready for the test and beyond. My biggest fear is students will not do well, not because they do not know the content but because they do not know how to navigate through the platform and use the support materials and tools. According to Simonson et.al (2015), “teaching and learning materials are critically important to the effective practice of distance education” (pg. 223).

 Assessment

     Assessment is the means of measuring learning gains and can be used to improve the teaching-learning process in distance education settings, as well as traditional environments (Simonson et.al, 2015). The analytics of Schoology provides teachers with information regarding student performance aligned to the standards. Teachers and students can identify gaps and learning and adjust.

References

[Jessie Metzger]. [2017, Nov 17]. Schoology analytics [Video File]. Retrieved       from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvBmhbUrHRc.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (6th ed.). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Distance Education

My very first experience with distance education took place when I registered for an E-learning class back in the summer of 2011. At that time, I needed a few PLU credits to renew my leadership certification. The opportunity to complete a free course, gain knowledge about technology that I could employ in my classroom, all while gaining a PLU was more than enough to convince me to sign up.

Before taking the class, I had no formal teachings on/about distance education. The things that I quickly learned about it was that I did not have to drive on campus to attend the class and I could work in my pajamas. Today, many adults are choosing distance education because of the several benefits. EZtalks list those benefits as greater flexibility, no commuting, significant cost savings, and convenient learning.

With all the above benefits of distance education, I still experienced something I found to be a distraction and quite annoying. Some of the links that were placed within the assignment page, were not active links; therefore, I could not get to some of the resources. Because there was no face-to-face interaction, I had to email my instructor and wait for a response. Waiting for a response was one of the hardest things about distance education. Additionally, most of the classes were course management systems (CMSs). According to Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek (2015), “Course management systems (CMSs) were largely places for faculty to place lecture notes and other materials for student study, and for students to obtain those materials , take quizzes, and check their grades, and were very instructor centered” (pp. 110).

As technology progressed, so has distance education. Web 2.0 technologies open the doors of communications for so many teachers and students. Blogging and social networking are great ways to effectively communicate in an online class. These technologies have created a more student-centered approach to distance education. “These technologies have extraordinary potential for education and the kinds of learner-engaging functions that should be incorporated into the next generation of course management systems (Simonson et.al. 2015).

Currently, many people are taking advantage of distance learning. The social media aspect of the classes such as Facebook, allow for more student/teacher interaction as well as the video conferences. Ashley Holloway, a recent graduate describes her experience with distance education. According to Eastep, “The biggest advantage of online education, according to this working professional? Flexibility. “Attending classes residentially does not fit well with the typical work schedule,” she said. “The beauty of distance learning is being able to ‘attend’ class and complete assignments at whatever time of day is most convenient for you.”

As a result of completing E-learning classes online, I began integrating technology in my classroom and saw great results. Technology has become one of my passions; therefore, I enrolled into the Instructional Technology program at Montevallo University. If it were not for distance learning and the advances in student/instructor communication, I would not be able to complete this program.

                                                                   References

Eastep, A. (2015, May) Pressing on toward the goal.  59(4), 68-74.

Eztalks. Advantages and disadvantages of distance learning. Retrieved from https://www.eztalks.com/elearning/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-distance-learning.html.

[Interview Questions]. [2019, January 10]. Disadvantages of online learning [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2BawDG-NrI.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (6th ed.). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
[The skills network]. [2016, May 6]. Advantages of distance learning [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m-l-QpqxOo.