ED308: ADDIE DESIGN - ENGAGEMENT

This week, our assignment was to continue learning about the design phase of the ADDIE process while focusing on engaging the learner. We also completed a rough draft of our course outline.  

Item of Interest
I found the varying kinds of relevance (past, current, and future) interesting. I was also surprised to learn that past relevance was least motivating for students. I think this is in part because as an Elementary Education major we are taught how vital it is to activate prior knowledge. Of course, this is still important to help students gain a better understanding, but not the most effective way to make sure a lesson is relevant.

Problem or Concern
My most current concern is ensuring my course is engaging and relevant. I can relate to feeling like a teacher is not providing any rationale for what we are doing and assuming it is just busy work. This module made a great point that most of what students categorize as busy work actually is intended to serve a purpose. I hope I can be clear on what my course requires and why. I know that if I fail to be clear in my reasoning, it will most likely come across as busy work. 

ED308: ADDIE: DESIGN (Building Community and Collaboration)

This week, our assignment was to continue learning about the design phase of the ADDIE process. Particularly we focused on building community and collaboration.

Item of Interest
I found a lot of great information in our reading about collaboration. I was surprised to learn that discussions are not always the best option (mainly because they are utilized so much). I found the short lecture on discussion board posts particularly interesting this week. I feel I am learning a lot through this process. Dr. Gale's lecture gave me additional insight into a component of online courses I felt I was already very familiar with. 

Problem or Concern
I don't really feel that I have a concern at this point. I am busy finalizing my outline and trying to ensure I haven't missed anything. I am doing a course on The Leader in Me program and I am targeting my lesson for 4th-5th grade. If I had to pick a concern it would be making it age appropriate and ensuring it won't be to silly for this age or to boring. I plan to talk with the 5th grade teachers at the school I am student teaching at this week and get their input. 

ED308: ADDIE Step 2: DESIGN (Assessments)

This week, our assignment was to learn about the design phase of the ADDIE process. Particularly designing the assessments. I learned that while designing the assessments, I must remember to consider the goals, the learners, the context, and the assessment itself. 

Item of Interest
I found it interesting the variety of assessments that can be and should be included as well as the value of self-assessments. I think since I am doing a lesson for elementary school students, this is something I will be sure and do often. 

Problem or Concern
I am less concerned about this project than I was last week. I am beginning to get a better picture of what I want the outcome to be and I'm feeling good about the process. My only concern at this point is my ability to make the course usable in the future. I know I can do what is asked for this ED308 course assignments, but I really want to make a course that can be used and that I will be proud to share in the end. 

ED308: ADDIE Step 1: ANALYSIS

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This week, our assignment included beginning our course outline that we will use throughout the course.  We will be following the ADDIE model which is a five step circular process to create an online course. The Steps are Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.  This weeks assignment focused on step 1: ANALYSIS. This included collecting student and content information. It is important to know that analysis must take place before the design is created. This is to ensure that the information about the students as well as the content is considered from the beginning.

As far as my students for this course design, I will be creating a course for Elementary students, since that will be relevant to what I would use this for in the future. I am leaning towards 4th-5th grade since they will have enough technology experience.I will be doing my course design based on the Leader in Me model which is being used in many schools including the one I am currently student teaching in. I hope to share my completed course with the school. 

Items of Interest

One thing I found interesting in this weeks assignment was how the ADDIE process focuses on the student. I think the analysis step is crucial in the process and the student should always be the main concern. I also found it interesting that the process is circular, as it should be. Teachers should always be reevaluating and making any necessary adjustments.

Problem or Concern

The only concern I have at the moment is the depth of this project. I feel like I understand the overall ADDIE process fairly well so far, but applying it to a project I am designing is a little overwhelming. I am sure as the course progresses I will learn more about course design and I will be more confident. For now, I am just going to take it one assignment at a time.

A New Year and a New Semester!

I don't know about you, but I am super excited for 2015! 

This year will be the year I graduate from college and boy has it been a long time coming. 

 I will graduate in December and will be completing minors in both Educational Technology and English Language Learners. I utilized this blog for my ED Tech classes last semester and it appears I will be doing the same for my classes this spring. I hope you enjoy learning along side of me. One day I may finish adding all the bells and whistles on my blog, but for now, please bear with me and remember I work and go to school full-time. There is only so much time in the day y'all. 

This semesters courses you can look forward to learning more about.

EL352 Management Strategies

EL 320 Children's Literature

HPE428 Physical Education for Elementary

ED 404 Methods and Materials for Teaching English Language Learners

Human Growth and Development

Math 232: Math for Teachers

Problem and Project-Based Learning

My most recent ED307 project was all about Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning. I learned a great deal about the similarities and differences and I would love for you to watch my video. I will warn you, it is a bit long (sorry). One thing you won't find in either.. worksheets! I love that both methodologies are hands-on and student centered.


WATCH MY VIDEO HERE >>>>>>>>>>Problem and Project-Based Learning Presentation

Student Improvement with a Partnering Pedagogy

The book Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning by Marc Prensky is a wonderful resource for teachers. As a pre-service teacher, I found there was a great deal of useful information. Prensky did a great job of explaining how our world is changing and how technology is a key component of that change. He included wonderful and explicit ways to use technology in the classroom and to give digital natives what they are asking for in the classroom. 

One thing that stood out from the book, was the way Prensky discussed student and teacher improvement. Teachers want to see their students improve and with partnering, there are several ways to help students see continuous improvement. Prensky tells us there are levels both for students and for teachers. 

PARTNERING LEVELS FOR TEACHERS

(as stated in Teaching Digital Natives:Partnering for Real Learning)

Level 0	All teaching is done by lecturing (i.e., telling, direct instruction), and all student practice is done using worksheets.
Level 1	In addition to lectures, other presentation modes, such as DVDs or videos, are introduced periodically. Worksheets are still the primary mode of in-class practice for students.
Level 2	The teacher lectures while using interactive whiteboards and showing PowerPoint presentations and videos. In addition to worksheets, some computer and search-based student activities are introduced in class or in computer labs.
Level 3	The teacher tries to keep lectures short, using a rule of no more minutes per lecture than the grade level. Students do a variety of in-class activities, many on the computer.
Level 4	Partnering (i.e., guiding questions given, students work on their own, followed by presentation and discussion) is done on some days, with some topics. Lectures, explanations, and worksheets are still used for some material.
Level 5	All teaching is done through partnering. The teacher never tells or lectures, even when giving instructions. Students always work on their own or in groups, always have clear goals that they know where to find, and accomplish the goals regularly using a variety of tools. Discussions and critiques are student led, fully participative, and lively.

PARTNERING LEVELS FOR STUDENTS

(as stated in Teaching Digital Natives:Partnering for Real Learning)

Level 0	Students are expected to listen, take notes, hand in assignments and homework on time, and pass frequent tests.
Level 1	Students engage in some active doing, non-listening-only activities in addition to those from Level 0.
Level 2	Students spend at least half their time doing partnering activities, finding their guidign questions and goals on their own, and selecting activities from a teacher-provided menu.
Level 3	In addition to the activities from Level 2, students discuss upcoming lessons with the teacher, help create guiding questions, suggest activities and tools, and do their own research. There is still some listening and note taking.
Level 4	Students are expected to, and do, find or create guiding questions, do research, make presentations, self-form into groups when necessary, complete self-designed projects, and lead and participate in critiques and discussions.
Level 5	Students do everything from Level 4 and also help the teacher design classes for maximum engagement and teach their peers whenever necessary.