FRIT 7738: UbD Stage 3 Staff Development Workshop

Debra Scott FRIT 7738: Practicum in Instructional Technology Stage 3- Understanding by Design Staff Development Workshop Spring 2012

FRIT 7738: UbD Stage 3 Staff Development Workshop Title of Unit Learning Management System (LMS) Workshop Instructional Level

Adult Professional

Standards: Communication and Collaboration Participants use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Instructional Strategy (IS) Building an Online Community & Creating a Virtual Learning Environment) a. Students interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. (IS Building an Online Community & Creating a Virtual Learning Environment) Understandings: Students will understand: 1. The importance of reflecting on their thoughts and ideas about their experiences with the new technology. (Instructional Strategy (IS) Journaling using blog/discussion posts task) 2. Sharing personal interpretations of concepts with others often clarifies and deepens understanding. (IS creating/evaluating discussion posts & building online community tasks) 3. Participants will understand that a virtual learning environment is an alternative platform for presenting subject matter content (IS-creating a virtual learning environment task). Related Misconceptions: 1. Online learning environments cannot effectively facilitate learning. 2. Student and teachers cannot effectively communicate in a virtual learning environment. 3. Issues surrounding technology management tend to make its use more distracting than beneficial.

Essential Questions: Overarching Questions: Topical Questions:

1. Will the exponential growth in the number of virtual learning communities eventually have a positive or negative impact on formal education?

1. How can open ended questions be strategically used to promote discussion in a virtual environment? 2. How can increasing awareness of metacognition related to learning new technology be used to facilitate the learning process? 3. How can a virtual learning environment be effectively used to supplement face to face instruction?

FRIT 7738: UbD Stage 3 Staff Development Workshop

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences

Pre-workshop Requirements:
Participants: Participants request blank LMS section for training purposes that can eventually be copied for an active class section. Bring flash drive containing course materials (i.e. syllabi, course handouts, video, images) Complete Pre-Assessment Survey (online activity) Instructor: Ensure that the meeting room has 1:1 accessibility to computers Enroll workshop participants as students in the LMS section created for training purposes. Send an email informing prospective participants of the pre-workshop requirements. Post all resources (assignments/handouts/web links) within the LMS. Post general instructions for each performance task using the assignment tool, include the rubric(s). Post journal/discussion questions using the discussion tool. Post surveys using the web links tool.

Workshop-Activities are described below using the WHERETO acronym (associated with the UBD
instructional design method) to assign the appropriate term to categorize the purpose of the learning activity (Where/Why, Hook, Evaluation, Rethink/Revise, Experiences to Equip, Tailor, and Organize)

I. Intro Activities Materials: computer & overhead projector Where & Why Prompt discussion by encouraging reflection on the discussion board topic: What is digital literacy? After brief discussion, have participants post their final thoughts in the designated discussion board area. Hook Begin playing The 21st Century Learner video to engage participants in a conversation about how they can help students develop skills that are essential for them to be successful in the 21st century. http://youtu.be/c0xa98cy-Rw Rethink - Journal Activity Self-reflection What simple and practical action(s) can I have my students perform to help promote digital literacy? (discussion board journal topic: Promoting Digital Literacy) Where & Why Present an overview of the workshop topics to be discussed. Include a brief explanation of the pre-assessment survey, the target audience characteristics, reasoning behind the active learning instructional strategy, and the overall objectives. Hook Introduce the concept of mental workouts by providing a brief overview of additional resources, lunch bytes. (Present the following quote to prompt discussion about the value of mental workouts: New technology requires users to switch mental gears more often and process information in new ways.) II. Building an Online Learning Community Materials: LMS discussion board tool Model the use of the discussion tool by facilitating continued discussion on an educators role in promoting digital literacy. The platform for sharing ideas will be the discussion tool in the LMS. Group Activity-Participate and facilitate online discussion by contributing comments, questions/prompts, and responses related to personal comments related to the participants comments shared on how they

FRIT 7738: UbD Stage 3 Staff Development Workshop

can help students develop essential skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. Experiences to Equip - Use LMS discussion board tool to contribute to the discussion board topic What role should instructors play in creating digitally literate students? Rethink- Journal Activity - Self Reflection (individual journal posting intended to encourage reflection on the value of virtual discussion from the student perspective) Evaluation individuals self-evaluate their discussion board participation using the assignment rubric provided in the Building an Online Learning Community assignment posted. Individual Activity Submit the completed rubric to the instructor as an attachment using the assignment tool. st (1 break) III. Creating a Virtual Learning Environment Organize As a group exercise, develop a list of essential components to be included in the virtual class section and decide which tool will be best for posting/presenting each. Using the overhead projector, model the setup/management of each of the following LMS tool(s): Managing Discussion using the Discussion Board Tool Uploading & Storing resources using Content Management Tools Managing Assignments using the Assignment Tool Managing Web links using the Web Links Tool After each brief How To presentation listed above, allow participants time to independently practice by using the tool to add authentic material to their personal blank class section. Encourage questions between classmates. Tailor- Allow participants the option of working in pairs or individually.

Evaluation individuals self-evaluate their use of the LMS using the assignment rubric provided
in the Creating a Virtual Learning Environment assignment posted. (2 break) IV. Conclude with a brief overview presentation of concepts introduced during workshop & available resources. Experiences to Equip Review available resources (handouts, instructional technologist(s) contact info, and location of instructional design lab).
nd

Rethink - Journal Activity Self Reflections (journal posting) Participants post response to the
discussion board topic Do the benefits offered by providing online resources to support face to face instruction make it worth the time investment?

Post-Workshop Requirements
Evaluation Participants are requested to complete an online Workshop Evaluation & Software Evaluation