Introduction:

This is a portfolio that reflects the newly-acquired knowledge and skills I have gained, as well as
the further development of my prior knowledge, throughout my tenure in the learning, design,
and technology masters degree program at Penn State World Campus. This portfolio consists
of three learning design projects which best reflect my mastery of a multitude of design skills,
principles, and theories that are fundamental to the coursework I have completed. Time has
been taken to discuss the requirements of each project, major design decisions that were made
in the development of these materials, and finally, how those aforementioned choices are
anchored in the disciplinary knowledge I acquired during my time at Penn State World Campus.

Learning Design Project #1:

This learning module/unit was developed for LDT527. The module I developed addresses topics
found within the American Government course curriculum at the high school where I am
currently employed. Unfortunately, the activities within the curriculum are very
instructor-centered resulting in an absence of student-centered and active learning experiences
for the students. Couple that with the dryness of government financing, and this topic was one
that students often left class complaining about how boring the class was. Therefore, this
seemed like a great opportunity to revamp the curriculum and offer students a higher quality
learning experience that is anchored in topics theyve experienced. Furthermore, the module
leverages the knowledge and skills students have gained in their math classes as well as the
personal finance elective course that many students opt to take.

The module is developed using the principles of the teaching for understanding framework
which attempts to develop learners who are flexible; they can see commonalities between two
situations and apply the applicable principles from situation A to help them address the
challenges associated with situation B. Given, that many students by their junior year of high
school have part-time jobs theyve been acquainted with the basic principles of budgeting
money. Additionally, theyve probably experience the consequences of clashing point-of-views
regarding money when their priorities for the money theyve earned dont agree with those of
their parents. Ive leveraged the understanding and familiarity that students have with these
personal events to help increase the likelihood of transfer of knowledge on a deeper level at the
conclusion of the module.

Three other learning theories that I utilized in the development of the module are problem-based
learning (PBL), situated learning, and active learning. Many of the challenges students will face
in the 21st-century careers theyll have will necessitate collaboration, communication, and
critical thinking skills. Therefore, presenting students with scenarios on day four, for example,
will provide students the opportunity to share their knowledge with their peers as they develop
an answer to address the issue presented to them. This concept is also found within the
framework of situated learning, which posits that learning is the result of social interaction.
Therefore, as students discuss and debate the challenges throughout this module and the
possible solutions their understanding is being solidified or reshaped depending upon the dialog
they have with their peers and the teacher.

Learning Design Project #2:

LDT 832 was a course which focused on designing courses and modules in a learning
management system (LMS). The LMS my district utilizes in Schoology, and for this assignment,
I decided to revamp a lesson on the roles of the President of the United States. In prior
courses, the concept of gamification was explored in great detail, and Im impressed by the
potential benefits that games have for the classroom. As part of that earlier course, I explored
games that I could incorporate into the American Government curriculum at L-SHS.
Democracy3 is a game where students assume the role of President and must take the
appropriate actions to win a second term of office.

The sophistication of the game as well as the critical thinking skills it requires of students is not
easily produced in any other way in the classroom with the resources available through the
district. Furthermore, students are presented with a wide range of rich feedback (polls, charts,
graphs, summaries) after each move they make in the course of the game testing the
students ability to analyze and interpret that information in order to achieve the games
objectives. Many of the issues that the students are taking actions are relevant to their personal
lives or are apparent in the community. For these purposes, I felt this was an excellent
opportunity to gamify the lesson.

Schoology is a product that I have been using for the past six years, and the capabilities of the
LMS have significantly increased during that time. Providing students feedback that timely and
detailed is a critical element to education at any level. Schoology has developed a variety of
tools for creating assessments. This allows me to present students with a wide variety of
questions testing not only their ability to recall basic facts associated with the lesson but to also
develop higher-level thinking questions. As previously stated, critical thinking is a necessary
skill is many of the jobs currently available as well as in the future. Therefore, providing students
with opportunities to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate concepts and course material
throughout the course is critical.

Another reason I opted to focus on this concept for developing a lesson within an LMS is the
technology permits students opportunities to reflect and compare their experiences with others.
All of the courses that I have taken as part of my LDT degree have included these reflective
moments as well as opportunities to synthesize the work associated with learning through the
act of dialog between students or between students and teachers. Educational theories such as
constructivism place a great deal of emphasis on students making meaning and developing
understanding through the social interactions. Schoologys discussion tools provide those
opportunities for public dialog centered on course concepts. Additionally, as an instructor I can,
easily point students to the feedback Ive left for another student if those comments are
appropriate for a classmate saving me time that I can spend on other teaching-related tasks.

The mobility of Schoology supports educational approaches like blended learning permitting
students to continue the learning process outside of the times when the students have my class.
Students have a greater degree of autonomy in determining when they participate in some of
the activities associated with this lesson. In addition, moving this lesson to an online
environment increases the ease in which students can incorporate outside information from
sources of their choosing thus encouraging them to create a community of sources that they
feel are valuable in supporting their learning. Unfortunately, the textbook only presents one
perspective on political matters while the vast pool of online resources affords students a much
more diverse presentation of course-related information.

Learning Design Project #3:

While enrolled in LDT 527 we covered a variety of learning theories and were tasked with
developing lessons that incorporated the principles of those theories as well as incorporating
mobile technology into our lessons. My work experience is in teaching high school Social
Studies in a traditional learning environment, so in order to challenge myself, I looked for a
learning environment that is vastly different than the one I operate in. Additionally, I sought a
topic that is unique to the disciplinary content that I cover as a government teacher. This design
blueprint is focused on the edible plant species located at the Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve
located in Lancaster, PA. This is a site that is open to the public thus its entirely possible that
learners could range from young elementary-aged children to a senior citizen. Some of the
visitors frequently spend time in outdoor environments while others dont have that same level
of familiarity in settings such as Shenks Ferry. Attempting to design a learning experience for
such a widely varying audience was another challenge I had to address in developing this
blueprint. By the conclusion of their visit to the wildflower preserve, visitors would leave
understanding the difference between a fruit and a vegetable, the various parts of a plants
anatomy to understand what parts may be edible, and finally how these wild edibles can be
properly prepared for consumption.

There are already some minor informative plaques located throughout the preserve helping
visitors to identify the various plant species. However, my aim was to leverage mobile devices
capable of connecting to the internet to further broaden the information that is accessible to
visitors. Additionally, the technologies I employed also permit visitors to create new content
which can be shared through social networks or pull information in from other locations which
adds to the depth of information accessible to visitors. To accomplish that end, I utilized
augmented reality coupled with GPS and QR codes to provide visitors access to knowledge
pertinent to wild-edible plants. Social media networks such a Facebook, Google+, and Youtube
permit the exchange of information between visitors and extend the learning experience long
after the person has left the physical environment of the preserve. Unlike traditional interpretive
methods, such as descriptive plaques, the technology that is being integrated into the wildflower
preserve is minimally sized thus viewers can enjoy more of the natural beauty the location
offers.

Impact on my conceptions and practices related to design and learning:

I have benefited from the examination of the learning theories that are associated with the
courses in the LDT degree program greatly building upon the foundation of knowledge from my
undergraduate degree. As a member of my districts technology curriculum, instruction, and
assessment committee, Ive put my knowledge of learning theories associated with technology
to work to help shape the professional developments associated with our transition to a 1:1
program. Teachers must take advantage of the capabilities that technology offers their students
beyond simply substituting a traditional activity, like taking notes on paper for example, with
taking notes on a computer. Technology coupled with a design that allows students to access a
wide-variety of sources promotes a well-rounded learner who has an increased awareness and
appreciation for varying perspectives on a topic.

The exposure to a variety of design models, such as ADDIE, has encouraged me to more
closely examine every component of a lesson I developed for my students. Unfortunately, there
are systematic restraints that will always present a challenge to developing the higher quality
learning experience. Despite these constraints, I need to consider the unique characteristics of
my students from one semester to the next. Critical evaluation of each source of information,
activity, and method of assessment is necessary to ensure that it suits the needs of the learners
rather than the preferences of the instructor.

Finally, a common theme evident throughout this degree is that what constitutes learning and
quality design is truly unique to each design project. There is absolutely nothing wrong with
anchoring a design to behaviorist principles when its appropriate to do so. Instructional
designers must keep factors such as terminal objectives reflecting the organizations needs,
learner demographics, constraints such as cost and cultural norms in mind when determining
which learning theory is appropriate for each learning experience. I am most excited by the
potential for independence that technology can afford my students.

Recently during a professional development session, the presenter kept coming back to the fact
that high school teachers are training students for positions that dont yet exist. It is my
responsibility to simply provide students lessons that promote the development and refinement
of 21st-century skills. Without a firm understanding of the occupations that await my students, Ill
continue to work on designing learning experiences which develop students who can employ
critical thinking skills to determine when prior knowledge is useful versus when new knowledge
is required to accomplish a task or goal.
Conclusion:
What constitutes learning is unique varying from one situation to the next. Rather than adhering
to a core set of principles that are to be applied to every situation regardless of the
circumstances, this project reflects my appreciation for flexibility in design. Effective designers
and instructors seek to identify the multitude of factors that make each project unique and
develop an understanding of how these factors act in the ecosystem of a learning environment.
Despite the large presence of technology in the courses affiliated with this degree, my work
demonstrates a responsible utilization of technology for the purpose of improving student
achievement recognizing that needless incorporation of technology can negatively impact
projects in terms of cost for example. Lastly, all education seeks to produce individuals who are
more productive in society. My work demonstrates a commitment to designs which harness
technology for the purpose of providing students with opportunities to produce goods or services
rather than simply being consumers of information. These beliefs and skills, coupled with twelve
years of classroom experience, have provided me with a solid foundation to make valuable
contributions to a design team or my current district.