Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Caitlin Brown
T. Fulya Eyupoglu
William Griffin
Lindsey Simmons
December 8, 2015
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 2
Table of Contents
Needs Assessment
Brief Context……………………………………………………………………………..3
Statement of Problem………………………………………………………………….....3
Type of Needs Assessment……………………………………………………………….4
Data Collection Plan……………………………………………………………………...4
Analysis of the Data……………………………………………………………………....6
Implications of the Findings………………………………………………………………7
Resources………………………………………………………………………………….8
Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………………9
Learner Analysis
Target Audience…………………………………………………………………………...9
Data Collection…………………………………………………………………………..10
Analysis of the Data……………………………………………………………………...11
Context Analysis
Performance Context…………………………………………………………………….13
Learning Context………………………………………………………………………...14
Instructional Plan and Strategies
Brief Context and Needs of the Project………………………………………………….15
Goals of the Project……………………………………………………………………...17
Learning Goals……………………………………………………………………....…..18
Objectives…………………………………………...…………………………………...19
Overview of Instructional Plan…………………………………………………………..19
Detailed Instructional Plan……………………………………………..………………...20
Instructional Strategies…………………………………………………………………...23
Weebly Site Outline and Example…………………………………………………….…28
Evaluation Plan
Purpose and Overview…………………...……...……………………..………………...30
Formative Evaluation………………………...…………………………………………..31
Summative Evaluation…………………………………………………………………...32
Prototype
Link to Weebly Site……………………………………………………………………...34
Aesthetics………………………………………………………………………………...34
Introduction Page………………………………………………………………………...34
Resources………………………………………………………………………………...37
Problem-Solving Phases…………………………………………………………………38
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….40
References…………………………………………………………………………………….…41
Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………...44
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 3
Needs Analysis
Brief Context
Our consulting firm was contacted in September 2015 by the Wake County Public Schools
System (WCPSS). According to the WCPSS, the North Carolina End-of-Course Test of Civics
and Economics results have decreased by 25% over the last 3 years for 10th grade students in
WCPSS. Currently, there are five standards built into the 2010 North Carolina North Carolina
Essential Standards (NCES) for Civics and Economics in 10th grade (Appendix A). According to
the WCPSS administration, the End-of-Course Test of Civics and Economics measures student
understanding of topics such as the American political system, basic values and principles of
American democracy, how the government established by the United States Constitution embodies
the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy, how state and local government is
established by the North Carolina Constitution, and how students can have active roles as a citizen
Wake County Public Schools has indicated that an intervention is needed in order to
increase these scores over the next school year. In addition, WCPSS expects that by increasing
engagement of 10th grade students with U.S. and North Carolina politics, they will be better
preparing their students to participate in elections when the students become eligible to vote.
Statement of Problem
Wake County Public Schools approached our consulting firm with a specific problem. In
addition to the data they have provided, we aim to collect additional data to determine that
instruction is the appropriate solution for this problem. This data will be discussed in the Data
Collection section.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 4
Type of Needs Assessment
Our firm asserts there are multiple facets to the WCPSS concerns of the declining scores
on the end-of-course Civics and Economics test. We not only needed to address the root cause
of diminishing scores but also bridge any gaps to trigger the desired result in a short period of
one year. It was essential during our discovery process to complete a thorough diagnosis with
the decisive goal of recommending an informative and appropriate intervention. Our first action
was inspecting the section results of the end-of-course test from the past three years to identify
any patterns or trends, and also administering a pre-test to determine any knowledge gaps. Next,
we reviewed the current NC Civil and Economics curriculum to determine if there was any
misalignment between test content and curriculum. Furthermore, we directed a survey at the
students, instructors, and administration with the intention of using the responses to provide a
qualitative context to the test scores. Also, we wanted to see if the instructors and administration
share the same vision for this course of study. Lastly, we consulted literature to find any
previous mention of this issue within other school systems, and reviewed national data on
election and voting results with the purpose of distinguishing if this is a micro or macro problem.
Our firm wanted to approach the test score issue from multiple levels to ensure all information
The 10th grade high school students are the primary stakeholders for this project, as these
students will provide input on political issues that they find important as well as provide feedback
on the effectiveness of the instruction. We aim to collect data on the current level of student
engagement in order to show a connection between this engagement and knowledge acquisition.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 5
The Wake County Public School System administration and its teachers are also
stakeholders for this project. The WCPSS administration has hired us for the project, and they are
responsible for facilitating the education of our student group and are therefore also directly
involved in the instruction process. The 10th grade high school social studies teachers and
administration will be providing input and feedback that will be important for ensuring that the
instruction created will enhance and supplement the curriculum that already exists.
For our investigation, we will research the need for improvement in high school education
by researching literature found online as well as the yearly End-of-Course Civics and Economics
test questions and scores provided to us by WCPSS. We will also administer a pre-test for a sample
group of 10th grade WCPSS students. This test will assess the 10th grade students’ knowledge of
key Civics and Economics topics and will provide objective feedback on the effectiveness of the
Other methods we will use in order to gain information about the instructional need and
potential strategies include interviews and surveys with current 10th grade social studies students
and teachers in North Carolina as well as observation of current 10th grade social studies
classrooms (see Appendix B for interview and survey questions). We also directed a few questions
at the administration to obtain their point-of-view. With this data, we hope to identify subjective
feedback on the current curriculum. Specifically, we hope to obtain data about how engaged and
interested students are about this curriculum as well as how knowledgeable students are about
Civics and Economic topics (specifically, we want to know how much students know about
voting trends in U.S youth between ages 18-25. This data will provide the reasons for which the
In reviewing the data, we have determined two things. First, this student age group is
generally disengaged with politics (Cammaerts, B., et al. (2013). Research suggests that engaging
the U.S. youth early during their secondary education is important so that they learn to vote and
engage in U.S. politics (Matthews, 2014). Also, when young people learn the voting process and
vote in an election, they are more likely to vote when they are older (Finlay & Flanagan, 2009).
And young people (ages 18-29) make up 21% of the voting eligible population in the United States.
http://www.civicyouth.org, 45% of young people, ages 18-29, voted in 2012; this percentage
According to the IEA Civic Education Study, schools can be effective in preparing students
for engagement in civil society by teaching civic content and skills, and by emphasizing the
importance of voting and elections (Torney-Purta, 2002). In the surveys that we conducted with
10th grade students in WCPSS, the students stated that U.S. political and civics was boring,
unimportant and irrelevant. Teachers are often given little guidance or formal training on how to
teach politics in secondary education (Journell, 2011). In the surveys that we conducted, teachers
stated that they lacked ideas on how to make this topic more exciting and impactful for their
students. This means that there is opportunity to increase excitement about Civics and Economics
(Galston, 2001). “For example, 53% are unaware that only citizens can vote in federal elections;
only 30% can correctly name at least one member of the President’s Cabinet (and of those, 82%
The second thing we have determined is that there is a lack of knowledge for this age group
since test scores for the End-of-Course Test of Civics and Economics have decreased by 25% over
the last 3 years for 10th grade students in WCPSS. And scores for the pre-test that we administered
averaged at approximately 60% (well under the goal of 85%). This means that there is opportunity
to provide this age group with the knowledge and skills in order to become more engaged in U.S.
politics.
While collecting data, we also found that President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential
election relied heavily on the use of social media and technology (Chang, 2010). And since today’s
learning audience with the knowledge and skills lies in the presentation of this information using
social media and technology (ie, web-based modules, which can be viewed on a mobile device).
Based on the data and analysis, the primary goal of instructional intervention is to
supplement existing 10th grade Civics and Economics curriculum in WCPSS with a problem-
based module that allows students to participate in a ‘mock’ election. This module will fit with
pre-established NCES standards and aims to increase not only the students’ motivation but also
increase the North Carolina End-of-Course Test of Civics and Economics results for 10th grade
students in WCPSS. The specific learning objectives for this module are for the sample 10th grade
● Communicate and promote the candidate in preparation for the upcoming election
● Create instruction for eligible voters that describes how these voters can register and
Based on our findings about the effectiveness of social media presence in politics, the
module will integrate Web 2.0 tools that support 21st century skills.
Resources
Our problem-based learning module will be created and hosted on Weebly. We will create
our content using tools such as slideshows (Slide Rocket), images (ThingLink), screen capture
(Screen-O-Matic), animation (Powtoon), audio (Voki) and video (Jing and YouTube). We will
also integrate social media, such as Twitter, to engage with learners. And other Web 2.0 tools such
as Poll Everywhere and Quizlet will reinforce key points and assess learner knowledge throughout
the course. Our team contains the expertise on how to create web-based training using using these
tools. Students will need access to these tools and will need teacher/parent support and permission
Implementation will be done in a sample 10th grade social studies classroom in one of the
Evaluation
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 9
We will complete a formative evaluation for this instruction by obtaining feedback from
the students and the teacher before, during, and after our design in order to make enhancements on
We will complete a summative evaluation for this instruction by first comparing pre-test
and post-test scores. Then, we will grade the students’ performance on the module by comparing
their module output to the learning objectives. Lastly, we will measure effectiveness of the project
in its entirety by reviewing results of the End-of-Course Test of Civics and Economics for the
upcoming academic year as compared to the last 3 years for 10th grade students in WCPSS. Due
to a trend of lower scores as reported in our initial investigation, our project will be considered
Learner Analysis
Target Audience
The project’s target audience is a group of 10th grade civics and economics students in the
Wake County Public Schools in North Carolina. The target audience follows and is evaluated on
Common Core curriculum. The target audience falls into the 15-16 year old age range and is mixed
in gender and race, according to the “NC Report Card” (Wake County, 2014). They have some
prior knowledge about the voting and elections process, but they have historically not performed
well when tested on this topic, as shown by a 25% decrease on the North Carolina End-of-Course
Test of Civics and Economics the over the last 3 years; this data was provided by the Wake County
In terms of learning styles and learning methods, the target audience has prior experience
with elearning and online learning. They have also had vast experience working collaboratively
The goal of the learning analysis is to determine prior knowledge, cognitive and emotional
capability and learning style/preference for the target audience. The purpose of determining this
information is to acquire a better measure of how to design our module for greater usability.
Specifically, our purpose is to determine a degree of prior knowledge of the voting and election
topic, as well as, the amount of current engagement with this material. To reach our other
stakeholders, WCPSS and the teaching faculty, we will conduct interviews to collect observations
about the learners’ characteristics such as their preferences (group work vs. individual work) in
learning the topic to support our survey data from the learners. By conducting a survey with the
2. What general knowledge do you already have about the elections and the voting
process?
led government?
5. Will you work better with independent or collaborative work in the module?
10. Do you have any preferences when it comes to elearning and/or collaborative work?
11. What kind of cultural and educational backgrounds are you bringing to the module?
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 11
In addition, we will conduct an in-person interview with the WCPSS teaching faculty in
1. How will the cognitive developmental stage of the learner affect the module design?
4. Do the learners have any disabilities which may require modification of the content?
During our analysis, we determined several trends. First, these 10th grade WCPSS students
are not motivated to learn about civics and economics as well as the voting process. They do not
see how this information directly applies to their lives and future careers. Second, they have
limited knowledge about the U.S. voting system beyond understanding of the two main political
parties.
In terms of learning styles and characteristics, the surveys reveal that these students like
collaborative learning environments. They have had mostly positive experiences working in
groups as opposed to working individually. These students also prefer the use of technology in
learning; they enjoy using mobile devices and social media to accompany instruction.
Based on the learner data collected, there are a few implications to the design of the project.
First, we plan to use problem-based learning due to the research indicating that problem
based learning (PBL) environments increase student motivation (Malopinsky et al., 2000)
Although PBL scenarios may be challenging in an online environment, they promote student
interactivity, enhance students’ problem-solving skills, and provide students with a meaningful
learning module since PBL is a learner-centered pedagogy, focusing on learners’ active and often
collaborative production of knowledge through engaging with real world problems or cases
Lastly, the problem-based learning module will also incorporate use of Web 2.0 tools
because these tools help teachers to adopt more learner-centered, participatory or collaborative
practices (Tambouris et al., 2012). Use of these tools is the learning preference for this audience,
While collecting data, we also found that President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential
election relied heavily on the use of social media and technology (Chang, 2010). And since today’s
learning audience with the knowledge and skills lies in the presentation of this information using
social media and technology (ie, web-based modules, which can be viewed on a mobile device).
Context Analysis
Performance Context
The problem-based learning (PBL) instruction that we will create will be hosted on a
Weebly site, so while a physical space is not required for this instruction, there are several
contextual factors to consider. First, to create meaningful and effective instruction on this topic, it
is important to identify and demonstrate the relevance of U.S. civics and politics in the daily lives
of the 10th grade high school students. Putting the information in that performance context will
increase learner motivation and aid in the transfer of the new knowledge. To ensure that the
content is motivating to this audience, we will create instruction tasks that are challenging but
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 13
doable for the learners (Tessmer and Richey, 1997). To ensure that the content is relevant to this
audience, we will relate the voting and election process to a relatable aspect of their lives, such as
Second, securing teacher support will ensure that the transfer of learning takes place
(Tessmer and Richey, 1997). As part of the problem-based learning, we recommend that the
teachers take the role of the tutor. This means that the Supervisor/Tutor will provide feedback,
reminders, support and advice as their students complete the problem-based learning. A separate
consulting firm will be hired to train the teachers on how to effectively take on the role as a tutor
for this project, and WCPSS administration has agreed to allow teachers to attend this training
Third, the timing of this project works well in that it provides the opportunity for students
to apply their learnings in their first age-eligible election. To effectively support learning transfer,
there should always be an opportunity to apply the learning (Tessmer and Richey, 1997).
Learning Context
From what has been determined about this learning audience (see Learner Analysis), they
prefer the use of technology in their learning environments. Through use of several Web 2.0
technologies, the problem-based learning module will meet the learner needs. They also prefer to
work in groups, so the problem-based learning module will be designed to support this type of
The Data suggests that learners who do not believe that available resources exist will not
be motivated to apply learned skills, so, it is important for our problem-based learning module to
include a number of resources for the students to use in order to accomplish their tasks (Tessmer
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 14
and Richey, 1997). We plan to include resources such as election tools, voter trends, campaign
The design of our instruction can be adapted for a variety of learning strategies. The teacher
(tutor) will be acting as the expert, where the students can consult with the tutor to get additional
resources or ask questions. In order to meet a variety of learning styles, resources will be facilitated
in a variety of ways such as audio, video and visual aids. Audio resources may include political
podcasts from competing parties as well as audio clips from direct lecture (using Voki). Videos
may include debate clips instructing students on how to structure their own debates as well as
instructional films detailing the layout of the electoral college. Visual aids may include
infographics on the voting registration process as well animated illustrations of the different roles
Also, we included projects for students to support cooperative learning and to increase peer
interaction. These included the opportunity to create interactive presentations (using Prezi) and
animations (using Animoto) on the registration process through which to comment and critique
one another. In their cumulative project, learners also worked in teams to create a candidacy and
Potential learning constraints for this instruction include a lack of the tutor’s proficiency in
technology and their role as a tutor. While tutors will go complete their own training to get prepared
for this problem-based learning, ensuring that they stay proficient in the technology and their role
as a tutor is important. Another potential constraint is the learners’ perceptions and motivation to
learn the content and learner’s preferences when it comes to collaborative work or elearning
environment .
Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) aims to better prepare their students to participate
in elections when the students become eligible to vote in U.S. and North Carolina elections.
However, the WCPSS administration reported a 25% decrease in the North Carolina End-of-
Course Test of Civics and Economics for 10th grade students over the last 3 years. Thus, they
contacted our consulting firm in September 2015 with the need of an intervention to increase the
scores of their 10th grade students in the North Carolina End-of-Course Test of Civics and
There are five standards built into the 2010 North Carolina North Carolina Essential
Standards (NCES) for Civics and Economics in 10th grade, and the End-of-Course Test of Civics
● students’ understanding of topics such as the American political system, basic values and
● how the government established by the United States Constitution embodies the purposes,
● how state and local government is established by the North Carolina Constitution, and
● how students can have active roles as a citizen at the local, state, and national levels of
government.
Our firm wanted to approach the test score issue from multiple levels to ensure all
information sources were utilized. In addition to the data that the WCPSS administration provided,
we aimed to collect additional data to determine that instruction is the appropriate solution for this
problem.
● reviewed the current NC Civil and Economics curriculum to determine if there was any
● directed a survey at the students, instructors, and administration with the intention of using
● consulted literature to find any previous mention of this issue within other school systems,
and
● reviewed national data on election and voting results with the purpose of distinguishing if
Based on our research and findings, our problem-based learning module adopts pre-
established NCES standards and integrates Web 2.0 tools to support 21st century skills. The
● to supplement existing 10th grade Civics and Economics curriculum in WCPSS with a
● to increase not only the students’ motivation but also increase the North Carolina End-of-
Course Test of Civics and Economics results for 10th grade students in WCPSS.
The specific objectives for this module are for the sample 10th grade students in WCPSS
to students to:
● Create instruction for eligible voters that describes how these voters can register and
Learning Goals
Based on the goals of the problem-based learning module, the learning goals for students
are to:
1. Use the resources provided by the tutor, create a mock political candidate (running for a local
government position). Students will select the candidate’s desired government position and
political affiliation.
2. Use the resources provided by the tutor, analyze and determine a political campaign strategy.
3. Communicate and promote the candidate in preparation for the upcoming election. Students
will promote the candidate in at least one way for the purpose of this project (ie, television, website,
radio ad).
4. Create instruction for eligible voters that describes how these voters can register and
participate in the upcoming election. Using resources provided by the tutor, students will use a
Web 2.0 tool to create instructions that detail the voting process. Students can pick from one of
the Web 2.0 tools that the tutor will have listed.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 18
5. Determine how to motivate eligible voters to participate in the upcoming election. Using
resources provided by the tutor, students should select and demonstrate at least one strategy (for
the purpose of the project) for how they will motivate voters to participate.
6. Describe how the results of the election will be tallied. Using resources provided by the tutor,
students will create a presentation that demonstrates their understanding for how the election will
be tallied. Students will create this presentation using one the Web 2.0 tools that the tutor will have
listed.
Objectives
Aligned with the learning goals, the specific learning objectives are as follows:
1. In preparation for a mock election, students will list the major political parties of the United
2. In groups, students will differentiate between the views of political parties and select a
3. Given a list of current events, students will devise a campaign strategy and platform aligned
to the views of a political party for their candidate and identify key areas of voter motivation.
4. Students will identify the requirements for voter registration and tallying methods for votes
5. Students will organize a debate utilizing the previously devised strategies and platforms for
6. Students will appraise and criticize results of mock election based on votes and previously
and use of problem-based learning (PBL). While the internal process of learning is facilitated
using PBL, our external strategy of instruction will incorporate some of Gagné’s events of
instruction to model and construct the lessons. Gagné believed that instruction is "a deliberately
arranged set of external events designed to support internal learning processes" (Gagné and
Driscoll, 1988). We believe Gagné’s processes will make it easier for students to achieve our
previously mentioned goals and coordinating them with our objectives. The material itself goes
beyond declarative knowledge and is instead inclusive of higher cognitive discourses. These
include, but are not limited to: evaluating, analyzing, and creating, which come from Bloom’s
Taxonomy. Based on the repetitive use of these higher cognitive discourses, the project’s task
analysis model features step by step procedures for each goal with a focus on the end result being
As outlined previously, the objectives were formed to ensure the goals of instruction would
be accomplished. Students will be readily informed about each objective prior to the
commencement of the lessons. There will be expectations of prior knowledge that were discussed
in our prerequisites. New material will be presented and generated in the form of political
resources that student groups must research with guidance from the instructor (tutor), and concept
applications that students create within their groups. Essential to the acquirement of this new
knowledge is the practice, communication, and participation of the election process. Also, there
is the importance of examples and non-examples that facilitate learning as expressed by Gagné
(Gagné, Briggs, Wagner, 1992). This gives the target audience a frame of reference for the election
material. Lastly, students will be assessed on their progress and provided proper feedback.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 20
Assessment will be implemented using both written assignments and verbal interactions with the
tutor. More concrete assessments will be provided in the detailed instructional plan.
The detailed instructional plan is outlined here. Each phase will take place over the
setting by the Instructor, who is also serving the role of the tutor. Learning objectives will
be provided, groups will be assigned, and expectations about the course and its content
will be discussed. At this time, students will also be given access to the Weebly site.
2. Introduction Activity: In groups, students will complete the first task of the instruction,
which is to review a list of online resources provided by the tutor, list each of the major
political parties in the U.S., and record at least 5 of each party’s main view. Students will
then “tweet” these findings on Twitter using a specific hashtag set up for the class. This
information and as evaluating when it requires students to apply the information to their
own views.
3. Problem-Based Learning Phase 1: Next, groups will review an overview of the problem-
based learning steps and will designate roles and responsibilities within their group. At
this point, they can begin their first step of the problem-based learning instruction. Using
films detailing the layout of the electoral college, and infographics on the voting process),
students will create a mock political candidate. This requires the students to have
multiple parties. Students will communicate their candidate’s information to the tutor and
4. Problem-Based Learning Phase 2: Next, groups will create a strategy for how their mock
candidate will be promoted in the upcoming election. They will create a Prezi
presentation to outline their strategy and post this on Weebly. This is classified as
creating because students are planning, designing, and inventing a product to teach
information to others. Groups will be given feedback by the tutor before proceeding to
5. Problem-Based Learning Phase 3: Next, groups will communicate and promote their
mock candidate for the upcoming election, and this requires students to analyze the
political candidate and the climate in order to evaluate the best method of promotion
and/or communication. Students can use any Web 2.0 tools when piloting this
communication, and the tutor will be a resource to provide feedback and guidance during
this part of the instruction. During this part of the project, students will also be required
6. Problem-Based Learning Phase 4: Next, groups will create instruction for voters on how
to vote in the upcoming election, which requires them to recall objective information on
the registration and voting process as well as to formulate it into a presentation which
transfers objective knowledge. Students can use any Web 2.0 tool when presenting this
7. Problem-Based Learning Phase 5: Next, groups will determine and outline their plan for
how to motivate eligible voters to participate, which requires them to produce and
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 22
distribute surveys, conduct research, and use evaluation skills to build a strategy.
Students can use any Web 2.0 tool when presenting this information, and it will also be
posted on the Weebly site. During this part of the project, students will also be required to
8. Problem-Based Learning Phase 6: Next, groups will outline how votes will be tallied,
which requires them to use recall skills to confer objective information to the voter. It
also requires them to use Web 2.0 skills to present the information logically and in a way
that students can recall later. This will be posted on the Weebly site.
9. Conclusion: The last phase of the course provides opportunity for the students to reflect
what they have learned. They will take a post-test (so that results can be compared to the
pre-test scores in order to measure effectiveness of the instruction). They will also
respond to reflective questions that the tutor posts, and will be required to comment on
The content is sequenced in a way to help the students achieve objectives in an efficient
and effective manner. Most of the learning objectives are arranged in a sequence suggested by
procedure, meaning that in order for students to research, plan and implement a campaign
strategy, they first need to select a mock candidate and his/her running platform. The sequence
also follows Gagne’s prerequisite method, where skills build upon one another as the students
move through the phases of the problem-based learning course (Morrison, et al., 2013).
Instructional Strategies
For the goal of creating a mock political candidate, the chosen instructional strategy is
cooperative learning. Cooperative learning increases student engagement and allows the students
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 23
to build relationships with the content through each other. This can be done in small or large groups
depending on the task. The students will be working in groups to build a political situation from
the ground up and then to implement it using a carefully constructed plan. This supports the
objective of creating a political candidate because the job is a larger one with smaller sub goals
and individual roles, thus lending itself to group work and independent responsibility in a larger
project setting. These individual roles help the student to be assessed because they provide
formative goals along the way to a summative assessment. They also show the independent
student’s progression apart from the larger group. Using collaborative learning for this goal
matches with inquiry-based learning theory, which asks students to look at a larger problem and
then work to solve it, putting theory into practice (AIBL). By collaboratively working to create a
political candidate and by using individual skills to contribute to a larger goal, students are
To analyze and determine a political campaign strategy, students are using identifying and
manageable amounts for evaluation. An example of this in practice would be that the students will
construct T-charts to separate political parties and to list different positions and views of those
parties in opposition to one another. They will then use this information to evaluate the popularity
of their party in the current political environment. The strategy of identifying, comparing, and
contrasting supports the objective because separating the information is the first step to analysis.
It also supports the sub-objectives because looking at similarities and differences in the
information allows the students to determine which party fits their overall goals more effectively.
This instructional strategy fits with our assessment methods because assessment is formative and
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 24
requires the students to demonstrate that they comprehend the importance of the analysis before
they move onto the next step. By analyzing and then choosing a candidate, students will
demonstrate understanding. Using comparing and contrasting matches with Subsumption theory,
which dictates that new information fits into cognitive models by being reorganized in the
student’s mind in comparison to other information (Learning Theory Fundamentals). This theory
supports our instructional strategy for this goal because it asks students to break down new and
3. Communicate and promote the candidate in preparation for the upcoming election.
To communicate and promote their candidates for the election, students will be supported
by the analyzing as well as generating and testing hypotheses. students will analyze the political
environment and determine the best promotion strategies, but they will also generate a theory of
communication to be returned to for iterative development if necessary. For example, students may
analyze the political environment and determine that social media is the best way to communicate
their platform. Thus, they may design Twitter pages for their candidate. However, after initial
design, the students may discover that Twitter is not a suitable campaign for their age demographic.
They will return to their original hypothesis and alter the controls to better suit the audience. This
supports the objective of communication because communication is also iterative and it is the goal
that the students discover that one strategy will not apply to all audiences. It supports the sub-
objectives, including determining the best promotion strategies, because it requires students to use
multiple steps to find a final product that works. Assessment, which will be based on this iterative
process, is supported by the hypotheses instructional strategy because both allow for revision and
application to a new product. Using hypotheses is supported by the Action Learning Model theory
because the theory asks students to use open questioning in order to reach a solution, which then
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 25
closes questioning (George Washington University, 2004).In this theory, the solution is also real-
4. Create instruction for eligible voters that describes how these voters can register and
Collaborative learning supports the objective because it asks students to contribute individual
talents to a larger group deliverable. Because the students will be creating instruction that does not
rely only on direct instruction, nonlinguistic deliverables will feature in the final product. For
example, to inform potential voters, groups may use infographics, storyboards, or models to
communicate objective information on the voting process. This supports the objective because
nonlinguistic deliverables seeks to use multiple methods to reach the student. Because
collaborative learning also utilizes multiple skill levels, it also suits the sub-objectives which
require roles in a larger group setting. Assessment is measured on the individual contributions to
a final product as well as the effectiveness of the final product at communicating the recall
information. Because of this, collaborative learning supports individual instruction and allows the
collaborative learning is supported by Elaboration Theory. Elaboration Theory dictates that the
learning (A Critical Review of Elaboration Theory). This supports the collaborative and
nonlinguistic instructional strategies because instruction builds gradually using multiple efforts to
gather results, and analyze them to determine objective and subjective reasons for audience
participation. Because this requires analysis and evaluation, collection and summarizing will be
used as instructional strategies to accomplish the objective. For example, students may ask the
target audience whether they had any interest in voting and then a series of yes or no questions to
determine why or why not. The results would then be collected in a spreadsheet and tallied for
summary. Summary analysis would look like small explanations following data collection to
explain the differences between columns and to allow the students to draw conclusions. This
supports the objective of determining voter motivation because students are required to look at
results, summarize, and evaluate for commonalities and differences. It supports the sub-objectives
of measuring and evaluating by having students move through data towards a finishing goal.
Assessment, which is based on the student showing that he or she can draw conclusions, fits with
the instructional strategy of summarization which asks the student to shrink large data into
verifiable conclusions. This is supported by Bloom’s Taxonomy, which lists analyzing and
evaluating as two higher order thinking skills required to build up to the highest step of creation
(Center for Teaching). Because the objective and instructional strategy support these skills, the
student is growing.
To describe how the results of the election will be tallied, students will recall objective
information and then present that information using Web 2.0 tools. Because this requires recall
and creation, students will be using cooperative learning. Working in groups, students will pool
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 27
prior and new information and then work together to create a presentation which reaches the target
audience. Collaborative learning supports the objective because it gives individual roles as well as
allowing students to bring unique views to create a final product. It supports the sub-objective of
recall because multiple group members can contribute to the pool of information. Assessment,
which will be based on the effectiveness of the final product and the progression to the summative
assessment, fits with the instructional strategy because it uses formative measurement as well as a
culminating project. This is supported by Bloom’s Taxonomy, which lists the creation step as the
highest in the list of higher order thinking skills (Center for Teaching). It also supports the
describing objective because students teaching other students reaches that modeling step.
● Page 1 - Introduction: Objectives, Assign Groups, PBL Process, Tutor’s information List
of Web 2.0 tools that can or will be used during the course (includes Prezi, Animoto,
● Page 2 - Resources: Video (Debate clips; Films on Electoral College), Audio (political
podcasts; direct lecture (using Voki)), and Visual aids (infographics on the voting
registration process as well animated illustrations of the different roles in the electoral
college)
● Page 3- Phase 1 (link to Google doc where students will list their mock candidate)
● Page 4 - Phase 2 (students will post their Prezi presentation on their campaign strategy)
● Page 5 - Phase 3 (students will post their pilot communication using a Web 2.0 tool);
discussion board is also there so they can comment on one anothers’ work)
● Page 6 - Phase 4 (students will post Web 2.0 presentation on voting process)
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 28
● Page 7 - Phase 5 (students will post their voter motivation strategy using a Web 2.0 tool);
discussion board is also there so they can comment on one anothers’ work)
● Page 8 - Phase 6 (students will post their voter motivation strategy using a Web 2.0 tool);
discussion board is also there so they can comment on one anothers’ work)
Here is an excerpt from Page 1 (the Introduction) for the Weebly site:
TEXT: “By the end of this 9-week learning module, you will:
● Communicate and promote the candidate in preparation for the upcoming election
● Create instruction for eligible voters that describes how these voters can register and
VOKI (talking head with audio): “Within your groups, you will move through several phases of
learning. Each phase has a specific tab across the top of your screen. Please reach out to your
TEXT: “Your tutor is (insert name), and she can be reached at (insert email address).”
TEXT: “During the course of this module, you will be required to report your findings or learnings
using a Web 2.0 technology. Here are acceptable tools you can use when directed:
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 29
● Prezi (with link to website)
Evaluation Plan
The purpose of the evaluation plan for this problem-based instruction is to measure the
● a formative evaluation: surveys will be provided to students and the teacher before, during,
and after our design in order to make enhancements on its effectiveness and level of
order to determine that learning has taken place; this addresses the second Level of
Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model (Larson & Lockee, 2014) (see Appendix D), and
rubric that addresses the specific course learning objectives (see Appendix E).
In addition, the effectiveness of the project in its entirety will be determined by reviewing
results of the End-of-Course Test of Civics and Economics for the upcoming academic year as
compared to the last 3 years for 10th grade students in WCPSS. Due to a trend of lower scores as
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 30
reported in our initial investigation, our project will be considered successful if 80% of the student
Formative Evaluation
The assessments found in problem-based learning are not always in line with the goals of
problem-based learning and are mostly developed to test content knowledge instead of testing self-
directed learning, problem solving and skills as a group member (Sluijsmans et al., 2001).
Segers and Dochy (2001) have indicated that students’ perceptions of the learning–
assessment environment, based on former learning experiences and their recent experiences, have
an important influence on their learning strategies and affect the quality of their learning outcomes.
The existing evidence supports the identification of feedback as the central component of
formative assessment that aimed to assist the development of the student and provide information
about the existing gap between the actual and desired levels of performance (Rushton, 2005).
Thus, we plan to implement survey questions for the students and teachers (tutors) at the
Survey 1 at Course Introduction: The goal of this survey is ensure there is clear
Survey 2 at Week 4: The goal of this survey is to determine what areas of the course are
confusing and what should be changed, if anything, in order to make the course more effective
(Appendix C)
Survey 3 at Week 8 or 9 (as course wraps up): The goal of this survey is to determine what
The audience of the summative evaluation is a sample of 10th grade students in the Wake
County public school system. Their environment is a traditional classroom setting with structure
and with Common Core as the educational content. Evaluation must take into account their
physical characteristics, such as attention limitations depending on their age and other dynamics.
Evaluation must also take into account their emotional and social characteristics, such as the need
for group acceptance and the benefits of using social interaction to reinforce new knowledge.
The objective for the summative evaluation is to provide concrete proof of a difference
between pre and post knowledge. The objective of evaluation is also to show that the student will
be able to carry the learned information beyond the module to be used for authentic purposes. The
purpose of the summative evaluation will be to provide both an objective measure of the difference
between pre and post knowledge as well as a comprehensive look at the success of the final project.
It will consist of a pre and post quiz on the objective information taken from the common core
standards and the final part will be a rubric measuring the student’s ability to reproduce the
The method of summative evaluation will include a pre and post survey as well as a rubric
evaluating a final project. This is related to our goals because our evaluative method measures
progress periodically as well as summatively. Our goals, which ask students to build their
knowledge gradually and to move up on Bloom’s Taxonomy, match up well with our evaluation
methods because summative evaluation is not only objective, but also includes an authentic
assessment. The rubric and final project ask students to recreate the knowledge using their own
skill level as well as to teach their peers. This is supported in many kinds of learning, but
particularly in learning transfer theory, which suggests that students must first learn problem-
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 32
solving theory before being able to apply it (Transfer of Learning). This is supported in our
evaluation because students take objective information on the election and then apply that
information to creating an effective candidacy. Overall, the building of skill level and the inclusion
of Bloom’s Taxonomy show that our summative evaluation is well suited to our goals and
Prototype
Aesthetics
The problem-based learning module is hosted on a Weebly site and defaults to the
Introduction Page. Aesthetically, the website will be visually simple and linear so students can
concentrate on the importance of content and focus on the message of the Web 2.0 tools. This
means that the content will be designed in a list fashion so that the user is only given the
information in steps, rather than in large blocks. This is to encourage chronological completion of
activities. The color palate of the background and font will be somewhat muted since there is an
abundance of media with vivid colors. In addition, white space will be used to frame videos and
Introduction Page
When students first start the module, the Introduction page, a welcome message and the
“Hello! Welcome to Voting and Elections, Problem Based Learning module. In this course,
● Create instruction for eligible voters that describes how these voters can register and
The goals will then be followed by the learner objectives, instructions on how to navigate
“On this page you will find the objectives of the module and your assigned groups. You
can navigate the site by clicking on the link provided at the bottom of each page or by selecting
the navigational tabs sequentially at the top of each page. As soon as you are finished with this
page, move forward to the Resources page. If you have any questions or concerns you can contact
1. list the major political parties of the United States and record at least 5 of their main
2. differentiate between the views of political parties and select a candidate for election in
groups.
3. devise a campaign strategy and platform aligned to the views of a political party for their
4. identify the requirements for voter registration and tallying methods for votes based on
current US standards.
5. organize a debate utilizing the previously devised strategies and platforms for evaluation
campaign strategies.”
Under the learning objectives, students will find their group information (ie, a list of assigned
group members).
Then, the problem-based learning process at a high-level will be described with the use of
a Voki. Students will listen to a Voki character describe the problem-based learning process and
set expectations for the 6 phases of learning in the course. The script will be as follows:
“Problem-based learning means that you will be gradually building on your set of skills.
You will first recall information you have already learned and then use that information
to start a discussion of the political process. Next, you will apply new knowledge to the
process by analyzing the differences between political processes. Finally, you will
evaluate the information and create a product that encompasses your own thoughts and
ideas. As you are moving through the six phases of learning, you will be slowly building
your higher-order thinking skills. You are expected to complete each phase to the best of
your ability so that you are prepared for those that follow.”
Lastly at the bottom of the Introduction page, the tutor’s contact information will be listed
(ie, name and email address) because the tutor serves as the “help” function for the module. At the
bottom of the Introduction Page, there will be a link to the Resources page for easy navigation.
Users will also be able to move back and forth between pages in order to reference past
information.
Resources
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 35
After students have reviewed the Introduction page, they are directed to Resources Page
by clicking the link at the bottom of the page. This page includes a Padlet where students can
explore the Web 2.0 tools available to them during the course. Web 2.0 tools are incorporated in
our module as these tools help teachers to adopt more learner-centered, participatory or
By clicking on images and links inside the Padlet, students can review each of the following
The Resources page also includes a Padlet where students can select other resources to
review. By clicking on images and links inside the Padlet, they can review each of the following
resources:
● Videos that include highlights and clips from past debates as well as an instructional film
the Phases by using buttons found at the top or bottom. There is one button/link per phase, or
week, which keeps the course organized and easy to follow. These will be shown in a 1 out of 6
format which allows the user to move back and forth between pages if he or she needs to reference
past information. Each of the pages will look similar; however, since each learning phase includes
● Phase 1 includes a link to a Google doc where students will list their mock candidate
○ PBL Prompt - Using this page, research the following and then list your mock
■ 3 current events related to the policies of each party and how the party is
involved
● Phase 2 includes a discussion board where students will post a link to (or saved file) of
○ PBL Prompt - With help from your “tutor”, each group will represent a different
political party. Building on the knowledge from Phase 1, choose a candidate within
your group to run in a mock election. You must create a campaign strategy and
political platform for each candidate based on the views and policies of your chosen
political party and post a link to the discussion board (or saved file) of your Prezi
their pilot communication using a Web 2.0 tool; they will also comment on each group’s
○ PBL Prompt - Using the discussion board, each group should post their platform
and campaign strategies justifying its use. Each group should also explain how
● Phase 4 includes a discussion board where students will post a link to (or saved file) of
the voting process using a Web 2.0 tool; they will also comment on each group’s work
on the internet, students will research the US voting process. Groups will also
choose any presidential election from the past 20 years and identify any
● Phase 5 includes a discussion board where students will post a link to (or saved file) of a
Web 2.0 presentation on how votes will be tallied; they will also comment on each
○ PBL Prompt - Using the research from Phase 4, groups will make a discussion
post describing the electoral college and any flaws they see in the process.
● Phase 6 includes a discussion board where students will post a link to (or saved file) of
their voter motivation strategy using a Web 2.0 tool; they will also comment on each
will write a short blog post identifying their motivation and choices regarding
Conclusion
At the end of the course (after completing all learning phases), they are directed to click on
the link at the top of the page for the Conclusion Page. This page includes an embedded post-test,
which will be hosted by Quizlet. Below the Quizlet will be a discussion board, where students
will answer reflective questions about the course that have been posted by the tutor.
References
Association for Inquiry-Based Learning. What is IBL?. Transformative Experiences for Students.
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/.
Chang, V. (2010). Obama and the power of social media and technology. European
Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student
Finlay, A. and Flanagan, C. (2009, September 1). CIRCLE Working Paper #67 Making
The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement.
Galston, W. A. (2001). Political knowledge, political engagement, and civic education. Annual
Gagné, R. M., & Driscoll, M. P. (1988). Essentials of learning for instruction. Englewood Cliffs,
Gagné, R. M., Briggs, L. J., & Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles of instructional design (4th ed.).
methods from the 2008 Presidential Election. The Social Studies, 102(6), 231-241.
Design. Routledge.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 40
Lopez, M. (2006, October 1). The 2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation: A
from http://www.gwu.edu/~bygeorge/021804/actionlearning.html.
Malopinsky, L., Kirkley, J., Stein, R., & Duffy, T. (2000). An Instructional Design Model
for Online Problem Based Learning (PBL) Environments: The Learning To Teach with
Technology Studio.
Morrison, G., Ross, S., Kalman, H. & Kemp, J. (2013). Designing Effective Instruction
Oregon University. (2000). Learning Theories and Transfer of Learning. Oregon Technology in
Education Council.
27(6), 509-513.
Segers, M., & Dochy, F. (2001). New assessment forms in problem-based learning: the
Sluijsmans, D. M., Moerkerke, G., Van Merrienboer, J. J., & Dochy, F. J. (2001). Peer
Tambouris, E., Panopoulou, E., Tarabanis, K., Ryberg, T., Buus, L., Peristeras, V., Lee, D., &
Porwol, L. (2012). Enabling Problem Based Learning through Web 2.0 Technologies: PBL
Tessmer, M. and Richey, R. (1997). The Role of Context in Learning and Instructional
https://ncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com/snapshots/920LEA_2014_LEA.pdf
Williams, M. (2014, November 4). The Youth Vote is Important for Democracy to Thrive.
Wilson, Brett., & Cole, Peggy. (1992). A Critical Review of Elaboration Theory. University of
10th Grade High School What information is currently lacking in your Social Studies
Teachers curriculum on U.S. civics and politics?
Which U.S. civics and politics topics are the most difficult to
teach?
10th Grade High School Which U.S. civics and politics topics are the most interesting?
Student Choose from: American political system, basic values and
principles of American democracy, how the government
established by the United States Constitution embodies the
purposes, values, and principles of American democracy, how
state and local government is established by the North Carolina
Constitution, and how students can have active roles as a citizen at
the local, state, and national levels of government
Which U.S. civics and politics topics are the least interesting?
Choose from: American political system, basic values and
principles of American democracy, how the government
established by the United States Constitution embodies the
purposes, values, and principles of American democracy, how
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 44
state and local government is established by the North Carolina
Constitution, and how students can have active roles as a citizen at
the local, state, and national levels of government
Describe what you know about the U.S. voting system and
elections.
10th Grade High School Survey 1: What questions do the students have regarding the
Teachers course?
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 45
Survey 2: Are the students using their resources appropriately?
What areas of the course seem challenging to the students, and
why? What areas of the course seem to be working well, and
why?
10th Grade High School Survey 1: What expectations do you have regarding this course?
Student Rate your comfort/clarity level for this course after reviewing the
Course Introduction.
Survey 3: Which area of the course has been most impactful and
most effective, and why? Which area of the course has been your
least favorite, and why?
1. What are the major political parties currently represented in the House of
I. Green Party
II. Democratic Party
III. Republican Party
IV. Constitution Party
V. Libertarian Party
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 46
A. I and II
B. III, IV, and V
C. I, II, and III
D. II, III, and IV
E. II, III, and V
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the two types of issues usually found within a political party platform?
1. __________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
I. Be a US Citizen
II. At least 18 years of age by general election
III. Serve at least one year in armed forces
IV. Own at least 0.5 acres of land
V. A resident of your precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day
A. I and II
B. I, II, and V
C. I, II, and III
D. II, III, and IV
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS 47
E. II, III, and V
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________ votes
8. How many total electoral votes are there in the US and how many electoral votes does a
Requirement Points
Voter Motivation: At least one strategy is outlined for how this 10 points
candidate will motivate target voting audience. Motivation
strategy is demonstrated in appropriate way for target voting
audience.
Election Results: Web 2.0 tool is correctly used to outline how 10 points
election results are tallied. Clear and concise details are provided.
TOTAL 80 points