Sydney Banks

FRIT 7739
Online Staff Development
Online Module

Identification of Learning Problem

Target Audience

The target audience for this project are teachers at Campbell Middle School. The

audience consists of teachers who instruct students ages 11-15. The content taught by teachers is

English, reading, social studies, math, and science. These teachers use many ways to engage

their students and introduce content to their classes. Many of the teachers have been trained on

Microsoft Educator and are MIE certified and but are struggling with finding ways to incorporate

Sway into their middle school classrooms.

Identify the Problem

Teachers strive to have full engagement from their students during class each day.

Student engagement is the investment of the student’s choice in their learning. Engagement is

driven by curiosity and interest in the activities or lessons in class. Teachers have a variety of

ways to present information to their students through the use of PowerPoint or videos.

Campbell Middle School is a technology-driven school where most teachers use

technology in their classroom daily. The school has new SMARTboards to utilize for interactive

presentations. Sway is rarely used by teachers in the school because they are unaware of how to

use the tool and they have become accustomed to using PowerPoint. PowerPoint requires a great

deal of time and energy on the teachers to create and add any designs or graphics. PowerPoint
was created in 1987 and can take up to 10 or more hours to create. By using Sway, teachers are

able to save time on designing their presentation and only have to add the content.

Many of the teachers have been previously trained on Sway during their Microsoft

Innovative Education certification. A certification created by Microsoft and Cobb County to

assist teachers with using Office 365 within their classrooms. The teachers who have been

trained are struggling with finding effective ways to use Sway in their classrooms with such a

young group of students.

Due to the lack of knowledge of this tool, there is a clear need for instruction. Teachers,

both new and veteran, have expressed the desired need for instruction to include the presentation

tool into their classroom instruction.

Goal of Instruction

1. Teachers will be able to log into Office 365

2. Teachers will be able to identify the basic steps and tips to use Sway

3. Teachers will be able to input content (text) and add graphics (pictures, videos, etc.)

4. Teachers will determine ways to use Sway in their classrooms

Introduction

The primary audience for this project are teachers at Campbell Middle School in Smyrna,

Georgia. The audience consists of teachers who instruct students ages 11 and 15 years old. The

content taught by the teachers is all subjects; English, reading, social studies, math, and science.

There are teachers who have been Microsoft Innovative Educator trained, three teachers are
gifted certified and one is a special education teacher. All of the teachers are females and their

ages range between their early thirties to their late fifties. The teachers have teaching experience

between 5 to 25+ years. All teachers currently have a teaching certification from the state of

Georgia in K-5. This information was gathered through oral data collection.

Entry Skills

Basic use of technology

- Log in to personal devices

- Ability to open applications from the desktop

- Accessing the Internet browser

Content area knowledge

- Prior knowledge of students

- Differentiation techniques

- General information for the content

Attitudes Towards Content

Due to the lack of knowledge of Sway, there is a clear need for instruction. Teachers,

both new and veteran, have expressed the desired need for instruction to include this presentation

into their classroom instruction. The learners have an eagerness to expand their knowledge and

become more equipped for the digital age. The learners want to satisfy the school’s goal to

integrate technology 100% for student engagement.

General Learning Preferences

 The learners for this staff development agreed through an informal survey, that they were

visual and auditory learners. The learners prefer for this training to be an interactive presentation

of the tool and how to use it effectively in their classroom. The teachers expressed through the

survey, they would like to be able to physically create their own Sway. Teachers would prefer if

the training was held at the school on days during the year scheduled for Professional

Development.

Attitude Towards Education in General

The teachers for this module all teach middle school students. The teachers are currently

using numerous models for learning and take pride in the success of their students. They have a

need to incorporate more technology tools to deliver instruction to their students.

Subject Matter Expert (SME)

I, Sydney Banks, will serve as the SME for this instructional plan. My education begins

at Valdosta State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education and continues

at Georgia Southern University in the Instructional Technology program. I am currently certified

through GaPSC with a T-4 certification in Middle Grades Science and Social Studies. I have

teaching experience in both 7th and 8th-grade science courses. I have experience designing,

creating and training learners on the Microsoft Sway tool.

Description of Task Analysis

 The task analysis used for this staff development is procedural. The goal of this analysis

is to serve for the implementation of a new technology presentation tool. This procedural

analysis will assist teachers during a Professional Learning course. The teachers will be

introduced to a program to incorporate the use of Sway, a presentation tool, to increase student

engagement. I created the following task analysis by creating a procedural list for teachers to

demonstrate their understanding of creating and displaying a Sway within their lessons.

Task Analysis

Sway is a digital storytelling tool available to everyone with a Microsoft account or Office 365.

Sway Login

1. For the best results, click on the Office 365 icon on the desktop.

2. Log in with your Microsoft email or Office 365 username (ex. ​someone@example.com​)

and your password.

3. Click on the Sway icon on the Office 365 webpage.

Creating a Sway Presentation

4. Click on “New blank Sway”

5. Title your Sway by clicking on “Title Your Sway”

- Type your title

6. Add a background image by clicking on “Drag Your Image here”.

- Self-generated images will load based on your title name

7. Drag an image into the box

- Click on Suggested or Select the source of your image

 8. Adding content by inserting cards

- Click on the “Plus” sign

- Select the style of card (heading, text, image, stack, upload, etc.)

Editing a Sway

9. To change the text,

- Select text style from the menu at the top of the card

10. To rearrange cards,

- Click on the card

- Click on the box in the lower right corner of the card

- Click on green stripe at the top of the card

- Drag to the desired location

11. To delete a card,

- Click on the card

- Click on the trash can in the top right corner

12. To change the size,

- Click on the card

- Click on the medium or large icons in the top right corner to change the size

Editing Picture Cards or (Grouping)

13. Click to add a new card,

- Select a card type under the Group subheading

14. Insert Images by selecting/dragging the Image Group Card from the right corner

- Select add content to select images and click add

OPTIONS:

- Automatic- individual images

- Stack- images or text that flip to next photo when clicked

- Comparison- easy for comparing two images

- Slideshow- ability to advance through multiple images

- Grid- multiple images show as a compilation

Instructional Objectives

By the conclusion of this training, learners should be able to:

1. Access Sway from a laptop/desktop

2. Understand the purpose of using Sway

3. Know multiple uses of Sway

4. Understand the procedures of creating a Sway

5. Have the ability to develop a Sway to use in instruction

Terminal Objective 1: Explore the purpose and uses of Microsoft Sway

Enabling Objectives:

1a. Identify why educators are shifting to a new presentation tool.

1b. Identify how educators and students are using or could possibly use Sway within their

content areas.

Terminal Objective 2: Investigate the procedure to create a new Microsoft Sway

Enabling Objectives:
2a. Access Microsoft Sway on their personal laptop or on a desktop computer

2b. Login to Office 365 account

2c. Navigate the different tools within Sway

Terminal Objective 3: Develop a Sway to use during instruction and collaborate with peers

Enabling Objectives:

3a. Create more than one card with different content

3b. Group more than one card to connect the information

3c. Share finalized Sway

Terminal Objective 4: Assess your knowledge of Microsoft Sway

Enabling Objectives:

4a. Answer assessment questions on specific ways to use Sway and proper procedures for the

best results

Content Performance

Recall Application

Fact 4a

Concept

Principles

Procedure 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 3c

Interpersonal 1b
Attitude 1a

Standards Aligned with Instructional Objectives

Teacher Keys Effectiveness System

Performance Standard 1: Professional Knowledge Objective 1 & 3

The teacher demonstrates an understanding of the curriculum, subject content, pedagogical

knowledge, and the needs of students by providing relevant learning experiences.

Performance Standard 2: Instructional Planning Objective 3

The teacher plans using state and local school district curricula and standards, effective

strategies, resources, and data to address the differentiated needs of all students.

Performance Standard 3: Instructional Strategies Objective 2 & 3

The teacher promotes student learning by using research-based instructional strategies relevant to

the content to engage students in active learning and to facilitate the students’ acquisition of key

knowledge and skills.

Performance Standard 5: Assessment Strategies Objective 3 & 4

The teacher systematically chooses a variety of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment

strategies and instruments that are valid and appropriate for the content and student population.

Performance Standard 6: Assessment Uses Objective 4

The teacher systematically gathers, analyzes, and uses relevant data to measure student progress,

to inform instructional content and delivery methods, and to provide timely and constructive

feedback to both students and parents.

Performance Standard 8: Academically Challenging Environment Objective 3 & 4

The teacher creates a student-centered, academic environment in which teaching and learning

occur at high levels and students are self-directed learners.

Assessments

Lesson 1: Introduction to Microsoft Sway

Objective 1:​ Explain the purposes and uses of Sway

1a.​ Identify why educators are shifting to a new presentation tool.

1b.​ Identify how educators and students are using or could possibly use Sway within their

content areas.

Assessment: ​Group Discussion

Lesson 2: Discover how to operate Sway

Objective 2: Investigate the procedure to create a Microsoft Sway

2a. ​Access Microsoft Sway on their personal laptop or on a desktop computer

2b.​ Login into Office 365 account

2c.​ Navigate the different tools within Sway

Assessment: ​Demonstration of proper log in & creation of a blank Sway presentation

● All learners will need to be able to access the Office 365 icon on their desktop and be

able to log-in to their individual accounts using their work email address and a safe

password.

Lesson 3: Create a Sway of their own

Objective 3: Develop a Sway to use during instruction and collaborate with peers

Objectives:

3a. Create more than one card with different content

3b. Group more than one card to connect the information

3c. Share the finalized Sway

Assessment:​ Sharing Sway presentations

Lesson 4: Take a quiz of the information about Sway

Objective 4: Assess your knowledge of Microsoft Sway

4a.​ Answer assessment questions on specific ways to use Sway and proper procedures for the

best results

Assessment:​ Learners will complete a 10-question quiz about the functions of Sway. The

learners of this training are expected to score at least 80% for mastery.