Instructional Design for Professional Development on Canvas Integration

Chelsea George

FRIT 7739: Practicum in Instructional Technology

Georgia Southern University
Dr. Hodges
Fall 2023
General Audience: The general audience for the professional development is certified first grade
teachers at C. J. Hicks Elementary Schools in Conyers, Georgia. With 7 teachers on the grade
level team, four have attained a master’s degree and three have attained their bachelor’s degree.
The median number for years of teaching is six with experience ranging from fifteen or more
years to three. On this team there is one dual language immersion teacher and one special needs
teachers. Each teacher is assigned a paraprofessional to work with them in the classroom
throughout the day. Within the school, teachers have access to their laptops and a Promethean
board within their classrooms. Their students have access to iPads but are only allowed to take
them home during independent learning days. Teachers use technology regularly for small
groups or individual instruction.
Problem Identification: The summer preceding the 2022 to 2023 school year, Rockdale County
Public Schools integrated a new learning management system, Canvas. While teachers did have a
brief training on the similarities between ItsLearning, the previous learning management system,
and Canvas, they continue to show some struggle with this new platform. This is evident in lack
of assignments, quizzes, or other rich content in Canvas. After speaking with administration, it is
evident that they would like more support and training for teachers when it comes to Canvas. It is
the district’s expectation that teachers update their Canvas courses weekly with engaging
assignments, discussions, or modules. Because many teachers are still not yet comfortable with
Canvas, this has become the focus of the professional development workshop.
Instructional Goal: Teachers will use Canvas to create a self-guided learning path for small group
instruction.
Success Criteria
A. Teachers will successfully create an engaging opening/closing in Canvas using either
video or audio recording.
B. Teachers will successfully create an engaging assignment in Canvas by embedding a web
2.0 tool into a module.
Learner Analysis
1. Introduction and Description: The participants of this workshop are first grade teachers at
C. J. Hicks Elementary School in Conyers, GA.
2. Entry Skills: The participants of this workshop are able to type, navigate the Canvas
platform, and are familiar with various web 2.0 tools (Nearpod, Kahoot, Quizziz,
Keenville, etc.). Teachers have access to their own laptops, wireless internet, programs
within Microsoft suite, and a variety of programs purchased by the Rockdale County
technology department.
3. Motivational Characteristics – One of the primary motivators for teachers to better
understand Canvas is to meet district expectations. The district office sends coaches and
other personnel to schools to observe lesson implementation and view lesson plans
online. Additionally, many primary grades teachers are used to providing instruction
themselves and often express how they desire students to work more independently.
There are some opportunities for students to work independently with manipulatives,
 games, and other hands-on activities. However, while these resources are certainly
beneficial, it is challenging to measure what the students are learning before, during, and
after the learning process. Integrating web 2.0 tools into a learning path or lesson using
learning management systems like Canvas is a great way to help teachers create a culture
of independence while successfully collecting data on student performance in an
equitable way.

Professional Development Outline

1. Opening – Introduce Canvas as a learning management system, a place to share
information and assignments online with students.
a. Objective - Teachers will use Canvas to create engaging lessons for small group
instruction.
b. Success Criteria
i. Teachers will successfully create an engaging opening/closing in Canvas
using either video or audio recording.
ii. Teachers will successfully create an engaging assignment in Canvas by
embedding a web 2.0 tool into a module.
2. Preassessment – Microsoft Form
3. Creating a Learning Path in Canvas
a. Benefits of Learning Path
b. Creating a Learning Path
i. Build a Module
ii. Pages – Opening/Closing
1. Recording Video Instructions
2. Description of Learning Path
iii. Assignments / Discussions
1. Embedding web 2.0 tools
2. Discussion boards
iv. Quizzes / Assessments
1. Embedding web 2.0 tools
2. Internal assessment creation
4. Practice Opportunity for Teachers
a. Participants will be given time to create one of the previous parts that was just
modeled.
b. A participant(s) will share their work sample on the Promethean board.
5. Conclusion
a. Review objective and success criteria
b. Take ending questions
c. Post assessment – Microsoft Form
Development of Assessments
1. Pre-Assessment – A needs assessment (appendix A) was developed based on the main
expectations of the school’s administration and the academic support team from the
county’s central office. The needs assessment was sent to all teachers in grades
Kindergarten, first, and second. Of the twenty teachers this survey was sent to, seven
responded. The results indicated a desire to learn more about how to create engaging
assignments and to use Canvas for small group instruction. After speaking with my site
supervisor, we determined that these needs may be met by leading a professional
development workshop on how to create a learning path.
2. Formative Assessment within Workshop – At open and close the workshop, the instructor
will use a KWL chart to document learning. Padlet (appendix B) will be used to house the
KWL chart.
3. Post Assessment – Another Microsoft Form will be sent to the participating stakeholders
to determine the effectiveness of the workshop.

Data Analysis, Evaluation and Reflection

This will be revisited after the completion of the workshop.
Appendix A – Needs Assessment
Appendix B – KWL Chart to use during workshop