Module 6: Assessment Process

Module 6: Assessment Process

            The economics course includes a variety of assessments:

1.  Weekly discussions – Students are given a prompt and criteria, and asked to respond to the prompt in the discussion forum.  Additionally, students are asked to respond to at least two of their peers.  “This tool is a great technique to encourage students to be analytical in their thinking. By reading others’ thoughts and opinions, students can compare and contrast ideas, develop pros and cons concerning an issue, or take a position and support it logically” (Thiede, 2012).  Being that this class has no face-to-face correspondences, the weekly discussions give the students a chance to communicate and collaborate with each other.  The professor acts as a facilitator during these discussions and is able to access what students are learning through their responses and interactions with peers.

2.  Module Assignments – Each module contains multiple assignments that students are to submit through Dropbox.  Differntiation occurs both throught the content and the product.  The contenct is differentiated by learning style in that it offers a variety of audial and visual resources to help engage the students.  Then, after students go through the content, the assignments are differentiated by product so that students do not have to submit the same types of assignments over and over.  In this course, students are exposed to a variety of web 2.0 tools as they submit speeches through tools like Vocaroo, Prezis, PowerPoint presentations, etc.  These assignments are often linked to a rubric that helps guide the students through completion, and ensures that expectations are known.  According to Thiede (2012), rubrics are especially important during online instruction because of the limited contact between students and instructors. 

3.  Quizzes – Each of the modules contains quizzes that are multiple choice.  The quizzes are timed and strategically placed throughout the module to access what students have learned during a particular part of the module.  When I spoke with the professor during our initial interview, we discusse how there is no way to determine whether or not students actually read the modules or just click through for completion.  The timed quizzes provide good checks for knowledge, and give some insight as to who is actually reading the material and utilizing the resources.

The three major assessments in the course offer effective means of accessing the outcomes.  A variety of resources and online tools are offered to help students complete the assignments and discussion posts.  Therefore, I think the course is effective for meeting the needs of the learners.  At first, I thought the modules were a bit overwhelming in that they contained a lot of information and resources.  However, after perusing the modules further, I think that the modules are chunked sufficiently to ensure that students are not overloaded.  Just when you think there is too much information being given, there is a break for a quiz or an explanation of an assignment. 

            While I do not have any suggestions for improvement at this time, some questions came to mind as I observed and analyzed the assessment process.  In a traditional classroom there are some students who require more time, bigger font, paraphrased questions, etc.  How are EIPs written for online instruction?  How are modifications made when the modules are self-paced?  If given the opportunity, these are some questions I would like to discuss with my mentor teacher.

Thiede, R. (2012). Best Practices with Online Courses. Online Submission.

Ko, S. & Rossen, S. (2010). Teaching online: A practical guide (3rd edition). New York: Routledge.

Module 5: Project of Choice Work Week

Module 5: Project of Choice Work Week

Although there was no official reflection post due this week, I decided to provide an update concerning my Project of Choice assignment.  Last week, I perused a post in which students had to relate economics to characters in fables.  The responses, although about fictional characters, discussed character traits needed to form a partnership and why the partnership would be successful because of these traits.  Despite the discussion being about fictional characters, it inspired me to think about how high-school students could relate economic principles to real life.  Therefore, I decided to create an online course that would serve as an extension to this course.  My idea is to create a course in which students make real life connections to the content.  Discussion posts will encourage students to make these connections while resources and information included will be authentic articles that show how economic principles are applied in the real world.

Once I developed the idea for my problem and solution, I began to create my rubric.  I decided to include 5 categories in the rubric:

1.     Instructional Problem

2.     Instructional Design and Delivery

3.     Assessment/Evaluation of Student Learning

4.     Resources

5.     Use of Technology

These five elements encompass not only the components of the online course but also the instructional flow and design to help meet established goals and objectives. 

	Unacceptable 1 point	Acceptable 5 points	Target 8 points
Instructional Problem	Course does not clearly outline course objectives, goals, expectations, or purpose.	Course includes a clear syllabus that outlines the course objectives, goals, expectations, and purpose.	Course includes an outline of the course objectives, goals, expectations, and purpose throughout each segment and in a clearly written syllabus.
Instructional Design and Delivery	Course information is lengthy for online instruction and is not always clear. Course layout, text, and background colors are not visually appealing and distract the user from the course goals and objectives. Course modules are not manageable making the course hard to navigate through, and understand all components.	Course information and instructions are somewhat concise and clear. Course layout, text and background colors are sometimes visually appealing and not distracting. Course is chunked into manageable modules that sometimes need to be explored in order to understand the flow of content.	Course information and instructions are written in a concise and clear manner. Course layout, text and background colors are visually appealing and do not distract from the goals and objectives of the course. Course is chunked into manageable modules that are easy to navigate through, and understand all components.
Assessment/ Evaluation of Student Learning	Course does not include a sufficient variety of activities to help determine students ‘progress towards specified goals.	Course includes multiple activities that reach various learning modalities and styles, and measure students’ progress towards specified goals.	Course includes multiple activities that reach various learning modalities and styles, measures students’ progress towards specified goals, and allows students to make real world connections.
Resources	Course includes limited resources that support the content.	Couse includes a large range of resources that support the content.	Course includes a large range of resources that support the content, and allow for content to world connections (shows real life applications of the content)
Use of Technology	Course has a limited number of technology tools that encourage communication and learning. Course has a limited number of video and audio files. Course includes internal and external links that are frequently nonfunctional.	Course includes technology tools that encourage communication and learning. Course includes images, video and audio files. Course includes internal and external links that are sometimes functional.	Course includes a variety of technology tools that encourage communication and learning. Course includes images, video and audio files that have a specific purpose and are directly related to course goals and objectives. Course includes internal and external links that are consistently functional.

Module 4_2:Observing a Discussion

Module 4_2: Observing a Discussion

One misconception that I have cleared up through this internship is the fact that online teachers design their entire courses from scratch.  Learning that the modules are already set up with readings, questions, and other activities, I begin to ask myself, “How can the teacher creatively deliver this material to students online?”  Sull and Skora (2014) describe online learning like a soup without spices, “…fine for nutrition, but adding some spark to it can make the soup more exciting.”  According to the article, online teachers should incorporate creative elements in order to engage the students more while also allowing some creative autonomy for students.  Therefore, this week as I observed a discussion, I looked for creative elements.  How does the professor creatively engage the students?  How do the students exhibit creativity?

This week in my internship economics course, I decided to look at the most recent discussion post about the advantages and disadvantages of organizing a business as a partnership.  According to the prompt, students were to discuss the advantages and disadvantages, and then choose a character from one of Aesop’s Fables to be a partner.  The goal was to discuss why the chosen character would be a good business partner, and what skills they possessed that would make the partnership successful.  I found this prompt interesting because one way bring creativity to online learning is to connect a topic to an animal, city, color, etc so that students are able to look at the subject from another view (Sull and Skora, 2014).  Mr. W. was creative in his approach to the topic, which in turn led to some creative responses.  For example, one student chose a fisherman from one of the stories as his business partner because, in the story, the fisherman noticed that he was able to obtain more fish by playing his bagpipe.  The student chose the fisherman based on the fisherman’s ability to be flexible and change his strategy when necessary.  So, not only did Mr. W. introduce an element of creativity in the discussion post, but he also helped students connect the topic to a more familiar topic, fables.  Additionally, this was a brilliant way to integrate reading into social studies.

I learned this week that even when modules are already created, online learning does not have to be solely linear moving from course readings to online discussions to assignments due.  Instead, the professor can add an element of creativity, and allow the students to do the same.  I love the way Mr. W. engages the students immediately from the homepage through his graphics and memos.  He continues to engage the students through creatively wording his prompts.  Upcoming prompts include writing your ideal tax speech, listening to a Podcast from a guy who Mr. Walker claims gets paid to shop and find out prices, and discussing whether or not you will get a credit card when you turn 18.  With these three prompts alone the teacher is having students relate the content to real life and incorporating audio.  “These creative approaches to learning add some fun to the course and have students look at the course material from varied angles, a sure way to reinforce their absorption of the subject (Sull and Skora, 2014, p. 20).”

Sull, E. C., & Skora, C. M. (2014). Creativity: use it effectively to enhance your online teaching.  
     Distance Learning, (3), 17.

Module 4: Project of Choice Discussion

Module 4: Project of Choice Discussion

            We received an email stating that our mentors would no longer be a large part of our “Project of Choice.”  However, our mentor expressed the desire to still help as much as he can.  We decided to have weekly chats so that we can determine the best project for his class.  During this week’s chat, we brainstormed and talked about logistics.  GaVS courses are already set up.  The professor does not change any of the modules.  However, the professor facilitates discussions and answers students’ questions.  Therefore, we decided that our “Project of Choice” should be centered around the “News” section of the homepage.  This is the section in which the professor has the most control.  So far, we have come up with the following ideas:

1. Create an extra credit assignment for students to complete.  The assignment will be linked to the “News” section of the homepage.
2. Come up with a creative way, using Web 2.0 tools, to inform students about GaVS policies and procedures.  This will also be linked to the “News” section of the homepage.

I am thankful to have a mentor professor that does not mind taking a few hours out of the week to communicate with us.  So far, the GaVS experience has been extremely enlightening.  I had so many misconceptions about being an online instructor.  I thought that the entire course was designed by the professor.  I did not realize that although there is some autonomy, there are some modules that cannot be manipulated.  I also learned that an online instructor has to be creative in the ways in which they communicate with students.  Our mentor professor uses various technological tools to create notes and memos for students on the “News” section of his homepage.  I am interested in checking out Powtoons, a tool that was mentioned in our most recent chat.  This may be a tool that I incorporate into my “Project of Choice.”

Module 3_2: The Learning Environment

Module 3_2: The Learning Environment

          When approaching this week’s prompt, my initial thought was that I would reach out to students in the course to find out more about them and their experiences as online learners.  However, I had to rethink this as it is inappropriate to speak to children without parental permission, and our limited access in the course does not grant us the right to email.  Therefore, I decided to do two things: 1.  I reached out to my mentor to find out his opinions/analysis of the group of learners he has and 2.  I browsed through the introduction posts and met students virtually.

            I have yet to speak to my mentor about the learners as we are one week behind because of his obligations to grading assignments and working with the students.  However, we will speak via chatroom this week.  Nevertheless, I was able to “meet” some students virtually.  This was very interesting because when I spoke to my mentor in our very first interview, he informed me that GAVs has a variety of learners including those that need credits to graduate, those that are ahead and only seek enrichment, and those that may be in situations that do not allow them to attend school physically.  Through the introductions I met an 18-year-old attending SCAD in the fall that interested in photo manipulation, a 17 year old that does not do any extracurricular activities, an athlete that doesn’t think anything in his life is interesting outside of football and baseball, some children that are well traveled, a student that has attended five different highschools, and a lot of fans of Atlanta sports (this excited me).  It is amazing how you get to know the students in a different way when meeting them virtually.  Through the design of their PowerPoints, their writing style, and the information they decide to share, the reader gets to see a little piece of each person’s personality.

            Another interesting revelation this week was how cumbersome online teaching can be.  As I read through the introductions, I noticed that my mentor had commented on a lot of them.  I didn’t read a fourth of the class’ introductions, but found it very time consuming opening each slideshow and reading through them.  I can only imagine reading 400 of them.  Additionally, my mentor mentioned having to reach out to students and parents outside of the online environment through phonecalls and progress reports.  Although this was only the introduction assignment, I noticed that many students did not follow instructions.  The assignment was to post a presentation about yourself.  Some students simply typed text, and did not include a presentation at all.  This showed me that no matter what type of teaching environment you have, there must always be policies and procedures in place that help redirect students when needed as well as give them consequences when necessary.