PLO 8 Demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of learning and leadership.

     Demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of learning and leadership

To demonstrate my understanding of Program Learning Outcome 8, which is “the ability to make informed decisions relating to the use of technology in support of learning and leadership,” I have designed the activity from EDU601 using instructional design principles

The design is of an introductory discussion post for the beginning of a module or lesson. I incorporated the principles of the Backward Design Model influenced by the cognitivist theory of learning in the process. I used this theory because I wanted to focus on the students' mental processes. “Because it is a teacher-centered approach, educators must organize instruction in such a manner that learners can connect new information with existing knowledge to make learning meaningful and productive” (Clark, 2018, p.179, par.1). With the Backward Design Model, learning outcomes were created first, followed by the design of assessments that will measure student achievement. This process will allow me to use the data from the activity in multiple ways, including recognizing student strengths and weaknesses, whether or not to pace lessons, identify curricular topics, and differentiate or make grouping decisions.

The video is used to familiarize and stimulate learners on the topic and to encourage reflections on the issues surrounding the creation of the Jim Crow Laws and to present necessary information. It was my opinion that the best way to approach using cognitivism in the classroom was to ask questions to help students enhance their thinking and recognize where they may be wrong. Some students may think they already know about this topic, but I wanted to introduce some new aspects to make them redefine discrimination. Since this is an introductory post, it provided an opportunity to assess prior knowledge on the subject and get acquainted with the students. In case this information was unfamiliar to some, I tried to draw upon background knowledge before challenging current ideas (schema) and create learning to amplify or change the schemata.

My logic was to entice the learner to want to learn more and challenge their thinking on discriminatory practices, so I included questions about their feeling on the topic and discuss how they would have reacted to that issue. “Students need to learn problem-solving strategies for situations that have no obvious solutions or explicit procedures laid out” (https://gsi.berkeley.edu). To encourage dialog amongst the learners, I asked them to express how they would have dealt with the issue at that time and respond to classmates. The responses will serve to support the learning process.

Technology, by itself, does not change learning; instead, it helps to aid transformative learning. Once the objectives are clear, technology can be used to open new possibilities. Learning that is enabled by technology does mean a change in specific skills and competencies required of leaders. Educational leaders need experience with learning technologies and understand how to organize these resources effectively.

Learning Objectives

· examine historical events around and the creation of Jim Crow policies and explore the impact of those policies on Blacks at that time as well as what were some of the limits imposed by Jim Crow Laws.

Click the link to view the brief video and include in your post your response to the questions below.

Understanding Jim Crow (Setting the Setting)

· After watching the video, what thoughts come to mind?

· When looking at the lives of Blacks and Whites, how would you have felt, and what actions could you have taken?

Once you have created your post, respond to at least two of your classmates. See if you share the same interests as your classmates or classmates who have posted something that you find interesting. Let’s all talk a little as we get started!

For your introductory post, please discuss your impressions of the video describing the history of Jim Crow. Are you familiar with the Jim Crow Laws? What are your thoughts about this quote from the video? Imagine how the Jim Crow Laws affected those who were not included but were against the Laws.

"Taking a stand on race during this period would subject you to rejection from all of the prominent and valued institutions in the community. You'd be rejected by the church. You'd be rejected, often, from workplaces, from schools. "

Going against Jim Crow resulted in serious implications, including potential harm to you and your family. If you were living in those days, how would you have reacted? It's only human to be concerned about your family's well being and safety. At the same time, you know this goes against all human compassion. What would you have done?

Also please help us get to know you better by answering the following;

Tell us what state you live in, and a little about yourself, what your major is, or what areas of study you are interested in pursuing. Also, let us know what you hope to get out of this class.

Grading:

The introductory post is not a graded activity, but participation is required

References

Clark, K. R. (2018). Learning Theories: Cognitivism. Radiologic Technology, 90(2), 176–179. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=132750221&site=eds-live&scope=site

https://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/think-discipline/

PLO 6 and 7

 Evaluate technology resources to facilitate effective assessment and evaluation and  Utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings; and

Reflecting on my personal experience, learning in prior courses, and Discussions, I want to briefly discuss and support my choices in the design. The design is of an EDU602 activity to demonstrate my attainment of Program Learning Outcome 6 to “design learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the needs of all learners” and Program Learning Outcome 7 “Utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings

There is no doubt that UDL has revolutionized learning. As an instructional designer in the 21st century, I want all my students to be engaged, and the course work to be accessible to a wide range of students with different needs. The purpose of assessment is to collect pertinent information about student performance, to determine student interests, and make judgments about their learning process. After receiving this information, teachers can reflect on each student’s level of achievement, as well as on specific feelings of the group to customize their teaching plans. “Engagement is essential for the learning process, so learning how to use resources strategically towards given demands in a task can encourage resourceful, goal-driven, purposeful learning” (http://castprofessionallearning.org).

In this assignment, I incorporated the principles of the Backward Design Model and the constructionist theory of learning in the process. With the Backward Design Model, learning outcomes are created first, followed immediately by the design of assessments that will measure student achievement. The logic is that by having the learning outcomes always present when designing learning assessments, the lesson will better reflect the skills and knowledge outlined by the learning goals. Assessment-literate teachers use assessment results to adjust instructional strategies. Teachers use data in multiple ways, including identifying student strengths and weaknesses, determine approaches to remediation or re-teaching, to pace lessons, identify curricular topics, and differentiate or make grouping decisions.

I chose Socrative because I am familiar with this tool, and it uses exercises, polls, quizzes, and games that can be accessed using smartphones, laptops, and tablets. I can easily create a quiz on the subject matter as we progress in the lesson. Socrative will instantly grade, total, and provide graphs of results to help me to identify opportunities for further instruction. I can also benefit from the one-to-one use of this tool by automatically sending questions to students. In an online platform using Socrative, I can write queries that correspond with the lessons, pre-scheduling them, or sending them to students on-the-spot. Because they quickly and privately respond using devices, I should not have trouble eliciting answers from those who do not typically raise their hands or have difficulty meeting publicly.

Moreover, since I can send questions at any time using these platforms, they work for quizzes, activities, entry, and exiting the classroom. I can use Socrative as a way to activate the students using this as an instructional resource that allows a teacher to get students involved with each other in discussions and working groups that can help improve student learning and instruction.”Effective use of technology for formative assessment offers immediate learning feedback to students and can free up the instructor to provide feedback on more complex matters” (Bedard-Voorhees, Johnson, & Dobson, 2011, p.15, par.4).

The performance task (skit) is an authentic summative assessment. “Performance Assessment (or Performance-based) -- so-called because students are asked to perform meaningful tasks” (https://www.edutopia.org). This task meets the parameters of a summative assessment because it gauges a pupil’s performance at a precise point in their learning. It provides information about student's progress in subject knowledge, understanding, as well as skills and capabilities. The characteristics involved and developed through the classroom skits are that it promotes individual accountability; each student is responsible for a specific part of the skit production and contributes to other portions as needed. Positive interdependence is encouraged as well because the students work together and rely on the other members to produce a skit and shared goals on one project. For this activity, roleplaying promotes learning, collaborative effort, and encourages critical thinking as well as allows the student to be expressive. Through this assessment, evaluating information about student misconceptions can be determined by analyzing which distractors they chose and why.

Learning Outcomes

• Learners will examine historical events around and the creation of Jim Crow policies

• Examine key policies developed in the Jim Crow era

• Learners will explore the impact of Jim Crow on Blacks at the time

Step 1 - use the link provided to view the video “The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow part 1 and 2: https://youtu.be/j3IxWEK0uJA and, https://youtu.be/utwE5ZPd7Gk

Step 2 – Select and make notes of a person that is of interest to create your skit.

Step 3 -Separate into groups of 3; students will choose their group members. In groups, create a 2-3 minute skit and role-play a real or fictional character portraying either side of the Jim Crow Laws as it pertains to one particular law.

Examples of real characters could include but are not limited to President Andrew Johnson, President Harry Truman, President Lyndon B. Johnson, W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Ned Cobb, and Barbara Johns.

Collaboratively work on the skits together, including every member of their groups in the process, either as actors, directors, or writers. Students can have more than one part. All group members will contribute to writing the skit. Group consensus can decide on the actions and timing of the parody. After each skit, we will explore what we learned from each portrayal and the law that is pertinent to that character.

Finally, use the link below to take a brief quiz on some historical facts regarding the topic of Jim Crow Laws.

Step 1: access the Socrative link. Go to https://socrative.com/ and click the Login button to sign as a student. Enter the room name provided “GRIER 4839”. Enter the room name and click on Join to login.

Step 2: Take the quiz titled Jim Crow Laws

Step 3: Assess the results of the grades

Step 4: Evaluate how to clarify missed points from the assessment

Step 5: Instructor feedback will be in a class discussion of those areas that need clarification.

References

Bedard-Voorhees, A., Johnson, L.M., & Dobson, P. (2011). Letting them show what they know: Digital assessment strategies [Book Submission Chapter Final Version]. In S. Hirtz and K. Kelly (Eds.) Education for a Digital World 2.0, Section F: eAssessment: Measuring in Ways that Matter. British Columbia: Province of British Columbia.

CAST: Professional Learning. (n.d.). Top 10 UDL Tips for assessment.Retrieved from http://castprofessionallearning.org/project/top-10-udl-tips-for-assessment/

Why Is Assessment Important? | Edutopia

www.edutopia.org/assessment-guide-importance

PLO 5 Exemplify ethical practices of technology usage;

                                           Exemplify ethical practices of technology usage

Educators need to consider the moral, social, and cultural implications of teaching technology to diverse groups of learners” (Rogers, 2016, p. 197, par. 3). This statement is a case for viewing instructional design as a moral endeavor. The design is of an activity (EDU601) that demonstrates the attainment of Program Learning Outcome 5 to “exemplify ethical practices of technology usage.”

The backward design was the first step in this instructional design process. I began with the objectives of this lesson and the learning goals based on the constructivism learning theory. The model used in this design process is the creation of learning goals, choosing appropriate materials, options for delivery medium, implementation, and evaluation. To address the possibility of student inaccessibility to the content, I included a link to the resource and a copied excerpt that gave students options to view the printed materials or to access information from the online sources. I employed differentiated instructional strategies to adjust the elements of the lesson so that if a student needed a different teaching approach to grasp the concept, there were different modes of instructions available. In the case of this lesson, the Summative Assessment is an essay that requires the student's understanding of the meaning of discrimination and recognition of forms of discrimination in the 21st century. “A summative assessment is used to gauge student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.”

(www.cmu.edu).

In this assignment, you will research a topic that demonstrates the impact of Jim Crow on today's society and compose an essay on that topic.

Learning Objectives

· Assess how Jim Crow policies still impact today’s society.

· Research a contemporary issue still impacted by Jim Crow policies and history.

Assignment Overview:

Research the 21st-century issue or reflect on a personal experience of discriminatory practice as it relates to Jim Crow Laws using at least two credible sources. If you are unclear on what a reliable source is, remember it is a source that is unbiased and corroborated with evidence as well as the first-party account of an event. You are welcome to access the link: Is My Source Credible? You may also locate blogs and newspaper or magazine articles to support your subject. You will examine the issue thoroughly, including:

· The events that are occurring around the point today

· The people and parties involved and a description of the various sides of the issue

· Policies and legal challenges impacting the issue

Investigate additional resources for a more in-depth exploration of the problem.

Develop a 3-7 page essay describing the issue in detail. You will become a reporter on this issue.

Steps to Completion:

Step one: Read the excerpt from Racial Justice in the 21st Century: New Remedies for Persistent Problems below or click on the link.

“Many groups of people have suffered unfair discrimination in America, and some still do. In addition to people of African descent, women, gays, Latinos, Jews, Muslims, Catholics and many other religious groups, atheists, the Irish ("No Irish need apply!"), Germans and Italians (especially during wartime), Asians and, to one extent or another, virtually every ethnic immigrant group, as well as the disabled have all suffered grievously and unjustly from invidious discrimination-in employment, housing, education and public accommodations. Such discrimination has limited those opportunities that are supposed to be part of the American ethos and has fostered inequalities that are dissonant to the American dream and to the reason that many immigrants came to this country in the first instance.”

Step two: Identify a topic of interest where Jim Crow laws still are influencing a current issue.

Step three: Research material around your topic and develop key talking points and arguments to support your ideas.

Step four: As you develop your paper, respond to the fundamental questions above in detail. You may also wish to add more background or arguments that increase clarity around the topic.

Submitting Work

Submit a link to your essay to the class Discussion Board page for sharing, discussion, and review. Or bring a copy of your article and reflection to class for sharing, analysis, and evaluation.

Grading & Feedback

You will be graded for details around the relevance of the topic and thoroughly addressed the issues. Please review the following guidelines for more grading information. To access the rubric click on the link below.

· The events that are occurring around the issue today

· The people and parties involved and a description of the various sides of the issue

· Policies and legal challenges impacting the issue

· Additional resources for a more in-depth exploration of the issue

https://blackboard.coursesites.com/bbcswebdav/pid-5508824-dt-content-rid-12273131_1/xid-12273131_1

References

Rogers, S. (2016). Bridging the 21st Century Digital Divide. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 60(3), 197–199. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1007/s11528-016-0057-0

Formative vs Summative Assessment - cmu.edu

www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative..

PLO 4 Apply research to support learning in a technology-enhanced environment

                  Apply research to support learning in a technology-enhanced environment

Digital Materials Cost Effectiveness in Education

Concerning students seeking higher education are the increasing cost of tuition and learning materials. In the Ashford University Library, an article that describes the effects, benefits, and advantages of instructional technology on learner achievement is by Moro, J. (2018), "The Emergence of Digital Course Materials in Higher Education and Their Effectiveness in Teaching and Engaging Students." This article addresses the widespread use of digital materials in education as well as the cost-effectiveness in comparison to the traditional textbook. “Today’s students and professors have a variety of course materials at their disposal, from traditional publishers, such as Pearson and Cengage, and new companies, such as OpenStax, providing digital products at a reduced cost” (Moro, J. (2018) p. 418, par. 3). Moro asserts that many students are unwilling or unable to pay for expensive course materials and will use other options to obtain learning materials at the lowest possible price. Both instructors and students want improved products. Teachers wish for products that will give them a deeper understanding of what is going on with their students learning outside of the classroom so that they can better address their needs inside of it. “Examples of products by Cengage, OpenStax, and Pearson show the development and release of materials that are moving in the right direction, engaging students in different ways and taking advantage of what technology has to offer by providing an improved experience over what a print text alone can” (Moro, J. (2018) p. 428, par. 1). To ensure that students understand the content and are engaged instructors want the ability to customize and assess using features such as media assets and print capabilities. Today's students have access to a variety of devices that were once perceived to be distracting in a classroom setting. According to the author, these devices should be seen as valuable teaching tools that can help students engage with content in new ways.

    The key reason to use digital materials in the classroom is to increase accessibility, which is essential in an online learning environment. I define accessibility in two ways: Location-based availability and accessibility for diverse learners. Location-based availability is being able to access material on any device at any time, at home, school or anywhere. Using traditional paper-based materials this is not possible. An example, a student receives homework but leaves it at school, he has no way to do the assignment.

    Similarly, if homework is finished but forgotten and left at home, the student can not submit it. Digital materials can be retrieved on any device providing an internet connection is available. Accessibility for diverse learners can be crucial because it allows for a more user-friendly medium for diverse learners or students with disabilities.

Reference Moro, J. (2018). The Emergence of Digital Course Materials in Higher Education and Their   Effectiveness in Teaching and Engaging Students. Publishing Research Quarterly, 34(3), 417–429.   https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1007/s12109-018-9594-z