learning environments

Derivative Power Rule Lesson Plan

Context & Conditions: EDET735 Technology Applications for Diverse Populations, Spring 2023, Dr. Ismahan Asian-Ari. Application of Universal Design, assistive devices, and other technologies to ensure access to information and productivity tools by persons with disabilities, English-language learners, students at risk, and the elderly.

I learned from the earlier lesson plan and kept this plan simpler. Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction again provided the structure. Schunk (2012) provided  principles that enhance learning from instruction:

1. Learners progress through stages/phases
    
2. Material should be organized and presented in small steps
    
3. Learners require practice, feedback, and review
    
4. Social models facilitate learning and motivation
   

Scope: Create a lesson plan or training. Lesson objectives are measurable and clearly related to grade-level, instructional activities. Instructional activities are described in sufficient detail. Evaluation is clearly described. This lesson plan reflects a growing understanding how Learning Design and Technologies can contribute to improving the learning process. It continues the process of breaking down learning into manageable chunks and developing a schema to relate the chunks.

Role: This was an individual assignment in which I was the sole researcher and author.

Instructional Design:  Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction is used as the instructional model. The heart of instruction design is implementation. Sometimes instructional designers create a plan and use materials of others to implement. At other times in the role of a developer we create interactive learning experiences that may or may not have human interaction. In all cases we must show emphaty  with the learner for the learning to be  efficient, effective, and accessible.  

Related performance indicators:

• Creating: This artifact demonstrates my ability to create instructional design products based on learning principles and research-based best practices. I learn by example. In the program I've met teachers with vast experience. Educational Subject Matter Experts such as the Learning Design and Technologies  instructors at the University of South Carolina  have provided me guidance. Research tells us what works and doesn't work.
   
• Using: This artifact demonstrates my ability to make professional sound decisions in selecting appropriate processes and resources to provide optimal conditions for learning based on principles, theories, and effective practices. A developer must choose wisely from the plethora of processes and resources that they are offered in order to enhance and enable learning. Improvements can always be made but optimization is our aim.
   
• Assessing/Evaluating: My work demonstrates my ability to use multiple assessment strategies to collect data for informed decisions to improve instructional practice, learner outcome, and the learning environment.  There is always room for improvement. This data comes from assessments and evaluations both formative and summative.  They must ask, "How are our students doing?"  "How are we doing?"   "How well did our students do?" " How well did we do?"
   
• Managing:  My work demonstrates my ability to establish mechanisms for maintaining the technology infrastructure to improve learning and performance. Educational Technology is dependent on technology which we must understand. While we are not required to build or maintain a Local Area Network  we must have the ability to understand and communicate with those who do.
   
• Ethics: My work demonstrates my ability to foster a learning environment in which ethics guide practice that promotes health, safety, best practice, and respect for copyright, Fair Use, and appropriate open access to resources. References are provided citing source resources. Creative Commons sources are utilized to avoid copyright issues. Instructional developers can foster a learning environment where there is an increased access to open resources. We must seek a balance between protecting the rights of copyright holders and providing open access to learners. We can develop open course-ware that communicates subject matter without plagiarism or copyright violation.
   
• Diversity of Learners: My work demonstrates my ability to foster a learning community that empowers learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities. Accessibility is one of my key goals. Online learning can break down barriers and lift restrictions providing access to learners who wouldn't have access otherwise.
   

Reflection: We can't forget that learning is at the heart of education and instructional design. Otherwise we might as well be producing widgets. Learning is tough but my goal isn't to make it easy. It will still take effort on the learners part. However, that effort should not be exerted on unnecessary tasks. Learning must be efficient to be effective.

On Writing Well for Accessibility PowerPoint Presentation

Context & Conditions: EDET735 Technology Applications for Diverse Populations, Spring 2023, Dr. Ismahan Asian-Ari. Application of Universal Design, assistive devices, and other technologies to ensure access to information and productivity tools by persons with disabilities, English-language learners, students at risk, and the elderly.

As an undergraduate I struggled with English Composition. I am thankful for technology tools such as

grammarly, but I still struggle.  Dr. Rodriguez suggested I read On Writing Well by William Zinsser, which provided the inspiration for this lesson.  The goal of APA Style is to "Write with clarity, precision, and, inclusion."   This got me to thinking  on writing well for accessibility. This presentation is a result of that thought process. 

Scope: Select a topic related to diverse populations, UDL, and assistive technology. Create an accessible PowerPoint on your topic that emphasizes how your topic and final project will integrate the principles of UDL. It is important that we communicate well and I could improve. I'm sure readers of this site can find errors or at least where I could improve. 

Role: This was an individual assignment in which I was the sole researcher and author.

Instructional Design: Accessibility should be an element of every instructional design model. Yet access is not listed in the index to Morrison et al.  (2019). Access does appear in the Bates Model, "As a means of accessing learning technologies, Bates presents the popular ACTIONS framework whereby curriculum developers must consider Access, Cost, Teaching/ learning implications, Interaction/usability, Organizational issues, Novelty, and Speed of a specific technology" Brown and Dousay (2015) page 66. However, there are resources: Learning Is For Everyone: Instructional Design for Accessibility and The Role of Accessibility and Inclusion in Instructional Design.

Related performance indicators:

• Creating: This artifact demonstrates my ability to create instructional design products based on learning principles and research-based best practices. Learning developers must consider that the environment must be accessible to all learners. We do not need to create additional barriers.
   
• Using:  This artifact demonstrates my ability to make professional sound decisions in selecting appropriate processes and resources to provide optimal conditions for learning based on principles, theories, and effective practices. An example of this is the use of Atkinson Hyperlegible  font. How we write has a direct impact on providing  optimal learning conditions.
   
• Assessing/Evaluating: My work demonstrates my ability to use multiple assessment strategies to collect data for informed decisions to improve instructional practice, learner outcome, and the learning environment.  Developer need to listen to learner feedback in order to make informed decisions.
   
• Managing: My work demonstrates my ability to establish mechanisms for maintaining the technology infrastructure to improve learning and performance. We need to understand the technology used by those who face challenges.
   
• Ethics: My work demonstrates my ability to foster a learning environment in which ethics guide practice that promotes health, safety, best practice, and respect for copyright, Fair Use, and appropriate open access to resources. References are provided citing source resources. Creative Commons sources are utilized to avoid copyright issues. Instructional developers can foster a learning environment where there is an increased access to open resources. We must seek a balance between protecting the rights of copyright holders and providing open access to learners. We can develop open course-ware that communicates subject matter without plagiarism or copyright violation.
   
• Diversity of Learners: My work demonstrates my ability to foster a learning community that empowers learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities. Accessibility is one of my key goals. Online learning can break down barriers and lift restrictions providing access to learners who wouldn't have access otherwise.  

Reflection: This class was much more enlightening than expected. Activities conducted allowed the learner to experience a taste of what it must be like to be handicapped. From what I learned I hesitate to use the word disabled because those so labeled are very much able when necessary, to provide provisions.

Barriers to learning take on many forms and are not limited to internal barriers and include environment. Those without or with poor internet connection face barriers to online learning. Resources such as R.A.C.H.E.L. Remote Area Community Hotspot for Learning help address such barriers.

The lesson alludes to On Writing Well by William Zinsser (2001). This book provides sound advice for writing with clarity and warmth. The lesson reflects the goal of APA Style to help writers “present their ideas in a clear, concise, and organized manner.” Educational jargon may be necessary for precision, but often academic writing typically reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw reading, “eschew obfuscation.” An instructional designer must develop an engaging writing style that clearly communicates ideas.