Job Aid Review:

1. What portion(s) of the instructional design processes completed in this course were especially beneficial to me? Why? It was very interesting for me to identify the bureaucracy involved with the design of the curriculum that my course follows. Now I can correlate faces with the administrative system and those who fall under specific titles within it. This helps me know who I should come to if changes need to be discussed as well as demonstrates how I fall into that paradigm. I also found that verbalizing the underlying philosophy and overriding goals of the course that I teach has helped me to ultimately design both effective instruction and assessment. Getting to know my target audience has also helped me with this process; particularly with regards to investigating my learners cognitive, language, reading, and processing styles. Having this point of reference helps me to reach more of my students. Additionally, with this regard, it was beneficial for me to see official ACT and SAT score reports related to my learners aptitude. Knowing how they measure up to these standards provides yet another tool to assist my planning of both assessment and daily instruction. Identifying specific goals and task analysis was equally advantageous. Outlining these specific steps and what they entail along with the prerequisites necessary to carrying them out helped me to clarify what type of item specifications should be present on an assessment. Furthermore, as I initialized the process of creating these items it afforded me the opportunity to assess which methods will be best utilized in the actual exam that I intend to create. Finally, identifying my personal approach towards teaching and how it is applied was also effective. It not only provides me with words to explain my methods but also offers a means with which to justify those tendencies. 2. What portion of the instructional design processes completed in this course was of least benefit/value to me? Why? It is always difficult for me to find something that is not beneficial within a growing experience. I truly believe that every experience, even those that may not be outwardly satisfying, contain information that develops a persons intellect. After combing through my application of the design process, the only element that seemed somewhat superfluous was establishing or validating a need for instruction. This is simply because I am fully aware of and familiar with the necessity of effective communication skills; which is the overall objective of the course I teach. That said, it was still beneficial to reiterate this importance as it served to reinforce my preconceived notions about this subject. 3. What pieces of the instructional design process are you most likely to use again in your real-work reality? Why? I really found that listing the goals of my course in order of importance was quite beneficial and plan to provide my students with a similar list as a means of review before the final assessment. I also learned that taking the time to really get to know what motivates my students is a simple process and can be as easy as looking up each student s major of study. In the future I plan to use this information to differentiate my lessons and assessment accordingly. The graphic organizer that I created to outline the information

process involved with writing a report is also something I plan to utilize often in the future. In fact, I will use the one demonstrated in Job Aid 3 as a template so that I can create one for each genre I teach throughout both semesters. I have definitely learned that the more variety a teacher has in his or her delivery of instruction the more apt students are to absorb intended learning outcomes.

Job Aid 1: Analyzing the Context

You can use the following job aid to help you analyze the context of the learning environment for an instructional design project at the course level. This analysis may involve citing information that is currently available to you, plus planning to obtain information that is not currently available to you. A. Establishing or validating the instructional need
1. Goal identification:

Are instructional goals currently identified for this course/unit? Yes Who developed them and when were they developed? The Southwestern English Department at the beginning of the semester. How and when were these goals last validated? They are reviewed and modified as necessary by the Program Coordinator of the English Department. Are there circumstances that suggest that these goals may no longer be valid? No What are the procedures that you would use to validate these goals? A final assessment. Are the statements of these goals available to you? Yes To create an assessment that measures a students ability to: 1. Produce writing that is clear, concise, and free of fundamental mechanical errors. 2. Produce focused writing that has a clear purpose.

3. Write and communicate ideas and points of view by reading, exploring, explaining, evaluating, and reflecting. 4. Use a variety of strategies to generate ideas for writing, planning, and organizing material, for identifying the purpose of, and audience for, what is being written, and for providing useful feedback to peers during the writing process. 5. Use revision to both correct fundamental mechanical errors and to extend thinking about a topic. 6. Understand and appreciate the importance of clear, concise, error-free writing.

No Where can a statement of these goals be obtained? No 2. Goal development (Complete #2 if there are no existing goals or if you found the goals to be invalid.) *I had existing goals Who are the people that should be involved in the development of instructional goals for this course?

What procedures would you use in getting these people to help you identify relevant goals?

How would you validate that these goals are the critical ones?

What is the desirable level of attainment of these goals?

3. Gap identification (Determine the gap between what is and what should be.) What is the level of attainment of the goals of those learners completing the course? (If this information is not currently available, what procedures would you follow in determining the answer to this question?) I would surmise that 80-90% of the students will achieve a passing grade with regards to this assessment that is worth 15 % of the total grade and is a summative assessment for the course. From my experience, if students keep up with their assignments throughout the semester and make an effort to improve, there is little threat of failure. The other

20% are those students who are negligent with their course work, or who were so far behind their peers that they couldnt catch up enough to stay afloat. However, as this particular assessment has yet to be administered, determining its level of attainment will come after my colleagues and I have compared final grades in our separate course. Once the semester is completed there will be a review of the assessment across several sections of the course.

What is the level of attainment of the goals of those learners before they enter the course? (If this information is not currently available, what procedures would you follow in determining the answer to this question?) One of the main reasons why our department has chosen to create a summative assessment is because there are a great number of students who enter college seemingly unprepared for the requirements of course. Although this has not been specifically measured, based on discussions within my department, I would say that at least 40 % of the students who enter College Writing are deficient in their grammar and mechanics, making the task of learning how to write a college essay difficult. It is possible, that in the future we might formally compare our diagnostic essay results to acquire a more finite answer to this question.

Is there evidence that the course is necessary? As I have previously mentioned, our evidence is based on our need to explain some of the basic functions of writing to most of our students. By basic, I mean sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, etc Originally, the course was designed to take students to the next level. In other words, to take what they know about writing sentences and paragraphs and formulating those skills into the kind of composition that is required for assessment in a higher learning institution. However, although teaching the format of a college essay is still imperative, instructors are finding that they need to add an element of grammar and mechanics to the course to fill the gap between the reality of our students inability to utilize the En glish language and where they need to be to write the papers expected. Is there evidence that the goals are being reached to the desirable level as a result of instruction? As of yet, no. Which goals are not being reached to the desirable level? List them here. Move to step 4. It is difficult to measure whether these goals are being met at this time, because we have yet to administer this assessment. However, it is evident that the secondary schools that these students are coming from are not attaining the goals necessary to prepare students for entry level work in college. Specifically, the rules associated with grammar and mechanics.

Yes Is there evidence that this level is being achieved with a suitable level of efficiency in terms of time and costs? (If this information is not currently available, what procedures would you follow in determining the answer to this question?)

No Which goals seem to be related to inefficient instruction? List them here. Move to step 4.

Yes (If yes, conclude the needs assessment here) (Go to part B-Analyzing the Learning Environment) 4. Prioritize goals. Which individuals should be involved in prioritizing the unreached goals? The instructors in the English Department.

What criterion (criteria) should be used in prioritizing the unreached goals? It is primarily important that students gain the capacity to formulate a college essay; demonstrate an understanding of rhetorical situation, genre, organization, audience. However, it is equally important that students are assessed on their ability to use proper grammar and mechanics; spelling, sentence structure. These should be the overriding goals of the assessment.

Using these criteria, list the goals in order of importance.

1. Knows the essential parts of an essay a. Can formulate a thesis statement b. Knows what aspects belong in an introduction; lead, context, thesis c. Knows how to use the thesis in the body of the essay d. Knows how to resolve an essay in its conclusion 2. Understands how to transition between ideas and paragraphs 3. Understands how to address audience 4. Knows how to use various writing strategies

5. Can formulate succinct sentences 6. Knows how to evaluate and revise composition errors

5. Instructional need. Of the prioritized goals, which currently are not included in instruction? None Of these goals, which appear to be reachable via instruction? All. Explain why. These goals can all be interlinked in lessons and assessment devised for this course making learning both efficient and accessible for both students and instructors. Of the prioritized goals, which currently are included in instruction? At this point, everything has been integrated into the instruction. The only element that has yet to be implemented is the final assessment. What evidence do you have that these are instructional needs? I would say the greatest evidence can be located in my students diagnostic essays that they write at the beginning of the course. This assessment not only outlines their deficiencies, but more importantly the need to modify our instruction and then assess whether or not we were able to heighten these students level of understanding. Is there evidence that these gaps are due to non-instructional problems? Explain this evidence. In cases where sufficient information is currently unavailable, describe how you would go about obtaining the information. No.

B. Analyzing the Learning Environment

1. Describe the teachers or trainers for the course: range of experience, interests, backgrounds, preferences. We have four instructors in the English Department; 2 Doctors of Literature who are fairly new teachers, 1 Master of Education who has been an English teacher for many years, and myself who has a Bachelor of English Literature and working on my Graduate degree in Education and teaching for four years.

2. Describe the existing curricula (scope and sequence) into which this course fits. Include the philosophy, strategies, or theories underlying this curriculum.

The underlying philosophy within this curriculum is to teach students how to communicate clearly with others. In our particular case, this form of communication lies with writing. However, writing is just one medium of communication that follows similar constructs as oral exchanges. It aims to give one of the most powerful tools for achieving success in the real world: the ability to convey ones ideas in a manner that is understood as well as the aptitude to persuade others to assist them in reaching those goals. Although the core requisites for this course are expected to be followed by all instructors, the means with reach each teacher reaches their students is dependent on the individual Different instructors are encouraged to employ their favored strategies with regards to how they teach these skills. This might include all manner of assessment, interdependent work, or the inclusion of outside sources such as speakers, film, or other texts.

3. Describe the instructional hardware that is currently available. All of our students and instructors are supplied with laptop computers with Microsoft Office. The text book, The Norton Field Guide to Writing, is universal for all College Writing instructors.

4. Describe the classes (in general, detailed learner analysis will be conducted in the next chapter) and facilities that will use the course. Most of my classes are conducted in different rooms around the college. The classrooms are equipped with chairs, tables, white boards, Wi-Fi, and projectors and overhead screens that are compatible with laptop technology.

5. Describe the school or organization in which the learning will take place. Attach any organizational charts to this form. Include description about how decisions regarding which instructional materials are selected are made. This is a college institution. Decisions made with regards to the instructional materials are fairly informal and lie in the hands of the English Department coordinator. All College Writing Instructors are expected to use the text book chosen by the coordinator. 6. Describe the community in which the school or organization resides. Specifically identify any characteristics which might influence the acceptability of the instruction in this content area. Most of the instructors in my department follow traditional, lecture oriented instructional measures. If I am to include alternative means of assessment in the final, they may not be received well. For example, the use of a graphic organizer or presentations to assess student comprehension; mainly because this is a course in writing and they may view these forms of assessment as outside the realm of essay composition. However, it is possible that if I am able to tie these alternative measures with more traditional ones, that they may find it acceptable.

Job Aid 2: Describing the Target Audience

1. Cognitive characteristics a. General characteristics general aptitudes: According the Director of Admissions, Marla Sexson, the grade point average of incoming students at Southwestern College is a 3.4 or higher. They must have at least an 860 on the SAT or an 18 on the ACT. Those students, who are still admitted under this score, are required to pass an essential skills course. Resources: Sexson, M. (personal communication, September 20, 2012). Director of Admissions at Southwestern College. Winfield, Kansas.

specific aptitudes: This information has not been provided to me. However, it may be beneficial for me to give my students a multiple intelligence assessment at the beginning of a semester, to help me determine which types of learners I should keep in mind when delivering my lessons. I have found the following Literacyworks website link for Multiple Intelligences geared specifically for adult literacy and education to be particularly useful in this regard: http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html developmental level, such as Piaget's levels of cognitive development: I believe my learners are somewhere between the concrete and formal operational stages according to Piagets levels of cognitive development. As college freshmen, my students are just beginning to understand how to use critical thinking skills and therefore still need guidance when asked to think about objectives that require abstract results. language development level: A good number of my students struggle with the use of proper grammar and mechanics. Some of my students are still learning to speak English; obviously this warrants concern as to their readiness for a writing course and this is currently being reviewed by our department. reading level: Again, most of my students are capable of reading the words on a page, but are still within the beginning stages concerned with analysis of that information. Those students who are still learning English, struggle greatly with basic comprehension and are often unable to accurately complete assignments associated with readings as a result. level of visual literacy, ability to gain information from graphics: My learners are highly visual, which is undoubtedly a product of a culture that is bombarded with technological images on a daily basis. However, this comes in handy in the classroom in the form of video, the use of internet, and graphic organizers.

 cognitive processing stylespreferred and most effective: Most of my learners are still at the stage where they are field-dependent and as a result the preferred and most effective processing styles are those that require supplantive models of instruction. cognitive and learning strategies: What types of learning strategies my students learn is unknown. However, I make it my responsibility to directly teach them organizational and affective strategies as both are highly effective in College Writing. Organizational strategies come to play in note taking, annotating and essay structure. Affective strategies are necessary with regards to time management and deadlines. general world knowledge This is a difficult question to answer, because my students come from various backgrounds all over the world. Most are also very young, so interactions with the world have most likely been limited, and dependent on the environment their guardians have brought them up in. Basically, they are baby adults, so their knowledge of the world and how they exist in it is still developing. b. Specific prior knowledge According to a Freshmen SAT and ACT Test Score report provided to my department by Margaret Robinson, the Southwestern College (SC) Director of Institutional Research, students who make it into college writing at our institution represent an even range with regards to aptitude. Out of the forty-six freshman who attend my three sections, students can be evenly distributed into quarter measurements that represent accelerated, average, developing, and below the prior English skills acquired to complete the course. This means that 50% of my students are still in the developing stages or below the level of understanding with regards to the skills necessary to build college writing comprehension. Resources: Robinson, M. (personal communication, September 26, 2012). Director of Institutional Research at Southwestern College. Winfield, Kansas.

2. Physiological Characteristics sensory perception: N/A general health: N/A age: Most of my students are between 18-19 years old. I have a few students who are non-traditional and range from the ages of 20-28.

3. Affective Characteristics interests: I based my knowledge on student interests on their major of study.
10: Business; 9:Undeclared 6: Athletic Training; 5: Psychology; 5:Digital Art; 5:Biology; 3: Accounting ; 2: Computer Gaming; 1: Marine Biology; 1: Math; 1: Pre-Med; 1: Communications; 1: History

motivation: Judging by the interests of my students, I would say most would be motivated by Sports, Sciences, Business, and Technology. Finding real world applications related to writing in these disciplines might motivate my students to learn more about the techniques that will help them achieve in my course. motivations to learn: This class will need constant variation in the delivery of instruction if I am to maintain their motivation to learn. Because aptitude with regards to the subject area is evenly distributed, I will both need to consider lack of engagement because of those who struggle, as well as those who may become bored with having to relearn skills they have already developed. This will require pre-planning and consideration of differentiation with regards to the tasks students will be involved in. attitude toward subject matter: All students at my institution are required to take College Writing. Most would rather not. attitude toward learning: Seeing that this is a higher education institution, most students overall attitude towards learning is positive. They seem to recognize the importance of knowledge and are consciously using it to reach a professional goal. That said, there are still the few, who are not prepared or committed to the work required to reach that goal and need to be frequently reminded. perceptions of and experience with specific forms of mediation: My students are still learning how to conduct their lives without the assistance of a guardian. Some have always relied on their parents to steer learning situations. Taking control of their education is therefore a new concept. This also results in apprehension when it comes to the communication necessary between a student and a professor. Students need a nudge here and there, to ask for help and get past the initial intimidation they might feel with regards to having a conversation about learning with a fellow adult. academic self-concept: Other than SAT or ACT scores, my college freshman do not have an accurate concept of their academic self yet. They have not learned what it takes to excel in a higher learning environment. Preliminary courses such as mine help the new college student develop this identity and most likely by the end of their freshman year they will have a better understanding associated with their position within the academic world. anxiety level: Although this is difficult to determine and fluctuates according to circumstance, I think that it is fairly safe to infer that college freshmen can be especially anxious individuals. They are entering a new environment as independent adults. It is

important for me to give them a little wiggle room as they learn to conduct themselves as self-governing individuals. beliefs: This information is not expressly provided to me. However, I maintain an environment that is accepting of all belief systems. attribution of success, i.e., locus of control: If students believe that their success is due to their effort, work, attitude, how they use their ability- an internal locus of control or due to luck or whether the teacher is fair, or a good teacher-external locus of control; this can have major impact on how they do.

4. Social characteristics relationships to peers: Most of my students are amicable to one another. feelings toward authority: I have occasionally been confronted with students who disrespectfully challenge my authority. However, for the most part, my students conduct their interactions with me respectfully. That is not to say that I discourage them from challenging my ideas; just that they do so with decorum. tendencies toward cooperation or competition: Many of my students are athletes, and therefore respond well to a healthy dose of competition. In kind, I find these students to be equally responsive to interdependent work as well. moral development, such as Kohlberg's stages of moral development: I would say that most of my students are concerned with reciprocity; they do what they can to get a passing grade. Some aim to please their teacher because they have been taught its the right thing to do. There may be some Gandhis in the mix, but that cannot be verified at this point. However, I try to encourage my students to learn because it is empowering; not just because someone told them to. I try to demonstrate how developing their sense of human dignity leads to an ability to instigate constructive changes in our world. socio-economic and racial/ethnic backgrounds: There are many variables involved with determining a cultural and socio-economic composition in any school, so I feel a certain amount of context should be provided here. For example, according to Margaret Robinson, the Southwestern College (SC) Director of Institutional Research, furnishing this information is not always required, so an adequate record is difficult to obtain. However, she was able to present data based on the total family income of those students who applied for financial aid in the 20112012 year. It was not surprising that this research confirmed how the act of categorizing income, race and ethnicity is an ambiguous feat. To begin with, the spreadsheet listed three different types of Ethnicities. Ethnicity 1 indicated whether or not the student was an international, Hispanic, or Non-Hispanic student. This was followed by Asian, Black or African American, White, Native Hawaiian, or American

Indian for Ethnicity 2. A final Ethnicity 3 was added to indicate whether or not those who claimed Ethnicity 1 were also of a different race. So for example, there was a few instances where there was a student, who filling all three categories, was a HispanicAmerican Indian-White. Other students may have just selected two ethnicities, such as a Hispanic-Black. The financial column also proved to be vague at times because, for reasons I cannot answer at this time, it was simply left blank. One might infer this was because there was no income, their international currency made it incompatible in some way, or maybe the student just left it blank; but these would just be unsubstantiated assertions. With this in mind, I can provide a sketch of the Southwestern College student body. An article published in The New York Times indicated that the official poverty line in 2010 for a family of four was $22, 314 (Tavernise, 2011, p. A1). According to that figure, out of the 410 students who indicated their financial income on the spreadsheet that was provided to me by Robinson, ninety-two registered at the poverty level. Among those ninety-two the ethnicity that has the greatest number of students from poverty according to their total population is that of Non-Hispanic Black or African Americans. This research also indicated that our student body is predominately middleclass and that makeup spreads across various ethnicities. We have twenty-eight international students who are mostly Asians. 350 White students, sixty Black or African Americans, and twenty-four Asians registered for financial aid. Our Hispanic population is probably one of the most varied among those ethnicities listed as applying for financial aid, in that it includes American Indian or Alaskan Natives, Black or African Americans, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and White. Resources: Tavernise, S. (2011, September 13). Poverty rate soars to highest level since 1993. The New York Times, p. A1. Robinson, M. (personal communication, March 15, 2012). Director of Institutional Research at Southwestern College. Winfield, Kansas.

role models: N/A other: N/A 5. Design Implications

1. Techniques for gaining and focusing attention and the frequency of use of these techniques a. This is a very beneficial strategy with regards to attitudes towards subject matter, motivation to learn, and even racial/ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds. b. My class is required. As such it can be quite tedious for many learners. It is very important for me to devise various strategies for maintaining their involvement. 2. Amount of structure and organization a. It is difficult for any environment to function without some type of order.

b. Structure, such as clear directions, instruction, or even a course schedule provide my students with a finite goal which helps them to decipher exactly what they need to accomplish course outcomes. 3. Grouping of students a. Understanding the dynamics of interdependent work, allows an instructor to motivate all learners. b. This can also be directly tied to tendencies towards cooperation and competition. c. For example, team work should function heterogeneously so that learners are exposed to various strategies for acquiring information and encourage individual accountability to eliminate unbalanced effort. 4. Response mode a. Varying types of assessment can be tied to motivating students, attitudes towards subject matter, and prior knowledge of subject matter. i. Everyone learns differently, so our assessments should reflect those different strategies. Doing so motivates students to realize their potential. ii. When teachers fashion their assessments in a way that reaches all learners it creates positive attitudes towards the subject matter, because students recognize the effort to communicate in a way they understand. iii. Taking into consideration prior knowledge allows an instructor to design assessments that are in the appropriate range for that particular group of students. 5. Vocabulary and terminology used a. This can be tied to reading level, language development, and prior knowledge. b. Increasing my students vocabulary and knowledge with regards to contextual situations expands the power of literacy; which is one of the key aspects of a college writing course.

Job Aid 3: Goal Identification and Task Analysis

A. Write the instructional goal of the course, unit, or lesson in performance (see text p. 77 and website in course documents on Bb http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/templates/objectivetool.html ) terms. (Remember, you may omit the standards at this time.)
Write a Report according to the key features of the genre. When provided the objective to write a report the learner will present an essay representative of an ability to conduct a thorough investigation and objectively consider multiple aspects of a given topic as well as to properly apply the M.L.A. format and documentation used to reinforce these ideas.

B. What kind of learning outcome does this goal represent? (see text p.79-82)

This goal represents intellectual skills of discrimination and procedures. Students should employ the ability to discern qualified and adequate sources to reinforce the information presented in their reports as well as maintain the procedures for gathering, outlining and formulating a cohesive essay. In addition, learners will be required to apply certain levels of cognitive affective strategies, such as maintaining a focused topic and managing their time within the confines of a deadline.

C. List the information processing steps (based on learning outcomes of goal listed in B.) that an expert would use in completing this goal. (see examples text p. 86-92) (Remember you may wish to write a representative test question to guide this analysis.)
Information Processing Steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Select a focused topic Write a working thesis Research and evaluate sources that represent adequate and qualified information to support the thesis Organize an outline with regards to the key features of a report Draft an essay that reinforces the thesis with properly documented research

D. (Optional) Represent the information processing analysis graphically.

Apply Research to a Concise Thesis in a Properly Organized & Documented Essay

Organize an Outline with Adherence to Report Features

Gather Qualified Research

Write a Working Thesis

Select a Focused Topic

Write a Report

E. For each step in the information processing analysis, indicate the prerequisites (see text p. 92-96) Step: Pre-requisite: Focused Topic Working Thesis
The learner must understand how to inform the reader about a particular topic objectively and without digression. The learner must understand that a thesis statement consists of 2 parts: a main claim and supporting reasons or subtopics. The learner must also understand that developing a thesis is an organic process and may be modified several times before its final presentation. The learner must have some understanding related to gathering scholarly sources; including evaluating web sources, library databases, print sources, as well as field research. The learner should be familiar with the appropriate design associated with a reports structure. Including those that might deal with topics unfamiliar to readers, events, or comparing and contrasting information. The learner should be aware of the conventions that lead to a well thought out essay. This includes grammar and mechanics, paragraph logic, essay structure, and proper integration of sources.

Research

Report Outline Essay Structure & Documentation

F. (Optional) Represent the prerequisite analysis in graphic form. Step:

Focused Topic

Pre-Requisite:
The learner must understand how to inform the reader about a particular topic objectively and without digression. The learner must understand that a thesis statement consists of 2 parts: a main claim and supporting reasons or subtopics. The learner must also understand that developing a thesis is an organic process and may be modified several times before its final presentation.

Working Thesis

Research Skills

The learner must have some understanding related to gathering scholarly sources; including evaluating web sources, library databases, print sources, as well as field research.

Report Outline

The learner should be familiar with the appropriate design associated with a reports structure. Including those that might deal with topics unfamiliar to readers, events, or comparing and contrasting information.

Structure & Documentation

The learner should be aware of the conventions that lead to a well thought out essay. This includes grammar and mechanics, paragraph logic, essay structure, and proper integration of sources.

G. Write a learning objective (what students should be able to do) for the instructional goal, each step in the information processing analysis, and each prerequisite in your instructional analysis. Step: Focused Topic Pre-requisite:
The learner must understand how to inform the reader about a particular topic objectively and without digression. The learner must understand that a thesis statement consists of 2 parts: a main claim and supporting reasons or subtopics. The learner must also understand that developing a thesis is an organic process and may be modified several times before its final presentation. The learner must have some understanding related to gathering scholarly sources; including evaluating web sources, library databases, print sources, as well as field research. The learner should be familiar with the appropriate design associated with a reports structure. Including those that might deal with topics unfamiliar to readers, events, or comparing and contrasting information. The learner should be aware of the conventions that lead to a well thought out essay. This includes grammar and mechanics, paragraph logic, essay structure, and proper integration of sources.

ILO:
The learner can determine and apply a tightly focused topic to a report essay. The learner can develop clear relationships to expand upon the main claim of the essay and create a succinct thesis statement.

Working Thesis

Research

The learner demonstrates an ability to evaluate and apply accurate, wellresearched information. The learner exhibits an ability to distinguish which report format best serves the organization of his or her topic. The learner employs various writing strategies, thorough consideration to proper writing conventions, and avoids the misrepresentation of sources through close adherence to MLA guidelines.

Report Outline

Essay Structure & Documentation

Job Aid 4: Assessment Design

1. Identify the purpose of your assessment instrument and the type of model that you will follow in its development. Create a summative assessment for College Writing I.

2. List the kinds of assessments (pre and post-assessments, etc.) that are necessary and where they should occur in the instructional strategy Throughout the semester students comprehension will be formatively assessed through class discussion, reading comprehension exercises, and formal essays. 3. Write the item specifications for each learning objective which you determined in your task (this is item G. on Job Aid 3) analysis. Select at least 2 of the objectives requiring differing assessment formats-complete Job Aid 4a for each of the objectives. *See Job Aid 4a for the item specifications related to a working thesis and essay structure and documentation objectives. 4. Write an instrument blueprint for one of the assessments identified in #2 (see Job Aid 4b). 5. Write assessment items for two learning objectives (you should have completed Item 4a: Item Specifications for 2 objectives) using item specifications and blueprints as a guide (this goes beyond specifications to development of actual assessment instruments). **See Job Aid 5 Assessment Items

Assessment items:

Objective 1: When provided various texts or a focused topic the learner can identify or
develop a succinct thesis statement and subtopics. Matching: Write the letter of the word that best matches the meaning
1. A thesis statement consists of a main claim and _____. 2. Stating only a ____is not a thesis statement. 3. A ____is not a thesis statement. A. subtopics B. topic C. question

Multiple Choice: Circle the best answer

4. Which of these makes the best thesis statement?

a. b. c. d.

The reasons why students take notes. Students should take notes because it helps to reinforce memory. There are many reasons why students should take notes. Do students like taking notes?

True & False: Circle the best answer

5. True or False: The following represents a thesis statement:

Multitasking is the simultaneous management of two or more tasks. Short Answer:

6. Develop a working thesis statement related to the topic of being a college freshman.

Objective 2:
When provided MLA guidelines the learner can discern the appropriate use of source integration and citation in an effort to avoid plagiarism. Multiple Choice: Circle the best Answer
1. If a quotation is more than four lines it should be indented how many spaces? a. 5 b. 2 c. 4 d. 10 2. Which of the following demonstrates a proper parenthetical reference? a. .(Schrag, p. 75) b. (Schrag 75). c. (Schrag, Waldo. 2007. 75). d. (Schrag: 75) 3. Which of the following statements is true? a. As long as the student puts an idea in his or her own words, they do not have to cite the source. b. Submitting the same paper to more than one instructor is ok. c. Improperly or inadequately citing sources is considered plagiarism. d. If copying of sources information was unintentional that it is not considered plagiarism. 4. Which of the following is considered an acceptable reason for plagiarism? a. But I listed the source in my bibliography. b. But I changed some of the words. c. But in my country, we do it this way. d. None of the above 5. Works cited entries should a. be the last pages of the essay and in alphabetical order b. be saved in a separate document with no page number. c. should be titled, Sources. d. indent the first line of every source.

Short Answer:
6. Using your MLA handbook as reference write a works cited entry and parenthetical reference for the following information:

Janet is using information from page 352 in David Sedariss text Full House. The essay can be found between pages 350-58 in The Best American Nonquired Reading 2004 anthology of works, edited by Dave Eggers. Houghton publishers printed the anthology in Boston, M.A.

Instructional Design Portfolio 21

Job Aid 4a: Item Specifications

Page 1 of 2 for College Writing Final (project name) Objective: When provided various texts or a focused topic the learner can identify or develop a succinct thesis statement and subtopics. Pencil & paper Recognition items: multiple choice, matching, true & false Constructed response items: short answer The following represents a thesis statement: Sample Item: Multitasking is the simultaneous management of two or more tasks. True or False? (circle one) Answer: False

Description of Test Form:

Question Characteristics:

Multiple Choice: the learner will chose between four different options and choose the succinct thesis statement. Matching: the item will include two columns; one displaying fill-inthe-blank statements regarding the conventions of a thesis statement and the other listing the mixed answers with which the learner choses from. True & False: items will very between improper and correct thesis statements. Short Answer: learners will be required to extract thesis statements from a brief article and/or items that provide a focused topic with which the learner should develop a thesis statement. All multiple choice, matching, and true & false responses will have only one possible answer. Short answers may vary slightly, but should all adhere to the conventions of a thesis statement; demonstrate an ability to recognize and develop a main claim and 2-3 supporting reasons.

Response Characteristics:

Number of Items:

Approximately 3-5 recognition items and 1-2 constructed responses. Students should at least answer 4/5 or 5/6 correctly to exemplify mastery of this learning objective.

Mastery Criteria:

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Job Aid 4a: Item Specifications

Page 2 of 2 for College Writing Final (project name) Objective: Description of Test Form: When provided MLA guidelines the learner can discern the appropriate use of source integration and citation in an effort to avoid plagiarism. Pencil & paper Recognition items: multiple choice Constructed response items: short answer Using your MLA handbook as reference write a works cited entry and parenthetical reference for the following information: Janet is using information from page 352 in David Sedariss text Full House. The essay can be found between pages 350-58 in The Best American Nonquired Reading 2004 anthology of works, edited by Dave Eggers. Houghton publishers printed the anthology in Boston, M.A.
Answer: Works Cited: Seadris, David. Full House. The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2004. Ed. Dave Eggers. Boston: Houghton, 2004. 350-58. Print.

Sample Item:

Parenthetical: (Seadris 352).

Question Characteristics:

Multiple Choice: the learner will chose between four different options and choose the correct representation of MLA documentation. This might include Work Cited entries or parentheticals as well as integrating source information; proper signal phrases, quotes, paraphrases, and summaries. Short Answer: the item will only involve writing proper citations. Students will be allowed to use their handbook thereby also demonstrating reference skills.

Response Characteristics: Number of Items: Mastery Criteria:

Both multiple choice and short answer responses will have only one possible answer. Approximately 3-5 recognition items and 1-2 constructed responses. Students should at least answer 4/5 or 5/6 correctly to exemplify mastery of this learning objective.

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Job Aid 4b: Instrument Blueprint

Instructions: complete the instrument blueprint by supplying information requested in order to guide construction of the assessment instrument. You should have available to you the Item Specifications for each objective before you begin. Objective (number): Copy from Item Specifications Form: Format of item(s) for each objective. Copy from Item Specifications Number of Items: The number of items are described in Item Specifications for each objective needed to adequately assess each objective. Copy from Item Specifications. Criterion Level: How well the learner should perform on these items. Copy from Item Specifications. If there are 6 items, how can the criterion be 4 out of 5? My thinking here was that, in order to pass the students should answer at least 4 or 5 questions correctly (I should have formatted it 4-5). Thanks for noticing. Proportion: What proportion of the overall test will be devoted to assessment relating to this objective? Total should be 100%. Number of Items Criterion Level Students should answer at least 4/5 correctly Students should answer at least 4/5 correctly

Objective
1. When provided various texts or a focused topic the learner can identify or develop a succinct thesis statement and subtopics. 2. When provided MLA guidelines the learner can discern the appropriate use of source integration and citation in an effort to avoid plagiarism.

Form Recognition items: multiple choice, matching, true & false Constructed response items: short answer Recognition items: multiple choice Constructed response items: short answer

Proportion

10/100%

10/100%

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Job Aid 5: Organizational Strategy and Media Overview

In completing this Job Aid, a good technique is to develop part 1, then, in developing part 2, if changes or improvements in the overall approach described in part 1 become apparent, go back to part 1 and revise it. Do the same with development of parts 3 and 4, going back and forth to incorporate improvements that the process assists you in making. 1. Provide a paragraph description of the approach this instruction will take. Describe basically how it will go. Include in the description as needed any media (such as print, video, AV devices, and so forth) or delivery systems (such as the Web, classroom, laboratory, and so forth) that will be used. My approach with regards to teaching College Writing entails a combination of Lecture, Independent and Cooperative Work, and some Computer Aided Instruction. Lectures fall closer to a Seminar approach, in that I often present information but also incorporate the interaction of my students; I rarely if ever stand at a podium and talk without this interaction. Instruction is facilitated in a way that reviews readings from the required textbook, and provides guided practice through the use of discussion where notes might be written on a whiteboard or the projector using course related video or PowerPoint material. Worksheets or graphic organizers are also employed into my lessons. Students are expected to complete section related work both independently, through Blackboard assignments that assess reading comprehension, as well as during class time interdependently with their peers. Occasionally, I utilize the use of interactive quizzes both on the internet and from electronic assessment acquired from the textbook package with which has been included as part of my course shell on Blackboard. 2. Provide a rationale for this approach with regard to context: Why is this a good approach to facilitating learning in the particular context that the instruction will be within? College Writing is a required course. With this in mind, it is important to develop a universal means with which to impart its objective. Much of what is conveyed is based off of existing curricula where students must reach very specific goals no matter who teaches the course. This is where the Lecture approach becomes important. Information provided to students in this manner can be scaffold in a way that makes the processing of this knowledge more accessible; students listen to the instructors take on readings and annotate accordingly. Required readings and subsequent discussions and group work also lead towards a concentrated effort to reach recognizable outcomes. 3. Provide a rationale for this approach from the standpoint of learners: Why is this an appropriate approach to facilitating learning for the intended learners?

Instructional Design Portfolio 25 My students are generally College Freshmen from various backgrounds; including race, ethnicity, nationality, class and achievement levels. The approach I use is particularly effective because it is designed to reach this diverse group. This can be especially evidenced in the incorporation of heterogeneous groups in which students work as a team to develop their understanding. Learners who are not particularly high achievers use their peers as models and students who excel use these opportunities to reinforce their knowledge. It is also significant to add that as college students, these learners should be provided opportunities to assemble skills that can be applied to the professional world. Working as a member of a team is a requirement for most jobs. So, not only are students provided a means for retaining course objectives, but they are also presented with an opportunity strengthen interdependent skills. Lecture is also an appropriate presentation for these learners, because many of the genres they are learning to write are new. Therefore, they need the instructor to model format and documentation styles. Computer aided instruction goes hand-in-hand with this aspect especially because each student is issued a laptop on this campus; laptops can be employed to present PowerPoints that demonstrate features of genres or grammar that needs to be accentuated as well as interactive lessons via the internet. Furthermore, students must practice and formulate essays and other written assignments using a word processor. 4. Provide a rationale for this approach from the standpoint of learning task(s): Why is this approach a good one for the learning task(s) at hand? Pay close attention to the cognitive demands of the type(s) of learning involved and how this approach provides an environment in which they may be generated and as needed, supplied. College Writing entails a certain extent of information that must be supplied to its learners. For example thesis statements, and essay logic with relation to various genres should be modeled for students. There are also some students who are not particularly prepared with the foundation necessary to build on their writing capability. With this in mind, supplantive learning tasks may also include basic organizational strategies and grammar lessons such as paragraph logic, simple sentence structure, or the difference between the Active and Passive voice. However, one of the main objectives of College Writing is to teach students how to apply individual learning to various genres of writing. This involves more generative tasks such as critical thinking skills that are more complex than merely following a basic essay structure or formulating a sentence. The combination of lecture, discussion and interdependent work that apply both supplantive and generative tasks affords students the opportunity for each to develop the infrastructure of writing into a model of their independent learning experience.