Thomas Robb EDTECH 504 Lesson Plan Activity

CONTENTS
Rationale for Revision..................................................................................................................................................2 Original Lesson Plan ....................................................................................................................................................3 Learning Objectives .................................................................................................................................................3 Materials ...................................................................................................................................................................3 Procedures ................................................................................................................................................................3 Part I Locating the Grade Center and the My Grades Area ..........................................................................3 Part II Creating Columns and Entering Grades ...............................................................................................3 Part III Organizing Columns .............................................................................................................................3 Part IV Submitting Assignments, Tests, and Discussion Boards As Students ...............................................4 Part V Entering Grades for Assignments, Discussion Boards, and Exams ....................................................4 Part VIa Creating Calculated Columns (Total, Statistical) ..............................................................................4 Part VIb Dropping the Lowest Grade ...............................................................................................................4 Part VII Communicating Student Performance ...............................................................................................4 Part VIII locate an answer in the blackboard manual ....................................................................................5 New Lesson Plan ..........................................................................................................................................................5 Learning Context ......................................................................................................................................................5 Learning Objectives .................................................................................................................................................5 Materials ...................................................................................................................................................................6 Procedures ................................................................................................................................................................6 Part I Locating the Grade Center and the My Grades Area ..........................................................................6 Part II Creating Columns and Entering Grades ...............................................................................................6 Part III Organizing Columns .............................................................................................................................6 Part VIa Creating Calculated Columns (Total, Statistical) ..............................................................................7

Part VIb Dropping the Lowest Grade ...............................................................................................................7 Part VII Communicating Student Performance ...............................................................................................7 Part VIII .................................................................................................................................................................7 References: ....................................................................................................................................................................7

RATIONALE FOR REVISION In a previous EDTECH course, I wrote an instructional design project that details how to conduct a 3 hour workshop on using the Blackboard Grade Center. While designing the workshop, no considerations were given for the theoretical foundations of the tasks or objectives. After analyzing the content, I learned that much of the instruction and structure of the workshop is largely based on constructivist theory, more specifically on scaffolding techniques often associated with Bandura and described by Schunk (2008) using the participant modeling technique where initially, a teacher models a skill, provides, support, and gradually reduces aid as learners develop the skill. (page 247) The workshop was planned with a small number of participants (5-10 total) with the idea that experienced or more advanced users could aide in teaching other learners that had lower level skills. Vygotskys idea of reciprocal teaching as described in Schunk (2008) as a strategy that involves small groups of students where the teacher and students trade places. Peer collaboration can also be seen in the workshop design. After implementing this workshop in the Fall 2009 semester at our college, in a two hour time frame, I have realized that many components, especially the actual grading and feedback portions have had to be taught over using the instructors real course shells. Only then did our instructors remember the steps necessary to complete a specific tasks. Because many of the tasks in the project were procedural and given that many learners forgot the steps, revising aspects of this lesson are in order. Constructivist theory emphasizes the need for situated cognition or Vygotskys idea of apprenticeships. In these situations, Schunk (2008) explain that novices work closely with experts in joint work-related activities. On the job, apprentices operate within a zone of proximal development because they often work on tasks beyond their capabilities. One other concept worth considering is using verbalization techniques to help learners remember the procedures to utilize the grade center in Blackboard. Schunk (2008) states that verbalization of rules, procedures, and strategies can improve student learning. (page 251)

ORIGINAL LESSON PLAN LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learners will identify (navigate to) the Grade Center and My Grades area in Blackboard. Learners will enter values for grades, feedback, and text information into appropriate areas of the grade center. Learners will organize grade center columns. Learners will assess student submissions for columns that interact with other objects of Blackboard. Learners will create multiple calculated columns in the Grade Center. When given a four step process, learners will drop highest/lowest grades in a specific category. Learners will analyze and communicate student performance using smart views and email tools in the grade center. Learners will perform a search on the Blackboard User Manual to find an answer to a common question regarding the Grade Center.

MATERIALS Blackboard 9 course shell with a Blank grade center Computer lab with 10 computers connected to the Internet Whiteboard and Projector How to videos for use post workshop

PROCEDURES PART I LOCATING THE GRADE CENTER AND THE MY GRADES AREA Trainer demonstrates how to locate the grade center and my grades area and learners explore the course shell. PART II CREATING COLUMNS AND ENTERING GRADES A discussion takes place about similarities with other grading systems. Trainer demonstrates how to create columns, enter grades, and enter feedback. PART III ORGANIZING COLUMNS The trainer models how to organize columns, enter due dates, freeze columns, create categories and assign grade center columns to categories. Learners participate in

classroom discussions about how they organize their grades in their classes and how they might utilize these organization tools to their advantage. Learners practice tasks learned and arrange existing columns in their grade center. PART IV SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS, TESTS, AND DISCUSSION BOARDS AS STUDENTS The trainer models how to go into courses as students and submit an assignment, post a discussion board thread, and take a single question test for their teachers to grade. The learners are provided a table of which classes they will go into to submit items modeled as students ensuring all learners have an assignment to grade. PART V ENTERING GRADES FOR ASSIGNMENTS, DISCUSSION BOARDS, AND EXAMS The trainer demonstrates how to enter grades from part IV for each item. The learner follows the procedures to do the same. The learners then view their grades as students with feedback. PART VIA CREATING CALCULATED COLUMNS (TOTAL, STATISTICAL) The trainer engages learners in a discussion about periodic progress and informing students in their classes of their grades at key points in the semester. Examples are provided and discussed. The trainer then demonstrates the steps to create a calculated column and learners repeat the process. Advantages of this feature are pointed out to learners and guiding questions are asked about how this could be useful in their course. Responses are collected on the board. PART VIB DROPPING THE LOWEST GRADE Learners watch a video on the procedures to drop the lowest grade in a specific category. Learners then follow the procedures following a scaffold provided on the white board to drop the lowest grade in their course. PART VII COMMUNICATING STUDENT PERFORMANCE A discussion about providing feedback to students ensues. Learners are asked how they currently provide feedback to their students. Responses are listed and organized on the white board. Feedback features in the grade center and other communication tools are demonstrated by the trainer and students repeat the procedures in their course providing feedback to their students in the grade center. This includes emailing students, creating a canned report to email to students.

PART VIII LOCATE ANSWER TO QUESTION IN THE BLACKBOARD MANUAL

The trainer demonstrates performing a search on the Blackboard User Manual that details the steps necessary to perform tasks learned in Part I-VII. A discussion ensues about questions instructors have and their responses are written on the board. The trainer demonstrates how to locate the learners questions in the manual. Learners then perform a search and share their findings with the instructor that asked the question. A concluding activity is conducted reviewing each part while demonstrating salient aspects of Part I-VII to aide in retention. The location of the training videos are provided and discussed. NEW LESSON PLAN
LEARNING CONTEXT

The learning context will change slightly in that the workshop will involve instructors creating their real grade center. Prior to the workshop coordination will be necessary to provide learners with access to their real course shell with real students. Learners will be asked to bring their current grading system with them to convert this system into use for the Blackboard Grade Center. The workshop will only allow for 5 instructors in attendance and will take place over one day with the option of additional one on one time for each attendee. These changes to the learning context will allow for a more realistic apprenticeship model where novice learners can work with an expert and develop a real grading system in a more situated context. In addition, due to the retraining necessary after the previous workshop, the tutorial videos will be a regular part of the new workshop so learners can ascertain the benefits of having the resource as well as develop internal self-verbalization techniques relevant to each task. As a result of the change in learning context, one learning objective has been dropped from the list; Part V Entering Grades for Assignments, Discussion Boards, and Exams.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learners will identify (navigate to) the Grade Center and My Grades area in Blackboard. Learners will create columns that match their current grading schema. Learners will enter values for grades, feedback, and text information into appropriate areas of the grade center. Learners will organize grade center columns into categories. Learners will create multiple calculated columns in the Grade Center. When given a four step process, learners will drop highest/lowest grades in a specific category.

Learners will analyze and communicate student performance using smart views and email tools in the grade center. Learners will perform a search on the Blackboard User Manual to find an answer to a common question regarding the Grade Center.

MATERIALS Blackboard 9 course shell with all instructors real students Instructors existing grading system Whiteboard and Projector 5 Computer Stations with Internet Access How to videos for use within the workshop Earphones on each computer station

PROCEDURES PART I LOCATING THE GRADE CENTER AND THE MY GRADES AREA Trainer demonstrates how to locate the grade center and my grades area and learners explore the course shell. PART II CREATING COLUMNS AND ENTERING GRADES A discussion takes place about similarities with other grading systems. Learners will share their system with the class and this will be written on the board. The trainer will tie in each example provided with how it can be converted into a Blackboard format. The trainer will demonstrate how to navigate to the tutorial video site. Learners will also navigate to the site. Learners will individually watch tutorial videos on how to create columns, enter grade values, and enter feedback in their grade center. After watching the video, the learner will create their columns and begin entering grade values and feedback to individual students. During this time, the trainer will walk around the room to make sure learners are on task and providing ways to convert instructors grading schema into a Blackboard format. Before moving on, all learners will have all necessary columns created, and if applicable, values and feedback entered into their grade center.
PART III ORGANIZING COLUMNS

After a brief introduction of the various organizational tools from the trainer, the learners participate in classroom discussions about how they organize their grades in their classes and how they might utilize Blackboards organization tools to their advantage.

Learners will watch tutorial videos on how to organize columns, enter due dates, freeze columns, create categories and assign grade center columns to categories. After watching the videos, the learners will organize their columns, create categories, assign columns to these categories, and enter due dates for their assignments. During this time, the trainer walks around the lab providing guidance as needed. PART VIA CREATING CALCULATED COLUMNS (TOTAL, STATISTICAL) The trainer engages learners in a discussion about periodic progress and informing students in their classes of their grades at key points in the semester. Responses are collected on the board. Examples are provided and discussed. The trainer will connect each response to the Blackboard equivalent. The trainer then demonstrates the steps to create a calculated column and learners repeat the process. Advantages of this feature are pointed out to learners and guiding questions are asked about how this could be useful in their course. PART VIB DROPPING THE LOWEST GRADE Learners watch a video on the procedures to drop the lowest grade in a specific category. Learners then follow the procedures following a scaffold provided on the white board to drop the lowest grade in their course. PART VII COMMUNICATING STUDENT PERFORMANCE A discussion about providing feedback to students ensues. Learners are asked how they currently provide feedback to their students. Responses are listed and organized on the white board. Feedback features in the grade center and other communication tools are demonstrated by the trainer and students repeat the procedures in their course providing feedback to their students in the grade center. This includes emailing students, creating a canned report to email to students.
PART VIII

The trainer demonstrates performing a search on the Blackboard User Manual that details the steps necessary to perform tasks learned in Part I-VII. A discussion ensues about questions instructors have and their responses are written on the board. The trainer demonstrates how to locate the learners questions in the manual. Learners then perform a search and share their findings with the instructor that asked the question. A concluding activity is conducted reviewing each part while demonstrating salient aspects of Part I-VII to aide in retention. The location of the training videos are provided and discussed.
REFERENCES:

Schunk, D. H. (2008). Constructivist theory. In Learning theories: An educational perspective (5th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson