Instructional Design Usability & Reflection Assignment
- Ashleigh Carter Kegler
- Mar 4, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 26, 2023
During our first weekly meeting of the term, when Dr. Bellard reviewed the assignments for EDLD 5318, I knew it was my opportunity to shine. Last year, as a rookie teacher, my professional onboarding process was seamless, but my instructional onboarding was lacking. There were so many different programs for everything that needed to be done, from attendance, grading, form completion, evaluation review, field trip forms, etc. Although I was assigned a mentor teacher, if you've ever taught in a public middle school, you know it's easy to get overwhelmed and distracted. So my mentor teacher wasn't always available in those non-scheduled moments to answer my ever-growing list of questions. The online course development assignment in EDLD 5318 was my sign to create what I didn't see.
The Design Process
When brainstorming the course and considering all the materials, clearances, and support I needed to get started, I began with a list of programs teachers used daily. I narrowed my list down to the top 5 programs as well as the CTE webpage. Google Classroom, Skyward, School Status, TEAMS/Frontline, and Eduphoria would each have their own module. I would cover each program's basic and high-frequency functions with videos recorded using Screencastify. I would also include additional resources like youtube videos, helpful articles, and helpdesk links for each program.
The instructional model I used was the MADDIE Model. This model would ensure I analyzed the needs of my learners, strategically planned and developed based on those needs, effectively implemented the course content, and conducted ongoing evaluations to guarantee the course remained up-to-date and adequate.
Instructional Model
Assignment One | Outline Presentation
Assignment Two | Course Review
Implementation
I created my CTE New Teacher Training Course in Google Classroom. The course is six-weeks, student-centered, and 100% virtual. Learners will be enrolled based on their hiring status or at the request of the departments or campus principals.
The course begins with a Start Here section that welcomes learners to the course and clearly outlines the goals, outcomes, expectations, and technology requirements. The Start Here section also includes an Introduce Yourself discussion post; this critical activity is the gateway to fostering collaboration and creating learning communities. Since the course is 100% virtual, learners introducing themselves is vital to connection and community. It provides them with information on their peers so learners know who is in the course with them and who they can lean on or reach out to while enrolled in the course for additional support. Weeks 1-6 each focus on a different program, and week one begins with Google Classroom, our district's LMS. Each module includes a welcome video, learning objectives, an assessment, an evaluation, and additional resources if applicable.
Usability & Stakeholder Testing
I conducted my usability evaluation, including rookie and veteran educators and campus and district administrators in my district. I also received feedback from my peers in my learning community by sending my links to our ADL Cohort GroupMe. I received five responses from the ten stakeholders I sent my course and evaluation links to. Overall the responses were favorable. My campus curriculum and instruction assistant principal, Mrs. Newsome, said that she wished I had created this course earlier. She said the course addresses the needs of new teachers and even some veteran teachers who aren't as tech-savvy. She was excited to learn more about the course and provided her support and influence to help me get the course adopted for the 2023-24 school year. My principal, Dr. Shante Morris, was ready to collaborate! She also responded favorably to the course but wanted to take more time to review it, ask questions, and make adjustments and additions. She advised me to get with her secretary and schedule a collaboration meeting to ensure the course is ready to present to our superintendent, Dr. Moore. After reviewing one of my peer's courses, Patrick Rodriguez, and speaking to him about mine, I decided to make some accessibility changes. The first thing I noticed when I opened Patrick's course what that he used colored shapes and typed titles to identify his modules. I remember reading about this particular accessibility tool and seeing it in action in one of my sessions at TCEA this year. It's a simple adjustment that makes my course accessible to more learners.
A few modules are still missing tutorial videos because of privacy issues. I requested demo logins for all the programs covered in my course from my technology department a little over a week ago. My IT director, Michelle Young, said that demo logins didn't exist, but after reviewing my course, she was happy to help me obtain them from the program account managers. This way, I could create tutorial videos for all the programs without revealing sensitive information about me or my students. Receiving these logins is the last piece in completing my course and preparing it for district-wide launch.
It feels great to have created something so well-received. I am hopeful the creation of this course has shown my administrators that I have what it takes to be a true innovator in our district. I am also hopeful that my work positions me to advance within the CTE department.
Usability Video
Resources
Mcgriff, S. J. (2000). Instructional system design (ISD): Using the ADDIE model. In Instructional System Design. https://www.lib.purdue.edu/sites/default/files/directory/butler38/ADDIE.pdf
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