CEP 800 - Lesson Plan Reflection

Lesson Plan Reflection

To recap: I currently teach in the Alternative Education department for my school district.  Recently, my district has switched from PLATO to Compass Learning as a more cost-effective way to provide online classes to use in the Alternative Ed program, the Credit Recovery Program, and the Summer School program.  While the district paid for and set up training for teachers when we first made the switch to Compass Learning, staffing has changed dramatically since it was initially implemented.  As a result, teachers who have never administered Compass Learning classes have now been assigned these online classes with no training. As a tech savvy teacher who has been using Compass Learning for years now, I have been asked to train other staff members to use the program.  

Thus, for my lesson, I created and partially implemented a Compass Learning training session.  Though I have been scheduled to conduct a larger training session before the start of school, for this assignment I did a training with one teacher who has been newly placed in the Alternative Ed program.  The plan was to conduct a presentation using a PowerPoint (a technology that teachers in my district are familiar with) and the demonstration function on Vision, a program used in the computer labs to monitor student computers that also allows the teacher to take control of the student computers.  I would demonstrate how to do key functions in the Compass Learning program including the following:

• ·         Create classes in CL (Compass Learning)
• ·         Search directory for students in CL and add them to classes.
• ·         Create profiles and usernames for new students.
• ·         Add new students to CL classes.
• ·         Create new assignments in the Assignment Builder.
• ·         Access assignments in the Assignment Archive.
• ·         Assign the new assignments to students.

I arranged to meet with the other teacher (who we will call Mary) at the school in one of the computer labs.  I had planned to use a PowerPoint I had created along with the Vision classroom management program with a demonstration function for the lesson.  However, upon arriving at the computer lab I ran into a road block.  Due to a virus throughout the district’s network, email has been temporary suspended, so I brought the PowerPoint on a USB flash drive and also uploaded it to my Google docs.  Once in the lab, we realized none of the computers would read my USB drive and the district has blocked Google docs.  Equally frustrating was that the USB drive would then no longer read on my laptop.  Therefore, I was limited to using the paper handout I had brought Mary of the PowerPoint and the demonstration function on the Vision program.

I started off with my Anticipatory Set.  I did not have to introduce myself as I have known Mary for a few years now.  I did however explain the purpose of the training and reassured her that what I was going to show her would be useful and the training would help her get set up for the first day of classes.  I explained that the training would not only show her how to use Compass Learning, she would also get more experience with Vision as we worked through the tasks.  

Without having my PowerPoint, I decided to dive into the lesson with a direct demonstration using Vision.  What Vision allows me to do is go through all of the steps on my computer and the student(s) watches the demonstration on their own computer.  I started off using this function to show Mary around the program and showing her where to find various menus and functions.  She expressed that the demonstration window was too small, so I decided to try a different method.  Still using the Vision program, I took control of her student computer and did a direct demonstration where I controlled her mouse on her computer.  This actually worked better because I would show her how to complete a task, such as creating a new class, by controlling her computer.  Then I would delete what I had just done and essentially reset everything, give her back control of her computer and ask her to complete the task on her own.  If she struggled, I would be there to help guide her along.  As I demonstrated she jotted notes down on the paper copy of the PowerPoint.

Though I had to alter the delivery method, I felt the lesson actually went very well.  As we worked through, Mary was able to successfully demonstrate that she could create a class, add students to it, create an assignment based on Michigan benchmarks, and then assign that assignment to the class and students she had just created.  Once we had worked all the through all of the steps necessary to do all of those things, I asked Mary to create two more classes and assign them a new assignment she created.  She needed a little prompting on the second class and assignment she created, but by the final class and assignment she was confident and even telling me I didn’t have to watch her do it and that I could work on my own classes if I wanted.  She had forgotten that I needed to focus on the lesson at hand for this reflection but her confidence in saying that I could work on my own classes demonstrated to me that she had mastered all of the steps and skills she needed to be successful.  

Question Set One

As stated previously, the goals of this lesson were for the teacher(s) to learn how to set up classes in the Compass Learning software, add students to those classes, create assignments, and assign the assignments to the newly created classes.  It was assumed that the teacher already had working knowledge of how to use an Internet browser, which is how students and staff access the Compass Learning online program.  Trainees/teachers are expected to be familiar with the Michigan Standards and Benchmarks in their subject area in order to create assignments that are aligned to the benchmarks HSCEs and GLCEs.  Since the trainees were proficient in the use of a web browser and the Michigan Standards and Benchmarks for their subject area, the goals of this lesson were accomplished.

The Vision program, which was the technology that I ended up solely using to present this lesson plan, has several affordances.  First of all, it has many functions that I was able to use to do the direct demonstration.  I could use the demo function to show the demo on multiple computers from the teacher workstation.  I could (and did) switch to another way to conduct the demonstration by taking direct control of a student workstation and using their mouse, control and demonstrate all of the steps in the process of creating a class, etc. in the Compass Learning software.  Finally, if I had been able to access my PowerPoint file, I could have also directly shared the file with all student computers through Vision’s file sharing option.  On the flipside, the constraint of the Vision program was the small screen size that students see using the demo function.  This was alleviated by controlling the student computer directly to do the demo which uses the actual student screen, at full size.  The other constraints of technology were described previously with the inability to access the PowerPoint via USB or Google Docs.  These issues can be addressed for a future training, though the success of the direct demonstration in Vision leads one to question whether or not the PowerPoint itself is necessary or if the handout sheets with room for notes are all that is needed.

In this implementation of the lesson, learning occurs as a result of the direct demonstration and the hands on activity of creating the classes and assignments in Compass Learning.   Behaviorism is being utilized to demonstrate the skill.  The learner (the teacher being trained) is given reinforcement first through the successful completion of a task or an error message for a mistake and additionally through feedback from me.  If I had more students in the training, I would have had them work in partners or in groups to discuss the tasks they were asked to do in order to incorporate more constructivism.  Mary and I did have quite a few discussions as she tried to create her own assignments and complete the other tasks, but I feel more participants would have added to the experience in terms of adding more ideas and asking more critical questions.  Finally, I was able to incorporate concepts from andragogy to make this lesson appeal to the teachers who are being trained by solving a problem for them, building on their previous experiences, and making it relevant to their needs.

This lesson was not intended to supplement or supplant existing curriculum, as I am not teaching students, but training teachers.  Since the district cannot afford to pay a trainer from Compass Learning to come back, in essence I am supplanting the official training.  This training is intended to prepare new teachers for the online program.

Differences among learners are addressed in the lesson through the multiple delivery methods. The learners are able to see the demonstration directly which accommodates visual learners.  Auditory learners are accommodated with the auditory directions and presentation during the demo.  I accommodated even more learners by giving hands on tasks that allowed the learners to try out the program and manipulate it themselves.  Finally, the use of the PowerPoint handouts accommodates learners that prefer to read directions or write directions for themselves in their own words.

First of all I assessed Mary as we went through the initial demonstration by asking her comprehension and follow up review questions on each section as we moved along.  If I had felt she did not grasp the concepts, I would have went back over them.  Fortunately, she picked up on the new program quickly since I had related it back to our old program, PLATO.  I also assessed the student by requiring her to complete all of the tasks taught on her own.  Mary was required to create two new classes, add students to those classes, create assignments for those class based on HSCEs and GLCEs, and assign the assignments to the classes.  I could assess the level of learning and understanding first through the questions that arose as Mary worked through the tasks on her own.  As she gained confidence and constructed her knowledge the questions became fewer.  The program itself also has built in sequences and error messages that allow users to know when they have made a mistake.  An assignment cannot be published if the steps are not completed correctly.  Therefore completion signifies success.

Question Set Two

Technology played a vital role in my lesson plan.  My lesson would not have been successful if I had not been able to directly demonstrate how to navigate through the Compass Learning program.  It is very important, especially with an older audience, to be able to show which button or drop down menu you are talking about and referring to.  I have also found during other professional development trainings that an older audience can sometimes have a hard time seeing something put up on a screen, especially if it is small with a lot of detail such as a website with buttons and dropdown menus.  The advantage of using the Vision program is its ability to do a direct demonstration on the screen that is directly in front of the learner.  It helps eliminate the eye straining and the questions like “Where is that button?” The disadvantage I experienced with technology for this lesson was that the PowerPoint option failed for me this time due to the USB drive failing and Google docs being blocked.  The important thing to remember is that technology will fail or present problems from time to time and as a teacher you must always have a “Plan B” and be able to find a way to work around the problem. 

Prior to the lesson I expected Mary to be nervous about learning a new program on the computer and I expected the training to be long and arduous.  I also was expecting Mary to struggle with learning the new program.  Much to my surprise, though Mary was indeed nervous, the training/lesson went very well.  Mary was very confident with the program by the end and felt that she probably wouldn’t even need to refer back to the notes she had made during the initial demonstrations.  While working through creating her first class and assignment entirely on her own, Mary remembered the steps fairly well, yet repeatedly asked if she was hitting the right button or wanted me to double check if she had everything checked off correctly before she hit a submit button.  At first I was directly answering her questions and reassuring her.  Towards the end of creating her first assignment, I began answering her by responding, “What happens if you push that?  Does it work or do you get an error message?”  Those responses forced her to try things out on her own and she was able to have a better connection with the process.

It was definitely clear that Mary was making sense of the Compass Learning program with the direct demonstrations through the Vision program.  By seeing me model the steps to create the classes and assignments, Mary was able to become successful and confident at it in a short amount of time.  The Vision program was vital to this lesson’s success.

Group Leadership Project - FINAL

Our group has finally completed a video tutorial demonstrating how to use Vyew, an online meeting, discussion, and collaboration tool. As a group we chose to create a professional development tool about Vyew because it is a free online tool comparable to Adobe Connect without the associated costs. As we ourselves were learning to use the program to facilitate our group meetings, we felt it would be an awesome resource to share with our colleagues.

In our brainstorming session all group members agreed that we would like to teach about Vyew. We also agreed that we wanted to use a video to do so. At the time, three of us were familiar with Jing and felt that Jing would be an awesome tool to record a presentation on Vyew. As a group with complex and limiting schedules, we agreed that the easiest route would be to divide up the topics for the video and each record short two and a half minute segments that could be compiled in the end. However, we were not aware that Jing does not provide a way to combine the videos into one longer video. We turned to our TA Chuck for help and he suggested using Camtasia to compile the videos. I immediately downloaded the program (as did Brian) and I was very excited to see all of the options that Camtasia provided. During a group meeting it was decided that we would use Camtasia to compile the videos.

Once I downloaded Camtasia and began to use it, I now understood why we were asked to explain title slides and transitions in our storyboard assignment. While Jing is a great and simple way to record videos, these things are not an option. In Camtasia however, you can record using the program and then add in title slides, sound effects, transitions, etc to spruce up your video and allow it to flow between topics better. I experimented with the title slides and adding sound effects. I also liked how I could use the zoom option to zoom in on a particular button that I was pushing, to better show our audience exactly what they needed to know. Brian seemed equally (if not more) excited about Camtasia and he volunteered to do the final compilation and final edit of the video. He took all of our inidvidual videos and made one final, complete video. I must say, he did a great job!

I have learned a tremendous amount through this project. First and foremost, I have learned a lot about two new software tools that I can use in my classroom. I love the options that Vyew can give me to help students in my class collaborate. I was very excited about all of the editing options in Camtasia. It was easy and fun to use. As I was editing my video, I truly did not feel as though I was doing class work. I plan on inquiring about purchasing Camtasia for my classroom. I think it is truly something my students would be excited about using.

Secondly, I also feel that if I ever decide to make videos to help train teachers in my building (like I am doing in my Wicked project) I would love to use Camtasia to do so. I would even love to teach my colleagues about Camtasia. It is something that I am considering purchasing myself. (Maybe I can even write it off as a classroom expense.)

Finally, I have learned a lot about troubleshooting with group members through this project. Schedules and communication were sources of stress for me during this project, especially when I was on the road and out of town. But I told myself not to let it stress me out and to do as much as I could do during the short times that I could do it, and it all worked out in the end. I think I worked harder and with more focus while on the road than any other time during this class. I have learned that I am capable of working around whatever life throws at me.

I also have learned that trying things out with group members ahead of time can solve a large number of problems down the line. For example, before our first group meeting to brainstorm, Courtney and I met in a Vyew room to try things out. At that time Courtney was unable to click buttons in the room or add to the room. We weren’t sure if it was because she has a Mac or if it was a problem with the settings in the room. After trying everything we could think of, she and I also tried out other online collaboration tools. Those also proved to be unsuccessful or have too many drawbacks. Later on I was able to find an article in the Vyew help section for Courtney to update her flash and that solved her problems. I remember that feeling of accomplishment and it will serve as a reason not to give up too soon. Looking back, I wish that we had done that same trial with Jing as a group before deciding to use it. We discussed using it, but we did not try to link videos together, with live chat and feedback going on. I think if we had, we could have solved that issue a lot sooner and we could have avoided lost points and having to do revisions on our storyboard blog. I now have both a positive and negative example of why live collaboration can be so helpful.

If I were to do a project similar to this in the future, I would definitely insist on trying to accomplish technology tasks during a live session. In an online class, group meetings in person seem out of the question. But live meetings where members can talk and/or chat, can save a group a lot of time and effort. Had we done so with Jing, we could have spent more time on perfecting the video instead of struggling to put it together. I would also ask group members to download and try all new software/programs before scheduled meetings. I would also provide links to tutorials and help centers about the program to help alleviate as many problems as possible before the meetings. I would also push to use an online calendar to better coordinate group members. Brian had set one up in his Vyew room but he and I were the only ones to use it because group members could not access his room without hi there to pull them into the room from the lobby. I think I would create one in Google and also set up an easier way to share documents (like our PowerPoint storyboard) using Google docs.

Below you will find our video "Getting to Know Vyew". If you are interested in Vyew, you can sign up for a free account at www.Vyew.com.

Part D: Wicked Problem Project – Findings and Implications

To recap, my Wicked Problem Project has focused on training other teachers in my building how to use the Compass Learning program and answer some of their frequently asked questions. For my partial implementation, I had created a PowerPoint that covered how to add a student to a Compass Learning class and how to make sure they were assigned the proper assignment and presented it to my colleague in the classroom next door to me. He had given me positive feedback, so I decided to offer the same presentation to the other teachers in the building that use Compass Learning. I had two teachers show up for the second training and they also had positive feedback. By the time that I had held the second training, I was able to add arrows using the shapes menu in PowerPoint to point to the different menus and links for better clarification. I also printed out the slides with room for notes so teachers could jot down their own reminders.

For the most part, the project has been implemented as planned. I did have to scale back how much information I put into the PowerPoint, but as I have stated before, I will continue to add to the document. I plan to keep adding to the PowerPoint or maybe create a PowerPoint for each individual topic as resource document to submit to my district for use in the future. The one thing I did not plan on was the amount of questions following the second training. Since I had only focused on one topic, the teachers that came naturally wanted to ask questions about other problem concerning the program. To address this, I used the Demo tool in my Vision program to demonstrate more solutions to the teachers. I just recently learned how to use the Demo tool in Vision. It works great for showing learners (whether it be students or fellow teachers) exactly what menus, links, etc they need to click on to accomplish a certain task. Unfortunately, I do not have a to record these demos on the school computers. There is no record function in the Vision program. I even tried installing Jing on my teacher’s computer at school. Downloading programs is not permitted. I have submitted a request to the technology department and I am waiting to hear back if they will install Jing or not. I have also requested to get a microphone and speakers. That is also still in limbo.

I feel the project so far has been quite successful. The teacher that did attend the training have expressed that it was very helpful and that they understood the directions better than when the company representative had come in when we originally purchased the program. Like the original training, the teachers expressed that they understood my directions better, because I used simple, short steps with familiar terms and language. One of the teachers also expressed that they were happy that I gave them a print out that they could add notes to as well as refer to later. They expressed they would rather refer to that document before picking up the telephone to call me directly during class. This was my original goal and I was ecstatic to actually hear my colleagues acknowledge that I might need a break from all of the phone calls.

If I were to approach another project of this type, I think I would approach it with less skepticism. I have to admit that I went into thinking I would not be able to make it work given the lack of technology. I was very skeptical that I would find a way to not only present the training and find a way to easily distribute it in the future. I had originally wanted to create videos using Jing, but once I took a step back and thought about it, I was able to come up with the solution of using PowerPoint instead. I also think I would not underestimate the teaching staff either. I truly felt that if I created the Jing videos, teachers would not know how to play them using their older computers in their classrooms. I did not even consider that they might be willing to access the videos at home and watch them there. Finally, I think I would also start off with a better idea of how much information I can prepare in a short amount of time. I originally wanted to cover much more material than I had time for. This experience has taught me to be careful about not biting off more than I can chew. I have learned to start small and add to a project instead of being overly ambitious and causing myself to get overwhelmed with the task.

I also feel that others might learn the following from my experience:

• You can make a difference in your own building.
• Districts do not need to hire expensive trainers if someone is willing to put in some time and effort – a true cost saver.
• There is a way to make the technology that you have work, no matter what the constraints. Don’t look at it as limiting. Make what you have work for you.

As stated before, if I were to do this project again, I would change the following things:

• I would create demonstration videos using Jing for teachers to access at home.
• I would complete different topics about Compass Learning in smaller, more manageable chunks. Not only would this help me achieve the goal, it would make the training more manageable. I could do a series of short trainings and not keep colleagues after school too long.
• I would like to find a way to create a video to add into PowerPoint. I can see that PowerPoint will allow me to insert a video, I just have not been able to figure out what videos it will allow me to insert.
• I would like to purchase (or have the district purchase) USB drives to save the PowerPoint documents and videos on for teachers to access.
• I would like to get the technology department to add the files to the Shared drive for the district for easy access.