Design, Implementation, and Usability

of

My Alternative PL Model in Video Format

from Wings & a Wand

The Design section of my Alternative PL Model is located at the bottom of my page and moves up into the Implementation of my course. At the top is the Usability section of my course that was vetted by several of my stakeholders which enabled me to make important improvements to my course design.

Usability

In the Usability of my Course Design Video (linked here in ScreenPal for optimal viewing vs. embeded below), I share how I incorporated the “feedforward” from my Usability Test of my Course Design of Professional Learning for Educators of Emmergent Bilinguals in a Blended/Personalized Learning format.

My Usability Testing worked two different ways with two different groups of stakeholders. My initial group of stakeholders were my peers in the ADL program including my collaboration team who have been working with me since my first course. These stakeholders could not be placed in my actual course to click through and view it because I created it authentically in my district’s LMS of Canvas.

For the criteria of this group, I had my Implementation Video for viewing my course with explanation of myself as the facilitator, the introduction page, and the first two modules of the coursework. After they viewed the video, they could leave “feedforward” as a reply in the Discussion area of the course and my collaboration team could also leave “feedforward” in our Google Drive collaboration document that we have. This usability test seemed to take about 15-20 minutes to review the video and reply.

Here are some of the “feedforward” comments from my peer stakeholders:

“Your course is easy to follow, and all the activities are relevant and well-explained. Another thing I like is that it is a blended course with in-person meetings and virtual activities.” 

“Fantastic job modeling what you expect from your learners throughout the course! I also appreciate you clarifying your roles and responsibilities as facilitator so your learners know what to expect from you.”

My second group of stakeholders were my colleagues on my campus and in my district. I had my campus Instructional Coaches: our Literacy Coach, our Math Coach, and our Learning Technology Coach assigned as students to my course. I had my Pilot teachers in my Innovation Plan, and a lead teacher for our new LMS of Canvas as students in my course. I also had two of my Emergent Bilingual Instructional (counterpart) Coaches in my district enrolled as students in my course.

The criteria of this group was to go through the Canvas course as a student and provide me with feedforward. Initially, I tried to get a recording of them in the course commenting on the usability (one was able to do that); however, I decided that a survey would be the easiest method of collecting data in a short time frame. I did personally sit with some campus coaches and a teacher to answer questions before they previewed the course. I also sat with my district EB instructional coaches as they went through my course to listen to their “feedforward” as they entered it into the form. I also answered any questions that they had during and after the usability test. This usability test seemed to take about 20-30 minutes to click through my course and fill out my survey.

I think having two different groups of stakeholders was very helpful because my ADL peers were familiar with the program objectives along with the requirements for my course and vetted it with that perspective.  My district colleagues would have some experience in Canvas, the ability to click on their own through my course, and bring a background of our district initiative in Personalized Learning coming from a Blended approach to influence their “feedforward.”  This variety of perspectives gave me broader “feedforward” results to utilize.

This is what I learned from my usability testing:

• Need button(s) on my Home/Welcome Page to make it more user friendly
• Move my Syllabus the first module
• Embed the presentation video so that it does not open in a separate window.
• Add more interactive quizzes and discussions in the additional modules
• Add information from the links and more vocabulary into the pages for the immersive reader
• Add more visuals to enhance the pages for the participants
• Limit the Navigation buttons on the Student View

These are the items that I have changed and added to my course.

I agree with Steve Krug’s thoughts on tweaks vs. a full redesign of the course (Krug, 2020).  First, by doing this usability study after the first two modules, any major issues can be fixed before a full redesign would be needed.  Second, by trying to tweaking before you commit to a redesign, you may solve the issue.  This means you have to have a “Growth Mindset” or better yet, a “Learner’s Mindset,” so that you do not react catastrophically to your “feedforward,” but respond thoughtfully to the issues first by willingly trying new things to make your course more user-friendly. 

I would not have realized the details needed to improve my course and my learner’s experience with it if not for this “feedforward” from this variety of stakeholders for my usability study.

As I move forward in conducting this course, I will continue to address the infrastructure and system of my course if more accessibility concerns are encountered by making sure my learners communicate these to me.  I will also support the needs and issues that the learner may face when interacting with the content by providing various ways to communicate with me, set up one-on-one meetings as needed, and provide a survey in the middle and at the end of the course for more “feedforward.”

Implementation

In my Implementation of my Course Design Video (linked here in ScreenPal for optimal viewing vs. embeded below), I share information about myself as the facilitator and specific items about my Implementation of my Course Design of Professional Learning for Educators of Emmergent Bilinguals in a Blended/Personalized Learning format.

Here is my Outline of My Alternative PL Model that includes details on the 5 Principles that make PL effective. My course is based on my BHAG which is that learners (fellow educators in this learning environment) will have their Emergent Bilingual students (EBs) grow in language proficiency in each of the 4 domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing beginning in 2nd grade in order to be on track to Exit out of state testing after 5th grade through the utilization of Blended/Personalized Learning.

My PL Instructional Design in a 3 Column Table with BHAG that I mention in my video this has been enhanced with presentation slide templates, activity links, survey links and resource links. As seen in this video, I have taken these items to create the syllabus and the first two modules of my course. These items continue to be used in the build out of and for the completion of my course.

My course design is in my district’s LMS of Canvas. It is a blended course with some activities online and some in-person (i.e. Learning Walks on campuses).  The course has approximately 60% asynchronous activities (videos, readings, online discussions, surveys, etc.) and 40% synchronous activities (online meetings, learning walks, virtual and in-person visits.)

The first section of my course has my Welcome and Overview (front) page that introduces me as the facilitator of the course in my district position as an Emergent Bilingual Coach. It lets them know that we will be working together as a team in this course. To support needs of participants, I have included my email and direct line for communication. At our first virtual meeting to start building community, I will also offer to meet online afterschool or during conference times as needed in our virtual Microsoft Teams platform. These meetings will also be recorded for those participants that cannot attend.

The Welcome (front) page also points them to the Syllabus & Objectives page and explains how the course begins with the first module. The Syllabus & Objectives page lists the order of each module with its title and learning objectives along with a timeframe.

I have also allowed participants the opportunity to preview the Assignments and Discussions, but explain on the Welcome page that these are presented around designed activities in the modules as we go through this course. This allows them to go back into the assignments and discussions as needed so that participants do not have to click through the modules to get there. (I was asked to change this in my Usability Testing.)

My Instructional Design of an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) format is realized in the modules because participants will share their learning through discussions, learning walk debriefs, online meetings, and in-person visits in these first two modules. Later, they will create their own learning goals based on the needs of the EB learners in their classrooms and design their own instruction and instructional activities to achieve those goals. There will be times that I present and other teachers from my pilot who are experienced in Blended/Personalized Learning will present. Then, there will be times that all off us collaborate and share our learning.  I will also serve as a coach and mentor through in-person visits and one-on-one virtual meetings with participants.

As stated in my Design section, my design approach is a BHAG with 3 Column Table based on Fink’s Taxonomy and each module is created from this table along with the activities that have been created and linked to the document. I balance the assessment Or/For/As learning through various blended learning activities in the learning modules that allow the instructor evaluate the work of the participant to give feed forward; the participant to evaluate his/her work based feedforward; and the participant to revise and update work continually as work is shared among peer participants for evaluation and feedforward and vice versa. Thus, it is a student-centered course with me as a facilitator.

Design

In my Instructional Design Video (linked here in ScreenPal for optimal viewing vs. embeded below), I share information about myself as the facilitator and specific items about my Instructional Design of Professional Learning for Educators of Emmergent Bilinguals in a Blended/Personalized Learning format.

Here is my Outline of My Alternative PL Model that I refer to in my video that includes details on the 5 Principles that make PL effective. My PL Instructional Design in a 3 Column Table with BHAG has been enhanced with presentation slide templates, activity links, survey links and resource links.

My audience will be lead ESL certified teachers on feeder campuses for the implementation of my Innovation Plan and ESL Certified teachers on my campus participating in my pilot and in the Blended/Personalized Learning District Initiative. Other district EB Instructional Coaches on my coaching team are also invited to participate.

The key institutional documents that will influence my design are:  an Agenda with the Outline of My Alternative PL Model and the resource documents from Ed Elements that my district uses for their Blended/Personalized Learning Initiative.

My Instructional Design is based on an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) format because participants will create their own learning goals based on the needs of the EB learners in their classrooms and design their own instruction and instructional activities to achieve those goals to meet the needs of their EB learners.

My design approach is a BHAG with 3 Column Table based on Fink’s Taxonomy. I will balance assessment Or/For/As learning through various blended learning activities in the learning modules that allow the instructor evaluate the work of the participant to give feed forward; the participant to evaluate his/her work based feedforward; and the participant to revise and update work continually as work is shared among peer participants for evaluation and feedforward and vice versa.

As participants continue through the course over a school year revising and updating their instructional pieces, collaborative meetings and learning walks with peer participants along with instructor and experience participants will deepen the learning for all participants.

Ulitimately, the participant will control the learning through personal reflection throughout the course.

References:

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Krug, Steve. (2020, May 7). Usability test demo by steve krug [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UCDUOB_aS8

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