Lesson Plan : Reflecting on the Implementation

DESCRIBING THE LESSON

The lesson provided adult learners an introduction to the core commands and benefits of Microsoft Office Web Apps.  Through hands-on activities, the students were able to realize that Microsoft Office Web Apps are simplified versions of Microsoft Office 2010.  The big idea for this lesson was to let students explore how to access, edit, and share Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations from virtually anywhere at anytime.  

A cloud computing technology, SkyDrive, was used in the lesson to incorporate the concepts of online collaboration and file sharing using Office Web Apps.  Cloud computing is one of today’s prominent emerging technology trends but it could be unfamiliar to adult students who are using desktop office applications for productivity.   This technology was chosen because it is time for my students to broaden their knowledge and understanding about MS Office 2010.  It is crucial to keep pace with their evolving learning needs, and to prepare them for the demands of tomorrow’s workplace. 

By the end of the lesson, the students have understood how to manage and store files on the “cloud” and collaborate online with others who may not have Microsoft Office installed in their computers. 

IMPLEMENTING THE LESSON

Instead of incorporating the lesson in the curriculum right away, my goal was to test and evaluate the relevance of the lesson to adult learners.  To achieve the goal, I conducted an instructor-led workshop to pilot test the lesson.  

It was very helpful to have a school director who was supportive and who allowed me to conduct a free workshop last Friday, April 13.  A week before the day of implementation, I sent an email request to the school director asking if I can implement the lesson to students who would like to volunteer to attend the workshop.   Aside from letting her know that the workshop was a project I needed to complete for the CEP 800 class, I also explained to her of the possibility of offering this lesson for a fee in the future  because of the benefits that it would bring to further expose students to learning  online collaboration and understanding the  simple use of the “cloud”. 

The best approaches to get students to sign up for a short notice were:  announcing the event during my lab classes and posting the invitation on the board.  I also requested other instructors to mention the workshop during their classes.  

Adult learners are often skeptical about learning new information unless the information applies directly to their perceived needs.  It was necessary for me to let the students know why I was conducting this workshop.   There were six adult students who attended the class.  Five staff members were also interested to join the training but the schedule did not work for them due to previously committed appointments.  I will plan on conducting another session next month for staff, instructors, and students who did not make it during the first session.

The workshop was in face-to-face learning format and I used practical examples and hands-on activities to keep students engaged.  The workshop ended with students who were glad that they attended the session.  I was convinced that the students had a meaningful training experience during the workshop because of the positive written feedback that I have received from the students.

REFLECTING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION

After the lesson was implemented,   students learned how to manage files in the “cloud” using SkyDrive.   Students collaborated and shared files with other students using web-based applications called Office Web Apps.  Office Web Apps include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.  OneNote is also an Office Web App but was only briefly introduced in the workshop.

Through the use of SkyDrive, it allowed students to intuitively perform and complete the activities in the lesson.   Learners’ self-esteem was reinforced as they realized that the lesson was aligned with the current technology advances.   I asked my students to complete hands-on projects to further assess their knowledge of the subject matter.  All students acknowledged that the technology used in the lesson as well as the lesson content were “making sense” to them.   They suggested that the lesson should be included in the current curriculum because of its relevance and advantages to their lifestyle and/or career.  One student said that she can use Office Web Apps to collaborate online with her daughter in China.   Another student visualized the lesson as an effective tool to use in creating her e-portfolio to market her skills for job searching. 

During the training, I expected that even if the students have been previously exposed to Office 2010, their skill levels would still vary and may affect how fast they can grasp the presented subject matter.  Because of this, I made sure that I took time in assisting them individually while keeping other students occupied with additional projects.  

In conclusion, the technology I used in the lesson has a simple interface which enabled students to learn the concept of using a “cloud” platform.  The lesson on Office Web Apps allowed students to further understand the use of an office productivity suite for file sharing and/or online collaboration.  Understanding the concept of file sharing and online collaboration encouraged students to help each other work toward completing common tasks and intrinsically motivated them by giving them more options in accomplishing real-world tasks.    The lesson was intuitively presented to students who seek to learn the simplest and most efficient way to accomplish a task for practical use. 

The next step is to propose to our school director a way to incorporate this lesson in the existing curriculum for the Office Expert Certificate Program.  I will back my proposal up with the positive written testimonials that I have received from the students who volunteered to attend the workshop.  I also plan on using the lesson plan for professional development training. 

Lesson Plan : Metacognition

So..., what do you think? How do issues of memory, attention, development, and metacognition inform your thinking about your lesson plan?

It is really very crucial to consider these attributes when developing a lesson plan.   I have to recognize that adult learners learn differently compared to young learners.  Lessons should be based on the immediate relevance to their personal lifestyle and/or based on a timely solution for their career needs. Lessons for adult learners are results-oriented because they are seeking to learn the simplest and most efficient way to accomplish a task for practical use.   They are self-directed and accept responsibility for they own learning, therefore they need “take home” activities to support their acquired skills and quick reference guides to help them recall the important concepts they need to remember or give more attention to.

Lesson Plan : TPACK

Lesson Plan (Fishell_LP.pdf)

A.     CONTENT:  The lesson will cover Microsoft Office Web Apps which provide many of the same elements as the features of Microsoft Office 2010 suite.  OneNote is also an Office Web App but will not be covered in this lesson.

The Microsoft Word Web App is a simplified version of Microsoft Word 2010.   It enables users to create and apply basic formatting to documents, insert objects such as tables, pictures, and links, and display documents in different views. The Microsoft Excel Web App is a simplified version of Microsoft Excel 2010.  It enables users to create and apply basic formatting to workbooks, insert objects such as tables and links, and perform mathematical and comparison operations on the data in the workbook. The Microsoft PowerPoint Web App is a simplified version of Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.  It enables the users to create presentations using a variety of themes, layouts, and graphics such as pictures and SmartArt.

Big idea? Students will realize that they can access, edit, and share Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations from virtually anywhere and anytime.  Learners will understand how they can collaborate online with others who may not have Microsoft Office installed in their computers.  

Standards?  This lesson is geared towards adult learners and although this lesson may not address a specific state or national standard, the lesson still satisfies the learning needs of adults through the consideration of the concept of andragogy while teaching the lesson with technology. 

B.     PEDAGOGY:  It is crucial to consider the andragogical learning theory when creating this lesson.  There are six assumptions of andragogy that needed to be addressed in the lesson:

1. Adults need to know why they should learn something.  The teacher needs to find out student’s expectations and how they might use the lesson in accomplishing their career or personal   goals.
2. The Learner’s Self-concept.  The teacher creates activities that will guide the learners to become self-directed and responsible for their own learning.
3. The Role of the Learner’s Experience. The teacher helps adult learners realize that their knowledge and previous experience in using Microsoft Office 2010 can be give them a better understanding of the lesson.
4. A Student’s Readiness to Learn. The teacher emphasizes the relevance of learning the lesson in order to become more efficient in solving real-life tasks or problems at work or in their daily lifestyle.
5. The Student’s Orientation to Learning. Through project-based learning, the teacher keeps the learners engaged through hands-on activities using real-life case studies to help them achieve a higher level of understanding.
6. Students’ Motivation to Learn. Learning takes place through intrinsic motivation.  Completing the assigned tasks may help motivate students to complete more complicated projects. 

C.    Content & Pedagogy:  Understanding the andragogy theory helps me become perceptive to the adults’ learning needs as I teach them the significance of learning collaborative tools like Office Web Apps.  Students will receive a better learning experience since they are accustomed to the interface that is similar to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2010. After completing the lesson, the students will realize that I am the facilitator of their learning and that their learning experience will assist them in keeping pace with their evolving learning needs as they meet the demands of today’s workplace.

 

D.    Technology: I will be using SkyDrive, a cloud computing technology, in my lesson to incorporate the concepts of online collaboration and file sharing using Office Web Apps.  SkyDrive is a “cloud” data storage service and is used to support and run Office Web Apps.   Students will be able to learn how to manage files in the “cloud” using SkyDrive. The major benefit of the “cloud” is the ability of my students to collaborate and share files with other students using web-based applications called Office Web Apps.  SkyDrive enables students to transfer their Office 2010 knowledge and skills when using Office Web Apps.  File management using SkyDrive brings about student confidence of having the files available anytime and anywhere.

E.     Technology & Pedagogy:   SkyDrive allows students to intuitively perform and complete the activities in the lesson.  Activities are used to build students’ self-esteem and sense of accomplishment when student understanding is aligned with the current technology advances.

F.     Technology & Content:  SkyDrive has a simple interface which enables students to learn the concept of using a “cloud” platform.  The lesson on Office Web Apps will allow students to further understand the use of an office productivity suite for file sharing and/or online collaboration.  File sharing and online collaboration encourage students to help each other work toward a common goal and to motivate students by giving them more options in accomplishing the learning activities. 

G.    Assessment:  To evaluate if the learning objectives have been met, the students will be assessed on their completed hands-on projects. All completed projects will be accessed and stored in SkyDrive.  The projects involve tasks such as:

        - creating and updating a document, presentation, and workbook using Microsoft Office Web Apps. 
        - sharing their files with selected others, or with everyone.
        - viewing and editing shared files simultaneously.

Technology and Learning

As a learner, I have been exposed to many “effects with” technology tools which caused my interest to focus on computer programming in college.  I have learned to work with programming languages for machine coding and artificial intelligence to generate the required results.  Today, machine code and the programming languages that I have used may be now considered primitive and cumbersome.  But my learning experience was very helpful to realize the “effects of” this technology.   There are programming languages that I may not know now, but I have learned how to create and understand the concept of computer algorithm and logic.  We use the same concept and knowledge when using any programming languages to accomplish the desired output.

As an educator, I teach adult students who require learning solutions that are relevant to their experiences and needs.   I currently teach business and office computer applications and my students consider this technology helpful for workplace readiness and practical use.  There have been a few versions for MS Office Suite and we are bombarded with many web 2.0 applications that can generate the same productivity results.   The “effects of” technology can take place when the students are able to understand the major functionality and process of using the technology and eventually transfer the learning to any productivity software.  Regardless of the fast-paced technological changes, students realize that their education was worthwhile if they are able to apply what they have learned to their career or lifestyle. 

I find technology-based learning effective when it involves flexibility, interactivity, and gives me the ability to move through the lessons at my own pace.  I have completed five online courses towards MAET and I have experienced learning that facilitates self-direction in me.  If F2F learning format can fulfill my learning needs, then I don’t mind being in an instructor-led classroom where instructors are the facilitators of my learning. 

Aesthetic and Affect Components of Learning

How do "affect" and "aesthetic" components of learning relate to your experiences with the audio and digital storytelling projects?

The "affect" and "aesthetic" components of learning directly relate to the experiences I had while working with the audio and digital story projects.  The "affect" element reflects my passion, motivation, and inspiration to teaching and learning.  The "aesthetic" element shows my creativity and vision of having my audience get the intentional learning experience that I would like to reveal.  Understanding how to balance these two components in my work will help keep my audience engaged with the projects.  My hope is that as my audience watches or listens to my work, I will be able to embody the relevant ideas, feelings, and perceptions that they can relate to in order to further their learning.

Powerful Learning (Part 2) - Digital Story

THE STORY:  Four students  have been in their career “hang-ups” and bumps when they lost their jobs.  But they have decided to go back to school hoping to “un-slump” themselves as they acquire more work skills needed to find another job.

The teacher partnered with her students to make their stories happen by teaching them how to explore and research occupational information and get the skills required for job searching.

In this 12-week course, we focused on one topic particularly the Interviewing Strategies to illustrate an integrated learning framework called cognitive apprenticeship.  To complete this course, the students completed a mock job interview with an actual HR representative from a local staffing company.

THE ISSUE:  Before they took this course, these students had been going to real job interviews. Unfortunately, they did not receive any requests for a second interview.  It will be very helpful during this course for these students to get feedback from a professional interviewer from the real job world.   
 
THE TWIST:  This course has been revised to give more real-world opportunities to students.  Every student has to call the HR representative to make an appointment for the mock job interview which will take place at the interviewer’s office.  The interview questions are based on the job position the student desires to pursue.  Now these students can identify what works in the real world and what needs to be fine-tuned.

The use of cognitive apprenticeship was an effective instructional paradigm for this learning environment.  To further understand this framework, let us consider the following four dimensions that constitute any learning environment: content, method, sequence, and sociology.

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All rights reserved to Random House Children`s Books, the publisher of "Oh the Places You Go" by Dr. Seuss.

Thank you ...

•  Amir Hirelowitz for giving me permission to use the animation in this project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2muj6fxpc

• Joni Rosema, M-TEC Career Services Coordinator, for letting me join your class
• Jason, Anita, Shannon, Jing  - Career Success students
• Val Putnam, M-TEC Director, for all the books and other relevant  resources 

 
This video was created for my digital story project in CEP 800, MSU-MAET, Spring 2012. I have no intention of violating any copyright laws.

Video Games and Learning

What, exactly, does Gee claim about the role of games in classroom instruction?
Gee mentioned three key points:

1. Games can trigger a part in the brain that gives emotional meaning to things which enables people to process information with empathy.
    
2. The violence issue in games is a hot topic for politicians because it gets a lot of attention.  There are  many games that are not violent.  He said, “I don't know any rational person that doesn't advocate having controls on games in ways young people shouldn't be playing adult games, just as we do with movies and books and other things. Violence is carried by the culture. It's all about contacts.  So a violent book or video game in the hands of a person who's a disturbed child or in a disturbed culture is dangerous, and we should worry about the disturbed culture and child.”
    
3. Video games are not killing reading and writing, instead, it’s changing the paradigm of reading and writing.  Students can read and write in chat rooms, in the games and the forums.  They read more about their interest and some of the things they read are of even higher level of language and skill compared to what are given to them to read in classrooms.

How, according to the video, does learning-with-games occur?  Are these views supported by the theories discussed in previous sections of this module?

According to the video,

• games provide students the learning skills to virtually get them engaged in the modern working world. This view is supported by conditioning theory as associative learning takes place when some virtual world games are being related by learners to their own real-life experiences.  Positive reinforcements are added to games through earning scores/points to reward the students foraccomplishing the desired tasks; or negative reinforcements are given to learners for correction.

• students work together as social networks, where some work as experts and others as novices. This view is supported by the social constructivist theory of learning. They learn from one another and gather techniques and strategies, and then they use the gathered expertiseto their advantage.

• the language of games are almost second nature to most children now, therefore learners are now challenged to design and build their own games. This view is supported by the embodiment theory.  First, learners are exposed to thefamiliar game scenarios, then the rest of the game designing depends on their creativity andcritical thinking abilities.  And because they build their own game for other people, they haveto think differently about game designing by being sensitive to the learning needs of their game users.