Evaluation and Reflection Online Module: http://mapmodule.weebly.

com Alithea Price-Pearlstein FRIT 7235 Digital Learning Environments Spring 2014 Georgia Southern University

Evaluation The formative evaluation for my instructional unit through backward design detailed constructive questions to help me improve developed lessons, activities and assessments. The following questionnaire outlines potential beneficial feedback: Instructional Unit Formative Assessment 1. How did the lessons provide diverse learners such as ESOL opportunities to learn according to their needs? 2. Did the lessons include enough technology activities according to the 2nd grade age group? 3. How are online databases activities an improvement for students to learn basic map skills? 4. What were the strengths and weakness of the map and database instructional unit?

5. Please suggest ways to improve the unit.

Peer Evaluations: I developed my instructional unit as a collaborative unit with a 2nd grade teacher during my practicum last semester. I asked 3 staff members to complete my outlined formative evaluation to gain insight on how to best improve my unit. The media specialist agreed the module unit specifically the database lesson provided opportunities for multiple learners to effectively participate in the activity. For example the lesson was conducted during a combined 2nd grade and special education class. The special education students were fascinated with the Pebble Go database needing little assistance from their para-pro. She suggested the unit could be improved by extending the database unit to include more than one database.

The collaborating 2nd grade teacher evaluated the online module map unit using the formative assessment. She felt the unit strengths were the following: variety of hands-on activities and incorporated technology. The module was helpful for planning lessons and showing students the expectations of the map unit. The weaknesses in the unit was the lack of time students had to practice using the map database. She suggested providing future lessons fused with whole group lessons centered on the map database. Finally another 2nd grade teacher evaluated my online module map/database unit using the formative assessment. She was excited the unit incorporated the Pebble Go database during media center classes. This was a particular major strength of unit was that her students had an opportunity to link map skills and media center resources. Another strength was the module easy for parents to reference unit assessments and resources. The weakness in the unit was the lack of globe activities incorporating technology. She suggested using the computer program Kid Pix for a lesson on attributes of a globe.

Reflection: Online Module: http://mapmodule.weebly.com The development of my online learning unit was based on my original UBD collaborative unit from my Instructional Technology practicum using the web 2.0 resource Weebly.com. I originally used Weebly for the pathfinder in my map and database unit. I began creating my module starting with the introduction and stage 1 of my original UBD unit. The original unit listed common core standards that are not part of the required objectives in the Virginia public education system. Initially I was going to omit the Common Core standards from my module and only post the objectives according to the Virginias educational state standards and AASL 21st learners standards. I ultimately posted the common core standards to keep my module consistent with the original unit. The final parts of stage one is listed in 2 separate tabs: Knowledge and Skills; and Evidence and Tasks. I think this kept my module from being too lengthy on separate pages. My module contained 4 tabs one for each week in the unit to maintain continuity on the website. For each of my tabs I included links or buttons for Web 2.0 tools, assessments, assignments, and databases to allow the user quick access to resources. After reviewing the data on my online module process from the 3 participates using the formative evaluation I feel there are a couple of improvements that would enhance the module. The 1st improvement is the addition of a Kid Pix activity to further promote use of technology in the classroom. The 2nd improvement is an expansion to other databases to meet the needs of more advanced students. Overall my online module was a visually more appealing presentation than the plain word version. My favorite part of the module was including a button on each page linking the user to the database website. This feature kept the user from switching between pages to locate the database link.