Summary

of Online Learning Experience

Summary of Online Learning Experience

Iliana Lourie

Kennesaw State University

Designing Online Learning (ITEC 7481)

December 3, 2015

Professor Julia Fuller

Fall 2015
Summary of Online Learning Experience

Overview

In this course, I developed modules that will be used in the Motion and Forces unit in

the Physical Science class taught to 7th graders at Tianjin International School (TIS). Tianjin

International School is part of the International Schools of China, and therefore, it follows

standards established by the organization.

The following Middle School Science standards are taught and assessed throughout

four different modules:

3c.1 Describe an objects motion according to its position, direction of motion and speed and

represent it graphically.

3c.2 Understand effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on an objects motion.

3c.4 Identify and describe the different types of contact and non-contact forces.

3c.3 Explain why an object that is not being subjected to a force will continue to move at a

constant speed and in a straight line.

After the completion and assessment of these standards, the teacher should be able to

report students mastery of the concepts through the following statement:

Student can explain Newtons three laws and the factors involved, including motion and

forces. This will be assessed through a variety of online assessments, including traditional

quizzes and tests, application of concepts through simulations or hands-on investigations,

discussion forums, and authentic projects.

The learners in this environment are primarily English Language Learners (79%),

including students with the highest level of Academic Language support at the school (19%).

There are also students with Individualized Learning Plans due to disabilities (4%). Finally,

there are a large number (about 40%) of highly motivated students that could possibly be

identified as gifted if testing was available.

Summary of Online Learning Experience

Context

This course will adopt the blended learning model, specifically in the form of flipped

classroom. The online modules will be part of the 7th grade Physical Science curriculum

being taught at TIS. Students will attend brick-and-mortar classroom for 45 minutes every

day, but the primary delivery of the content and instruction will be online. I will provide

teacher guided practice, projects and hands-on experiences. Students will spend some time in

the classroom with online learning, but they will also be able to access the content material

from home through our Learning Management System, Moodle.

The majority of students should be fairly proficient with our Learning Management

System and any other technology skills necessary for a successful online experience. This is

because students will access this material several months after the start of their school year.

However, it is the nature of international schools to have a fluid student population, which

can produce new students at various points in the year. In this case, students may or may not

be proficient with Moodle or technology in general. For this reason, tutorials will be set up

for basic functions such as downloading, uploading, saving work and accessing content.

Another common characteristic of incoming students is the various levels of English

proficiency. Student population at TIS is primarily Korean (75%) and students may have very

different backgrounds in educational history, including students with minimal prior English

exposure.

Assessment

At the beginning of each module students participate in a pre-assessment that allows

me to assess their prior knowledge of each standard. These assessments include polls that

address the general concepts from the standard. They also include discussion forums that

allow students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the concept they are
Summary of Online Learning Experience

getting ready to explore. This data allows me to plan for students who may possibly need

extra support or extensions throughout the modules.

As student progress through the learning activities, I will receive feedback from tools

such as Nearpod, Zaption, PBS Learning Media and TedEd about student understanding of

the concepts through the different checkpoints in the lessons. This helps me adjust the

learning activities as students move along. At this point, I can assess understanding at the

basic level. In addition to this formative assessment, I have put in place an electronic

notebook in which students address important vocabulary and answer essential questions.

As students progress through learning activities, they will be given tasks that require higher

order thinking and application of concepts. This is done through the use of simulations from

sites such as PhEt Interactive Simulations or Explore Learning Gizmos. In addition to these

simulations, hand-on investigations will be set up for students application of the concepts.

Finally, students will demonstrate their learning through a summative performance task. In

this task students will be asked to engage in cooperative learning as they look for examples in

their lives of the application of Newtons laws. Each group member will contribute to the

presentation via cooperative learning tools such as Google+ or Voicethread. This provides

students with an opportunity to demonstrate understanding and application of concepts

through an authentic project and an opportunity for collaboration.

Accommodations

This course accommodates for the needs of special education students through a

variety of content delivery options. Students have at least two options of learning activities

that will allow them to access the content necessary to meet the standards. Most of the

learning activities include options for visual or auditory learners. For example, the digital

textbook has audio options for all content and many of the videos have options for closed

caption in various languages. Students are also able to work at their own pace which allows
Summary of Online Learning Experience

them to review the material as many times as necessary. Students are able to demonstrate

their understanding either verbally, using their audio notes, or in written form in their

electronic notebooks.

Students are encouraged to communicate with their teacher to address their

educational needs. In addition, students have the direct contact information for the Special

Needs Support Services staff.

Universal Design/Access

As mentioned earlier, the design of this course allows students with disabilities to

access the content through a variety of media with various tools. Many of the sites used do

not require a mouse and students are able to navigate them using a keyboard. The teacher-

created Nearpod presentations utilize a font that is designed to mitigate some of the issues

that dyslexics experience when reading. This can be beneficial to other students as well.

Overall, the flexibility that an LMS such as Moodle provides is one of the best features to

meet the principles of Universal Design.

Differentiation

This course is designed to provide access to the content for students with different

academic needs at their own specific level. The videos, reading, and presentations in the

modules provide the necessary information to learn and understand the standards. However,

the level of depth or reading skills necessary may vary. Students are also able to demonstrate

their understanding of the concepts at various cognitive levels. The majority of students in the

classroom share many characteristics, such as age and cultural backgrounds. Students are

able to learn from each others experiences and interests through discussion forums. In

addition, they will be able to demonstrate their understanding based on their daily life

experiences. This provides differentiation in assessment for factors such as experience,

interests, and backgrounds.