Application for:

Association of American Educators Classroom Grant

Sheena Tolson
EDTC 630
April 3, 2016
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According to a recent study conducted by the Association of American Colleges and

Universities (AACU), 2 out of 5 employers rate college students as well prepared and only 30%

believe college graduates are proficient in applying knowledge and skills in real-world settings

or areas such as critical thinking and communication (Klebnikov, 2015). To address these

concerns, Severna Park High School (SPHS) provides an academically rigorous and enriching

curriculum to develop highly qualified students with core skills and knowledge for their

post-secondary education and professional careers. SPHS, a National Blue Ribbon high school

in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is committed to excellence in teaching and learning for its

diverse student body of 1,800 students.

I have the privilege of teaching high school juniors and seniors pursuing a Career and

Technology Education (CTE) program of study. There are a total of 92 students that are enrolled

in the CTE Marketing and Management programs and all of these students are seeking a dual

Academic/CTE pathway. In order to be competitive, my business education students use

technology to develop problem-solving, decision-making, and communicative skills essential for

student success. Curriculum and technology integration is designed to promote entrepreneurial

thought and action using components of business, innovation, and leadership through an

experiential learning approach.

My students are supported by SPHS signature program which is designed to facilitate

and offer opportunities for readiness in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership with an

emphasis on internships, capstone projects, and co-curricular activities. Moreover, the schools

Business Advisory Board aims at building partnerships and resources with students, educators,

community members and business leaders. Our academic program, co-curricular activities and
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initiatives are committed to developing students for both career and higher education

experiences.

I use an interdisciplinary approach to the applied learning of business theories aligned

with Maryland Technology and Common Core standards. An integration of collaboration and

technology has diversified instruction and enhanced the delivery of business fundamentals.

These constructivist learning processes aim at developing adaptive thinking and a richer

knowledge through shared exploration and meaning making.

SPHS business students are instructed to prepare them for a solid understanding of

business concepts and practices in a curriculum designed as an introductory college-level course.

In order to document student attainment of course knowledge and skills, I use a variety of

assessments including: unit tests, case studies, digital student portfolio, real world projects, and

the CLEP examination. The CLEP serves as the final examination in my course and an

opportunity for students to receive college credit.

My students are scoring at a B-level or above on formative assessments (i.e. case

analysis, research assignments and presentations) and for unit benchmark assessments.

However, the prior semesters CLEP examination scores have ranged from 38-42 with the

highest score being a 48. To receive college credit, students must receive a minimum score of 50

(C-Level).

In order to increase proficiency, my goal is to provide an immersive and technology rich

learning environment with different areas for interaction in the exploration and connection with

course materials. Simulations will optimize instruction and the overall learning experience.

Furthermore, simulations will be used to provide an opportunity for constructivist learning by

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facilitating group discussions and collaboration on projects.

Simulation exercises will also prepare my students for co-curricular activities, such as the

DECA business challenges. The DECA competition provides a meaningful opportunity to

complement and broaden the practical application of knowledge obtained from our business

programs. Simulations provide the benefits of connecting content with real-life experiences and

scaffolding learning for effective knowledge construction.

My classroom currently has a class set of Chromebooks used to foster collaboration and

develop student products. In order to provide my students with enrichment in applying business

theories, the $500 classroom grant will be used to fund the purchase of Knowledge Matters

Business simulation software. The highly visual software costs $695 and the license will allow

up to 5 concurrent users. Students will work independently and collaborate in small teams to

progress through the simulation exercises. Students will test their skills using the Knowledge

Matters software by competing in the national DECA virtual business challenges. Students will

be given realistic business situations using various concepts in the Knowledge Matters Business

simulation and ranked according to profitability.

The learning outcomes derived from the simulation is for students to achieve greater

conceptual understanding through an active learning environment that reinforces problem based

learning, strategic decision making, and analytical thinking of real business problems. Aligned

with Maryland Technology standards and Common Core, these experiential learning outcomes

will benefit students skills/knowledge of:

Advertising
Economic concepts
Communication
Problem solving
Forecasting
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Goal setting
Collaboration (Clarke, p. 450)

Additional exercises offered in the simulation, like Turnaround, gives students additional

problem based learning practice where students are to identify problem areas for an existing

business and formulate solutions making the unprofitable business, profitable.

To illustrate the use of the software, I have included a sample lesson plan for a unit that

will integrate the Knowledge Matters simulation. The total instructional time for the activities in

the virtual business simulation amounts to 34 hours (including exercises and assessments). The

unit concepts will be achieved throughout the course and aligned with other instructional

supports and web based activities to differentiate learning and provide remediation and coaching

to support overall comprehension.

Sample Lesson Plan

Title: Market Research

Lesson Summary:
In this lesson, students will learn the importance of marketing research for identifying and
targeting prospective customers. Activities will include surveying demographics to segment
and tailor product preferences for consumer group(s). Using business simulation software,
students will collaborate to apply market research data to identify consumer preferences and
reach their targeted market(s). Students will use market research information to book radio
advertising that matches the demographic of their target customers. Finally, students will run
the simulation to achieve a specific profit goal and reflect on their strategic decisions.

Duration:
The market research lesson will take 3 class periods to complete.

Content Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 CCTC: BM 1.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 CCTC: BM 1.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.3 CCTC: BM 1.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.4 CCTC: BM 1.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9
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Lesson Type:
Students will work individually and in groups to complete experiential activities using
productivity tools and simulation software.

Technology Integration:
A multimedia presentation tool will be used to introduce marketing concepts and direct
students through technology based activities. Simulation activities will be modeled by the
teacher using a video tutorial and screencasting. When the students break into group, the
teacher will direct them to the simulation software to collaborate on exercises and complete
online quizzes and a digital product creation.

Materials:
Chromebook
Knowledge Matters Simulation Software
Market segmentation video
Quizlet (relevant terms)

Vocabulary:
Demographic Primary Data Secondary Data
Margin Profit Survey
Marketing segmentation Sample size Target market

Instructional Procedures:
1. Starter activity: Students will engage in a discussion surveying the demographics of the
classroom (gender, activities, interests, geographic, and other behavioral and
socioeconomic variables)
2. The teacher will introduce the concept using a multimedia presentation on market
research, target markets, and other relevant marketing terminology.
3. Students will view the animation video on market segmentation
4. Using the characteristics of the class demographics that were brainstormed, students
will form small groups based on segmentation variables. The groups will describe
their groups and relevant advertising methods that would be attractive to them as a
target market.
5. The class will evaluate product/services and advertising mediums that target them as
consumers to identify marketing strategies.
6. The teacher will screencast the simulation exercise steps and provide a model of the
activities to achieve learning objectives.
7. Students will be divided into 5 groups and complete the Knowledge Matters simulation
lesson (Lesson 1: Market Research)
8. The groups will create a radio advertisement targeting their segmented consumers from
the simulation using digital tools and then present to the class
9. As a unit check students will login to Knowledge Matters and complete the reading
and math quizzes.
10. Students will also review marketing terminology using Quizlet.
11. Homework: To review the learning objectives, students will individually provide a
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reflection of the group simulation experience, the defined targeted market and the
strategies and considerations used when designing their radio advertisements. The
essay should reflect figures and feedback from the simulation software as evidence.

Evaluation:
The teacher will assess student knowledge based on class discussion and participation in the
different activities. The teacher will also track progress of simulation activities including the
reading and math quizzes using the data collected in the Knowledge Matters software.
Students will be graded on the radio advertisement and the reflection essay.

The intended goal for broadening instruction to include experiential learning using

simulations is to improve student proficiency on formative, unit benchmark assessments and the

CLEP examination. The CLEP examination serves to measure student achievement on a college

introductory course level.

The Knowledge Matters simulation provides various technology integration benefits that

include a real world exploration of course concepts, where students are provided with immediate

feedback for every course of action. Furthermore, students will have the necessary resources to

compete globally on challenges that will prepare them for their academic and career aspirations.

I will also benefit from having access to assessments, lesson materials, and other Knowledge

Matters classroom management tools to evaluate student progress and attainment of learning

objectives aligned with content standards.

The classroom grant will support the acquisition of technology software that will provide

remediation and enrichment benefits for my aspiring business leaders and innovators. This

experiential learning approach will not only embed insights of the theory in context, but students

will experience the practical application of those theories as it plays out through strategic

challenges and experimentation. These opportunities will provide useful in the workforce as the
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AACU study showed that 73% of employers believed that requiring college students to

complete a significant applied learning project before graduation would improve the quality of

their preparation for careers (Hart Research Associates, p. 3).

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References

Association of American Educators (n.d). AAE Classroom Grant Application. Retrieved from

http://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/classroom-grant-application

Hart Research Associates (2015). Falling Short? College Learning and Career Success. Retrieved

from https://www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/LEAP/2015employerstudentsurvey.pdf

Clarke, E. (2009). Learning outcomes from business simulation exercises. Education & Training,

51(5), 448-459. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/docview/237089539?accountid=14580

Klebnikov, S. (2015). What Employers Are Looking For When Hiring Recent College Grads.

Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2015/07/06/what-employers-are-looking-for

-when-hiring-recent-college-grads/#2af75ec321e5