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Running head: ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 1

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY


MONTEREY BAY

Online Professional Development Learning Modules

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL

Submitted in partial satisfaction of requirements of the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE in
Instructional Science and Technology

Jonathan Watts
September 4, 2018

Capstone Approvals: (At least one advisor and capstone instructor should approve)

___________________________ _____________
Advisor Name Signature Date

___________________________ _____________

Capstone Instructor Name Signature Date


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 2

Table of Contents

Executive Summary.............................................................................................................3

Background.........................................................................................................................4

Needs Analysis/Performance Gap...............................................................................4

Learner Analysis..........................................................................................................7

Context Analysis..........................................................................................................8

Content Analysis..........................................................................................................9

Literature Review.......................................................................................................11

Solution Description..........................................................................................................14

Goals, Resources, and Constraints.............................................................................14

Learning Objectives...................................................................................................15

Learning Theories and Strategies...............................................................................16

Test Instruments & Media Delivery...........................................................................19

Instructional Strategies..............................................................................................20

Methods & Procedures.......................................................................................................22

List of Major Deliverables.........................................................................................22

Development Plan......................................................................................................23

Implementation Plan..................................................................................................24

Timeline ...................................................................................................................24

Resources...........................................................................................................................25

Resource List............................................................................................................25

Timeline....................................................................................................................25

Evaluation..........................................................................................................................26
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Executive Summary

Professional development (PD) is a crucial element in continuing to improve education.

As new research emerges, teachers must stay current in their practice, always developing their

craft and increasing their relevant knowledge. Unfortunately, time and resource constraints

during the workday limit opportunities to address all the necessary topics in an effective manner.

Currently, the overwhelming majority of Sunnyvale School District’s professional development

opportunities are offered through after-school workshops, which haven’t proved to be the best

method for effectively reaching a large audience across eight elementary and two middle

schools. In addition to the barriers created by time and resource constraints, the current

professional development model offers little accountability or support for applying learned

information after training is complete.

The following outlined solution is to develop a framework for offering professional

development to teachers through online modules paired with instructional support that scaffolds

teachers’ application in the classroom. Online learning modules could potentially reach a

significantly larger audience than the after-school sessions, since the barrier of being at a specific

location and time would be removed. In addition, with time and location constraints removed,

these online learning modules can bring professional development topics directly into the

classroom for application. The first part of each set of modules will cover content and pedagogy

of the desired topic, including interactive scenario-based learning that closely mirrors the actual

classroom application. The second part will be a prescribed classroom activity putting into

practice the content and pedagogy learned from module one. Additionally, implementation of this

module will be accompanied by the pairing of an instructional coach who assists in carrying out

learned instructional strategies and future implementation.


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Background

Needs Assessment

Providing effective professional development, with Sunnyvale school district’s current

model of live, in-person after-school workshops, is challenging. A more ideal situation for

professional development would be a training that takes place during the day, providing

opportunities for discussions of instructional practices as well as time for application of learning

in their own classroom. Unfortunately, there are barriers in the education profession that make

coordination of this learning difficult. Unlike professions that provide professional development

during the workday, teachers are rarely able to leave the classroom. For a teacher to attend

training during work hours, they have to create detailed lesson plans for a substitute, for which

there is currently a shortage. A substitute is not as effective as the classroom teacher, as well, due

to lack of training and knowledge of class routines, procedures, curriculum, or instructional

strategies. For most teachers, a day out of the classroom means loss of instructional time and a

general sense of worry, which, in turn, will affect motivation in the professional development

they are attending. In addition, because of the shortage of substitutes, there are limits to the

number of teachers that can be out of the classroom for training, which greatly diminishes the

impact one professional development can have.

This leads to less-than-ideal situations for PD: after-school trainings, which compete with

teachers’ child care schedules and other life commitments; small time slots at staff meetings,

which don’t provide time for meaningful learning; or grade-level team meetings, which reach a

small audience at a time and are often packed with other agenda items to cover. Given these

limiting factors to offering effective professional development, a framework for online learning

modules will be created as an alternative form of PD.


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To measure the effectiveness of this framework for professional development and display

its potential positive impact, this project focuses on a current content and instructional need of

the district. The current district-adopted math curriculum has few resources and lessons that

address instructional strategies for teaching the standards for mathematical practice, and few

opportunities for professional development have been offered on this subject. This makes the

standards for mathematical practice a compelling topic for the first of these professional

development learning modules, as it should align with teachers’ motivation and values, as well as

the district’s current initiatives to improve instruction and learning in math (Sunnyvale School

District, 2017). Teachers’ gaps in understanding how to implement the standards for

mathematical practice in student learning activities display a lack of knowledge and skills; this

lack of knowledge and skills is also apparent in students’ application of the standards for

mathematical practice as evidenced by last year’s CAASPP and this year’s district math

benchmark scores. Creating online learning modules that address the standards and guide

teachers through research-based instructional practices with their students simultaneously

addresses the teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills for implementation, and the limiting

organizational structure for professional development.

Data Collection and Findings

To validate development of these modules, two Google Forms surveys were sent to a

variety of teachers, from grades kindergarten through fifth grade, in Sunnyvale School District.

The first survey addressed the need for alternative PD offered through online modules and the

technological complexity to which these modules could be designed. The second addressed the

gap in teachers’ knowledge and implementation of the standards for mathematical practice. Both

surveys were followed up by several individual interviews to obtain additional information about
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their thoughts on answering survey questions, and to ensure that no incorrect judgments or

assumptions were made.

Responses from the first survey indicated that teachers value professional development,

are motivated to learn through the platform of an online module, and will require modules

designed with basic technological complexity. 59% of those surveyed showed interest in online

PD modules, while an additional 23% rated their interest as neutral, which, after follow-up

interviews, revealed they were simply unfamiliar with any form of online learning. This is

crucial, since without value and motivation, teachers will not “achieve proficiency in new

knowledge and skills” (Stolovitch & Keeps, 2011). Teachers also indicated their proficiency of

technology integration in the classroom through a series of questions where they placed

agreement with statements of their practice on a 1-5 point scale labeled from “Strongly

Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” This information helps determine the complexity to which the in-

class application module is designed. Each of these questions received the majority of their

responses in the neutral category. After follow-up interviews, it was determined that a neutral ‘3’

on this scaled was viewed as “Basic Proficiency.”

The second survey revealed that the greatest opportunities for improvement in both

teacher knowledge and implementation were related to the standards of “constructing viable

arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others” and “look for and express regularity in

repeated reasoning” (California Department of Education, 2014). Since the modules will be

broken into two parts, with the first covering theoretical knowledge and the second applying that

knowledge with students, this survey asked teachers to respond separately to their knowledge

and current implementation of each standard. On a 1-4 scale with the labels of “Not very

knowledgeable,” “Somewhat knowledgeable,” “Knowledgeable,” and “Very knowledgeable,”


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35% labeled themselves as “Not very knowledgeable” or “Somewhat knowledgeable.” In regard

to implementation of these standards, only 1% of respondents implement daily, while another

30% implement less than once a week. For effective instruction to occur, teachers need to have a

solid understanding of their content and pedagogical knowledge (Shulman, 1986). Based on

these survey results, teachers have a need for improving both content and pedagogical

knowledge of the selected standards.

Information from both surveys validates the creation of these learning modules, based on

a gap in knowledge and skills, as well as the fact that teachers are motivated and willing to learn

via online learning modules. Additionally, due to time and resource constraints during and after

school hours, self-paced online professional development modules present themselves as a cost-

effective solution to offer more PD to a larger audience than would previously be possible.

Learner Analysis

The primary learners for this professional development module will be kindergarten

through fifth grade teachers in Sunnyvale School District. The students in their classroom will be

secondary learners, as they benefit from any improvement in instructional strategies and

classroom activities. According to the district’s student information system, which contains

demographic information on students and teachers, this group of teacher-learners has experience

in the teaching profession ranging from one to forty years, and consequently has varied

background knowledge of mathematics instruction and standards, as well as technological

proficiencies. Baseline knowledge can be assumed, though, as it relates to a basic familiarity of

the standards for mathematical practice and accessible technology that can be used in the

presentation and delivery of the learning module. The majority of teachers currently use

AppleTV boxes to wirelessly project iPad and laptop screens to a surface visible to students.
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Each teacher has access to a laptop and iPad for professional use, and either iPads,

Chromebooks, or a combination of both, for student use. District communication is regularly sent

through Gmail, and most teachers have used additional Google products freely available to

teachers and students such as Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Forms, Google Drive, and

YouTube.

Teachers and students should all have a basic familiarity with Google Slides, which will

serve as the main delivery method of both modules. With the lack of any formal learning

management system in the district, the commonly-used Google apps suite will help the learners

stay focused on the lesson at-hand as opposed to learning new software in order to access

content. Following suit, any necessary videos will be embedded in the slides through YouTube.

Context Analysis

Time in the teachers’ busy work schedules and home life would be the biggest constraint

to implementation of this project. The advantage offered by designing online modules will be

that teachers can divide the time spent on the first module over several days or weeks. A

disadvantage, though, is that according to the needs analysis, at least 23% of survey respondents

may be unfamiliar with online learning. To address this issue, the familiar format of Google

Slides and other Google apps is used throughout the learning modules. Since all classrooms have

a means to project the Google Slides presentation in the classroom, and all teachers have district-

provided laptops and iPads, required resources to access the learning content should not be an

issue. Professional development and improving instruction and learning in math are both

supported in Sunnyvale School District’s culture, so teachers should welcome both the model for

professional development and content focus of the module.


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The willingness and close collaboration with the elementary math instructional coach, as

well as the grade-level leadership team members are essential for the development and

implementation of this project. Through various check-ins during monthly team meetings, and

frequent collaboration between the math coach and instructional designer for this project, time,

resource allocation, and work-setting constraints will have little-to-no impact on the design,

development, or implementation. The beginning target audience will be approximately thirty

members from the grade-level leadership team, which range from kindergarten through fifth

grade teachers across eight elementary schools. They will be helpful in providing initial feedback

before the modules are readily available to the secondary target audience of all teachers in the

eight elementary schools.

Content Analysis

The major topics covered in this two-part module will be background content and

pedagogical knowledge in the first module, and guided application of these concepts in the

second. For teachers to effectively apply instructional strategies as they relate to the focus

standards of both math practice standards (“constructing viable arguments and critiquing the

reasoning of others,” and “look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning”) they need to

have a firm understanding of the mathematical practice standards themselves and related

instructional strategies as they apply to the content standard of their grade level. To keep the

planned instruction cohesive between instructional strategies, routines, and vocabulary needed

for learning, the majority of the content for this module will be pulled primarily from Routines

for Reasoning: Fostering the Mathematical Practice in All Students (Creighton, Kelemanik &

Lucenta, 2016). Providing learners with training based off elements from one text will also give

them an easily accessible continuation of learning. The elementary math instructional coach will
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be the primary subject-matter expert, and will conference frequently with the instructional

designer throughout the creation of the two-part modules. Since the standards for mathematical

practice are guiding how students interact with grade-level content, and the audience for these

modules spans six grade levels, the subject-matter expert and grade-level leadership team are

instrumental throughout the module’s creation.

Module topics and tasks are as follows:

Module 1 (Content and Pedagogy):

 Standard for Mathematical Practice Components:

Teachers will read, reflect, and discuss with their peers what it means for students to

interact with mathematics and approach problem solving as described in the standards for

mathematical practice. Learners will analyze the relationship between the mathematical

practice standards, and the roles they play in supporting each other in developing

mathematical proficiency. In particular, this section will focus on mathematical practice

standards 3 and 8: “Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others” and

“look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.” Video or audio of example

classroom discussions, and short readings will be provided to give context to the

standard. Shared online spaces, such as Google Docs or Padlet, will serve as a platform

for shared discussion among participants of the module.

 Instructional Strategies and Routines:

Teachers will read about, watch, reflect on, interact with, and discuss the Repeated

Reasoning instructional routine for promoting this type of student discussion in class.

They will also provide evidence of competency in theoretical knowledge of the standards
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and appropriate instructional practices through short quizzes embedded throughout the

module.

Module 2 (Guided Classroom Application):

 Content Standard Scenario:

To engage students and provide context to the mathematical content standards at hand, a

short video will present a scenario and guiding question for students to consider. The

carefully crafted question will allow for multiple approaches to solving a problem, giving

students an opportunity for rich discussions and mathematical engagement.

 Leading the Repeated Reasoning Routine:

A series of discussion questions and directions for students, along with footnotes for the

teacher, provide the necessary supports to implement the learned instructional strategies

and routine from the first module.

 Feedback and Closure:

To validate student work, a concluding video will show one possible solution to the

guiding question. Footnotes to the teacher support the facilitation of a closing discussion

and reflection.

After participation in both modules, teachers should display mastery of the theoretical

knowledge of the standard and accompanying instructional strategies. Teachers should also be

able to implement the same instructional strategies and routine with future content standards,

using the modules and corresponding discussions from their peers as reference.

Literature Review

Professional development has always been an important element in developing educators

and improving classroom practices. Only recently, though, has the proliferation of internet-
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connected devices and cloud-based software applications allowed for online spaces to be an

effective environment for teacher professional development (PD). Just within the past decade

have researchers been able to study effects of online PD as devices are more readily available,

and the majority of the population now have consistent access to the Internet. Research and

studies on the topic of professional development in education, in any form, are still as relevant to

online PD as they are to traditional PD opportunities, and should be considered when designing,

developing, and implementing online learning situations.

Although there isn’t an abundance of research or scholarly articles recently written

specifically on the topic of online professional development, research on the development of

effective PD in general can assist in the creation of any online PD. Additionally, with each year’s

advances in technology and availability of online tools, more research is becoming available on a

wider range of online PD topics. Good instructional design is beneficial to any learning scenario,

with any medium for delivering learning or interacting with other participants.

There are certain components that should be considered in any professional development,

regardless of what technology is being utilized. Including Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) TPACK

framework, for instance, which suggests being aware of learners’ technological, pedagogical, and

content knowledge, when designing professional development, will help ensure educators have

the required knowledge sets to process the learning at-hand. As it applies specifically to online

learning, instructional designers need to assess the technological knowledge set of their learners

to ensure they can access the content, and take advantage of any instructional strategies and

learning activities as they were designed. Without considering the overlap of these three areas,

learners may not have the required skills to take full advantage of the intended learning design.

Along with ensuring that the instructional design of professional development addresses
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teachers’ knowledge sets as a prerequisite to accessing learning, addressing teacher beliefs about

learning is also an important consideration. Whether the professional development is about using

technology in the classroom, fostering collaborative discussions among students, or learning how

to apply new instructional strategies, the belief systems of educators plays an important role in

the eventual implementation of this learning. Researchers such as Chen, Looi, & Chen (2009),

Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Sadik, Sendurur, & Sendurur (2012), and Aguirre & Speer (2000)

have all analyzed the impact prior belief systems have when it comes to the actual classroom

implementation and day-to-day decisions teachers make. It is difficult enough to address teacher

beliefs in an in-person professional development workshop, but it becomes increasingly difficult

when the learning is moved online.

Trends in online professional development

Similar to the trends of classroom learning and instruction moving toward a constructivist

approach, professional development also seems to be moving in this direction. Charlambos

Vrasidas and Michelins Zembylas (2004), for example, take this constructivist approach when

describing their framework for professional development and specifically mention applying

constructivism and communities of practice in an online environment. Another recent study

analyzed the design and implementation of constructivist learning principals in an online

professional development course, and revealed the positive effect it had on enhancing educators’

practice (Chitanana, 2012). As more professional development opportunities are moved online to

address teachers’ busy schedules and to provide instruction on a wider variety of subjects to a

larger audience, careful design considerations need to be taken into account. Too often, in-

person workshops are offered in a traditional sit-and-get model, as opposed to a model with

educators actively participating in their learning. It is important not to simply copy this model
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when moving PD online, but instead re-examine how technology can be used to create a

constructivist learning environment, improving on traditional methods of instruction and

learning.

Solution Description

Goals, Resources and Constraints

The target audience for these modules is kindergarten through fifth grade teachers in the

Sunnyvale School District. The goal is for teachers to be able to independently, and

collaboratively with their peers, design instruction and student learning that reflects concepts

learned in the online professional development learning modules, which, in this case, are the

standards for mathematical practice and select routines. Other relevant stakeholders include

students in the participating teachers’ classrooms. Ethical considerations for this project include

equitable and responsible instructional design. The concepts and content in the learning modules

will be applied with a wide range of students, therefore all types of students and learners must be

considered in its design. In order to accurately measure effectiveness of this professional

development framework, a specific math topic has been chosen for this project, based on recent

student performance data and a declared organizational need. Additional resources for the project

include: Routines for Reasoning (Creighton, Kelemanik, & Lucenta, 2016), a district elementary

math instructional coach, who serves as a content matter specialist, and a district grade-level

leadership team, who have volunteered to provide constructive feedback, interact with the

learning module, and provide grade-level content support as needed. The district culture is

supportive, and technology resources are available through Google apps for education. Time is

the only possible constraint, as the goal is for development, implementation, and evaluation to

occur in the 2018-2019 school year. Implementation of the two-part module will take
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approximately forty-five minutes for the teachers’ independent portion, completed on their own

time, and thirty minutes for the in-class activity.

Learning Objectives

There are three terminal objectives and three enabling objectives that support each

terminal objective. Both terminal objectives fall into the cognitive and affective learning

domains, since teachers are processing content and pedagogical knowledge (cognitive domain) in

addition to aligning their values and attitudes (affective domain) through implementing the

instructional strategies included in the module. Through utilizing this module, teachers are

engaging with each level of Bloom, Anderson, and Krathwohl’s (Bloom, 1956; Anderson, 2001)

cognitive domain; they are referencing their math content knowledge while applying new

instructional strategies with their students. Teachers then analyze student responses to the

outlined activities within the module, and evaluate student learning to adapt their lesson as

necessary. After the completion of the entire module, teachers will reflect on the process and

create their own module to use with their class.

Module One Objectives:

 Terminal Objective: Independently, teachers will accurately describe, in writing, the

relationship between mathematical practice standards.

o Enabling Objective: Teachers will be able to independently identify “main actor”

standards and “supporting actor” standards with 100% accuracy.

 Terminal Objective: Independently, teachers will accurately describe, in writing, the

essential elements of the Repeated Reasoning instructional routine to support

mathematical practice standards three and eight.


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o Enabling Objective: Teachers will be able to independently identify and sequence

the essential elements of the Repeated Reasoning instructional routine with 100%

accuracy.

Module Two Objectives:

 Terminal Objective: Teachers will be able to independently facilitate student learning of

mathematical practice standards three and eight, by implementing the Repeated

Reasoning routine, by the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

o Enabling Objective: Using the PD module as a guide, teachers will be able to

design their own classroom activity implementing the Repeated Reasoning

routine.

Learning Theories and Strategies

Elements of Constructivism and Andragogy are the major learning theories supporting

the instructional design of the professional development modules. As the target audience for

these modules is adult professionals, and the content they will be learning is directly applicable

to their daily work scenarios, learning theories and strategies that address these concerns prove

most beneficial.

Andragogy

Andragogy is a term to describe the teaching of adult learners. This can be contrasted

with pedagogy, which is a term to describe the teaching of children. Malcolm Knowles is most

known for his work in defining this adult learning theory, and distinguishing the general

differences in which adults learn as compared to children. The basis of Knowles work lies on six

assumptions about how adults learn: the learner’s need to know, self-directed learning, prior

experiences, readiness to learn, problem solving focus, and motivation (Knowles, 1984).
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These assumptions are generally summarizing adults as learners who need to know what

it is they are learning, are capable of directing their own learning path, have a wealth of life

experiences to draw upon, and are intrinsically motivated and ready to learn when they can see

the immediate application of their learning in real-life problems and situations (Knowles, Holton

III, & Swanson, 2005). The implication of these assumptions on designing online professional

development modules for teachers is that the modules should relate directly to a problem or

situation to which the learners can relate. In this case, based on an initial needs assessment, the

mathematical practice standard numbers three and eight have been chosen as the real-life context

for learning. As learners progress through the modules, they will see how their learning can be

applied directly to their own life experiences in the classroom, culminating in the actual

application of learned instructional strategies and routines with their own students.

Constructivism

The constructivist theory of learning posits that learners construct “their own

understanding and knowledge of the world through experience and reflecting upon that

experience” (Harasim, 2007). The role of an instructional designer, in this case, would be to

create learning experiences where learners are actively involved in the creation of their own

knowledge and understanding, interacting with the learning materials, and reflecting on their new

understanding. In practice, this means offering interactive learning opportunities with

constructive feedback and opportunity to reflect.

While Constructivism as a learning theory addresses how we construct knowledge as a

learner, David Jonassen contributed further to the field by analyzing the constructivist

environment. He emphasizes having an overarching problem or question drive the construction

of knowledge, working all the learning activities around this theme. In his work, he identifies
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three key components to consider in the design of this problem within the constructivist learning

environment: “the problem context, the problem representation or simulation, and the problem

manipulation space” (Jonassen, 1999).

As the problem context applies to the professional development modules, throughout the

first module, teachers will engage in different virtual scenarios that closely resemble

mathematical discussions that take place in their classrooms. All contextual information about

their learning is communicated early on, with the overarching goal of learning to foster rich

mathematical discussions and engagement in their classroom.

Jonassen writes that the second component, the problem representation, “is critical to

learner buy-in,” and can “become a story about a set of events that leads up to the problem that

needs to be resolved” (Jonassen, 1999). For this to be effective, the problem needs to be

authentic and relevant to the learner. To incorporate this element in the online learning modules

for teachers, they will be able to virtually interact with different questioning techniques that lead

to corresponding student audio responses. As participants learn different instructional strategies

for facilitating student conversation, the virtual student conversations become more robust,

building learner confidence and motivation in solving the “problem.”

The last component Jonassen (1999) mentions is the problem manipulation space. This

describes the component in the environmental design where learners are able to manipulate

something to construct their learning. Learners in this professional development module will

interact with instructional strategies and routines that provide realistic and informative feedback

in the form of student audio snippets and on-screen text. Through strategic moments throughout

the module, participants will also post responses and reflections in an online forum that is shared

with other participating learners. Through this online collaboration, they will continue to
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construct their learning around the topic. This action of social participation in learning is also an

important component of many constructivist views, which hold that “collaborative groups are

important because we can test our own understanding and examine the understanding of others”

(Wilson, 1996).

Test Instruments

Throughout the first learning module, which focuses on the background knowledge of the

standard and related instructional routine, teacher-learners will be presented with two short

quizzes, which include matching and short answer questions. Feedback on matching questions is

provided immediately by the Google Form quiz, while feedback on their short answers will be

provided by district instructional coaches with access to the Form. Scores on the two embedded

quizzes will determine mastery of the first module’s objectives. Google Forms is an appropriate

method of assessment for the first module as it is integrated with the Google suite used

throughout the modules. Assessment for mastery of the second module’s objectives will include

observation by an instructional coach, and review of the independently created module by the

teacher. The standards for mathematical practice needs assessment will be used as an additional

assessment tool to measure pre and post attitudes and perceptions of knowledge and

implementation of the standards.

Media and Delivery System Decisions

The first module is an asynchronous, on-your-own, online learning module. Although

there will be peer discussions and interactions through shared online spaces, each participant will

be learning on their own time. Both modules will be created as separate non-linear slide decks

using Google Slides. All videos included will be uploaded to YouTube and embedded in the

slides to minimize any distractions or potential problems that could occur from opening new
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websites or software. When possible, readings will be embedded in the slide deck or opened in

Google Docs. The Google app suite is familiar to the target audience, and uses the same login

that teachers use daily to access their email. Providing assessments through Google Quiz, a

feature of Google Forms, will make data collection and analysis a seamless process, as teachers

are usually already logged in to their Google accounts on their computers, and Google Forms

will collect their email addresses as they take the quiz. The second module is designed to be

instructor-led, and will be delivered to the class through Google Slides. All teachers have access

to projection hardware and speakers that will enable them to display the slides and

accompanying videos. Access to both modules will be through a website that will house future

modules and professional development resources for the district.

Instructional Strategies and Activities

Constructivism is the major learning theory driving the development and design of the

online professional development module, including instructional strategies employed during the

classroom activity portion. Research on components of effective professional development, such

as Charlambos Vrasidas and Michelins Zembylas’ framework on constructivism and interactivity

in PD (Vrasidas & Zembylas, 2004), and Kim Carter’s report on effective characteristics and

challenges in online professional development (Carter, 2004) informed additional design and

implementation decisions.

Agenda:
Module 1: Background content and instructional routine slide deck
Topic/Task: Description: Time Frame: Resources:
Math Practice Short reading and a 5 minutes  Online article
Standards – Why are video describe the or embedded
they important? importance of these text
standards  Video
Overview of the Describes the “lead 10 minutes  Online article
relationship between actors” and or embedded
all the practice “supporting actors” in text
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standards: 2,7,8 VS the mathematical  Video


3,4,5,6 practice standards  Interactive
practice
Google Forms Quiz Matching, multiple 5 minutes  Google Form
choice, and short self-grading
answer quiz on the Quiz
standards
Overview of the Describes overview 5 minutes  Video
Repeated Reasoning and objectives of the  Embedded text
Instructional Routine essential elements in or articles
this routine.
Repeated Reasoning Details each step of 15 minutes  Video, online
Instructional Routine the routine and the article,
Steps Defined rationale for the steps interactive
practice
Collaborative Forum Teacher responds to 5 minutes  Padlet page
Post/Quiz questions and  Google Forms
interacts with peer’s Quiz
online posts
Module 2: Classroom activity and application slide deck
Introductory video 1 minute video 1 minute  Video
presents a  Projection
mathematical scenario device with
for students to discuss sound
and solve
Introduce the Routine State objectives 5 minutes  Embedded text
Overview steps in the and teacher
routine footnotes on
the slide
Generalize Repetition Individual think time 5-7 minutes  Embedded text
Pair share and teacher
footnotes on
the slide
Discuss Individual think time 5-7 minutes  Embedded text
Generalizations Pair share and teacher
Annotate footnotes on
generalizations the slide
Concluding Video 30 second video 1 minute  Video
presents one  Teacher
conclusion to the footnotes on
mathematical the slide
scenario.
Reflect on Repeated Individual write time 10 minutes  Embedded text
Reasoning Pair Share and teacher
footnotes on
the slide
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Methods and Procedures

List of Major Deliverables

 Module 1 Google Slides slide deck (Mathematical Practices Overview and Repeated

Reasoning Instructional Routine)

o Overview of the standards for mathematical practices and their relationship to

each other: retrieved from Routines for Reasoning, and reused for each grade

level, since the same standard applies to all grades.

o Repeated Reasoning instructional routine overview and practice: non-linear

Google Slides allows for practice opportunities and feedback

o Audio/Video vignettes of student discussions: retrieved from YouTube or filmed

in Sunnyvale School District, if available, and uploaded to YouTube.

o Google Forms Quizzes

o Padlet Page for collaboration: linked on the slide deck for asynchronous

collaboration between learners

 Module 2 Google Slides slide deck (6 slides – one for each grade level K-5)

o Introduction/Conclusion math video (6 videos – one for each grade level content

standard)

o Guiding questions for students

o Footnotes to the teacher

 Pretest/Post-test

o Google Form to measure teacher knowledge and implementation of standards (2

forms – one for pre-test and one for post-test)


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 23

Development Plan

Before initial development, the elementary math instructional coach provided guidance in

selecting content standards for each grade level, based on how they may lend themselves to

constructive student discussions described in the focus standard for mathematical practice, and

creation of the introductory video for each grade level’s class activity module. Research and

outline of the chosen instructional routine, online articles, and short videos of student discussions

was also a collaborative process between the instructional coach and instructional designer of the

modules. Time will be the biggest constraint, as creating the second module tailored to each of

the six target grade levels is a large task for one person. Thankfully, the first of the two modules

can be reused for each grade level, leaving only the classroom activity module to be created for

each grade level. Additionally, to speed up the process, introductory videos could be found

online instead of personally crafted. As both the elementary math instructional coach and

instructional designer are paid to provide professional development to teachers, the creation of

these modules falls into their job descriptions, adding no additional costs.

Implementation Plan

The first module is a self-guided study of instructional practices and standards, requiring

only the knowledge of how to open a Google Slide deck, follow simple instructions, and click on

embedded links and videos. The second module requires the ability to project a Google Slides

presentation to students, of which all target teachers are knowledgeable. The course requires one

instructor with basic classroom management expertise, and grade-level content knowledge. All

teachers are certificated with a California teaching credential, which implies they possess the

knowledge and expertise needed to carry out the lesson.


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 24

Timeline

An approximate timeline is as follows:

 Instructional coach and designer materials selection – 2/13/18 – 2/27/18 (2 weeks)

 Module 1 outline (Content and instructional routine) – 3/3/18 - 3/14/18 (1 week)

 Video creation for each grade level’s module 2 intro – 4/16/18 – 4/20/18 (1 week)

 Module 2 creation for each grade level – 5/1/18 - 5/14/18 (2 weeks)

 Presentation of modules to the elementary grade-level leadership team – 5/21 (1 day)

 Pilot testing of classroom activity by grade level leadership – 5/28/18 – 6/1/18 (1 week)

 Feedback from elementary grade-level leadership team – 6/6/18 (1 day)

 Module 1 (truncated version) pilot with summer school teachers - 7/1/18 - 7/16/18 (2

weeks)

 Module 1 final creation based on feedback - 9/2/18 – 9/28/18 (4 weeks)

 Pilot testing of Module 1 and 2 combined - 10/8/18 – 10/19/18 (1 week)

Resources

Resource List

Necessary resources are outlined below. All resources are readily available to the

instructional designer:

Resource Description Cost


Adobe Dreamweaver website development for FREE with CSUMB
housing modules and future
resources
Web hosting GreenGeeks/CSUMB for
district and CSUMB hosting
Google Apps Suite (Slides, Modules, content outline, FREE with CSUMB and
Docs, Forms, Drive, Gmail) communication, assessments, Sunnyvale School District
storage of documents accounts
Camtasia Video and image editing FREE with CSUMB account
Audio recorder Recording student audio FREE – using cell phone
samples
ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 25

Video camera Recording instructional and FREE – already purchased by


introductory videos instructional designer
previously
Access to pilot teachers and Subject matter expert (SME) FREE – instructional designer
elementary math instructional and team for feedback and already had access to both
coach pilot testing

Technical Skills

The instructional designer has all the technical skills necessary for design and

development of this project. Throughout the MIST program and previous experience, the

instructional designer has acquired web, instructional, and multimedia design skills. Through

support from the grade level committee and elementary math instructional coach, all

instructional strategies and content development are reviewed as appropriate and effective.

Timeline

Item Description Status


Content Outline for Module Outline of instructional Completed
1 and 2 routine and math practice
standards as will be covered
in Module 1, which drives
the activity in Module 2
Video Creation Video intros for each grade Completed
level’s Module 2, and intro
to the mathematical practice
standards
Module 2 Creation Using the outline of what Completed
Module 1 will cover, create
Module 2 (student activity)
to ensure practicality of
classroom implementation
Presentation/Pilot of Module To test the functionality of Completed
2 the instructional routine
outlined for Module 1, the
classroom activity module
is tested by pilot group
(Note: if the instructional
routine Module 2 activity is
not practical in the
classroom, Module 1 would
ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 26

need to be redesigned).
Module 1 Storyboard With a successful classroom 9/2/2018 – 9/28/2018
activity based off an outline
of what is to be covered in
Module 1, the storyboarding
and design of Module 1 can
commence.
Module 1 Creation All resources, content, and 9/10/2018 - 9/28/2018
interactive elements of the
Google Slides Module 1 are
created
Website Creation Website is created for 10/1/2018 - 10/30/2018
housing the professional
development modules with
any additional resources and
space for future professional
development modules

Evaluation

Formative Evaluation

Formative evaluation will occur through observation of pilot testing and a feedback

survey given to the elementary grade-level leadership team (Appendix A). The pilot group of

teachers will be encouraged to document any changes they made while delivering the classroom

activity module on a copy of the slides themselves, which will help inform further revisions of

Module 2.

Summative Evaluation

Data from the first module’s quizzes will provide information on the effectiveness of the

provided articles, video vignettes, and online discussions covering instructional strategies,

routines, and mathematical practices content. Analyzing the data collected from the standards for

mathematical practices pre and post-test (Appendix B) will inform the instructional designer on

the effectiveness of both modules in their ability to improve knowledge about and
ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 27

implementation of the focus standard. There will be no transfer, payoff, or ROI evaluations for

this course.
ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 28

References:

Anderson, L.W., Krathwohl, D.R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A

revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Longman.

Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook I: The cognitive domain.

New York: David McKay Co Inc.

California Department of Education (2014). California Common Core State Standards

Mathematics. Retrieved from

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/ccssmathstandardaug2013.pdf

Carter, K. (2004, May). Online training: What's really working? What does today's successful

online professional development look like? Technology & Learning, Vol. 24 (10), 32.

Retrieved from

http://go.galegroup.com.library2.csumb.edu:2048/ps/i.do?ty=as&v=2.1&u=csumb_main

&it=DIourl&s=RELEVANCE&p=AONE&qt=SN~1053-

6728~~VO~24~~SP~32~~IU~10&lm=DA~120040000&sw=w&authCount=1

Creighton, S.J., Kelemanik, G., & Lucenta, A. (2016). Routines for Reasoning: Fostering the

Mathematical Practice in All Students. Portsmouth, NH: Heinnemann.

Jonassen, D. (1999). Designing Constructivist Learning Environments. Retrieved from

https://www.savoiabenincasa.gov.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1999-Jonassen.pdf

Knowles, M.S., Holton, E.F. III, & Swanson, R.A. (2005). The Adult Learner: The Definitive

Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. Taylor & Francis Group.

Knowles, M. S. & Associates. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching.


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 29

Educational Researcher, 15 (2), 4–14. Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org.library2.csumb.edu:2048/stable/1175860?seq=2#page_scan_tab_con
tents

Stolovitch, H.D. & Keeps, E. J. (2011). Telling Ain’t Training, 2nd Edition. Alexandria, VA:

American Society for Training & Development.

Sunnyvale School District. (2017). Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Retrieved

from

https://www.sesd.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=2396&dataid=5

273&FileName=2017_LCAP%20Sept%2012.pdf

Vrasidas, C., Zembylas, M. (2004). Online professional development: lessons from the field.

Education + Training, Vol. 46 (6/7), 326-334.

https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910410555231

Wilson, B.G. (1996). Constructivist Learning Environments: Case Studies in Instructional

Design. New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 30

Appendices

Appendix A

Module Implementation Feedback

This Google Forms survey serves to inform the instructional designer about the perceived

effectiveness of both part-one and part-two modules. Respondents mark answers on a 1-4 scale,

labeled “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree,” based on their agreement with the following

statements:

1. The videos were engaging and a good way to pique my students’ mathematical interest.

2. The videos provided tangible context to real world math application.

3. The progression of activities (independent time, think time, partner sharing, etc) supported my

students’ mathematical reasoning.

4. The learning activity supported my students in the following Standards of Mathematical

Practice: “Construct a viable argument” and “Critique the reasoning of others”. “Look for and

express regularity in repeated reasoning.”

5. Module 1 increased my knowledge of the selected standard for mathematical practice.

6. Module 1 increased my knowledge of instructional strategies and routines needed to support

students in the selected mathematical practice standard.

7. What improvements or other feedback would you like to provide?


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 31

Appendix B

Standards for Mathematical Practice Pre/Post Test

This Google Forms survey was given prior to participation in the learning module, to determine

the need for professional development around the standards of mathematical practice, and will be

given again following participation in the module. Answers from both surveys will serve to

inform the instructional designer about the effectiveness of the module as it relates to increasing

teacher knowledge and implementation of the desired standard.

Survey questions:

Rate your overall knowledge of the standards for mathematical practices on the following scale:

1- Not very knowledgeable, 2- Somewhat knowledgeable, 3- Knowledgeable, 4- Very

Knowledgeable

1. Make sense of problems & persevere in solving them

2. Reason abstractly & quantitatively

3. Construct viable arguments & critique the reasoning of others.

4. Model with mathematics

5. Use appropriate tools strategically

6. Attend to precision

7. Look for & make use of structure

8. Look for & express regularity in repeated reasoning

Rate your overall implementation of the Standards for Mathematical Practice in your instruction

and student activities on the following scale: 1- none, 2- occasional implementation, 3- weekly

implementation, 4- daily implementation.

1. Make sense of problems & persevere in solving them


ONLINE LEARNING MODULES 32

2. Reason abstractly & quantitatively

3. Construct viable arguments & critique the reasoning of others.

4. Model with mathematics

5. Use appropriate tools strategically

6. Attend to precision

7. Look for & make use of structure

8. Look for & express regularity in repeated reasoning

Rate the availability of easily accessible resources to practice the integration of these standards in

your math instruction using the following scale: 1- none, 2- few, 3- some, 4- plentiful.

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