Justification Paper

Biography
Alex Villwock grew up in the Chicago area. He attended Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2008 Alex graduated with a bachelors degree in elementary education with an emphasis in middle school math and science. Alex is currently working on his masters in Education Technology from Boise State University. He is also trying to get graduate certificates in technology coordination, and as a technology integration specialist. After college Alex moved to Guadalajara, Mexico and taught 8th grade Algebra 1 and 9th Grade Geometry at an English immersion school. Alex also taught electives such as soccer, football, and baseball. After teaching a year in Mexico Alex moved to Colorado, where he is currently teaching middle school math.

Defining the Visual Context

1. Study table 16.1 Key Learner Profile Characteristics to Consider. Write down the learner characteristics that you are considering and why they are relevant. My students are seventh graders which puts them around age 12. Most of the students are Hispanic, and their native language is Spanish. The majority of the students come from a low Socio-economic group. Most students parents have at highest a high school diploma. Prior knowledge is very mixed. A few students have a lot of prior knowledge, and some have no prior knowledge. 2. Study table 16.2 Basic questions about the learning environment. Answer each question in the table as it pertains to your unit of instruction. How is the package to be used? Presentation, group-study, and as a job aid. How many share the space? There are around 20 people in the room Lighting? Lights off with blinds open. This allows for easier view of the projector. Distance away from visual? 15ft at farthest. How much time with materials? 1min 2 min and if needed a printout can be given. Learner control own time? If students have handouts with the visuals they can take their time with the visuals. How much space do the learners have? They are in groups of 5, so they have 5 desks together. Classroom layout? 5 groups of 5 in a U shape with the lcd projector at the top of the U.

3. Study table 16.3 Questions to ask about the delivery media. Answer each question in the table as it pertains to your unit of instruction. List ALL delivery media that will be used. The media will be displayed by a lcd projector on the front board. The furthest student is probably 15 ft away. The lights are off, but the blinds are open letting sunlight in. This allows the students to see the board, and still work. I have tried all my images on my projector and none of them look distorted or granular.

4. Study table 16.4 Questions to ask about Elearning platforms. Answer each question in the table as it pertains to your unit of instruction. I will be using PowerPoint, and presenting the pictures with picture preview. Most of these questions dont apply since I will be just putting up the visual and talking about the visual. Monitor Display: 800x600 but blown up to 6ft x 6ft Color Depth: N/A Connectivity: N/A Media Cards: N/A PlugIns: N/A Firewalls: N/A

5. What issues of color, and file formats will you be dealing with? Please detail the exact formats that you will use for each medium. You may use table 16.5 Color Depth explanation, table 16.6 Digital File Formats and their uses, table 16.7 Raster or Bitmapped file formats, table 16.8 Vectorbased file formats, and any other resources you have to answer this question The file formats that will be used are jpeg, and gif. I chose Jpeg, because some of the images are picture like, and I was told to use gif for line drawings that have low complexity. I used .gif for a few so that the background would be transparent and I wouldnt have to line up colors. Im not sure what color level my images are at, but since they are on PowerPoint and are stand alone I dont have to worry too much about the color schemes. In all of my images I used the same color in the background, so that I can use that same color for the PowerPoint background. This will avoid from having a clash of colors and causing a lack of unity.

Visualizing Each Individual Graphic (ch 18)

1. Learning processes 1. Directing attention (Chapter 4) Click here to view my attention visual. Though this is a very basic image it says a lot. The purpose of this image is to draw your attention to the difference between experimental and theoretical probability.. For Theoretical I used a book, because theoretical probability is all in theory and could be found in a book. I used a beaker to represent experimental probability, because it is an experiment. These two symbols will help students recall the differences between theoretical and experimental probability by just remember those two symbols. I also showed two graphs to show that theoretical is non changing and straight forward. I also showed a graph that represented experimental by having the graph go up and down to show that experimental is always changing. These two sets of images will help students easily recall the important information about what the difference is between experimental and theoretical probability. Visually I tried to keep the image as basic as possible to reduce confusion. I find in math it is always better to keep things as simple as possible. I used line to help split the image up in to, two separate parts. I used balance to keep the image appealing and pleasant. All of these visual aspects help improve the image and help draw your attention to the important sections of the picture. The only thing changed in this was to add a title to it. This let you know exactly

what you are looking at the moment you see the image. This will help with students cognitive load letting them take in the image, rather than forcing them to search for meaning first. The graphics purpose was to be simple, but draw your attention directly to the difference between the pictures. 2. Awakening prior knowledge (Chapter 5) Click here to see my graphic organizer. This unit is a unit on probability. I find that many students have problems with the concept of probability and thus it would be very helpful to have as many images as possible. I will be teaching this unit in the second half of the year. The graphic organizer is a culmination of the whole probability unit. Each circle represents a different section in the chapter. Each symbol represents what that section is all about. The images were chosen to activate past knowledge and use it to teach about probability. For examples the idea of a compound event is when two or more events happen at once. This may be confusing to students, but I activate past knowledge by using familiar images of the king and spade from cards. This helps students think back to when they played cards and use that information to learn what a compound event is. Visually I created a balance and unity based on how I organized the image. I used colors to help contrast the ideas from the background. I used cartoon like images to keep the image's unity. I drew focus to the center circle by making the word probability bold and enlarged. These different visual aspects will help students learn probability with ease. My final graphic had a few changes to it. I adjusted the green background of the circles so that it was softer. This was a suggestion from a peer, which I highly agree with. After looking back I realized there wasnt enough contrast between the green and yellow from the happy faces. The new image stands out more and has a more powerful effect. One other change I tried to make the spinner a little bit sharper so that when blown up the spinner wouldnt look fuzzy. Overall the goal of creating an image that activates prior knowledge so that the unit can be organized in a logical order was successful.

3. Minimizing memory load (Chapter 6)/ Supporting transfer of learning (Chapter 7) Click here to view my memory load graphic.

The image I decided to use was to help out the memory load of the different Compound events. The three terms Independent events, Dependent events, and disjoint events, are very hard for students to distinguish between. The reason that it is so hard for students to learn is the memory load. There are too many concepts and the definitions are hard for students to understand. I accomplished helping the memory load by using symbols that represent the different vocabulary words rather than use a bunch of words to explain. I also will help the memory load by verbally explaining the different images so that they have a visual and audio to piece together the information rather than overload students with written words and pictures. "What I would explain is that disjoint events are when there are two different options and there is no overlap and no chance for both to happen, like the king and ace. Dependent events are connected and the probability of one event affects the probability of the next event, like choosing marbles. Lastly Independent events are two different events, but both can happen such as rolling a five and getting tales." The reason this is a far transfer is that students will have to take the idea of compound events and use it on different events and mediums. If i take a spinner and ask what is the probability of spinning a red or blue, students need to use far transfer to apply the idea of the different types of compound events to this situation. Using this image helps with memory load and far transfer

4. Helping learners build mental models (Chapter 8) Click here to view my Mental Model and Near Transfer Graphic. The graphic I created is for my lesson on theoretical and experimental probability. I made a chart representing theoretical probability. It relates to near transfer because it is " a representational visual." The different visuals are combined with numbers to represent the probabilities. The idea of theoretical probability is constant, there isn't change to it. To find the theoretical probability you will follow the same steps, this idea is near transfer. I created mental models by used the pictures in a table/chart format. The chart shows a relationship between the probability and the situation. Since a spinner has 3 different sections, each section is 1/3, this is the relationship that is shown. This chart can be used at the beginning of the lesson when explaining Theoretical probability. Using this chart will help create mental models, and near transfer.

5. Motivating learning (Chapter 9) Click here to view my motivational visual This motivational piece has both personal and situational motivation. It relates to personal motivation because many students like playing board games, and the problem deals with board games. It is situational because one of the reasons students would use probability in real life is when playing board games. The idea of creating a scrabble problem creates situational motivation. Even though at its surface it seems like I used Emotional motivation because I just dressed a problem up, it really uses cognitive motivation. The reason it uses cognitive motivation is the graphic helps clarify the lesson content by relating lesson content to real life situations. The graphic is helpful because this is a problem they may see in real life. In the graphic I used color to help separate the information from the background. I used balance to help everything stay separate and organized. Lastly I chose to enlarge the equation and put it in the center because it is the important part of the graphic, and helps your eye stay focused on the equation. I got a few suggestions about getting rid of the white in the text boxes and having it transparent instead. I chose to ignore these comments feeling that it was more important to have the text jump out rather than get lost in a background. One of the important parts of a motivating graphic was to make sure that it wasnt just eye candy, and actually motivated students rather than just interest them. I think If I had transparent text boxes the image would become more of an image for show rather than an educational motivating graphic. I did take one suggestion and outline the text fields with black so that it gave definition to the text field. After doing that simple step I felt that the impact was greater and did an overall better job.

6. Accommodating learner differences (Chapter 10) Click here to view my graphic on learner differences The topic I chose to do for my learner differences piece is on finding the probability of a dependent event. The graphic will be used to describe how to use the equation that goes with a dependent event. Most learners will be learners with low prior knowledge. To help with low prior knowledge I used words along with graphics, used visual design techniques, and created a synchronized rather than successive graphic. I put the equation and the images that represented

parts of the equation side by side, so learners can see how the equation (words) fits with a real life situation (picture). The visual design techniques I used was with the color background that corresponded to the purpose of each probability, and the graphics were an accurate representation of an applicable situation. Lastly I put all the information on one page, and created a synchronized look, rather than using multiple pages and create a successive look. These parts of the graphic were geared towards helping low prior knowledge students. If I was to do this project over again for high prior knowledge students I would do a few thing differently. First I would make multiple slides creating a successive look to the presentation. I would show students how to do it first using the picture and then how to do it using the equation by itself. This would help high prior knowledge because the combination of a graphic and words hinders the learning. I received a lot of feedback from this image, and I changed it around. I flipped the overall graphic so that it read from left to right. In the original I had it right to left to follow the format that the book gave, but after suggestions, and further though I switched so it was more similar to what students are use to. This allows to cut out any confusion I may have. 2. Lesson content 1. Visualizing a procedure (Chapter 11) Click here to view my procedure graphic My project for procedures is to help students decide which compound event to use. I find that one of the hardest parts of probability for my students is determining which equation to use. The problem for students is taking a new situation and determining whether it is a disjoint, independent or dependent event. The graphic will be used to teach what procedure they should do in their head every time they are faced with a compound event. The graphic starts with a main question and based on their answers branches off to a different event. Students can follow this procedure every time to get an accurate result. To help promote learning I used images that relate to the problems that the students will be doing. Rather than having random examples all the images are identical to the problems, for example using flipping a coin because many problems of probability deal with flipping a coin. I received feedback about centering the image on the page better. After looking at the code I couldnt figure out why it was shifting and not centering properly. I do think it would look better if centered, but I dont know what is causing the change. I also notice that the coin looks fuzzy when enlarged so I sharpened it, so that it would look better when blown up.

2. Visualizing a concept (Chapter 12) Click here to view my concept visual. My concept visual has to do with the idea of the Fundamental Counting Principle, and sample spaces. The ideas of events, outcomes, sample spaces, are abstract for students. To help with this I decided to create an analogy of a skiing that relates to the Fundamental Counting Principle, and vocabulary words. This allows students to relate the ideas to something that they have done before. My students live in Colorado so they are very aware of the idea of skiing. Skiers have to take multiple paths to get down a mountain. Just like a skier's path there are many different options for outcomes. The idea of skiing is a very entertaining idea to the students I have. Using a graphic that promotes learner engagement. Visually I tried to create as munch balance as possible. To try and make the mountain to stand out, I reduced the opacity on everything else. I also used gray rather than white so that the mountain would stand out more. The feedback was very helpful with this graphic, but I didnt change anything in it. Most of the feedback referred to not understand the relation to the Fundamental Counting Principle. While this is understandable, the students will be receiving this graphic after some instruction to help them visualize the concept. Rather then this graphic being used to teach about the FCP, it will be used to reinforce the concept of FCP. 3. Visualizing facts (Chapter 13) Click here to view my visual My visual is a mnemonic visual. I used different images to represent part of the words permutation and combination. To make my mnemonic visual I broke the word permutation up into perm, and mutation. I represented perm with perm hair and mutation with an image of a teenage mutant ninja turtle. This mnemonic device will help students remember the word better. I also used the image of a gavel as a representational image of the idea of order. Permutation is when order matters. My first thought with combination was to make an image of a lock for combination, but the idea of combination is order doesn't matter. Order is very significant a lock combination, so that would be a bad representation. I then decided to break the word combination up into, comb, i, and nation. I used an image of a comb, and nation, to represent these two. I then had a gavel with circle and slash through it to show that order doesn't matter. To help link the gavel and non gavel to the correct image I used corresponding

colors. The one where order matters I used a green circle which correlates with the green turtle. I used a red circle that correlates with the red comb. These two colors will help the students connect the correct terms with the correct mnemonic device. 4. Visualizing processes (Chapter 14) Click here to view my process image. When making the process graphic I struggled to come up with a concept. The idea of process is a great thing in math, but the idea of probability is truly a 1 or 2 step process. I decided to show the process of finding a total sample space in a probability problem. The process is broken up to very specific parts (events, and outcomes). Knowing how these parts interact with each other is essential for discovering the process of a sample space. Since I was unsure of how well connected this is with process I decided to make a visual and change an old visual, so it can relate to the first one. Both visuals are representing the process, but in two different ways. I used lines to help create a flow, and show that the process starts small, but expands quickly. A cause and effect was shown, by showing that every choice in a probability problem leads to a different outcome. If I was teaching this lesson I would use the visuals to explain what events, and outcomes are. I would explain how to distinguish between choosing and event or outcome out of a situation, and how both of those create a process of finding a sample space. After teaching about each of the components of the process I would use the second visual to help tie all the components together. In this graphic I put little lines between the outcomes in the sample space example to help create separation between each individual outcome. This division helps emphasize the point that each outcome is separate, but all together it is a sample space.

5. Visualizing principles (Chapter 15) Click here to view my principle graphic. My principle graphic is on the topic the Fundamental Counting Principle. It is and equation that is used to find the total number of outcomes in a probability problem. I chose this principle because students need to take the equation and use it in many different circumstances. The students will learn how to use the equation and apply it to different medians such as coins, dice, and spinners. I put the examples and equations in the same format with a connecting link, so that

students can quickly switch from example to example and see what is similar in the process and what is different. I put the graphics on a desk so that it would closely resemble what the students would be doing. I will talk with the students about identifying the different number events and then how many outcomes in each event. Using the examples, equation, and verbal directions, students will be able to take the concept and use it in a multiple amount of ways. I did the most changes with this graphic. From a lot of advice I decided to dress up the image a little bit. I made the corners transparent and changed the cheap looking html links to a button look. Jazzing up these two things changed the look dramatically and made it look more professional. I think that with good advice someone can really change graphics for the positive. This is why collaboration is so important in schools.

Overall Instructional visual design model (ch. 2, 17)

When designing a unit plan that involves visuals, it is very important to keep a visual design model in your mind. A visual design model allows the graphic designer to create visuals that promote student learning rather than hinder it. A visual design model demands the designer to take many factors into account. One must think of the size of the room, the size of the graphics, the prior knowledge level, etc. When designing my unit plan I followed a step-by-step visual design model. I used a backward design approach to create an affective graphics. I started with the standards and goals, creating a skeleton for my unit design. When creating a unit by backwards design it allows for the creator to embed the goals in all the graphics created. Creating higher qualities graphics that are goal oriented is an important part of the visual design model. When creating visuals it is very important to keep in mind the context it will be created for. The designer needs to think about who the learners are, what is the learning environment, what is the delivery medium, and what are you constraints (Clark& Lyons, 2004)? I used this as a reference when creating my graphics. My learning environment is very open to using graphics. The board is in the center of everyone in the class, which allows for optimal viewing. The students are 15 ft away but I have a short throw projector, which projects a seven-foot wide image. The room is dark enough so that images can be seen, but enough natural light so that students wont have problem writing. The learners are middle school age, and with that come many important aspects to consider. I had to keep in mind my audience throughout the visual

design process. Frequently I would ask myself questions such as, does a middle school age student know what this is?, Do my middle school students play this game?, and many more questions that look to the insight of middle school students. I when creating graphics I had to keep in mind that the graphics were going to be shown on a projector that reproduced them approximately 7ft wide. This was a very important part of the process. I was constantly trying to find the highest quality images so that when I blew up the graphics it wouldnt look pixilated or grainy. Every time I made a graphic I had to make sure that not only would they look good on a computer, but also look good when projected. When creating the graphics I didnt have to focus on constraints too much. I really did have a blank slate while creating the images. The constraints I did have to focus on where that all the images were within my standards, and followed the assignments requirements. As long as I stayed within these parameters I produced images the met the constraints of the assignment. When making the graphics I had to follow a visual approach. I needed to make the graphics were visually appealing, but also make sure that the visual stimulation didnt detract from the overall purpose of the graphic. All graphics have a purpose and if they are visually too stimulating they will actually hinder the learning that is taking place. On the other side if you make an image with not enough visual appeal a lack of interest, and stimulation would cause the learner to learn less. I followed many different visual rules, such as line, color, balance, etc. Following these rules allowed for my image to be appealing to the audience. I also would keep in mind the goal and make sure that the most important part of the graphic was to teach a concept, and thus must be the focal point of the graphic. The visual design model is the most important part of creating multiple graphics. If the visual design model is ignored graphics will be created for the wrong reasons, and will obstruct the learning. Graphics have a very beneficial purpose in the educational world, and if created correctly can have a big impact on a students learning.

Program Standards
This project was very beneficial for many different reasons. Through this project I was able to accomplish many of the AECT standards, while align myself with Boise States Ed Tech Mission, and Boise States conceptual framework. The project itself was design, and thus many of standard 1: design, was accomplished. Through the project I was able to unit plan I was able to provide ample evidence of analyzing, designing and developing. I analyzed course

material such as the topic of probability and defined what was to be learned by the students (1.1.1). While creating the unit plan I designed a unit on probability, and designed graphics on probability. This designing was a process of specifically clarifying how students would learn probability (1.1.2). Lastly I developed the graphics and lesson plans in which would become the instructional materials of the unit (1.1.3). The focus of this project was to create a unit in which a message, the topic of probability, was to be taught through visuals. While creating these visuals I had the learners best interest in mind. Every time I created a visual I thought about the concepts attention, perception, and retention (1.2). My goal was to design visuals that delivered a powerful message that spoke clarity, rather than hinder the learning process. While creating graphics our goal was to create the best instructional tool possible. These tools were to be used to help the instructional process, and build on past knowledge, to create new knowledge. In the lesson I had to chose the best way to used the graphics in a positive way. The best way to teach someone is to start with what they know and use that information to create new knowledge (1.3, 1.4). This project used many different mediums, in which print, computerbased, and integrated technologies were used. The development of resources using these different mediums I was able to develop different instructional models that used multiple technologies (2.1, 2.3, 2.4). I chose these specific media devices so that the instruction would vary, but also be based upon instructional design specifications (3.1). This unit is directly in sync with Boise States Ed Tech Mission, and Boise States conceptual framework. This project is a quality unit that can be used in my school immediately. Boise State Ed Tech, and Boise State, want educators to be leaders in the field of education, who can create high quality instructional materials. This unit definitely goes above and beyond what average math teachers are doing. Since many students are known to be visual learners, creating educational graphics, becomes a best practice in the field of education. This project and the visualizations of all the graphics are based upon research, and create sound instructional devices.

Standard 1: Design 1.1 Instructional Systems Design (ISD) 1.1.1 Analyzing: process of defining what is to be learned and the context in which it is to be learned.

1.1.2 Designing: process of specifying how it is to be learned. 1.1.3 Developing: process of authoring and producing the instructional materials.

1.2 Message Design 1.3 Instructional Strategies 1.4 Learner Characteristics Standard 2: DEVELOPMENT 2.1 Print Technologies 2.3 Computer-Based Technologies 2.4 Integrated Technologies Standard 3: UTILIZATION 3.1 Media Utilization

Mission
The Department of Educational Technology is a diverse and international network of scholars, professional educators and candidates who: Lead research and innovations in online teaching and learning Model, promote, manage, and evaluate digital-age work and learning resources in educational environments Inspire creativity and expertise in digital media literacies Design and develop imaginative learning environments Empower learners to be evolving digital citizens who advocate cultural understanding and global responsibility Promote and pattern participatory culture, professional practice, and lifelong learning Forge connections between research, policy, and practice in educational technology

Boise State Conceptual Framework

Boise State Universitys conceptual framework, "The Professional Educator, establishes our shared vision in preparing educators to work effectively in P-12

schools. It provides direction for programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance, scholarship, service, and accountability. The Professional Educator Boise State University strives to develop knowledgeable educators who integrate complex roles and dispositions in the service of diverse communities of learners. Believing that all children, adolescents, and adults can learn, educators dedicate themselves to supporting that learning. Using effective approaches that promote high levels of student achievement, educators create environments that prepare learners to be citizens who contribute to a complex world. Educators serve learners as reflective practitioners, scholars and artists, problem solvers, and partners. The Department of Educational Technology contributes to this vision by emphasizing the following: The Department of Educational Technology supports the study and practice of facilitating and improving learning of a diverse population by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. Believing technology is a tool that enhances and expands the educational environment, we promote the use of current and emergent technologies for teaching and learning in a dynamic global society. Educational technologists are leaders and innovators, serving in institutions of higher education, public or private school settings, federal, state or local educational agencies, community organizations, and the private sector. Reference Clark, R. C.,& Lyons, C. (2004). Graphics for learning. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.