©createdbyalyssa
Featured Project:
Grant Program Training
Grant Program Training
My design plan is structured around a grant program that we offer in my department for educators, the Teacher Directed Improvement Fund (TDIF). The reason I chose this to create a training is because I am the recently promoted project manager for this grant program in my department. While going through the process of learning the program, I realized that there were many inconsistencies in the program, and I wanted to develop a training to eliminate confusion and inquiries flowing into the department daily.
- AudienceTeachers and Principals within the school district in South Florida (240 representatives).
- ResponsibilitiesInstructional Design, Action Mapping (Needs Analysis), Storyboarding, Visual Design, eLearning Development, Evaluation
- Tools UsedArticulate Rise 360, Canva, Miro, Screencast-o-matic, Padlet, Microsoft 365 Suite
- KPIGrant applications will increase by 20% by October 1st as applicants are more confident in the process.
Target Audience and Needs Analysis
The target audience for this training is qualified Teachers and Principals within the school district in South Florida. The years of experience range from 3 years to 30+ years. There are over 15,000 teachers and principals in Broward County (BCPS). One teacher representative per school (240 schools) selected within Curriculum Council, which meets once per month. This group already contains one representative per school that has the expectations of sharing knowledge with their staff.
Based on recent survey feedback from TDIF Applicants, 70% do not fully understand the reimbursement process. This is a grant program that has been available to teachers for over 10 years, and receives 1.7 million dollars in funding per year. Less than 60% of this funding, on average, is utilized on a yearly basis.
Based on recent survey feedback from TDIF Applicants, 70% do not fully understand the reimbursement process. This is a grant program that has been available to teachers for over 10 years, and receives 1.7 million dollars in funding per year. Less than 60% of this funding, on average, is utilized on a yearly basis.
Learner Analysis
Non-Linear Navigation
I have decided to create this e-Learning training utilizing non-linear navigation. A non-linear approach is more suitable for learners to be in control of selecting tasks catering to their skills and knowledge level (Rimmer, 2020). As not all learners will be on the same level coming into the training, this is essential. I want my course to have active involvement and develop learner confidence in selecting tasks to correspond with their creative abilities.
Interactive Storytelling
To enhance learner engagement and increase learner retention, I plan on embedding interactive storytelling as a piece of my e-Learning. By analyzing examples of interactive stories, (Baldwin, S., & Ching, Y.-H. 2017) identified five features of interactive storytelling: dynamic presentation, data visualization, multisensory media, interactivity, and narration. Since students learn best by doing, weaving in interactive storytelling with real-world examples will be a way to directly engage them.
Learning Styles
Staying cognizant of different learning styles and incorporating both auditory and visual aspects to a training can also assist with working memory and prevent cognitive overload (Halarewich, 2016). While creating my training, I will be cognizant of incorporating both auditory and visual aspects to help prevent cognitive overload and keep learner interest.
Learner Retention
To increase learner retention specifically, I will keep in mind the “rule of three”. In my design plan, there are three learning objectives, and while designing slides I will keep the slides to three bullet points.
Design Plan
Goal: In this course, learners will gain an understanding of the TDIF application process. By the end of this course, 100% of qualified teachers will be able to submit a TDIF grant application for committee review and approval.
The applicant needs to have prior knowledge of District and State requirements for conferences (found in their contract) in order to accomplish the training outcomes.
Goal: In this course, learners will gain an understanding of the TDIF application process. By the end of this course, 100% of qualified teachers will be able to submit a TDIF grant application for committee review and approval.
At the end of this module, 100% of learners will be able to
At the end of this module, 100% of learners will be able to
- Understand the difference between the three different TDIF programs.
- Draft a TDIF application.
- Understand the involved district departments in the process and the timeline of events.
The learner will…
1. Utilize a graphic organizer (e.g. Venn diagram, t-chart, etc.) to compare the three different grant programs and guidelines.
2. Use the TDIF portal to submit a draft of each of the three grant program applications.
3. Create a timeline of events that occur during the TDIF process.
1. Utilize a graphic organizer (e.g. Venn diagram, t-chart, etc.) to compare the three different grant programs and guidelines.
2. Use the TDIF portal to submit a draft of each of the three grant program applications.
3. Create a timeline of events that occur during the TDIF process.
The model that I used to guide my design plan is the ADDIE Model/Framework. ADDIE: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. Guided by the ADDIE model, I iterated on each step of my process until I was confident with the look, feel, and content of the learning experience.
Formative assessment strategies:
The summative assessment will be an end-of-module quiz to measure the learning that occurred. The performance level should be a 70% or higher to achieve subject-level mastery. The criteria will be directly related to the learning objectives stated prior.
- Graphic Organizer
- Draft TDIF Application (3)
- Timeline
- Quick Knowledge Checks
The summative assessment will be an end-of-module quiz to measure the learning that occurred. The performance level should be a 70% or higher to achieve subject-level mastery. The criteria will be directly related to the learning objectives stated prior.
Feedback will be collected via Microsoft Forms survey at the conclusion of the training. The survey will be written using Guskey’s 5 Levels of Professional Development. Based on responses to the survey questions, the course will be modified as needed.
design process
Mind Mapping
I broke my mind-map into 7 major components: content, organization, screenshots, media, graphics, color scheme, and warm-up/closing activities. This helped me organize my thoughts and pull together the graphics that I created to include within the training.
The content is broken down into three major sections, the TDIF introduction, the application process, and the portal. The color scheme for my training mirrors the institutional color palette for the district. With training materials, we are encouraged to follow the same color palette. The graphics for this training, created in Canva, display frequently asked questions as well as a timeline. Finally, screenshots of the portal are included for visuals during the training, which I also intend to create into a short how-to video.
Assessments and Feedback
According to Haugen & Metcalf (2019) as the instructor identifies the goals for the students in the course, they should be asking the following questions:
(1) What do I want the students to recall a year from now because of taking this course?
(2) How do I know whether the students have achieved the goals that have been defined?
(3) Which activities are the most effective to ensure the students reach that achievement?
(4) What do the students need to know to be successful in those activities?
(1) What do I want the students to recall a year from now because of taking this course?
(2) How do I know whether the students have achieved the goals that have been defined?
(3) Which activities are the most effective to ensure the students reach that achievement?
(4) What do the students need to know to be successful in those activities?
Formative and Summative Assessments
Assessments are an integral piece of developing a successful e-Learning course in order to measure student progress toward the learning objectives.
Introductory Assessment
I have included an example of a summative assessment embedded at the end of the introductory module. There are four questions involved, each of which a different type: multiple choice, multiple response, matching, and fill-in-the-blank. I tried to vary question types to help keep it interesting and engaging for the learner. The timely and immediate feedback found within the assessments in my course will allow learners to understand whether they have met the learning objectives or not, as the passing score for this quiz is 80%.
Formative Matching Activity
Within the introductory module I created a matching activity that is ungraded for practice. This matching activity is quick and ungraded, and lets the learner know whether they should return and re-introduce themselves to the content within that module. This assessment aligns with the following learning objective: Understand the difference between the three different TDIF programs.
Checks for Understanding
It is critical to “provide prompt and meaningful feedback to student completed tasks, encourage students to engage with their peers, and leverage computer-assisted technologies to mark and give feedback to enhance the learning experience” (Ogange et al., 2018). Through these knowledge checks, meaningful feedback is provided.
Scenario-Based Learning
- TDIF Program ScenarioThis scenario is a formative assessment to guide the learner through which TDIF program they would apply for.
- Real-World ScenarioThis scenario is based on frequently asked questions from applicants, and common struggle points during the TDIF application process.
- Meaningful FeedbackIf an incorrect choice is selected, meaningful feedback is provided for the response.
Evaluation
Feedback is be collected via Microsoft Forms survey at the conclusion of the training. The survey will be written using Guskey’s 5 Levels of Professional Development. Based on responses to the survey questions, the course will be modified as needed.
Key Takeaways
Keep it Learner-Centered
I had various creative ideas throughout the process that I wanted to implement. However, before trying each concept, I asked myself questions like, “will this help keep the learner engaged in the scenario?” and, “how does this change enhance the learning experience?” By considering, I ensured that all of my decisions were made for the target audience and not for myself.
Detailed Planning and Problem Solving
Planning my course required that I consider all the activities and learning components that I will include in it. Creating a detailed mind map and action planning enabled me to cover all the bases of training activities and learning components. During the building and planning process I ran into road blocks. Problem-solving by research and trial and error was beneficial for honing my skills.
Utilizing Feedback
Looking through feedback helped me focus on the learner’s needs and kept me focused on delivering an exceptional learning experience for them. Your community or peers can often provide a different perspective you may not have considered.
Course Walkthrough
References
1
Baldwin, S., & Ching, Y.-H. (2017). Interactive Storytelling: Opportunities for Online Course Design. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 61(2), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0136-2
2
Halarewich, D. (2016, September 9). Reducing cognitive overload for a better user experience. Smashing Magazine. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/09/reducing-cognitive-overload-for-a-better-user-experience/
3
Haugen, K., & Metcalf, K. L. (2019). Assessment of Online Learning. Radiologic Technology, 90(3), 307–311.
4
Katambur, D. (2021, October 20). Why is an elearning course much more than a Powerpoint presentation? Rapid eLearning Blogs – CommLab India. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://blog.commlabindia.com/elearning-design/elearning-and-powerpoint-presentation
5
Ogange, B. O., Agak, J. O., Okelo, K. O., & Kiprotich, P. (2018). Student Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Formative Assessment in an Online Learning Environment. Open Praxis, 10(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.10.1.705
6
Raposo-Rivas, M., & Cebrián-De-la-Serna, M. (2019). Technology to Improve the Assessment of Learning. Digital Education Review, 35, 1–13.
7
Rimmer, T. (2020). How To Motivate Your Online Learners. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/how-motivate-online-learners