Analysis+Team+Member+E


 * Team Member E: - Aaron Kapaun **


 * // Procedural analysis //**

“Procedural Analysis is the method used to analyze tasks by identifying the steps required to complete them by breaking tasks into the steps needed for learning and focusing on observable tasks” (Morrison, 2011).

For each of the observable tasks we want our learners to accomplish, the learners share one pinnacle common characteristic being teachers, instructors, tutors, etc. who work in a k-12 environment. Additionally, the individual backgrounds of each learner may differ as well as the purpose, place and reasoning as to how they will utilize the information gained from the task objectives.

Therefore, for the majority of this section, the term teacher is substituted for learner being that our group’s learners are in fact teachers/instructors/tutor/etc. themselves when answering the following questions.


 * // What Our Learner’s Do //**

The learners in our setting are teachers ranging in disciplines and age level Kindergarten (Elementary) through High School (Secondary). They may teach at a traditional public or private school setting, or teach at a non-traditional school such as an alternative learning center, tutorial center, or on-line institution. The areas they teach range from core academic subject areas such as Math, Science, Literature/Reading, Social Sciences, to elective academic subject areas such as Health Science, Trades Preparation, Music, Art, Dance, Computer Design or many other varied subject areas.


 * Our learner (teacher) must determine a unit of instruction that will be useful for project-base learning with their students.
 * This is both a cognitive action and behavioral action.


 * // What Our Learner’s Need to Know to do This Step //**

Our learner (teacher) must have a solid comprehension of not only the material they teach, but also what the desired outcome is of the project, what knowledge the students should have gained from the project, and how they will be able to determine if students learned the material based on their interaction during the project.


 * The teachers need to have a scope and sequence of the unit of instruction meaning a beginning (what the students knowledge base is at the beginning of the project) an ending (what students knowledge will be at the end of the project) and middle (the process which will guide or instruct students to the end goal).
 * Teachers need to have prior knowledge or complete preparation of the content in order to better anticipate issues/problems that may arise during the students learning.


 * // What cues inform the learner that there is a problem, the step is done, or a different step is needed? //**

If the learner is new to teaching, new to the content they are assigned to teach and has no prior knowledge to using assessment methods, possible cues may be: 1) Identifying a unit of instruction where project-based learning can be incorporated. 2) Knowing what the desired outcome should look like from their students. 3) Has no experience with the concepts of: project-based learning, subjective and objective assessments, rubrics and students they are going to be working with.

In regards to the application of the instruction material, being that teachers are the SME in the specified content area in regards to their students, whether new or experienced, they need to be able to determine during the learning process if an individual student or a collective group of students has a learning need, for example if a crucial component has not been comprehended or skipped not allowing the student(s) to move forward with the project.


 * // Instructional objectives: //**

Measuring student learning is always a challenge no matter what the delivery format. Teacher choices are limited by time, resources and creativity (Michigan State U., 2011). Therefore it is critical that the teacher plans accordingly to the best of their ability when determining the unit of instruction they are applying project-based learning. Equally important is determining what assessment is best for determining if students comprehend the content. Assessing and evaluating student learning is at the heart of teaching. Teachers need to consider what objectives their students need to accomplish first prior to determining assessment (NCTRM, 2010).

The following task objectives related to this instructional design, subjective and objective assessment methods must be considered by the teacher in regards to the content they are going to teach. Objective assessments (usually multiple choice, true false, short answer) have correct answers and are good for testing recall of facts. However In subjective assessments the teacher's judgment determines the grade (Michigan State U., 2011).

Unit Goal #1
 * Our overall goal is to enable teachers to **produce a PBL unit plan** with an effective **summative assessment rubric**.

Task #1
 * Provide teachers with strategies to set targets or identify “where” they can comfortably utilize assessment methods for project-based learning within their instruction. **

Behavioral Objective: Help the learner (teacher) strategically identify where project-based learning will be used in their classroom.
 * 1) The teacher needs to determine what unit of instruction they will dedicate a portion to project-based learning.
 * 2) The teacher then should gather materials, elements, key concepts needed to create a project for their students.
 * 3) The teacher needs to determine a final goal they want their students to achieve.
 * 4) The teacher then determines whether the final goal is an objective goal or a subjective goal.
 * 5) Finally the teacher outlines a project students will do to demonstrate learning of the appropriate unit of instruction.

Unit Goal #2
 * To enable teachers to familiarize themselves with **essential components of PB**L (21st century skill acquisition, authentic assessment, use of technology, interdisciplinary focus and the sharing of results with wider community) and to **use these concepts in their** **instruction**.

Task #2
 * Provide our teachers with the concepts that will allow their selected assessment methods and rubric examples to be flexible to use within their institution with their varied learners in their classroom. **

Cognitive Objective: The teacher will comprehend the concepts associated with project based learning, assessment and rubrics.
 * 1) The teacher should brainstorm about the preconceived concepts they have in regards to project based learning, assessment and rubrics such as examples of what and which they already use in their teaching
 * 2)  Introduce the teacher to the essential components of PBL (21st century skill acquisition, authentic assessment, use of technology, interdisciplinary focus and the sharing of results with wider community) and how to assess learning within a PBL context.
 * 3) Using the project the teacher identified and outlined in task #1, they should reflect on the factors that will determine their assessment method based on such variables as different kinds of learners in their classroom.
 * 4) Using the project the teacher identified and outlined in task #1, they should reflect on //how// they want to use the information from the assessment examples.

Unit Goal #3 Task #3
 * To provide teachers with resources, ideas and a structure for project-based assessment which **encourages them to create their own assessments.**
 * Provide teachers with different assessment methods and examples to use including resource ideas where they can look at different models that would best fit their needs as instructors and be transferable to practical use in their teaching practices. **

Behavioral Objective: Using examples provided, teachers will have resources needed to further research and/or create assessment models including rubrics that meet the needs of their project.
 * 1) By providing examples of assessment ideas and rubrics, teachers should comment on which/what kinds of examples would work for them and why.
 * 2) Have teachers determine a rubric style/format that meets the needs of their project based on the example(s) they compared/contrasted which were provided.
 * 3) By providing resources of where additional assessment models and rubrics can be gathered, teachers should identify a source of where they can find additional rubric ideas, formats and styles that they can use if and when needed with their PBL unit.

Conclusion: Our goal as educators involved in this group is to provide our colleagues with some additional tools that will not only improve their teaching, but nurture student learning and success. In completing the tasks, our teachers will better comprehend project-based learning assessment methods and be able to implement the ideas, concepts and materials into their instruction.

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References: Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). //Designing effective instruction// (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Michigan State University, Design and Technology, //Student Assessment//, date retrieved, November 19th, 2011) from: []

National Clearinghouse of Rehibilitation Training Materials (NCRTM), (2010). //Building and Assessing Graduate Rehabilitation Courses.// Retrieved from: []