Design+project+Report+2

L. Brumm Photography Blended Learning in the IB Spanish classroom
 * Project title **

// Addition of Rationale: // Due to the time constraints the instructor faces with a shortened school week, students have less face-to-face instructional time. After reviewing the learner analysis from the questionnaire posed to the IB students, the instructor became aware that it is important to the learners to have the teacher lecture in conjunction with the online notes and the book notes. In light of the existing time limits, the instructor created additional notes using Powerpoint to re-familiarize the students with the content, and appending English explanations. In addition, the instructor will find more efficient online practice activities so that students can achieve maximum competency. The instructor will also look for cumulative synthesis projects that emphasize more group collaboration. After reading a journal article about “Creating a Climate of Engagement,” the instructor decides that it is indeed important to give her students the opportunity to develop their 21st Century skills, such as learning and innovation skills. “ Stahl (2002, 2003a, 2003b), emphasizing the role of group interactions in his social theory of computer-supportive collaborative learning, positions learning not as a knowledge-transmission process but rather a knowledge-creation process, in which knowledge is created in conversation with others. Stahl (2003b) outlines how individual knowing is in essence an interpretation of the meaning that is first made while in communication with others. In this view of learning, students create meaning as they interact with one another, and these shared meanings contribute to new knowledge.” (Ziegler 2006) Students will improve their preparation for university and future career environments through my blended classroom experience and in creating new knowledge. Not only will they learn the basic Spanish content, but will make evident their growth of expanding their critical thinking and problem solving skills; their creativity and innovation; and especially their communication and collaboration aptitude. Considering the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom will provide students with a learning medium they already enjoy and in which they thrive.
 * Revisions since Report 1 **

--- Design Report 2
 * Goals Statement **
 * Create a blended learning environment within my IB Spanish classroom where students will evaluate the components of creating messages, produce original speaking and writing artifacts utilizing Web 2.0 resources, and finally collaborate and evaluate their own work and that of their peers to enhance the learning process. **

Task Analysis
Topic Analysis – My initial focus will be directed by the breadth of the Spanish subject content. I have a previous understanding of the learners, which will help me determine the beginning point and the subsequent direction. // Topic: Instructions // I. Pragmatic Competencies A. Expressing Obligation B. Expressing Absence of Obligation C. Giving Instructions and Commands II. Linguistic Competencies A. Grammatical Competencies 1. Present Subjunctive Tense 2. Affirmative and Negative Commands B. Lexical Competencies 1. Domestic Chores 2. Cooking a. Preparing a recipe b. Ways to cook

For the next segment, I will classify the smaller components into categories related to task analysis: facts; concepts; principles and rules; procedures; interpersonal skills and attitudes.

// Topic: Instructions // I. Pragmatic Competencies A. Expressing Obligation 1. Facts: Memorize structures first. 2. Rules: Apply grammar rules. 3. Procedures: Form sentences.  B. Expressing Absence of Obligation (same as above) C. Giving Instructions and Commands (same as above) II. Linguistic Competencies A. Grammatical Competencies 1. Present Subjunctive Tense Principles and Rules: Apply the rules to accurately form the verbs by following the procedure: a. figuring out the subject pronoun b. designating type of verb c. “conjugating” the verb accurately 2. Affirmative and Negative Commands Principles and Rules: Apply the rules to accurately form the verbs by following the procedure: a. Ud. commands i. Take the yo-form of the verb, drop the –o ending, and add the appropriate letter (-a if the verb originally was an –er/-ir verb; -e if the verb originally was an –ar verb) ii. If saying “Don’t!”, put “no” in front of the verb. iii. If it is an irregular verb, use one of the six irregular verb forms. b. Tú commands i. Take the él/ella form of the verb, and use it as the command ii. if saying “Don’t!”, put no in front of the verb, and use (the Ud. command form + “s”) iii. If it is an irregular verb, use one of the eight irregular verb forms. B. Lexical Competencies 1. Domestic Chores (Facts: nouns and verbs – memorize vocabulary) 2. Cooking a. Preparing a recipe 1. Procedure: First figure out the vocabulary words from the food and materials vocabulary, which includes recalling information. Choose from the list of cooking methods; next determine the type of verb; then correctly form a command structure by “conjugating” the verb correctly. 2. Procedure: Put the sentences in order to form sequential steps in preparing a “dish.” b. Ways to cook (Facts/Concepts: memorize vocabulary)

 Interpersonal skills: Behaviors and Objectives: 1. Converse in the online forum. 2. Explain personal opinions in the blog posts on Ning. 3. Lead by posing “new” questions for group to discuss. 4. Demonstrate how to take lesson content and apply it a “new” situation. Attitudes: 1. Discuss respect for individual opinion. 2. Reason with others, without causing conflict. 3. Exhibit proper behavior consistent with being a global citizen as well as a Catholic school student.

Procedural Analysis – I will need to focus on observable tasks. Students will work together on the class Wiki and the class Ning social network website in order to perform Spanish communicative tasks.

a. The learner will post vocabulary words (with their 3 components) on the class Wiki site. b. The learner will check, edit, or comment on threads regarding other’s work. c. The learner will watch/read material pertaining to grammar notes. d. The learner will post authentic artifacts utilizing newly acquired grammar forms. e. Students will interact by analyzing each other’s posts and artifacts, and provide evaluation to their peers.
 * // 1. //**//What does the learner do?//

a. Necessary knowledge of preceding units of content in Spanish book b. Necessary knowledge of manipulation of Wiki, Ning, and assigned “creative” Web 2.0 tools c. Modeling of proper post messages and evaluation by teacher from previous teacher-student interactions
 * // 2. //**//What does the learner need to know to do this step?//

 a. Decision: i.  Determine whether or not a particular word needs to appear on the list. ii. Analyze the different examples of artifacts, and determine which one to carry out. b. Visual: i.  Read the class notes on a teacher-constructed //Powerpoint.// ii. Read the latest thread on forum or //Wiki//, and respond accordingly. iii. Determine whether or not a vocabulary word is already on the Wiki. c.  Learner may need to contact teacher if problems exist with steps or student-student interaction.
 * // 3. //**//Learner cues://

Instructional Objectives
Objective 1: Given an instructional unit in the Ven book, the student will: 1. Use the class Wiki to list and manipulate three unknown vocabulary words: a. Write the definition in one’s own words in Spanish. b. Locate and add an image representation. c. Write an original sentence utilizing the new word. 2. Collaborate with other class members on the Wiki: a. Read others posts. b. Start discussion threads if needed. c. Edit others’ work. 3. Memorize the vocabulary words.

Objective 2: Given a list of vocabulary words and grammar usage questions on a paper-test during a face-to-face meeting, the student will: 1. Select accurate translations. 2. Analyze sentence meaning to identify correct placement of vocabulary. 3. Employ grammar rules of concordance when writing words to reflect correct gender and number. 4. Demonstrate effective Spanish communication by scoring at least a 70% on the written assessment.

Objective 3: Upon completion of research involving authentic Spanish (or Latin food) recipes, the student will: 1. Research different Latin food recipes using related classroom texts or the internet. 2. Sketch the steps involved in following the recipe by drawing a rough illustration. 3. Develop a script: a. Comprehend the recipe if written in Spanish. b. Examine the vocabulary from our IB class content and employ it accurately. c. Examine the task and use the correct register (for example, //Usted// vs. //tú// form) d. Apply rules of grammar to accurately construct sentences.

Objective 4: Given a list of Web 2.0 tools, the student will: 1. Research existing artifacts, whether on previous class websites or on authentic current Latin websites. 2. Brainstorm potential “authentic” artifact. 3. Choose a tool in which to create the artifact and apply writing strategies. 4. Choose a tool in which to create an oral component to the project. 5. Post concerns/ideas/questions/feedback to a discussion tab on the Ning.

Objective 5: After completing individual projects, the student will: 1. Post the completed project online and add the corresponding link on the class Ning to share with peers. 2. During face-to-face meeting, determine project strengths and weaknesses with teacher. 3. During online period, make judgments about peer projects by posting comments on Ning, and employing original pragmatic competencies taught during unit of content to write commendations and recommendations. 4. After reading feedback, defend one’s logic in preparing the artifact by composing support statements.

Objective 6: After completing the unit of content within the five previous objectives, the student will: Synthesize the information in a new way: 1. Teacher will assign an in-class essay where the student has 60 minutes to develop an essay. The student will utilize the content involved because of similar procedures. However the essay will be constructed so that the situation is unfamiliar to the student. Therefore, the student will creatively manipulate knowledge acquired in the previous unit as well as course cumulative content. To verify that the student interacts in Spanish communication effectively, the teacher will utilize rubric markers from the IB External Assessment rubric. Markers include successful scores in the areas of language, cultural interaction, and message. 2. Students will apply rules of grammar and vocabulary as well as analyze relationships among concepts in order to understand an unfamiliar Spanish text. Students will demonstrate understanding by scoring at least an 80% on Reading Comprehension Quiz.

Instructional Sequence Task-expertise sequencing Simple to Complex: The course content lesson will begin when the instructor leads the learners through the process outline in the flow chart below. The first item will be naming, memorizing, and recalling vocabulary words. Subsequently the learners will apply rules and demonstrate knowledge of content. Ultimately, students will construct their own Spanish messages, and then evaluate each others’ messages. The instructor may use a teaching strategy where she starts with a “Cooking Show” clip from YouTube to pique the students’ interest. Viewing a good example project from a previous class might also heighten the learners’ motivation.
 * // Learning-Related Sequencing //**
 * // Interest-Based Sequencing: //**

<span style="color: #ff0600; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> =**<span style="color: #ff0600; font-family: Georgia,serif;">(Note: To see mind map in its entirety, please click on graphic while moving cursor from left to right.) **=

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Strategies for Objectives Semantic level of processing – The learners will relate the food recipes and the construction of “Commands” to information they have already learned over the last two years in Spanish class. For example, students will speak about Spanish foods they have eaten, Spanish foods that they have discussed from classroom textbooks or lecture, and subsequently they will plan who will cook particular dishes to share with the class. The generative strategies used by the instructor will make the content meaningful for them, as labeled below.

<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">1. Recall strategies - Students will observe other students orally listing the steps used to cook the food. This repetition will facilitate recall of vocabulary words as well as “Command” structures. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">2. Integration strategies – Students will research and then read authentic recipes, then paraphrase them into simpler terms, utilizing necessary content from the IB textbook and class notes. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">3. Organizational strategies – Students will use the class Wiki to outline and categorize the vocabulary words. Students have also been given a tool called “The Frame” in order to organize the content on paper. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">4. Elaboration strategies – Students will sketch diagrams on paper to illustrate the steps in preparing their chosen Spanish dish. In completing this task, students will apply the rules of forming “command” structures in Spanish, alongside the sketches.

The learners will utilize all these steps again, when they perform their Oral Presentations to the class. In order to effectively complete their presentation, students will have worked backwards to figure out each step of the procedure. They will apply the procedure when they demonstrate the physical task of cooking through pictures on a Powerpoint slide presentation; then orally naming all the ingredients used; then specifying all the steps using their grammar structures (for example, Turn the burners on, pour the milk into the pot, whip the eggs, boil the sauce, etc.) Just like the initial presentation the instructor used, the students will use visual presentation for the abstract ideas. Then at the end of the presentations, the students will even have the chance to taste each others’ food creations!

However, my course is distinctive from other Spanish IB courses given that I developed a blended learning environment. “As author John Seely Brown (Brown & Adler, 2008) points out, these shifts demand that we move our concept of learning from a "supply-push" model of "building up an inventory of knowledge in the students' heads" (p. 30) to a "demand-pull" approach that requires students to own their learning processes and pursue learning, based on their needs of the moment, in social and possibly global communities of practice. Our students must be nomadic, flexible, mobile learners who depend not so much on what they can recall as on their ability to connect with people and resources and edit content on their desktops, or, even more likely, on pocket-size devices they carry around with them. Our teachers have to be colearners in this process, modeling their own use of connections and networks and understanding the practical pedagogical implications of these technologies and online social learning spaces.” (Richardson 2008)

Details on Objectives **Pre-instructional Strategies** – The instructor uses the set of objectives from the textbook, and presents them orally as goal statements that the students must master. Oral discussion of the initial introduction to the Unit, alongside student questions and explanations of how the material will ultimately be used on an IB External assessment, act as a guide for the learners. As in previous Units, the teacher also designates practice resources such as the __Breaking the Spanish Barrier__ book, the __Ven__ workbook, the Wiki as a collaborative organizer, practice exercises on [|www.studyspanish.com], etc.


 * Message Design** – The students are accustomed to the design elements of the textbook that outline the vocabulary and grammar sections. The instructor has also trained them to use the class Wiki as a Collaborative Organizer. Next, the instructor creates notes on Powerpoint files, and embeds them in teacher blog posts on the class Ning site. Finally, the teacher designs online components for the final assessments that incorporate synthesis of all components of the content unit. As mentioned in Design Report 1, my goal is to have the students “learn by doing” and become active participants.

Practice for Objectives Practice for objectives will be the actual activities that take place during class and outside class. For example, there will be Homework Assignments where the students use the vocabulary words in sentences; where they answer questions in book exercises to practice grammar structures, write a simple blog post about their favorite food that they prepare and instructions for doing so; and formal objective quizzes and tests that are given during class. The Wiki and the Ning site will provide a means for tracking participation, as well as teacher HW completion and oral participation checks during class. Expectations and one-on-one feedback will be provided during class and as teacher-student comments on the class Ning site. Additional support will be available during after-school tutoring as well as email. Specific examples include: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">1. Teacher will check the wiki history tab to track contributions to the Wiki vocabulary list. Teacher will eventually test the students with an assessment that includes translations, “choosing the correct word,” and reading comprehension questions. (Objective 1) <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">2. Teacher will grade student on oral presentation according to IB rubric markers. During oral presentation, student will show class a Powerpoint visual presentation that illustrates what he is indicating orally. The student will eventually link the Powerpoint presentation to the oral recording, and post both as one unit to the class Ning website on his personal page under “blog posts.” (Objective 4) <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">3. Teacher will examine students’ blog posts on the Ning website when they provide feedback to peers. On these comments, students will have applied grammar rules learned in the Unit to criticize each others’ work. (Objective 5)

Pre-Instructional Activities As stated in the Instructional Sequence section, the instructor will present a three-minute snippet of a Spanish Cooking Show to pique the students’ interest. In addition, the teacher will introduce the chapter and the objectives of the unit lessons with the rationale for why it is relevant to our IB Programme. The teacher will also motivate the students by showing an example or two of similar project examples from the previous year. A review will be conducted of what content the students already know, and a discussion about what they think they will accomplish by the end of the Unit. Finally, the instructor will describe the assessment types and scheduling, and confer with students about any questions or issues. Groupings and media // Groupings // Groupings will be refined for each Unit we cover, in order to mix up the student teams. Students will be divided into groups of five, to include members that are advanced-, standard- and below-level in their Spanish communication skills. Comfort level with technology could also become a factor in potential groupings. Participation is mandatory, and can be checked by activity on the Wiki and the Ning sites. Teacher will facilitate group work in all classroom aspects: during face-to-face meetings, in the computer lab, and after-school online. Future groupings may emerge by intermingling the two sections of students together online. // Media // Media will include three textbooks; computer-based instruction on particular websites (for example: [] ); audio and video components; class wiki at [] ; class social network at [] ; and other Web 2.0 tools on the Internet.

// Heuristics for Developing Instruction // Make it Concrete – Teacher can use concrete words, shorter phrases and active sentences in the examples. The teacher and the students illustrate the vocabulary words on the Wiki page when individuals add an image representation of the word.

Control the Step Size – Teacher can make explicit references back to what the learner has previously learned. For example, the teacher can provide a frame of reference: the //Tú// command form in the IB Spanish class is the same term used for //él/ella// in the present tense that one learns in Spanish 1.

Use Appropriate Pacing – When explaining difficult concepts, the teacher can add more examples to a concept before proceeding with the next concept. In the same way, teachers can expect students to complete more practice exercises on a more difficult activity to ensure that the learner has enough exposure. Also, the instructor should factor in extra review time during the next class meeting to ensure student understanding.

Sample assessments // Objective 4.4 // Internal Assessment – Oral Presentation – rubric: [] // Objective 2.4 // Internal Assessment – Vocabulary Test

// Objective 2 // Objective External Assessment – computer-based “Basic Quiz”: []

// Objective 6 // Internal Assessment – Written Presentation – rubric: []

Relevant Current References Allen, Linda Quinn. (2002) Critical Thinking: An Integral Thread in the Curricular Weave. //Northeast Conference, Review 51//. pp. 32-37 (Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Retrieved on October 23, 2009 from website at []

Bonwell, Charles C. and Eison, James A. (1991) Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom. ERIC Digest. [] Foulger, Teresa S., Williams, Mia Kim, Wetzel, Keith. (2008) Innovative Technologies, Small Groups, and a Wiki: A 21st Century Preservice Experience Founded on Collaboration. NECC 2008 Conference Proceeding. ISTE. [] Galloway, V., & Labarca, A. (1990). From student to learner: Style, process, and strategy. In D. Birckbichler (Ed.), //<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica-Oblique; msobidifontfamily: Helvetica-Oblique;">New perspectives and new directions in foreign language education // (pp. 111-158) The ACTFL Foreign language education series. Lincolnwood: National Textbook. []

Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. //Educational Leadership,// 65 (6), 40–45. []

Richardson, Will. (2008 November). Giving Students Ownership of Learning: Footprints in the Digital Age. ( 66.3) pg. 16-19 [] Shih, Ya-Chun and Yang, Mau-Tsuen. (2008) Language Learning through Multimodal Communication in VEC3D. Retrieved on October 24, 2009 from <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: ES; msoansilanguage: EN-US;">[] Ziegler, Mary. Paulus, Trena. Woodside, Marianne. (2006). Creating a Climate of Engagement in a Blended Learning Environment. // Journal of Interactive Learning Research, Vol. 17 //. [|http://www.questiaschool.com/reader/action/readchecked?docId=5016128766#] // Planning with Inspiration // video. Goal Directed Learning Adaptation Level. The Technology Integration Matrix. (2009). Produced by the [|Florida Center for Instructional Technology], College of Education, USF. []

// Standards for Foreign Language Learning – Preparing for the 21st Century. // Retrieved October 25, 2009 from []