Lia Conklin Olson

Objectives of the Session Upon conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to: Articulate the processes needed to design a course Discuss needs assessment tools & how they inform course design Use backwards design to articulate the content that meets learner needs Form clear course objectives and goals Discuss course assessment tools Organize course content for instructional delivery Conceptualize a course syllabus to communicate course objectives & timeline to students

Objectives Task Please look over the objectives on your handout, and rate your proficiency for each AT THIS POINT (Well return to these at the end!)

Warm-up Why do we do what we do? Who are the stakeholders in what we do?

Whats at Stake? Promoting Learner Transitions to Postsecondary Education and Work: Developing Academic Readiness Skills from the Beginning: Betsy Parrish and Kimberly Johnson, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota April 2010 Study of instructional alignment surveyed MN ABE instructors and college & university faculty in the fields of developmental education, health care, and trades and technical education. To identify expected skills at postsecondary level and types of skills taught in ABE classes

Instructional Gap Responses showed that many academic skills expected of postsecondary students are receiving limited attention in ABE programs Reading Listening Organizing information Taking notes Thinking critically

Why do we do what we do? Look at the Transitions Wordle Turn to the people around you and discuss these questions: Which words are most prominent? Which words represent the needs of your students? Which words represent what you do in the classroom?

Course Design Processes Think about your prior experience with course design or lesson planning. What processes have you used?

Assessing Needs

Different types of needs Program needs / requirements Target needs Student considerations What needs assessments do you already use? How do they inform your teaching?

Course Goals

Identify desired results… Goal: Improve CASAS scores Goal: Align course with CASAS life skill themes and competencies Goal: Make life skills more authentic/applicable Result: Life-skills theme-based curriculum with highlighted CASAS competencies and real-life tasks

Learning Targets Share your courses learning targets. Discuss why those targets were chosen. Are they still priorities for your course? Are there other skills that merit an I can statement?

Course Goals

Determine acceptable evidence… CASAS test scores Student demonstrations of life-skills tasks scored with a rubric Student self-evaluations pre/post unit Benchmark tests for language modalities

Assessments Discuss and evaluate the tools you developed/are developing to assess the Learning Targets. Have they been effective? Why or why not? Is the level of mastery required appropriate for the level of instruction? Other?

Housing Unit Example Final Product * Complete a simulation of looking for an apartment, talking to a manager, and filling out a rental application. Section Product 1 * Label a floor plan with rooms & furniture Section Product 2 * Ask classmates about what items they have in their homes. Section Product 3 * Ask & answer questions about housing problems Section Product 4 * Ask & answer questions about specific rentals with an apartment manager. Section Product 5 *Practice valuable work skills within the housing career field. Section Product 6 *Numeracy: Write out checks for bills; Measure the perimeter of a room. Section Product 0.5 *Set unit goals & action steps; Practice test-taking

Course Goals

Organizing and Sequencing the Content Housing Unit Example – Product-based Design Started with language-modalities-based curriculum Aligned it with CASAS competencies Added authentic life skills goals: Housing UnitHousing Unit Embedded work skills and soft skills: Final Housing Unit Final Housing Unit

Organizing and Sequencing Task Imagine that youre teaching a Business English class. The final student product is to type and present an outline or power point of a viable business plan. Think about what content (skills, language, etc.) students need in order to complete the product. Choose one of the templates, and begin to organize the content youve just brainstormed.

Conceptualizing Content What could be included in a course? Skills: reading, writing listening, speaking Competencies (life skills) Functions Grammar Pronunciation Vocabulary, jargon, slang, idioms Learning strategies: journals, word webs Study skills: research, test taking, note taking Paralinguistic features: body language, gestures, non-verbals Cultural competence Soft skills Transitions skills: self-management, navigating complex systems Others?

Organizing and Sequencing Task Jigsaw In a small group look at the curriculum document example you were given and answer the questions on your handout. Now form a new group composed of one member of each of the previous groups. Share your curriculum document and evaluation. What do the other members of your new group think? What documents are good models for the course youre planning? How would you tweak them? Take notes on your Curriculum Design Plan of Action.

Formulating Goals and Objectives What are some basic how-tos for writing learning goals & objectives? Long-term vs. short-term goals: Level of specificity Measurable verbs SWBAT: Students will be able to… Think back to the Business English class. Write 1 general goal. Then write 3 more specific goals.

Course Organization Use a template of your choice or your own design to begin organizing the structure of your curriculum Help each other out… Ask for help… Have fun!!

Course Syllabus Examples Look at three examples of a course syllabus. Who is the intended audience of each syllabus? What components does each syllabus contain? Which components do you feel are important for a syllabus to have?

Course Syllabus Components Course name, time, start & end date, etc. Teacher name & contact info Learning Targets Other skill sets: technology, life skills, transitions skills, etc. (Course content skills) Themes Timelines Expectations for students Materials Assessments Progress indicators (communicate progress to student)

Course Syllabus Brainstorm Take a few minutes to think about and jot down some ideas about your course syllabus. What components will your syllabus have? How will you organize those components? Any ideas yet for timeline of course content? How will you share student progress with them?

Objectives of the Session Upon conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to: Articulate the processes needed to design a course Discuss needs assessment tools & how they inform course design Use backwards design to articulate the content that meets learner needs Form clear course objectives and goals Discuss course assessment tools Organize course content for instructional delivery Conceptualize a course syllabus to communicate course objectives & timeline to students

Thank You!