Rationale Paper for Graduate Portfolio

Sherri Harrelson Boise State University April 7, 2014

Introduction
Prior to beginning the graduate program at Boise State University, I saw myself as just a teacher. Although teaching is an exceedingly important job, I did not view it as cutting edge, and I was probably one of the least tech savvy people I knew. Fortunately, completing the Master in Educational Technology program has served to open my eyes. Not only do I now see that teachers can be cutting edge and innovative, we should be. It is the job of the teacher to prepare students for the future, and the future is technology. In addition to preparing students for future roles, we must also seek out new and innovative tools that can make our jobs more efficient in the process. I am proud to say that I have gained many technical skills and created things that I never thought possible. In fact, I have developed such a love of animation, game design, and app development that I am strongly considering pursuing a second bachelor degree, most likely in computer science. In the immediate future, I plan to seek a new profession in instructional design or course development. Over the course of the graduate program, I began to see that I was limiting myself professionally. I now feel that I have a wide array of new skills that can serve to open doors to more rewarding experiences. As such, this paper is designed to describe the artifacts created over the course of my graduate studies that document and reflect my growth in these skills. In addition to documenting my personal and professional growth, these artifacts are also designed to demonstrate competencies in the AECT standards required for graduation. In order to facilitate coherence and organization, this paper will be broken down by individual standard with sub-standards and related artifacts following. An explanation of the design of each artifact, along with justification regarding how the artifact meets the requirements of the particular standard will be provided.

Rationale
Standard 1: Design Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to design conditions for learning by applying principles of instructional systems design, message design, instructional strategies, and learner characteristics. 1.1 Instructional Systems Design Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is an organized procedure that includes the steps of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating instruction. For this sub-standard, I selected two artifacts that represent my understanding of the ISD process, as well as my ability to actually apply the process to a particular instructional need. The first artifact, created in IPT 536, provides an overview of the Dick and Carey model of instructional design. This artifact was designed in conjunction with a fellow graduate student using a combination of Google Docs and bubbl.us. Using these particular tools provided an opportunity for us to collaborate on the content, layout, and design, in addition to debating our individual interpretations of the respective model. The result is a usable tool that outlines how to analyze, develop, and evaluate instruction, which has proven invaluable in completing other academic work. Ultimately, this project gave me the opportunity to develop a tool for future development, as well as the opportunity to gain great insight into designing and conducting training using the ISD process through collaboration with a fellow student. The second artifact, developed in Ed Tech 503, is an instructional design project that I completed for a sea turtle rescue facility located in Georgia. This artifact was created through the utilization and implementation of all of the components of the ISD process. I began by

conducting both learner and task analyses, which gave me a deeper understanding of the necessity of front-end analysis. I also developed an appreciation of establishing objectives and correlating assessments in order to keep projects aligned with the specific need. In addition, I was required to consider the concept of motivation, which led to the understanding of the importance of attention and relevancy in ensuring the efficacy of instructional strategies and materials. Finally, this project helped me to see the need for subject matter expert reviews because there were a few components of my project that needed additional development and revision prior to implementation. 1.2 Message Design Message design involves planning for the manipulation of the physical form of the message. To identify my competence with this sub-standard, I selected the proposal I developed for a multimedia project, designed in Ed Tech 511, with the purpose of teaching young learners counting skills. In recognition of Gestalt theory, it became clear that each component would need to coalesce into a unified whole in order to ensure efficacy, and thus became necessary to consider navigation, instructions, and design of the individual pieces that would ultimately become the game and housing site (Lohr, 2008). To meet this necessity, I first considered the need for repetition in the components used on each page to facilitate ease of navigation and decrease cognitive load in the game interaction (Lohr, 2008). By implementing the principles of CARP in repeating the layout on each page, I was able to create a simple and coherent game structure. Furthermore, the repetition of colors, text, and font size contribute to an organized and user-friendly game site. Finally, including the ability to click on apples and drag them to the number line allows interactive opportunities for users to build understanding through alignment.

1.3 Instructional Strategies Instructional strategies are specifications for selecting and sequencing events and activities within a lesson. The two artifacts I selected to represent my competence in this area include a summary of principles for effective online teaching, created in Ed Tech 523, and a synthesis paper on using educational technology to bridge systems theory and connectivism, written in Ed Tech 504. The first artifact was selected primarily because it offers insight into the types of instructional strategies that are relevant to online learners. These strategies include tips for fostering a sense of community, incorporating techniques for active learning, and suggestions for increasing communication. Utilizing these techniques serves to establish an interconnected community of learners, which assists in reducing feelings of isolation and encouraging greater participation (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). These instructional strategies are exceedingly important for ensuring that online students feel connected to the learning environment, while also providing an opportunity for students to practice application of skills and problem solving through collaboration. The second artifact provides information on designing collaborative, connectivist-based learning environments. It includes documentation indicating the importance of communication and collaboration between learners and instructors, while also encouraging the use of web-based resources to foster this type of collaboration. Some of the recommended strategies for fostering this type of instruction include the use of message boards, chat features, and social media, as well as blogs, online learning communities, and professional learning networks for corporate environments. According to Palloff and Pratt (2005), use of these strategies can lead to the development of critical thinking skills while

also serving to inspire the transformative learning that is necessary for personal and professional growth. 1.4 Learner Characteristics Learner characteristics are those facets of the learner's experiential background that impact the effectiveness of a learning process. In order to demonstrate competency in this sub-standard, I selected an interview tool for gaining information on students backgrounds and needs that I developed in Ed Tech 523 and a website that I designed in Ed Tech 502 related to web accessibility. In designing the first artifact, I realized that obtaining information on online students could be relatively difficult given the lack of physical day-to-day interaction. I also felt that it would be important to gain information about parents backgrounds and skills since they would be assisting students with both learning and technology based tasks. Therefore, I designed this interview tool to obtain data on such aspects as learning goals, background, motivation, and needs. In reflecting on this artifact, I would like to add a few additional questions for the students to answer, including questions about their feelings in learning online, as well as concerns or fears they might have. The web accessibility site was influential for me not only in recognizing that online students have many special needs as well, but also in understanding how some people can have difficulty accessing online information. This influenced my understanding of Section 508 compliance, as well as the need for universal design to help assist all members of society in accessing the wealth of knowledge currently available on the internet. The research required in developing this website also encouraged me to think about how I interact with my students

and other members of the community with regards to expectations and considerations. While teachers should have high expectations for all students, it is also necessary to realize that some students may need additional accommodations, even in accessing online materials, to meet those expectations. Standard 2: Development Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop instructional materials and experiences using print, audiovisual, computer-based, and integrated technologies. 2.1 Print Technologies Print technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials, such as books and static visual materials, primarily through mechanical or photographic printing processes. To demonstrate my competence in developing print materials, I chose to display the user guide that I created for a game developed in Ed Tech 511. This guide demonstrates my ability to convey information in an orderly and easy-to-follow format through the use of printed materials. In addition, I have demonstrated my ability to create organized, coherent, and professional looking documents. Perhaps more importantly, this artifact demonstrates my ability to use a combination of type and graphics to convey important information, which in this case includes a learner description, objectives, technical requirements, and how to use the program. This information is imperative for others who are planning to use the game to help students learn new skills. By providing this printed guide, I can help offset potential problems that users could experience in attempting to run the program. In creating this artifact, I was forced to consider the alternative perspectives of potential users of my program. This helped me to develop skills in perception and recognizing that material

for others must sometimes be broken down in a method that does not make assumptions about prior knowledge. For instance, I needed to use screenshots with arrows and identifiers to demonstrate navigational data because I could not assume that users would intuitively understand how to run the program. I also found it necessary to incorporate additional images with text to demonstrate the randomization of game elements in order to give potential adult users insight into how the program could be effective for their learners. Ultimately I was able to see that print materials, although often text heavy, can benefit greatly from the use of more visuals and limited, although more focused, textual components. 2.2 Audiovisual Technologies Audiovisual technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials by using mechanical devices or electronic machines to present auditory and visual messages. For this sub-standard, I chose to demonstrate my understanding of audiovisual principles through the inclusion of lab videos for online students that I created in Ed Tech 521 and a Moodle tutorial video that I prepared in Ed Tech 512. The lab videos were developed for students completing an online lesson in photosynthesis. These videos were designed to demonstrate principles that would help to deepen their understanding of the photosynthesis process, including methods of extracting chlorophyll from plants, as well as demonstrating the release of oxygen over time. Although I do feel that these videos were important to the learning process, if I were to revise them I would strive to improve the image quality through the use of different recording devices and editing software. As my second artifact, I chose a tutorial video that I created for learners completing an online professional development course that I created in Moodle. I designed this video for students

who were new to online learning in the Moodle platform in order to give them basic navigational information, along with methods of using discussion boards to post assignments, links, and images. Due to the nature of my learners, many of whom had never completed an online course, I chose to provide the tutorial in a screencast so that they could see exactly what would be on their own screens, while also hearing a description of what I was doing and why. I felt that this would be much more effective than providing printed instructions and would go a long way toward decreasing learner frustrations while improving learner outcomes. 2.3 Computer-Based Technologies Computer-based technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials using microprocessorbased resources. The artifacts I chose to represent this sub-standard include a Prezi presentation, created in Ed Tech 505, and a virtual scavenger hunt website that I developed in Ed Tech 502. The Prezi was designed to convey preliminary information on a program that I planned to evaluate. I chose Prezi as the medium for this assignment because it was easy for others, including my professor, principal, and other stakeholders, to view online. Unlike power point, I did not have to share or email files, and viewers could easily comment, ask questions, or make recommendations directly through the Prezi site. This directly demonstrates the use of computer-based technologies because the Prezi application is only available through the use of a computer. The second artifact I chose is a website that I designed to teach students about plagiarism through a video, links, and a scavenger hunt activity. This site incorporates a variety of

computer-based technologies, including the internet and an attached word document. While I do feel that this site is beneficial in teaching students about plagiarism, primarily because of the many computer-based technologies used, I also feel that there are a few things that could be done differently to make them more effective. For instance, the word doc could be housed online as a Google doc so that students without the software could still access the document, and the navigation could be improved with regards to the answer key link. Overall, I feel that this topic is best suited to this particular medium because it maintains relevance and can reach a much wider audience than a lecture or printed handout. 2.4 Integrated Technologies Integrated technologies are ways to produce and deliver materials which encompass several forms of media under the control of a computer. To demonstrate my competence in this area, I selected a blog post containing a voki that I created in Ed Tech 505. I selected this artifact because it incorporates a variety of computerbased technologies including blog posting, audio-visual technologies through the use of voki, and text in the form of a transcript and comments. This allows for multiple technologies to be incorporated in order to fully involve the user while more effectively conveying information. It also demonstrates my abilities to effectively and efficiently combine multiple technologies into a unified whole. Finally, this artifact demonstrates my skill in using a variety of webbased resources for the purposes of sending a message to a specific audience.

10

Standard 3: Utilization Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to use processes and resources for learning by applying principles and theories of media utilization, diffusion, implementation, and policy-making. 3.1 Media Utilization Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning. In order to demonstrate my competence in this sub-standard, I selected a game that I developed in Ed Tech 511 using flash, as well as a website that I developed in Ed Tech 502 using the webquest approach. I selected the game to serve as an artifact because it demonstrates my abilities to utilize web design, flash, and action script to create resources for learning. By using these resources, I was able to develop a game that allows young learners to gain skills in using one-to-one correspondence in counting, as well as number line use. Furthermore, by systematically analyzing and implementing particular resources, while maintaining my learners as my focus, I was able to better align the outcome with their needs. While I do provide textual feedback for correct and incorrect answers in my game, I would also like to go back and add audio feedback in order to better meet the needs of the target audience, as well as to utilize best practices in game design. The second artifact, which is a virtual webquest, was developed with the intention of having other teachers utilize the resources housed within the site. Preparing a container site allowed me to gather resources that could assist students in building knowledge, while also providing a lesson outline for other teachers to be able to use the provided resources. Including a task description, outlining the process, and incorporating evaluation strategies, as

11

well as providing links to external sites with relevant information, can free teachers to focus more on modifications for individual students. Not only is this indicative of my ability to systematically use resources for learning, it is also evidence of my ability to systematically share those resources so that others can benefit. 3.2 Diffusion of Innovations Diffusion of innovations is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the purpose of gaining adoption. For this sub-standard, the artifact I selected to demonstrate my success is a communication plan designed for working with online students that was created in Ed Tech 523. This plan is designed to encourage communication in online students by having them adopt specific strategies in using discussion boards to share ideas and provide feedback. In order to facilitate use of the discussion board, I included such strategies as a list briefly describing the things students should and shouldnt do during discussions, as well as an example response to an icebreaker. This is especially important for encouraging adoption in students who are unaccustomed to the online learning environment. Finally, I included a rubric to demonstrate how important the use of the discussion board is to the class, along with information on how students are graded on their posts. 3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization Implementation is using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings. Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure and culture of an organization.

12

The artifact that I selected to represent this sub-standard is a website that I developed in Ed Tech 502 on Ancient Mesopotamia, which was used by homeschooled students conducting research into the topic. This site is designed to be used as supplementary material when providing instruction on ancient cultures by providing basic information along with links to interactive sites with relevant materials. Although many homeschooled families that I worked with did not choose to incorporate a strong technology based approach to instruction, those that used the site found that it was organized and contributed to their students understanding of the topic. Furthermore, many homeschooling parents admitted that they would be much more willing to incorporate websites that were free to use and organized around specific topics, as this site is. In order to encourage further implementation by this population, it could be useful to provide a database of sites organized in this manner. 3.4 Policies and Regulations Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional Technology. To address my competence in this sub-standard, I selected a website that I designed in Ed Tech 502 with the purpose of teaching students about plagiarism. While students are often accustomed to downloading free music or copying material from internet sources when conducting research, they often do not realize that in doing so they could be breaking copyright laws. This site is designed to change this misconception by educating students about plagiarism and copyright through the use of multimedia and a web-based scavenger hunt. By introducing students to these concepts early on and increasing awareness of the negative impacts, plagiarism and internet piracy could be substantially reduced.

13

Standard 4: Management Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to plan, organize, coordinate, and supervise instructional technology by applying principles of project, resource, delivery system, and information management. 4.1 Project Management Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects. The artifact that I selected as representative of this sub-standard is the instructional design project completed in Ed Tech 503. This design project, which was completed for a sea turtle rescue facility with the purpose of enabling them to better meet the needs of elementary homeschooled students, required a great deal of planning and time management, as well as instructional design techniques. In completing this project, I developed key skills in balancing multiple projects and personal needs, while also setting and achieving mini-goals in order to ensure time efficient completion. I found that it became necessary to build in buffers of time, especially for portions of the project that were dependent on feedback from others in order to compensate for potential delays in responses. I also found it necessary to monitor expenses because I needed to occasionally make the 3-hour trip to meet with staff members, and I also needed to be prepared to ensure I had everything I needed for collaboration. In addition to time and financial considerations, I also found collaboration to be an important component of the project management process. Not only did I find myself emailing, calling, and visiting members of the sea turtle facility, I found it necessary to maintain contact with

14

learners and their parents. By involving all stakeholders, I was able to ensure that the project met multiple needs, including those of learners, their parents, and the facility. 4.2 Resource Management Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems and services. To demonstrate competence in this area, I selected two artifacts including an assignment completed in Ed Tech 501 designed to address digital inequality, as well as my response to a simulated request for proposals to complete an evaluation of a training program which was completed in Ed Tech 505. The first artifact illustrates my ability to collaborate with others for the purpose of administering financial resources in order to provide increased opportunities in accessing technology for a specific community. Completing this project involved planning for physical access, including purchasing hardware and determining where that hardware would be housed, methods of monitoring usage through the provision of tech support, and additional education for users on methods of operating components and utilizing technology based resources. This required an in depth consideration of constraints, as well as compromise on behalf of those on the task force, in order to best provide resources and ensure that those resources could be adequately maintained. The second artifact demonstrates my ability to plan an evaluation with consideration to financial requirements and personnel necessary to complete the assignment. While previously I had not considered the necessity of maintaining a budget for such an undertaking, nor had I considered the need for including other professionals, this assignment made it blatantly clear that controlling for resources is an imperative component in program

15

and project management. In the completion of this project, I achieved necessary clarity in the importance of creating a budget up front, while also adhering to that budget in order to ensure that stakeholders are satisfied with expenditures. In addition, it became apparent that large scale evaluations require additional insight and collaboration from other sources. This means that subject matter experts, evaluators, and other potential resources need to be located and contacted prior to beginning such a project. In short, this project allowed me to develop an understanding of the necessity of planning for resources of all types, including human and financial, and monitoring how those resources are used. 4.3 Delivery System Management Delivery system management involves planning, monitoring and controlling 'the method by which distribution of instructional materials is organized' . . . [It is] a combination of medium and method of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner. For the purposes of this sub-standard, I selected a lesson on photosynthesis that I developed in Ed Tech 521 for online students. This lesson is housed in wordpress and incorporates a variety of instructional materials and strategies, including embedded videos, a vocabulary list with links to game-based practice sites, labs that can be easily conducted in students homes, and assignment information. All assignments can be completed using online resources to ensure that students need not purchase additional software to be successful. I have also included opportunities for student collaboration through Google Docs, with additional rubrics specifying both peer and individual requirements for assignments. In delivering the lesson in this manner, I am able to meet the needs of online students by housing all necessary materials and links in an orderly web-based container, while also providing for collaboration and hands on activities through the incorporation of web-based technologies and lab examples.

16

4.4 Information Management Information management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling the storage, transfer, or processing of information in order to provide resources for learning. To demonstrate competence in this sub-standard, I selected the jigsaw and virtual field trip sites developed in Ed Tech 502. The jigsaw activity involved storing materials on my computer and uploading them through an FTP connection to the host server. In addition, the site houses many links, as well as background on the jigsaw approach in order to transfer knowledge to teachers who may use the provided resources within the site. This provides an opportunity for teachers to incorporate collaborative experiences in the classroom by providing them with an alternative resource model for learning. Furthermore, the site must be monitored regularly to ensure links are up-to-date and continue to provide relevant information for learners. The virtual field trip also demonstrates my ability to plan, monitor, and control the provision of information through the housing of relevant links, periodically monitoring those links, and also providing relevant questions and answers about each section of the field trip to assist learners in processing information obtained through the provided resources. Additionally, the inclusion of a map on the main page allows learners to obtain information regarding actual location of many of the field trip sites, which is necessary for making connections to real-life information. As previously mentioned, external resources must be regularly monitored to ensure that information is still relevant and that links remain accessible to students. Finally, providing information in the form of pictures, videos, and text allows the information to be consumed by a larger audience than text or graphics alone, thereby meeting the needs of a wider array of learners.

17

Standard 5: Evaluation Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to evaluate the adequacy of instruction and learning by applying principles of problem analysis, criterion-referenced measurement, formative and summative evaluation, and long-range planning. 5.1 Problem Analysis Problem analysis involves determining the nature and parameters of the problem by using information-gathering and decision-making strategies. The artifacts that I chose to demonstrate my skills in this sub-standard include the analysis that was conducted prior to the development of a professional course for teachers in Ed Tech 512 and a Prezi, developed in Ed Tech 505, addressing the gap analysis that I completed prior to evaluating a training program. The first artifact demonstrates my skills in determining the nature of the problem, which in this case was the inability of a particular set of teachers to utilize free and low-cost web-based tools in their instruction as was expected by the administration, as well as symptoms, causes, and possible solutions to the problem. Furthermore, conducting contextual, learner, and task analyses allowed me to see the problem from an alternate perspective while also developing a plan of remediation. This served as a necessary and beneficial component in planning for the development of an online course designed to address this problem and also demonstrated how critical front-end analysis is in determining appropriate solutions and identifying underlying sources of discontinuity. The second artifact demonstrates my abilities in conducting and defining results of gap analyses, while also presenting outcomes in a cohesive and organized manner for

18

stakeholders. Though gathering information and making decisions regarding next steps are critical in conducting problem analyses, the ability to share that information with key collaborators is often just as critical. Conducting a problem analysis is typically not a linear process, as additional information is often realized over the course of the design, development, and implementation phases of production. This means that sharing results in the initial stages of instructional design can be integral in heading off potential problems through the collaboration and discussion with other developers, stakeholders, evaluators, and users of the ultimate product. 5.2 Criterion-Referenced Measurement Criterion-referenced measurement involves techniques for determining learner mastery of pre-specified content. To address my competence in this sub-standard, I selected rubrics from two different scenarios. The first, completed in Ed Tech 502, is a rubric designed to address evaluation of students conducting a webquest style lesson on space. This rubric addresses several components of the lesson, including team interactions, topic research, written work, and completion of a project. By incorporating a variety of assignments and evaluations, I was able to include several components of Blooms taxonomy, including knowledge, comprehension, and synthesis through research and project-based components (Chyung, 2008). Not only does this process convey important information to students on how they will be assessed, which is considered a critical component of providing learning guidance based on Gagnes Nine Events of Instruction, it also provides a reference for them to conduct selfassessments prior to turning in materials (UF Center for Instructional Technology and Training, 2014). Furthermore, since this lesson is designed to be used by other teachers, the

19

inclusion of a rubric provides ready-made and adaptable assessment opportunities which can save teachers valuable time normally spent on developing assessments on their own. The second artifact is a list of rubrics, created in Ed Tech 512, which I designed to gauge learning in a professional development course for fellow educators. This set of rubrics incorporates assessment of a variety of instructional components, including understanding, applying, analyzing, and creating; however, these were designed to address evaluation of adult learners (Chyung, 2008). This serves to illustrate the importance of providing assessment information in order to facilitate learning in all types of students, as opposed to only the k-12 sect. In addition, this demonstrates that regardless of the type of course (e.g. educational, job training, professional development, etc.) inclusion of assessment information is important to aid students in the learning process (UF Center for Instructional Technology and Training, 2014).

5.3 Formative and Summative Evaluation Formative evaluation involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information as a basis for further development. Summative evaluation involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information to make decisions about utilization. The artifact that I selected to demonstrate my competence in conducting formative evaluations is a tool developed in collaboration with another graduate student in IPT 536 that addresses performance analysis, potential for improving performance, and measuring the validity of implementing a performance improvement plan. This tool is designed as a formative evaluation to be used in the analysis phase of planning because it is designed to help practitioners determine whether a behavior is worth modifying, particularly when

20

considering input (e.g. time and cost) versus output (e.g. return on investment). Based on Gilberts Leisurely Theorems, this tool is exceedingly helpful in gathering necessary information to make decisions on potential performance improvements, while also serving to limit extraneous data (Gilbert, 2007). This is important in assisting practitioners in determining the next step(s), if any are warranted, because if allows practitioners to examine causes of performance problems and consider possible solutions based on those causes. To illustrate my competence in conducting summative evaluations, I included the summative evaluation plan for a professional development course designed to teach fellow educators how to use web-based tools in their classes, created in Ed Tech 512. This plan includes methods and tools that are designed to determine efficacy of the course, as well as in determining potential modifications that may need to be made based on critical feedback. In addition to reviewing data available in course logs, analyses of completed student projects provide important insight into how well students were able to assimilate information and utilize the introduced tools in their lesson planning. Furthermore, course surveys provide additional insight on the course setup, including navigational concerns, technical issues, and potential improvements, as well as on usability of course topics.

5.4 Long-Range Planning Long-range planning that focuses on the organization as a whole is strategic planning. Longrange is usually defined as a future period of about three to five years or longer. During strategic planning, managers are trying to decide in the present what must be done to ensure organizational success in the future.

21

For the purposes of this sub-standard, I selected an evaluation that I completed in Ed Tech 505, which was conducted on professional development training offered to teachers at a school with a 1:1 netbook to student ratio in grades 3-5. Although this evaluation was primarily designed to determine needs and associated outcomes in the present, I also included important information in addressing problems related to efficacy of the training, as well as potential future problems as the school and county continue to introduce new tools, techniques, and services that teachers will be required to use. In completing this evaluation, I found that teachers were often left out of the planning process. They were rarely, if ever, surveyed or interviewed to determine their technology or training needs, or their feelings of confidence in using tools and techniques that training had been provided on. This demonstrated a lack of inclusion of an important sect of stakeholders. Because teachers are the actual individuals expected to utilize and rely on the provided tools, I found it imperative to gain their feedback in conducting the evaluation. What I found was that teachers did not feel confident in flipping lessons, which was a primary topic of the training, and in many cases did not know how to provide access to videos for students without internet at home. They expressed frustration and a sense of being overwhelmed in being expected to perform a task that many did not feel they could complete either efficiently or effectively. As such, I recommended that the administration provide further training on the current techniques of flipping lessons, as well as opportunities to practice and receive feedback among their peers. Furthermore, I recommended that teachers be surveyed periodically over the next several years in order to gain additional insight into their actual needs with regards to training on new developments and to limit fiscal waste in providing tools that will go unused due to lack of ability.

22

Conclusion
The completion of these artifacts has provided me with knowledge and insight into all stages of the instructional design process. Conducting analyses has demonstrated my abilities to analyze situations, tasks, and learners, while sharing that information has identified proven skills in collaboration. The designing and developing of materials, training, and learning opportunities based on those analyses have demonstrated my ability to assimilate information and use technology based tools to meet specific needs. Finally, completing evaluations and sharing those results has demonstrated my ability to determine efficacy, include stakeholders, and share necessary information for the purposes of advancement and growth. Furthermore, conducting analyses on instructional projects that I created and implemented has given me the opportunity to reflect on my skills as a practitioner, as well as an understanding of the necessity of this reflection in future projects as a means of revising materials in order to better meet the needs of others.

Resources
Chyung, S. Y. (2008). Foundations of instructional and performance technology. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc. Gilbert, T. F. (2007). Human competence: Engineering worthy performance (Tribute ed.). San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Lohr, L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance: Lessons in visual literacy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom (2nd edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. University of Florida Center for Instructional Technology and Training. (2014). Gagnes 9 events of instruction. Retrieved from http://citt.ufl.edu/tools/gagnes-9-events-of-instruction/.

23