Design+Rationale


 * Rationale**

“When in Egypt” is a unit overview which has been developed for a year seven history class who will be studying //The Mediterranean World: Egypt.// A brief class profile is included, as is a Wiki as an exemplar of student work. The unit overview includes information on the ACARA curriculum links, activities, resources, pedagogy and assessment required to implement the unit.

Much of this unit is based on the learning theory of Behaviourism. Each week in the unit, the material to be learned and instructional steps are broken down, and they are repeated each week. To tie in with this theory, the learning manager monitors and assesses the learning by providing feedback to the learners (feedback is both positive and negative) (Lein, n.d.).

The Constructivist learning theory has also been applied to this unit. Modritshcer (2006, p. 7, as cited by Lein, n.d.) believes that students who acquire materials and process information in a subjective way for themselves, tend to have a deeper understanding. This means that instead of the learning manager providing knowledge and instructions for the learners, the learner is required to source the knowledge for themselves.

Vygotsky's Social Development theory states that “The range of skill that can be developed with adult guidance or peer collaboration exceeds what can be attained alone” (Instructional Design, n.d.). The design of this unit allows for both of these situations by planning for providing adult guidance for learners with learning difficulties, and peer collaboration by providing opportunities to collaborate in pairs or small groups.

Siemens (2004) discusses a variety of significant trends in learning which include:
 * Technology is altering (rewiring) our brains. The tools we use define and shape our thinking.
 * Know-how and know-what is being supplemented with know-where (the understanding of where to find knowledge needed).

Due to these trends, plus limitations of the Behaviourism, Cognitivism and Constructivism learning theories, another theory called Connectivism has developed with the digital age. One of the main concepts of Connectivism is being able to distinguish the difference between important and unimportant information (Siemens, 2004). One of the core skills of the Connectivism theory is the ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts; and the intent of all learning activities is using current and accurate information. These elements are evident in this unit by researching the chosen topic online (as opposed to through text books, encyclopaedias etc.) which can become out of date and updated just as frequently as online resources, but access to the updated information in hard copies (books) is not as easily attained as frequently updated online resources; and the students are required to locate different sources of information and decide which sources are trustworthy and appropriate.

Knowledge of student thinking and learning, knowledge of subject matter; and pedagogical knowledge are essential knowledge systems in teaching. Technology knowledge is also now and essential knowledge system in teaching. Technology knowledge includes knowledge about standard technologies (books, chalks and blackboard), advanced technologies (Internet and digital videos – how to operate), and digital technologies (knowledge of operating systems and computer hardware, how to use word processors, spreadsheets, browsers and emails, knowledge of installing and removing devices and software, and creating and archiving documents) (Mishra & Koehler, 2006, p. 1027). All of these elements combine to make the TPACK Framework.

The TPACK framework has been implemented in the unit by nominating the content – //The Mediterranean World – Egypt// with content descriptors and elaborations from ACARA; nominating appropriate technologies which transform learning and are appropriate for the content; and pedagogies which support the scaffolding of the activities to suit all of the learners in the class.

Having an authentic audience is also important when making any presentation. As the final assessment for this unit is the learners presenting a chosen section of their research, providing an audience who have a legitimate interest in the topic and/or content was important so that the circle of learning is continuing with all parties (learners, audience, learning managers etc.) are benefiting from the transfer of knowledge between parties.

Scaffolding is used in this unit to facilitate learning to a range of different learners when commencing a new subject. This has been done by using strategies for the English as Second Language (ESL) learner and the two learners with learning and social difficulties. These strategies include providing a Teacher's Aide for the learners with learning and social difficulties, and ensuring that the ESL learner is paired with a learner with high literacy skills or in a small groups of mixed abilities. Although the learners are encouraged to discover different ways to present their PMI, using a PMI for reflections is one way for the students to organise their thoughts and therefore a simple way for the learning manager to check for completion of tasks and enhance assessing of the procedure (Global Education, 2008).

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy was taken into consideration when designing this unit. The learning process identified in Bloom's Revised Taxonomy caters for Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS) and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (Churches, n.d.). This learning process has been incorporated into the design of the unit by providing scaffolded experiences for learners with LOTS and HOTS. Clearly, the aim for both types of learners (LOTS and HOTS) is to be challenged, and the unit allows this to happen by giving all learners the opportunities to experience being challenged at an appropriate level, with the intention of having a successful outcome.

Using digital technologies as the basis of this unit is justified because the same learning outcomes would not be achieved if the digital technologies were not used. Although most of content of the activities could be found by using textbooks and encyclopaedias, the chances of having enough current hard copies of the necessary information for all of the learners to use at the same time, is slim. The presentation resources incorporated into this unit (Glogster, Wikispaces etc.) are much more efficient processes for presenting research. They allow editing to occur throughout the activity, offer time saving features such as cut, copy and paste, creativity is handed over to the learners as the are responsible for the design and layout of content. Learners are more inclined to stay focussed and on task by using digital technologies for note-taking, editing and presentation of information as opposed to taking notes in a notebook with a pen, re-writing the same information numerous amounts of time in the editing process, and presenting a 'good copy' for presentation in a project book or on coloured poster paper.

Throughout this unit, particular attention has been paid to providing a reference point for every image that was used that did not belong to the author (Suzanne McKenna). If the learning manager continuously models the importance of acknowledging where pictures and videos etc. are from, than this can only assist in stressing the importance of this aspect to the learners. Learners need to be aware of the consequences, penalties and the legal turmoil they could find themselves in if they do not acknowledge sources appropriate. Without acknowledgement, it would be fair to say that the author of the work is claiming to be the owner of particular pictures, videos, songs, poems etc. This is unacceptable and illegal in a work environment, and in life out of school, so it is vital that learners have a deep understanding of the implications which may arise if they fail to reference and acknowledge the necessary sources. Included in this Wiki, is a page giving more details regarding the safety issues, ethics and legalities of using digital technologies and working in an online environment.

A brief class profile was constructed before designing this unit to ensure that all learners would be adequately catered for throughout the unit. A teacher aide is required to assist two learners who have learning difficulties and social difficulties, whenever the learners are required to use computers and ICTs. These two learners will mostly work together in a pairing (with the teacher aide), and when group work is assigned to the class, these two students (along with the teacher aide) will be working in the same group. There is one ESL learner in the class who will be either paired with a 'buddy' student (who has high literacy skills), or in a small, mixed ability group. Both strategies will enable the ESL student to have assistance in understanding the tasks and activities to be completed, as well as interacting on a social level which will enhance their learning of the English language and what is acceptable in a social situation in Australia.

Each week of the unit provides opportunities for learning manager to perform assessment checks. An informal formative assessment can be performed each week by checking the progress of each learner by accessing their personal Wiki to look at their completed activity for the week as well as their reflection on the activity. Informal formative assessment is likely to be occurring throughout every lesson of every day. Strategies such as questioning learning, asking learners to rephrase instructions and concepts in their own words, watching how learners react to tasks and how they interact in pairs and small groups are all forms of informal formative assessment. At the end of the unit the learners are required to present some of their researched information to an audience. This is the summative assessment element where the learning manager gives an overall grade to learner on their content and presentation.

In this Wiki is a link to another Wiki which is called When-in-Egypt-Learner-2012 which is a brief example with some ideas as to how the learning manager would expect the learner to set up their personal Wiki for the unit. The completed tasks in this example Wiki have been completed by the learning manager to demonstrate their knowledge of how to use specific programs / resources. These activities have not been completed in full, but ideas have been put forward along with appropriate headings which learners could use to successfully complete the weekly tasks, activities and reflections.

In conclusion, the unit overview is an outline of a unit created for a year seven class based on the KLA of History. This unit is primarily technology based as it would not be possible to create the same learning outcomes for the learners without the use of ICTs. The Behaviourism, Constructivism, Social Development, and Connectivism theories were all taken into account when designing this unit, and the TPACK Framework is the framework which the unit has been constructed around. A class profile assisted in designing scaffolded learning experiences for the learners, and providing tasks and activities for LOTS learners and HOTS learners were put into place. The legal, ethical and safety issues surrounding online learning has been addressed in this Wiki, as has the importance of acknowledging and providing references to sources which are not owned by the author. This unit also allows opportunity for the learning manager to perform formative assessment throughout the unit as well as a graded, summative assessment upon completion of the unit. This unit was designed with the purpose of giving the learners the access to as much information as possible on the topic, as well as providing the learners with many opportunities to extend and refine their creative skills by utilising many different resources to present their ideas and research in.


 * References**

Churches, A. (n.d.). //Bloom's and ICT tools.// Retrieved from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+and+ICT+tools

Global Education. (2008). //PMI chart.// Retrieved from http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/pid/1825

Instructional Design. (n.d.). //Social development theory (L. Vygotsky).// Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html

Lein, K. (n.d.). //Elearning pedagogy.// Retrieved from http://elearningpedagogy.com/constructivist.html

Siemens, G. (2004). //Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.// Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm