1 Final Presentation Spring 2006 T/TAC Online Project Virginia Assessments May 18, 2006 Matt Humphrey Aala’a Mashaal Pamela Sharpe Tim Smith Maria Washington Graduate School of Education George Mason University

2 T/TAC Online Regions

3 Our Faculty and Facilitators  Dr. Michael Behrmann  Dr. Nada Dabbagh  Dr. Kevin Clark  Anya Evmenova  Gary Dickelman  Jocelyn DelSignore

4 Clients  John Eisenberg Severe Disabilities/Assistive Technology Specialist, Virginia Department of Education  Mary Wilds Statewide Coordinator of Distance Education, Old Dominion University  Dr. Michael Behrmann Professor, Director of Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities (KIHd), George Mason University  Nathan Sparks Coordinator, Division of Assessment and Reporting, Virginia Department of Education

5 Presentation Overview Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five  Instructional Design Process  Background & Introduction  Mission and Goal of Project  Analyses  Design  Development  Formative Evaluation  Prototype Demonstration  Future T/TAC Site Recommendations  Questions and Answers

6 Project Background  No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) 2002  Every child must be assessed according to the state standards  Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004  Accommodations for all children with disabilities

7 Project Background  Assessment options for students who are exempt from traditional assessment programs  Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) Students assessed at grade levels K-5  Virginia Grade Level Assessment (VGLA) Students assessed at grade levels 3-8  Virginia Substitute Evaluation Program (VSEP) Students assessed at grade levels 9-12

8 Project Problem Statement VA Assessments  Students with severe disabilities were only assessed on life skills prior to new mandates  Transition to cognitive standards based assessments  Communication skills are now considered in the assessment process  New process for teachers  Our project concentrates on the VAAP assessments

9 Instructional Design Process The ADDIE Model AnalysisDesignDevelopmentImplementationEvaluation

10 The Instructional Design Process  Who  Learner  What  Learner needs  Instructional Strategies  How  Evaluation

11 Analysis Performance Analysis Needs Analysis Learner Analysis Task Analysis AnalysisDesignDevelopmentImplementationEvaluation

12 Analysis Performance Analysis  Determine: Goals and Objectives Drivers and Barriers Actuals and Optimals

13 Analysis Performance Analysis  Problem Life skills in addition to Cognitive and Communication skill assessments State mandated assessments Online Manual Teacher schedules Structure for assessment Public tool One stop shop

14 Analysis Needs Analysis  Determine the best solution  Generate supporting data  Priorities for action  Provide specific recommendations

15 Analysis Needs Analysis  Teachers are not comfortable with the new process of aligning their lesson plans to ASOLs  Teachers would welcome a job-aid Walk through the lesson plan process Provide resources  Teachers need examples of good lesson plans

16 Analysis Learner Analysis  Primary user  Environment  Varied experience levels  Users:  Novice Teacher  Intermediate Teacher  Expert Teacher  Reluctant Teacher  T/TAC Online Administrator

17 Analysis Task Analysis To determine the goals and objectives of learning: User tasks Skills and knowledge Task sequence Strategies, media, environment

18 Analysis Task Analysis Lesson Plan Creation OldNew  Life Skills  Cognitive skills  Communication skills  Life skills

19 Analysis Task Analysis  Three instructional strategies:  Direct instruction  Group instruction  Self directed instruction  Procedural and cognitive tasks  Eight step process  Support those processes in the solution system  Existing lesson plan document Existing lesson plan document

20 Analysis Instructional Objectives  Facilitate and support lesson plan creation process Guide teachers through each step of creating a lesson plan Additional supports to assist teachers throughout the process  Encourage knowledge sharing Lesson plan database Allows teachers to search and download exemplary lesson plans Search VAAP Manual

21 Design AnalysisDesignDevelopmentImplementationEvaluation Design Approach

22 Design Design Approach  Support the process of creating lesson plans aligned to new standards and allow knowledge sharing  Develop an electronic performance support system (EPSS)  EPSS should include guides and necessary supports that will: Guide and scaffold the lesson plan creation process Allow special education teachers the ability to develop, share, and download lesson plans

23 Design Design Approach Rationale  Supporting an existing process Teachers know how to create lesson plans New constraints on that process  Teacher experience levels vary  Just-in-time support in the classroom

24 Design EPSS Characteristics Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS)  Computer software program that improves performance by: Reducing complexity Providing the performance information to perform a task Providing a decision support system that enables the user to identify appropriate actions

25 Design EPSS Characteristics  Job aid  Controlled by the user, used on demand  Reduce the need for prior training in order to accomplish the task  Supports new constraints on an existing process

26 Development AnalysisDesignDevelopmentImplementationEvaluation Flowcharts Prototype Usability Testing

27 Development Prototype  Operationalize instructional objectives  VAAP section will include three main sections: 1.Create Lesson Plans  Teachers will be guided through the lesson process with additional just-in-time supports 2.Search the VAAP Manual  Enable teachers to find VAAP information more efficiently 3.Search for Created Lesson Plans  Teachers can search and download exemplary lesson plans created by other teachers

28 Flowchart 1: Searching the VAAP Manual

29 Flowchart 2: Lesson Plan Document

30 Flowchart 3: VA Assessments Site Flow

31 Development Initial Prototype

32 Development Final Prototype

33 Evaluation AnalysisDesignDevelopmentImplementationEvaluation Formative Evaluation Summative Evaluation

34 Evaluation Formative Evaluation The formative evaluation consisted of three stages of usability testing:  Stage one - novice users One on one, think aloud protocol  Stage two - experienced users. One on one, think aloud protocol  Stage three - expert users Small group, expert review

35 Evaluation Results Positive Aspects of the System as Identified by the Testers:  Users could easily sign in with their existing accounts and new users could create an account easily  The navigation is clear and consistent with lesson plan objectives of the teachers simulating the real process for this task  The supports are appropriate for each section of the system with adequate information to support a teacher in creating a great lesson plan  The system is easy and clear in choosing organizing topics and having the standards auto populate dynamically is a necessary and strong feature

36 Evaluation Results  System Improvements Usability Instructional Content Interface Design

37 Evaluation Usability  Add a descriptor to the lesson plan generator system so users are aware of what they can do (This is an area where you can create your own lesson plan, ideas are provided through links on the right)  Make text throughout the site bolder with a sharper font for varying visual needs of users  Create a flashing button for “select” next to the organizing topic to assure that the users get the correct set of standard

38 Evaluation Instructional Content  Create documents defining the standards and organizing topics  Reword the directions for the activities and strategies section to be clearer to the users  Add scoring rubrics to the evidence collection page to identify significance of peer interaction  Add examples and clarification documents to the evidence page  Remove the list of AT Vendors as it will not assist the user with the task at hand.

39 Evaluation Interface Design  Made the Navigation bar have actual section titles as well as highlight where the user is in the system.  Made the logon screen bigger and the word “new user” larger to accommodate different visual needs  Made the user name and date auto populate based on logon user information.

40 Next Steps - Recommendations 1.Add a spell check feature. 2.Create a flashing button for “select” next to the organizing topic to assure that the users get the correct set of standard 3.Convert help files to PDF instead of Microsoft Word documents. 4.Add a Help button on Preview screen. Also an enlarge font button. 5.The age appropriate materials document should be changed to a pop-up box instead of a word document since the content is short to make loading it quicker. 6.Add visuals for better comprehension. 7.System implementation – experienced teachers entering lesson plans into the Lesson Plan Generator 8.Make the lesson plan search feature functional 9.Summative evaluation

41 Acknowledgements  Shuangbao Wang – T/TAC Online Programmer  Seunghun Ok – T/TAC Online Site Administrator  MSHA Immersion Team  Kilmer Center - Vienna, VA  Courthouse Road Elementary – Spotsylvania County, VA  Vienna Elementary School – Vienna, VA  Assistive Technology Taskforce  T/TAC Staff  Brenda Mueller

42 Thank You for Listening Are there any questions?