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Teacher's Net

Lesson 3: Instructional Design, Part One

Focus on Project-Based, Integrated Technology

Step One: What's the Project?

Our first step is fairly simple... but can be intimidating and will often take a bit of brainstorming.

We have to decide what the end project will be - a report or essay is nice, if a bit more traditional than necessary... what about a brochure, mini-book, series of flash cards, or scale model instead?

To brainstorm, start with the overriding topic of your lesson plan. Let's use the Underground Railroad as our example. My brainstorm might look like this:

The Underground Railroad

Outcomes

Knowledge of why the Underground Railroad operated.

Knowledge of who the Underground Railroad was (mainly) organized by.

Knowledge of where the Underground Railroad began and where it ended- generalizations.

Projects Possible

Simple turn-based trivia game that features "Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How"

A scale map of the common routes of the Underground Railroad

A mock flyer, either pro-Underground Railroad or anti-Underground Railroad, using language and terms as they would have been used in the time.

Beginning with what I wanted the students to learn, I was able to brainstorm possible ways that projects would help them learn this. Let's say that I decided on the turn-based trivia game to be their project. My next step would to be to define criteria the students would use and follow to create the game:

Turn Based Trivia Game

Criteria: The game must feature at least 25 trivia cards. These cards will be created in Microsoft Word™ and printed on card stock. Each card must contain at least one image that is appropriate for the trivia question.

The game must involve a way for players to take turns - dice, a spinner, or other method would be fine.

The game must contain a rules sheet, which clearly outlines a) number of players b) age of players c) object of game d) special rules of play. This rules sheet must be created in Microsoft Word™ and printed neatly on paper.

Step Two: What's the Technology?

Within the creation of your project, you've likely encountered the technology you'll be using. To make it easy, though, you need to itemize this technology for use in the lesson plan:

Technology Needed for Turn-Based Trivia Game

Computer with Microsoft Word installed

Clip-Art

Printer

Re-working your Adapted Lesson Plan

Using what you've determined in steps one and two, you can combine the original lesson plan and your new ideas into a Project-Based Integrated Technology Lesson Plan. Plug each of the components of your combined pieces into the framework outlined below (see source 1). *There are other considerations which will make your lesson plan even tighter, and more engaging and interactive. These considerations are things we will work on as we create our own, original plan in the next half of this week.

Teacher's Guide for
Building Integrated Technology Projects
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Determine Outcomes

What do you want students to learn/do?

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Draft Project Framework

Content /Topic Area
Student Interest Area
Student Role
Audience

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Design Task/Prompt
(Building Block Model for Students)

Where will students gather information?
What thinking skills and processes will be emphasized?
What student products and/or performances will communicate evidence of understanding or proficiency?

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Develop Evaluation Tool

What evaluative criteria will be used to evaluate the student products and performances?

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