Element 3 – Unit Plan Analysis

Please find below my annotations for the unit plan analysis. I apologise for the few hour delay, I had difficulty getting the handwritten element here!

Assignment 1 – Element 3 – 15% – 24th August 2015 – TAHLIA BIRD

Annotations – PLEASE OPEN THIS FILE TO SEE WHERE THEY REFERENCE – Scan_Doc0014

1. It may be a good idea to add the year group that this unit plan has been written for.
2. If asked to teach this unit, I would begin with the Backwards Design Process – Assessment, Curriculum and Pedagogy. Therefore with this unit plan, I would start by looking at the final assessment piece for the topic to gauge an idea of what is expected of the students by the end of the term. It also aides me in knowing what I need to know at a basic level in order to sufficiently be able to teach. I would then go through the main part of the unit plan which looks at the syllabus requirements (found under ‘Dimensions and Objectives’). This outlines the factors which need to be understood and demonstrated and allow me to understand what will be looked for in terms of monitoring and/or verification (Year 11/12). Finally, I would then look at the brief term plan and begin to work out the lessons for the term ahead. In doing it via these three steps I believe that I cover all bases and enable myself to have the best understanding of the unit that is possible. (For the purpose of these annotations I will work from front to back of the unit plan).
3. The time length listed gives me an indication of how long it is expected for students to fully grasp and show evidence of their understanding of the topic. Aligned with the time line given on the assessment criteria sheet, I can work out how long it is suggested for the explicit teaching time to occur and thus how much detail I need to go into.
4. The first two paragraphs in this box refer to the act of understanding the Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) required by the students – therefore, in teaching this unit, it is vital for me to be able to have a deeper understanding than the students so that troubleshooting and general class practices occur smoothly.
5. It mentions here about the use of examples, which indicates the level of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) required by educators teaching this unit plan. To be able to use examples to enhance communication levels and aide clarity amongst the learners takes a dedicated level of both pedagogical knowledge and content knowledge in the area. In doing so a teacher is able to take general subject matter and change it to something that is simple to understand. It also allows students to have a more personalised learning experience as they are provided with material tailored to their learning ability and style.
6. The Design and Development section shows a clear level of TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) required by the teaching staff in this context. It requires staff to be able to analysis, synthesis and solve solutions in a troubleshooting means in order to enhance the creativity and productivity of students. I would be ensuring that I gain advice and personally complete many aspects of the unit in order to be proficient enough to teach it.
7. Similarly to annotation 6, the implementation and evaluation of this unit outline requires sufficient skills of the teacher to be able to aid refinement and evaluation of the piece, or web development in this context. If there are professional development courses available, I would take these. Alternatively, asking other teaching staff, previous mentors or networking contacts for advice or assistance would be the next best option. Finally, to gain the most assistance required try finding online tutorials.
8. The ‘Theory and Techniques’ area outlines a more ‘classroom level’ approach to the unit plan and suggests editing and design software which could/should be used. The first issue that would require review upon receiving this unit plan is the resources available at the school. If these suggested Adobe programs are available, it is then up to the teacher to ensure they are capable of teaching others the program and have sufficient competence doing so. This area requires TK (Technological Knowledge) to a high degree and would require many hours of extra time by the teacher to ensure they are prepared.
9. These areas require TCK on the teaching staff, as one who is capable of teaching this unit requires the ability to understand current trends, and the general workings behind web design. The application of things such as HTML and CSS files are areas which require work before teaching and large amounts of preparation.
10. The DDE cycle is something that requires all areas of knowledge (TPACK) to be able to aid students in designing, developing and evaluating all the different tasks as listed in the unit plan (eg. greyboxes, web, CIPP evaluations).
11. The problem solving processes required throughout the use of this unit plan are quite extensive. I would initially create a list of what I would like to be resultant from the brainstorming activity in the case of any blank minds that may occur. Secondly, I would then create a timeline that I would like all of the students to be following including the smaller deadlines of different assessment elements. I would also go through and look at examples or create my own for each of the elements so that you are prepared with something to be able to reference in the classroom. This requires TPACK throughout and will involve a great amount of detail by the teacher.
12. The application and use of CARP and CIPP during the unit requires PCK on the teachers behalf. Both are processes used within the ITS course – one for design and the other for evaluation. In order to be able to use these appropriately, the teacher must refresh themselves and feel confident in teaching them.
13. TCK is required in the steps indicated on the unit plan. This area involves the actual development using the technological software and content knowledge. As the teacher, it is vital that you are proficient in understanding the steps that the children are learning. In addition to this, you should have the ability to troubleshoot any queries they have as this is inevitable.
14. The project management sections of the unit outline show the technological knowledge involved in creating a Gantt chart, recording progress and using timelines.
15. The social and ethical issues area is highly based around CK (content knowledge) of the relevant copyright and legal issues, and other trends which need to be addressed during the class. This should be noted and therefore, students will need to receive that information from their teacher. If you are unsure of what these are, it may be a good idea to ask other staff members or IT contacts you have.
16. Throughout the context of these learning experiences, TPACK and all of its sub-categories are required. For example, investigating and using software requires a high amount of TCK but developing a basic understanding of copyright and intellectual property issues requires PCK. All areas of these are vital for a successful unit plan. As the teacher, I would approach this by reading through each learning experience, and further noting every different area I needed to work on, prior to the commencement of the topic. By doing so, there will be no ‘surprises’ appear when teaching the unit and therefore it will run smoothly.
17. The assessment category outlines the basics of the project or task students must undertake to pass this topic. It is vital that the educator understands the assessment task and how to do every task within it. Examples could be collected from past teachers or other mentors to aid your personal learning and that of the children also.
18. This area is a basic term plan of what to do in each lesson of each week. Personally I would recreate this for myself in a more clear way with further details. This can be used as a guide, especially if you have never taught the unit before.
19. Although the task sheet is generally created for the benefit of the students, this assessment guide could become very helpful for teachers who are new to the unit. Plan ahead and read through all of the steps. Challenge yourself to complete the assignment to and it will aid you in being able to teach it better. All areas of TPACK are required to teach this appropriately.