Instructional Strategies

Never having to make a lesson plan and looking at the template, I was very intimidated and hesitant as to what an instructional strategy was and how I was going to decide on which one(s) I was going to test and incorporate into my existing online CST-155 Microsoft Excel course.  However, after reading the textbook “Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works,” it became very evident as to what an instructional strategy is and which ones I was already using in my course.  At that moment, a rush of pride overwhelmed me and I wanted to give myself a pat on the back – instead, I treated myself with a chocolate bar. 

Even though I am a computer science technology instructor, my online course needs improvement.  I am enrolled in EDU 590 to become a better college instructor and to become abreast of the new technological advances that constantly take place.  My goal is to incorporate more technology into my Microsoft Excel online format to see if these additional technological additions would make an impact on my students’ learning.  

My lesson plan is to teach Tutorial 3 – Working with Functions & Formulas.  The primary instructional strategy that will be tested in my lesson plan is cues, questions, and advance organizers.  By incorporating a KWHL chart, students will be able to inform me of what they know about IF Statements already, what they want to know, how they are going to learn IF statements, and then what they learned by completing the assignment.  I already have a PowerPoint presentation for my online lecture; however, I am going to add audio to it to give it more multimedia effects.   By using a software program called Jing, I plan on creating a video showing students how to make an IF statement in an Excel worksheet.  That way, if students are struggling on their own with examples from the textbook, they have another interactive example.

A secondary instructional strategy that will be tested in my lesson experiment is similarities and differences.  I have created a non-technology based Wonka assignment in which the students are to calculate a sales commission for employees utilizing an IF statement by hand – no technology.   Then students will be completing the same Wonka assignment by creating an IF statement in a Microsoft Excel worksheet.  They will then share their opinions in a discussion board as to the similarities and differences using technology.

The last instructional strategy that I am compelled to test is the homework and practice.  In order to learn a software program, students must learn the functions and with repetition for remembering them.  Students are required to complete the review assignment at the end of the tutorial in the textbook.  A glossary of terms typed up in Microsoft Word is included with each chapter; however, I want to use the www.flaschardexchange.com website that the textbook alluded to.  Students will be able to use this as a quiz to learn the terms presented in the material.

 “Online learning is becoming more collaborative, contextual and active.  This requires changes in pedagogy, with instructors taking the role of facilitators of information while guiding students toward solutions.” (University of Illinois)  I am very excited to learn about my student’s reaction as they complete this exercise.  In my opinion, some students will just want to get through the material as quickly as they can.  However, on the other hand, I hope to engage the learner that struggles with reading and comprehension as multimedia is utilized. 

Bibliography

Pitler, Howard, Elizabeth Hubbell, Matt Kuhn, and Kim Malenoski.  Using 
     Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.  Alexandria:  2007.

University of Illinois. "Instructional Strategies for Online Courses." Illinois Online

     Network. Web. 25 Jan 2011.   

     <http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/instructionalstrategies.asp>.