Portfolio Project

EDUC 765: Trends and Issues in Instructional Design

By: Rachel Miller

Submitted 6/24/16

PROJECT PROPOSAL
Project Title
High School Algebra II Supplement for the Developmentally Disabled

Sponsoring Organization
The Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis (IABA)
Oxnard Adult School
IABA is a company that specializes in supporting adults with disabilities in the workplace. More
specifically, it is a day program that consists of meaningful activities designed to help each
individual gain or maintain employment. Finishing school or pursuing higher education is a step
in this process for some, and as such they will serve as the sponsoring organization for this
project. Oxnard Adult School plays an integrative role in this process as well, because they offer
the instructional platforms and means to achieving a high school diploma to state standards,
regardless of any intellectual disabilities present.

Project Description
Oxnard Adult School provides an alternative method to receive a high school diploma. While its
eLearning platforms, textbook, and workbook activities can be an effective form of self-study for
some individuals, adults who did not originally finish high school due to a disability find this
process more challenging. StUr is a girl with moderate short-term memory loss; she does not
immediately retain information that she reads or instructions that are verbalized. Nonetheless,
she is held to the same standards as her other, higher-cognitive peers. Courses are divided by
subject matter, with algebra being her next topic through PLATO courseware on the computers.
Thus far she has exhibited behaviors of being stuck in an everlasting loop of taking the tutorial of
the eLearning platform, grinding through practice exercises, but failing the mastery tests she
needs to progress. She is, however, capable of solving problems through logic when prompted
correctly, and is skilled at mimicking modeled instruction. Because this school offers her a
second chance to receive a diploma, success is crucial for undertaking a purpose within the
working world. Based on these goals, the opportunities of training include the following:
Supplemental instruction and reminders of themes in the existing eLearning platform
Better utilization of current knowledge; encouraging her to apply what she knows already
Mastery of each topic rather than trial and error or rote memorization resulting from
repeating the eLearning exercises
Better preparedness for independent problem-solving skills

Aim
Achieve mastery (a passing grade of at least 60% on the post-test) of the high school math
modules on PLATO courseware, progressing through future course lessons with improved
independence.

Target Audience
StUr is a 26-year-old female with mild intellectual disability resulting from Dandy Walker
Syndrome. She is missing the left hemisphere of her cerebellum, and has frontal lobe impedances
that hinder her ability to learn, memorize, and apply basic comprehension skills. Nonetheless she
is literate, bilingual, and passionately motivated.

Delivery Options
Instruction for this project will be a blended delivery that includes the use of staff-supported
instruction, immediate feedback, interactive technology, and positive reinforcement. Completing
lessons from the eLearning platform, PLATO, is a graduation requirement. Additionally, StUr
will receive one-on-one instruction from the tutor employed by IABA. Based on previous
proficiency of her enrollment within these programs, the best option for instructional delivery is
using preexisting resources.

FRONT-END ANALYSIS: INSTRUCTIONAL NEED

Instructional Need
StUr has a learning disability: a condition in which there are difficulties
learning new material and acquiring new skills relative to others of the same
age and level. Since she is enrolled in a school that caters material towards
the average high school student, some obvious performance gaps exist.
For example, the school counselors projected that StUr would finish the
remainder of her high school education (five courses) in three months.
However, in three months time, she only completed one. While it is arguable
that instruction cannot mend the deficits from a learning disability, there is
reason to believe that providing supplemental content and one-on-one
instruction will change the way StUr is currently learning new material. With
enough time, practice, and patience, any mind can expand through a
consistent strategy. Below is a list of the general problem, broken down into
some potential components, and how instruction could be applied to each:
Problem:
There is an existing performance problem in which StUr gets stuck on the
same set of activities, only passing her PLATO mastery tests through rote
memorization from repeated exposure to the solutions, and not retaining
newly learned skillsets from one question to the next.
Component: Poor retention/short-term memory loss
Providing notes or a reference aid; providing her with the option to pick
out relevant information in a concise but meaningful format will help
StUr learn, as well as provide a reference for when the information is
forgotten
Component: Approaching problems with trial and error, rather than
mastery
Hold student at the incorrect screen and prompt them to answer why
it is wrong and/or model how to find the correct answer.
Component: Difficulty processing written and verbal instruction
Provide extra examples, images, modeling mimicry, and problem
solving references to supplement lesson explanations.
*Note: PLATO starts each module with a Tutorial (written explanations of the
subject), then moves on to Applications (homework that mocks the format
of the mastery test), and ends with a Mastery Test (a 5 question test to end
the module). After all of the modules have been completed (the number of
modules required depends on the pre-test score), the student takes a posttest. If the post-test is failed, they must do all of the modules again and have

one more opportunity to take the post-test. If the student passes the posttest, they are done with that subject matter.

FRONT-END ANALYSIS: LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS

Learner Analysis
Primary Audience
StUr
Students struggling with self-study high school curriculum
Secondary Audience
Adult learners with memory deficits
Classroom supervisors at Oxnard Adult School
School counselors
General Learner Characteristics
Ages 18-30 (Primary audience, 26)
Education: Incomplete high school education
Work experience: fast food or general labor for 0-2 years.
Hispanic (>90%)
Entry Characteristics
Literacy consistent with a 14-year-old level
Ability to add, subtract, divide, and multiply
Basic technology skills; computer savvy
Intrinsic motivation

Contextual Analysis
Orienting Context
Goals: Learners receiving supplemental instruction are diplomaseeking students. They hope to master each math module enough to
pass the standardized post-test.
Utility: Utilizing reference sheets enough to pick out necessary
information can be transferrable to other modules and other aspects of
life, mathematical supplements will have real-world application, and
using the instruction to complete the module puts students one step
closer to graduation.
Accountability: Classes are all self-study and free of charge; motivation
to study each day could pose a challenge because students are not
held accountable for their attendance.
Misconceptions: Supplemental tutors are there to do all the work for
struggling students.

Instructional Context
Scheduling: Monday-Friday, 9:00am to 12:00pm
Bright fluorescent lighting, no windows
Light background noise and conversational chatter
Air conditioning
Open seating, several empty slots.
Tutors available through a third party (IABA), text-to-talk functions on
computers, no time constraints, space outside for lunch, phone calls,
and other distractions.
Equipment includes: computers, course books, and dictionaries
Bus stop in close proximity, free parking
Technology Inventory
Learners have access to a computer lab, equipped with PLATO (module
coursework) and CASAS (standardized testing) software.
Transfer Context
Learning how to best use reference aids and templates can be
transferrable to other subject matter modules
Math course modules are real-world based. Tutor-led prompting can
lead to independent problem solving skills
Software is non-transferrable to other devices; students can only work
on coursework at the school.

INSTRUCTIONAL IMPACT BASED UPON LEARNER

CHARACTERISTICS
Application of Learning Theories
For an adult with disabilities, there are a couple of assumptions that must be
made in regards to learning: One, that a disparity exists from their learning
compared to a typically developed student, and two, that there is an
unknown mental capacity for content being taught through a single method.
Students with disabilities should have the right to a full education, and it is
arguably just as important for these individuals to learn from their nondisabled peers as it is to learn from their teachers. The learning theories
applied to an individual with disabilities must be augmented into an
individualized education program (IEP) to include academic goals that are
specific to their unique abilities. A DPE (descriptive/prescriptive/evaluative)
feedback process is a means of accomplishing the goals of the IEP.
In general, learning tasks should always be broken down into smaller steps
so as not to overwhelm the student, and teaching approaches must be
modified to include more hands-on approaches that engage the senses.
There are two learning theories that will be emphasized in this project:
Andragogy and Constructivism.
The assumptions made in Knowles Andragogical Theory give the ID a solid
concept of the primary audiences general characteristics, as well as what
might act as a hindrance for their learning in the future. The school itself
already utilizes this theory, as it promotes an autonomous work ethic:
students complete their work independently, at their own pace, and with
little to no intervention. Additionally, the coursework from the eLearning
courses will reflect real-world applications in the supplements; subject matter
content is postulated and solved under real-world scenarios and alternative
explanations.
Constructivism will also be used because it applies a variety of personal
experiences to the content being learned. Individuals with intellectual
disabilities learn best by relating information to tangible, observable
phenomena. Problem scenarios, real-world based solutions, and explanations
will incorporate the social, cultural, physical, and hypothetical environments
that relate to the individual learner.

Application of Motivational Theories

Applied Behavioral Analysis is a practice based on the idea that a person can
learn productive behaviors through positive reinforcement alone. An
individual with a disability might learn better with reinforces and a visual
representation of their progress. StUr, for example, fills out a DRIP/DROP
chart each day she consecutively attends school, and receives a free lunch
out to the place of her choice after the chart is full. Another example is that
she receives certificates from school whenever she completes a course. She
can hang those on her bedroom wall and track her own progress by counting
the certificates. ABA is also used to promote appropriate behaviors within the
classroom: each day StUr does not exhibit verbally abusive, loud, or
otherwise inappropriate behaviors, she receives a dollar that she can save
and budget for fun activities to do after school.

Impact of a Diverse Audience on Instruction

The majority of students at Oxnard Adult School are Hispanics with English as
their second language. The primary audience, StUr, learned English in
conjunction with her Spanish. Due to the nature of this population, and the
added factor of a learning disability, it would be wise to consider adopting
Global English in order to keep instructions of her supplements succinct.
StUr, especially, seems to understand content that is bold and easily
retrievable.
Learners with disabilities have an impact on the diversity of instruction
because instruction seems to require a little bit of every learning theory,
every instruction technique, and all of a teachers practices in order for one
student to learn one topic. Instruction for this audience needs to be
adaptable and supplemented; it needs to attempt explanations through a
variety of methods: written, verbal, visual, and hands-on.

TASK/GOAL/PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
Goal Analysis
Step 1: Write down the goal.
StUr will be able to complete the Algebra II course in a high school degree
program with increased autonomy, connecting real world situations to
mathematical concepts and solving equations with an unknown variable.
Step 2: Jot down, in words and phrases, the performances that, if
achieved, would cause you to agree the goal is achieved.

Identify variables by circling symbols that arent numbers or a

mathematical action.
Balance each side of the equation by cancelling out numbers through
multiplication and division, or simplify the expression by isolating the
variable.
Solve an equation for one unknown variable (value)
Solve an equation with exponents
Be able to expand an expression using the distributive property
Recite the meaning of the PEMDAS acronym for the order of operations
Successfully solve an equation using PEMDAS acronym
Given a reference tool, be able to read and follow the instructions for
each problem set.
Given a reference tool, explain to staff the meaning of basic vocabulary
terms such as: formula, equation, variable, exponent, etc.
Show work on paperwork matches the correct format demonstrated
in the examples from the tutorial.
Apply the simple concepts of Algebra in real-world situations such as
counting change, budgeting, calculating taxes, tips, and discounts.
Use a formula to plot points and graph a line
Use a graph of a line to calculate the slope

Step 3: Sort out the jottings. Delete duplications and unwanted

items. Repeat Steps One and Two for any remaining abstractions
(fuzzies) considered important.
Skill Acquisition
Identify variables by circling symbols that arent numbers or a
mathematical action.
Recite the meaning of the PEMDAS acronym for the order of operations
Given a reference tool, be able to read and follow the instructions,
step-by-step, for each problem set.

Given a reference tool, explain to staff the meaning of basic vocabulary

terms such as: formula, equation, variable, exponent, etc.
Use a formula to plot points and graph a line

Skill Application
Balance each side of the equation by cancelling out numbers through
multiplication and division, or simplify the expression by isolating the
variable.
Solve an equation for one unknown variable (value)
Solve an equation with exponents
Be able to expand an expression using the distributive property
Successfully solve an equation using PEMDAS acronym
Show work on paperwork matches the correct format demonstrated
in the examples from the tutorial.
Use a graph of a line to calculate the slope
Skill Transferability
Apply the simple concepts of Algebra in real-world situations such as
counting change, budgeting, calculating taxes, tips, and discounts.
Step 4: Write a complete statement for each performance,
describing the nature, quality, or amount you will consider
acceptable.
Skill Acquisition With help from staff, StUr will be able to follow the
instructions on a reference tool to define terms, identify unknown variables,
and work through example problems step-by-step as outlined in the tutorial.
Skill ApplicationStUr will accurately solve mathematical equations that
contain any combination of exponents, unknown variables, order of
operations, distributive property, line graphs, or unbalanced expressions
while showing her work in an organized fashion.
Skill Transferability StUr will apply basic math skills achieved through the
Algebra course certification to the community in real-world situations.
Step 5: Test the statements against the question, If these
performances were achieved, would I say that this person has
achieved the goal?

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES

Project (Instructional) Goal

Provided with a tutor, students like StUr with learning and memory deficits
will acquire the skills necessary to follow instructions on an Algebra II
reference sheet in order to define key terms, identify and solve for unknown
variables, graph, balance equations using order of operations and
distributive property, and apply basic math skills towards real-world
situations.

Terminal Objectives and Enabling Objectives

With staff assistance and a reference tool that contains vocabulary

definitions, StUr will be able to identify (circle) an example of each
term with 100% accuracy after an unlimited amount of attempts.
StUr will solve mathematical equations that contain any combination of
unknown variables, order of operations, distributive property, line
graphs, or unbalanced expressions with at least 60% accuracy
Cognitive
o Balance each side of an equation by using PEMDAS, or simplify
the expression by isolating the variable. (Cognitive)
o Using step-by-step instructions from the reference tool, solve an
equation for one unknown variable. The answers to each problem
must be correct before selecting a multiple choice option, else
the question must be attempted again with staff assistance.
(Cognitive)
o Given a formula, identify (circle) the components necessary to
plot points on a graph for a line until correct. Staff will provide
hand-over-hand assistance for plotting the correct image.
o Given the graph of a line, use rise-over-run term on reference
tool to solve for the slope.
o Given a mathematical word problem or story, be able to
recognize (underline) information that is necessary to solve the
problem. The information must be underlined to indicate the
students final answer before staff writes out a formula for the
student based on their underlined information. (Cognitive)
Provided with a reference tool, StUr will be able to write out the steps
necessary to get from the original equation to the final solution in an
organized fashion that can be matched to at least 80% of the steps
listed on an answer keyPsychomotor
Basic math skills such as change counting, tip and discount
calculations will be practiced in the community each time the situation
arises naturally, with staff support only after an unsuccessful attempt
Cognitive

ENABLING OBJECTIVES MATRIX & SUPPORTING CONTENT

Title of the unit/module: Solving basic Algebra II equations with a
reference aid
Brief description of target audience: StUr is a 26-year-old female with a
mild intellectual disability that hinders her ability to learn, memorize, and
apply basic comprehension skills. Nonetheless she is literate, bilingual, and
passionately motivated about her education.
Terminal Objective: StUr will solve mathematical equations that contain
any combination of unknown variables, order of operations, distributive
property, line graphs, or unbalanced expressions with at least 60% accuracy.
Pre-instructional Strategy: Overviewsince StUr is a lower-functioning
student, presenting the facts in a short and simplified fashion is the best way
to prepare her for future tasks.
Enabling Objective

Level on
Blooms
Taxonomy
Knowledge

Given a mathematical
word problem or
story, be able to
recognize (underline)
information that is
(rememberin
necessary to solve the g)
problem.
Balance each side of
an equation by using
PEMDAS/simplify the
expression by
isolating the variable.

Application
(procedure)

Learner Activity

Delivery Method

Brainstorm situations
where particular
mathematical concepts
may be personally
relevant, and practice
imagining information
you would need to
solve the problem.
Practice using PEMDAS
skills in the
community:
multiplication and
division, especially,
can be used with
change counting and
calculating prices.

Individual activity

(What would learners do to

master this objective?)

(Group presentation/lecture,
self-paced, or small group)

Individual activity
Public/community
setting

Solve an equation for

one unknown variable

Application
(procedure)

Given a formula,
identify (circle) the
components
necessary to plot
points on a graph for
a line until correct.
On a line graph, use
rise-over-run term on
reference tool to solve
for the slope

Knowledge

Mimic step-by-step
instructions from the
reference tool,
producing a single
solution
Practice plotting x vs y
axis values with
humorous correlations

Mini quizsolution
checked against answer

Shade in boxes on a
grid that illustrate
what a slope looks like.

Individual activity
Self-paced

(concepts)
Application
(procedure)

Staff will provide handover-hand assistance

for plotting the correct
image due to problems
with fine motor function

REFERENCES
Hein, G. (1991). Constructivist Learning Theory. Institute for Inquiry.
Retrieved from:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/education/ifi/constructivist-learning
Pappas, C. (2013). The Adult Learning TheoryAndragogy. eLearning
Industry. Retrieved
from: https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theoryandragogy-of-malcolm-knowles