"Advanced Project Development Practicum"

 

Course Number: EDIT 792, Section 001

Monday - Friday 9:00-4:00

Krug 113 VR Lab

Instructors:   Debra Sprague
                    Chris Dede
                    Mike Behrmann
                    Jim Chen

Graduate School of Education (Behrmann, Dede, Sprague) and
School of Information Technology & Engineering (Chen, Dede)
George Mason University

Office Hours:  M and W 2-4, or by appointment (Sprague)
                             T 10-12 or 3-4, or by appointment (Dede)
                             M 9:30-11:30 or by appointment (Chen)
                             W 1-4 or by appointment (Behrmann)

Offices:

Commerce II Building (on University Drive just south of the fire station near the center of Fairfax); follow online directions, then go to first floor of Commerce II building next door
                    Room 110 (Sprague)
                    Room 111 (Dede)
Science and Technology II Building, Room 409 (Chen)
Krug Hall, Kellar Institute (Behrmann)

Phone: (703) 993-2019 (Dede)
            (703) 993-2069 (Sprague)
            (703) 993-1720 (Chen)
            (703) 993-3670 (Behrmann)

Fax: (703) 993-2013 (Dede & Sprague)
        (703) 993-1710 (Chen)
        (703) 993-3681 (Behrmann)

Email: dspragu1@gmu.edu
           cdede@gmu.edu
           jchen@cs.gmu.edu
           mbehrman@gmu.edu

Website: www.virtual.gmu.edu (Dede)
              chd.gse.gmu.edu (Behrmann, Sprague)

Table of Contents

•  Course Objectives
•  Course Resources
•  Course Requirements
•  Class Activities
•  Assignments
•  Assessment
•  Course Topics and Schedule

Course Objectives

This class is part of GMU's Immersion Program in Instructional Design and Development. As a result of this course, participants will be able to :

• describe the context, theoretical grounding, and empirical results surrounding the use of advanced visualization and modeling technologies in K-14 education
• prepare both a needs analysis plan and and a learner analysis/setting analysis plan, then conduct these analyses in secondary level science classes for students with learning disabilities
• develop skills in using the World Toolkit from Sense8/EAI to build simulation environments
• conduct subject matter expert interviews and feedback sessions
• prepare an analysis of tasks, objectives, and assessment methods
• develop a content outline and storyboards
• design and develop a robust simulation environment for teaching secondary science concepts to learning disabled students, including a documentation of design revisions from the initial prototype
• prepare formative and summative evaluation plans and conduct formative evaluations in both laboratory and field settings
• refine knowledge and skills in team-based instructional design

Course Resources

Course Requirements

• Attendance and participation in class sessions -- whether face-to-face or virtual -- is mandatory, as discussions and shared experiences are important parts of the course. The class schedule may change as the course progresses; changes will be posted on the course website, in the Immersion group listserv, and in GMU's Townhall.
  
• Each student is expected to complete all readings, exercises, field trips, and assignments, as well as to participate in class and electronic discussions.
  
• Each Friday, every student will send the instructors an end-of-week summary email detailing progress made that week on assignments, any concerns or questions, etc.
  
• Students missing a class are responsible for completing any exercises, readings, etc. before the start of the next class. Students missing the due date for an assignment must make immediate arrangements with the instructors to fulfill that requirement before the next class.
  
• Obtaining and regularly using a computer account with access to the Internet, the World Wide Web, and GMU's Townhall discussion site is required. GMU makes such accounts available for free to its students.

Class Activities

This course will utilize a combination of lectures, seminar discussions, media, guest speakers, field trips, and projects to help students develop simulation environments for aiding students who have learning disabilities to master curricular content in secondary level science. Students with disabilities who need special accomodations are asked to notify the instructor immediately so that arrangements can be made.

Assignments

Each student is expect to complete the following three assignments with their associated activities, due on the dates specified in the Course Outline. In addition, participation in class and via electronic discussions counts for 10% of the grade; this is assessed by both quality and quantity of interactions.

1) As Part of a Team, Designing, Developing and Evaluating a Simulation Environment (60%)

This assignment involves proceeding through the steps of a team-based instructional design process, including a needs analysis and an evaluation, to produce a robust simulation environment for secondary level science content, targeted to students who have learning disabilities. The environment will be delivered on Windows NT computers using the Sense8/EAI World Toolkit authoring shell. Rights to all intellectual property produced in this course is governed by GMU's Intellectual Property Policies on copyright.

2) Developing a Reflective Web-based Portfolio (20%)

This assignment involves continuing the reflective web-based portfolio process begun in EDIT 791. The portfolio provides a thorough representation of individual student accomplishments and contributions to the team-based simulation environment. This assessment format is customized to include links to project modules, synthesized information, papers and articles, descriptions of role involvement, reflections on the process, etc. An assessment rubric and associated evaluation form are used to measure learning and individual contribution to the team effort.

3) Contribution to Design Research (20%)

This assignment involves preparing an individual paper that makes a contribution to the research dialogue on effective instructional design. The paper should center on how a set of design decisions made in the development of the simulation environment build on and extend current scholarly insights about interfaces, visualization, interactivity, or some other aspect of developing learning technologies.

Assessment

Grades will be based on completion of course requirements and on the scope, quality, and creativity of the assignments, including participation in class and electronic discussions. Incompletes in the course will be given only under unusual extenuating circumstances.

Course Topics and Schedule
(Subject to Change via Postings in Townhall and on Course Website)

Date	Topics	Readings/Assignments
1/24 10-1 Sprague	Introduction to the Course	Readings for 1/25:              The design and evaluation of virtual reality-based learning environments Grant proposal Steppingstones of Technology Innovation Grant Program "Fourteen Propositions about the Educational Uses of Virtual Reality" W. Winn & R. Jackson. Educational Technology (July-August, 1999), 5-14. (handout)   Readings for 1/31: LD Myths and Misconceptions Council for Exceptional Children's Briefing on Learning Disabilities General Information on Learning Disabilities Individuals with Disabilities Education Act   Assignment for 1/31: Check out Class Website in Townhall   Readings for 2/1 (SPECIAL TIME): Sense8/EAI World Toolkit Crystal Eyes
1/25 12-3 Dede	Design Underlying ScienceSpace Worlds National and State Standards for Secondary Science Education The Cross-Institutional Modeling and Visualization in Learning Course (MVL) Introduction to Ken Hay's Research	Readings for 2/2 (SPECIAL TIME):   Gordin, D. N., & Pea, R. D. (1995). Prospects for scientific visualization as an educational technology. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 4 (3), 249-279. (handout) Using virtual reality technology to convey abstract scientific concepts Multisensory immersion as a modeling environment for learning complex scientific concepts Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools National Level Science Standards Readings from the MVL Website, under "Resources"   Assignment for 1/31: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
1/31 10-1 Sprague	Needs Assessment and Evaluation Activities in Schools	Readings and Resources for 2/7: Active Physics Program at Edison High School NIMH Learning Disabilities Booklet National Center for Learning Disabilities A Curriculum Every Student Can Use LD Resources LD Online, including Technology and Learning Disabilities Inclusion Bibliography Learning Strategies for Learning Disabilities Bibliography   Assignments for 2/7: Develop Needs Assessment Plan and Learner Analysis/Setting Analysis Plan
SPECIAL TIME  2/1 10:30-1 Ying	Introduction to World Tool Kit
SPECIAL TIME  2/2 12-3 Dede	Ken Hay's Research Introduction to Linn and diSessa's Research	Readings for 2/11 (SPECIAL TIME):  White, B.Y. & Frederiksen, J.R. (1998) Inquiry, Modeling, and Metacognition: Making Science Accessible to All Learners. Cognition and Instruction, 16(1) 3-118. (handout) Geometry of Solids Demo from VR Learning VRML Representations in Science Computer-based Science Assessment Readings from the MVL Website   Assignment for 2/7: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
2/7 10-1 Sprague	Instructional Activities for World Toolkit Authoring Shell	Plans Due for Needs Assessment and Learner Analysis/Setting Analysis   Readings for 2/14: Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M., & Boon. R. (1998). "Science Education for Students with Disabilities: A Review of Recent Research." Studies in Science Education 32, 21-44. (handout) Students with Disabilities and Standards-based Reform (use as background) Teacher Preparation in Special Education for Science and Math (use as background)   Assignments for 2/21: Develop Performance Analysis/Needs Assessment
SPECIAL TIME 2/11 12-3 Dede	Linn and diSessa's Research Introduction to Schauble and Lehrer's Research	Readings for 2/15: Readings from the MVL Website Student Station (ideas about fun simulations for learners) NCSA-Shodor Bridge Project (visualizations, science, and students) Physics Across the Internet (check out the simulations)   Assignment for 2/15: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
2/14 10-1 Sprague	Meeting with Learning Disabilities Subject Matter Experts
2/15 12-3 Dede	Schauble and Lehrer's Research Introduction to Edelson's Research	Readings for 2/22: Readings from the MVL Website VRML and Web3D Applications Gallery   Assignment for 2/22: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
2/21 10-1 Sprague	Developing Task Analysis, Objectives, and Assessment Methods	Performance Analysis and Needs Assessment Due   Assignment for 2/28: Develop Learner Analysis/Setting Analysis
2/22 12-3 Dede	Edelson's Research	Readings for 3/7: Readings from the MVL Website    Assignment for 3/7: Participate in two sets of MVL Class Discussions
2/28 10-1 Sprague		Learner Analysis/Setting Analysis Due   Assignments for 3/6: Develop Task Analysis, Objectives, and Assessment Methods
2/29 No Class Meeting	Release Time for In-Field Analyses
3/6 10-1 Sprague		Task Analysis, Objectives, and Assessment Methods Due   Assignments for 3/20: Develop Content Outline and Storyboards
3/7 12-2 Dede	Introduction to Zaritsky's Research	Readings for 3/21: Readings from the MVL Website    Assignment for 3/21: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
3/13	No Meeting -- Spring Break
3/14	No Meeting -- Spring Break
3/20 10-1 Sprague	Formative Evaluation Methods	Content Outline and Storyboards Due   Assignments for 3/27: Develop Partial Prototype
3/21 12-3 Dede	Zaritsky's Research Introduction to Songer's Research	Readings for 3/28: Readings from the MVL Website    Assignment for 3/28: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
3/27 10-1 Sprague		Partial Prototype Due   Assignments for 4/3: Develop Formative Evaluation Plan
3/28 12-3 Dede	Songer's Research	Readings for 4/4: Readings from the MVL Website    Assignment for 4/4: Participate in MVL Class Discussions
4/3 10-1 Sprague		Formative Evaluation Plan Due   Assignments for 4/10: Complete Final Prototype
4/4 12-3 Dede	Summative Discussion on MVL Research
4/10 10-1 Sprague	Feedback from Subject Matter Experts in Special Education	Final Prototype Due   Assignments for 5/1: Conduct Formative Evaluations
4/11 12-3 Dede	Feedback from Subject Matter Experts in Science Summative Evaluation Strategies	Assignments for 5/2: Summative Evaluation Plan Due
4/17 10-1 Sprague
4/18 No Class Meeting	Release time for In-Field Formative Evaluations
4/24	Release Day for Formative Evaluation Fieldwork
4/25	Release Day for Formative Evaluation Fieldwork
5/1 10-1 Sprague		Formative Evaluation Report Due   Assignments for 5/8: Revise Design
5/2 12-3 Dede	Discussion of Summative Evaluation	Summative Evaluation Plan Due
5/8 ALL DAY	Reports from All Immersion Groups	Design Revisions Due
5/9 MORNING	Reports from All Immersion Groups

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