Student Led Staff Development

Summary

This lesson is designed to provide real-world experience in the use of the ADDIE Instructional Design Model, by having students create an original Staff Development Lesson for High School Teachers. The students have a week and a half to prepare the lesson in groups of 6-7 students. The lessons must explain and present research and data based strategies or information that will impact instruction at the school. The lessons are designed after researching and examining school data and a needs assessment conducted by each group. They will present the lesson to teachers during their Lunch Block. Students will fill the role of instructors, while classroom teachers and school staff will become the students. After the lesson, the faculty will give feedback to the students that will be presented along with video footage of the lessons during a “Boardroom” style reflection session, facilitated by the instructor.

TIPC Ratings

Ideal/Target: The teacher constantly facilitates tasks in which students must demonstrate and rely on research skills to address the task of teaching the lesson. The fluency of research and information skills is assessed during the “Boardroom” activity and the reflective essays (especially as they critique the analysis phase of the project). He also models strategies during whole class discussion and small group help. Information must be synthesized by students to determine and address specific instructional goals created by the groups. Students constructed their own questions to guide scholarly research of educational strategies as well as questions given during the surveys and needs analyses. They displayed this information using presi, inforgr.am, ActivInspire and other methods depending on the group’s decisions and needs.

Ideal/Target: All group norms, objectives and roles were student determined with support from the teacher only if needed. Groups determined their own methodology, instructional materials and digital tools based on goals. The instructor would model skills in the small group and whole class setting. Communication occurred between the students and faculty in the sessions. The effectiveness of this was assessed by the instructor in the “Boardroom” activity as well as through the reflective essay where students reflected on their ability to communicate effectively as teachers, and collaborate with peers throughout the design process. Their work throughout all 6 stages shows a strong need to collaborate with each other and communicate with their learners, as well as communication that occurs during critique and feedback through reflection.

Ideal/Target- The instruction was designed by the instructor so that students could solve the authentic task of teaching a skill to faculty. This ability was assessed through the Boardroom activity and reflective essays. The instructor constantly prompted, questioned and guided the students to think critically to create meaningful instruction in a 22 minute time frame. Students had to justify all decisions. (This is probably best seen through work in the Design and Development Stages). Respond to self-generated questions and problems, and decide which tools to use to best solve their problem. They then had to reflect on their ability to meet instructional goals, and suggest strategies for future growth.

Ideal/Target- The teacher modeled creativity and risk taking by showing sample staff development lessons that were innovative and different. The opportunity to succeed or fail in a real task in front of real teachers was designed by the instructor to foster creativity as well as problem solving. The students ability to create new and meaningful instruction was assessed through the “Boardroom” activity and the reflective essay. Students had to use self-generated data and research to see needs that needed to be met with innovative solutions. Their work was original and each group had to take and justify several risks instructionally. Finally they had to reflect on this ability using teacher, faculty and peer feedback.