Instructional+Unit+in+a+Virtual+Classroom+Environment

=Instructional Unit in a Virtual Classroom Environment =

=Assignment = This assignment required the student to create a virtual classroom containing at least three learning units within the Blackboard environment. This assignment requires the instructor to engage his/her students with the use of various multimedia, collaborative tools and assessments to enhance the learning process.

The virtual classroom requires a syllabus written specifically for this class. The syllabus must contain all requirements of the class as well as grading rubrics, class and institution policies and other required information. The syllabus must also contain information that pertains specifically to the students' participation in an online learning environment. These items include how to submit assignments, proper use of the discussion board, grade book viewing, etc.

The units are to consist of an introductory assessment to ascertain the level of students' beginning knowledge of the subject. The unit will also contain a group (collaborative) activity creating a cooperative learning environment where students learn from each other. The use of discussion boards for class collaboration must also be implemented. Various multimedia presentations and learning tools are to be incorporated into the classroom to enhance students' understanding and application of the subject matter.

Students' achievement levels are obtained by tests or finals projects. These assessments are cumulative for each unit.



=Process = Planning the content for this Virtual Classroom was the most challenging part of this assignment. Fortunately, I know Blackboard very well since I teach it to instructors and students in my current position at Delaware Tech. This was a hurdle that was already out of the way when I began planning my class.

Because this was a “fictitious” class and not a subject I had taught before, I had to think about what I would want to learn as a student taking this class online. I wanted there to be a lot of multimedia because to get the full flavor of Shakespeare, it is better if one hears it or sees it. I also wanted there to be many activities to get the student thinking. Simply sitting down and reading a Shakespearean play or sonnet does not necessarily allow for a complete comprehension of the material.

In creating the first Unit, I started with the basics. The title of the Unit was displayed to tell the student what they were going to learn within that Unit. I assessed the students to determine how much they knew about Shakespeare. I assumed that most would have no knowledge to very little knowledge about him or they would not be interested in a “101” class most likely.

Each Unit I created started with a step-by-step guide of what was to be read, written, explored, etc. in the sequence it was to be completed. In the same folder containing the step-by-step guide, I included many websites used as a reference for the work at hand. I also included a folder where the student could find the assignments without going through the step-by-step guide. Each Unit also contains a discussion board assignment. The first discussion board also includes introductions by the class to me and their classmates.

Unit One also includes the only group activity I created for the class. This activity asks pairs of students (created by the instructor earlier) to write a conversation between the two of them in modern English and then translate it into Shakespearean English. The conversation was to be created and recorded and archived in an assigned Wimba Classroom. This activity not only asked them to get more familiar with the Shakespearean language, but also how to manipulate the technology used for the assignment.

Finally, this Unit ends in a multiple choice exam taken within the classroom and automatically graded. The grades were set to automatically post to the Grade Center. The second Unit deals with two of Shakespeare’s comedies – “Twelfth Night” and “The Taming of the Shrew”. I thought that the students would have more fun studying a Shakespearean comedy than they would one of the tragedies.

The step-by-step guide starts off with explaining the end of Unit project. This project is time consuming, so I thought it better to let them know about it in the beginning of the Unit. I also asked them to submit their project idea to the instructor for approval before they spent time on it. The project asked the student to “direct” a scene from either one of the assigned play with the Xtranormal Web 2.0 software found at www.xtranormal.com. I added at tutorial to the Unit regarding the use of this tool.

The discussion board exercise asked the students to discuss what they considered funny and to fill out worksheet with comedic terms. They were then asked to apply those terms to a specific scene in “Twelfth Night”. This exercise helped them to see the different ways that Shakespeare used comedy to make a point.

The next discussion board asked the students to watch the last scene from “The Taming of the Shrew” and answer some questions regarding what was happening in the scene. This would hopefully start a very opinionated dialogue regarding what was happening in the scene.

The third Unit discussed the sonnets. Several academic videos were posted in this Unit showing scholars discussing the sonnets and iambic pentameter. The step-by-step guide asks the students to take a short quiz to see what they know of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Then students are asked to recite Sonnet 18 into the Wimba Voice tool found in Blackboard.

Finally, the Unit ends with the student writing a sonnet of his/her very own. This, again, is a more involved assignment and time is given for its completion.

Within the virtual classroom, there is a list of buttons on the left-hand side of the screen. I added buttons as follows:

Announcements Syllabus Start Here – contains general information and forms regarding the class. Assignments Electronic Media – this is a place where they can view the media contained in the classroom. External Links Homepage – where they write their own homepage. Discussion Board Class Blog – a direct link to the class blog



=Reflection =

This assignment was a challenge for me because I have never written a syllabus or a lesson plan before. Because I work in higher education, the syllabi are pre-written by the Chairperson of the particular department and not the instructors. The classes (especially those taught online) are basically prefabricated needing only a few tweaks here and there by the current instructor. These, too, are written by the department Chairperson along with his/her instructional coordinators. Essentially, the instructor has very little input when it comes to the requirements to be met while teaching the class.

As I stated earlier, I am very astute when it comes to Blackboard. Along with occasionally teaching regular classes, I also teach instructors and students how to navigate through Blackboard while in a class. This enabled me to jump right into this assignment regarding the technology because I knew how to get through every aspect of Blackboard.

The most difficult part of this assignment was not only putting together the syllabus, but putting together each individual unit for a subject that I do not teach (but I would love to teach). I had to think from a “101” standpoint. I had to think of what student new to the subject of Shakespeare would want to learn. I also had to think about what was essential for them to understand about the writings. This task was not as easy as it may seem.

I wanted to make it interesting for the student while challenging them beyond what they may expect from a class like this. It was also important that the lessons be engaging and fun. This is the purpose of all the multimedia contained in the lessons. It was important that they hear this information from various sources to obtain various points of view.

All in all, this assignment was most certainly a learning experience. The amount of time it took to complete this assignment was about 75 hours all tolled. There were still some things I could have worked on here and there to perfect it, but I think that one could do that to a fault. I was overall satisfied with what I accomplished and I hope to use this material in a real classroom setting.