Projects
Below are five projects completed for the M.S. in Instructional Design at Syracuse University (2017-2018). To learn more about these courses and other artifacts from my study, please view the Courses description page.
Project 1: Knowledge base on learning theories
Course and grade received: IDE 621 - Principles of Instruction and Learning; “A”
Project title: Knowledge Base on Learning and Instructional Design Theories
Author: Nathan Elequin
Context of the project: Throughout the course of IDE 621, one of the primary goals for the class was to understand the differences between learning theories, instructional theories, and the relationship between them. Our instructor emphasized the importance of understanding the three primary learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Social Learning) as mutually exclusive in their philosophical context. As a result, we also created a roadmap that explained the differences and even listed a few instructional design techniques that fall under certain learning theories. In the end, the purpose of the Knowledge Bases was to re-create this concept map in several different formats and applications - such as in infographics, learning situations, and observation checklist, and an open reflection.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Evaluation
Reflection and self-assessment: I have always been a strong proponent of the idea that the best way to learn a complicated idea is to teach it. In this vein, I found it immensely useful and satisfying to create aesthetically-appealing and concise infographics in the form of Theory Overviews and the Overall Roadmap.
In addition, there are two aspects of this assignment that I greatly appreciated. The first is the explicitly-clear idea that learning philosophies are mutually exclusive. Before transferring into the IDD&E program, I had spent several months in graduate-level courses that took a flimsy approach to instrtuction by shrugging their shoulders and saying, "we have nothing to teach you, it is up to you to choose your reality and teach yourselves how to operate in it." In contrast, this course (and this assignment) emphasized a simple but profound idea in learning theory - that there are choices that must be made in order to develop a consistent approach to instructional design. I appreciated the honesty and practicality of the rhetoric in this. The second thing I appreciated was the assessment-oriented approach that necessitated the creation of the observation checklist. This indicated that it is vital to have a clear understanding as to how a designer would hold instructors accountable for the objectives established by the design of a lesson, regardless of their philosophy.
Overall, I believe that this helped me reinforce and demonstrate thorough understanding over the learning and instructional philosophies.
Project title: Knowledge Base on Learning and Instructional Design Theories
Author: Nathan Elequin
Context of the project: Throughout the course of IDE 621, one of the primary goals for the class was to understand the differences between learning theories, instructional theories, and the relationship between them. Our instructor emphasized the importance of understanding the three primary learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Social Learning) as mutually exclusive in their philosophical context. As a result, we also created a roadmap that explained the differences and even listed a few instructional design techniques that fall under certain learning theories. In the end, the purpose of the Knowledge Bases was to re-create this concept map in several different formats and applications - such as in infographics, learning situations, and observation checklist, and an open reflection.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Evaluation
Reflection and self-assessment: I have always been a strong proponent of the idea that the best way to learn a complicated idea is to teach it. In this vein, I found it immensely useful and satisfying to create aesthetically-appealing and concise infographics in the form of Theory Overviews and the Overall Roadmap.
In addition, there are two aspects of this assignment that I greatly appreciated. The first is the explicitly-clear idea that learning philosophies are mutually exclusive. Before transferring into the IDD&E program, I had spent several months in graduate-level courses that took a flimsy approach to instrtuction by shrugging their shoulders and saying, "we have nothing to teach you, it is up to you to choose your reality and teach yourselves how to operate in it." In contrast, this course (and this assignment) emphasized a simple but profound idea in learning theory - that there are choices that must be made in order to develop a consistent approach to instructional design. I appreciated the honesty and practicality of the rhetoric in this. The second thing I appreciated was the assessment-oriented approach that necessitated the creation of the observation checklist. This indicated that it is vital to have a clear understanding as to how a designer would hold instructors accountable for the objectives established by the design of a lesson, regardless of their philosophy.
Overall, I believe that this helped me reinforce and demonstrate thorough understanding over the learning and instructional philosophies.
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Project 2: Zambian Voter Education
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Course and grade received: IDE 631 - Instructional Design & Development I; “A”
Project title: Zambian Voter Education (Final Report - Plus Slideshow) Contributors / authors: Agaba Lucy Bagura, Nathan Elequin, Muya Mwiya Context of the project: In the 2016 Zambian General Election (including presidential, legislative, and mayoral elections simultaneously), a total of 285,415 votes were disqualified for various ballot-based reasons (such as incorrect marking or ballot placement). The purpose of this project was to demonstrate instructional competencies in estblishing objectives, designing an instructional system, storyboarding activities, and planning out an implementation process for solving a performance gap. In this case, our group sought to leverage the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to devel a short unit of instruction that they could disseminate through their units to improve representation in all elections. |
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IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development (plan), Implementation (plan), Evaluation (plan)
Reflection and self-assessment: This was my first exposure to (and experience within) a beginning-to-end instructional design solution; from the analysis of a performance gap to the proposed summative assessment, this project included the design and planning for every aspect of our solution's implementation. Overall, I was appreciative of the clear framework (through the ADDIE process) for completing this project - it allowed me to break down the complex task into manageable parts and delgate/collaborate with my team members responsibly and within the constraints of our project. Moreover, I loved learning about the ECZ through Muya since it highlighted the type of global impact that instructional designers can have even when tackling simple issues (such as improper ballot education).
I believe that I demonstrated a strong understanding of the major phases, particularly with regard to the defining and mapping of the learning objectives and assessment for our instruction. I learned that it is better to define objective too narrowly than define them too broadly, because then it allows you better control over your storyboarding and implmentation scheme with clear insights. In the end, I was grateful for the guided experience and would use this system for work in the future.
Project 3: Professional Development Evaluation
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Course and grade received: IDE 641 - Techniques in Educational Evaluation; “A”
Project title: Evaluation of Professional Development for the Learning Management System Canvas (Final Report, Plus Slideshow) Contributors / authors: Linda Presciotta, Joseph Sterbank, Nathan Elequin Context of the project: The purpose of this project was to produce an in-depth plan for deisgning, implementing, and reporting on an evaluation for a specific instructional program in any context. Due to the work and experience of our project group, we selected to evaluate the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) middle school professional development offerings for learning and utilizing Canvas - a Learning Management System (LMS) purchased by the district but seeing little engagement from the area's teachers. Our project designed and developed the system and materials for evaluating exactly how teachers responded to their professional development and attempted to create a framework for connecting that data to potential future improvements that the district could take in its efforts to increase the use of Canvas among its teachers. |
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IDD&E phases involved: Design, Development (plan), Implementation (plan), Evaluation
Reflection and self-assessment: Due to the ten-part process for delegating this project, my team was able to capitalize on the strengths of each member and produce a high-quality report that applied the lessons we were learning through our class discussions. In my opinion, this was the first truly detailed project that I had to complete. This assignment required a very close examination of objectives, clients, costs, constraints, timelines, and evaluation paradigms that would prove or disprove the validity of our work. As a result, I was forced to learn to think more realistically about the process of implementing 'clean' systems in what would otherwise be 'messy' environments - where information is asymmetric and plans are difficult to implement universally. I was happy with the final result, which took a complicated issue (one rooted in motivation and incentives) and produced an evaluation plan that could produce useful information for the district.
Project 4: Project management plan
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Course and grade received: IDE761 Strategies in Educational Project Management; “A”
Project title: "K-12 Technology Integration and Professional Development Program" (Final Report, Plus Video, Plus Slideshow) Contributors / authors: Nathan Elequin, Garmondyu Whorway Context of the project: This project sought to provide students with an intensive experience in establishing a project's objectives, planning its implementation, and organizing and controlling the appropriate resources in order to respond to a client's needs. Similarly to an instructional designer, the project manager utilizes a five-part system for ensuring that the client's desires are accomplished to the best ability given constraints on time and resources. As a result, this project involved small groups undergoing the production of deliverables for the five (5) phases of educational project management - Define, Plan, Organize, Control, and Close. Intermittently, each team would experience unexpected changes through interactions with their client, stretching their adaptability and application of communication techniques in order to provide a meaningful experience for the client. |
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IDD&E phases involved: Implementation, Evaluation
Reflection and self-assessment: This project became a clever and powerful mix of role-playing, negotiation, delegation, and strategic planning that served its purpose of providing practical experience in project management. Overall, it was eye-opening to discover the importance of clearly communicating expectations and Critical Paths to completion due to the affect it can have on one's communications with the client and the capacity for a management team to respond to unexpected changes during the flow of work.
I also learned about how to create Critical Path Diagrams, Work Breakdown Structures, Gantt Charts, and Final Audits as tools for helping assure quality and informing the client on project progress. I believe that my partner and I demonstrated mastery of these skills in our final product.
Project 5: Instructional Unit: SAT Reading Comprehension (Capstone)
Course and grade received: IDE 737 - Advanced Instructional Design (Capstone Course); “A”
Project title: SAT Advanced Reading Comprehension
Author: Nathan Elequin
Context of the project: The primary objective for the IDE 737 course is to provide an in-depth professional experience with designing, storyboarding, and revising a unit of instruction. As a result, I sought to apply my developed skills by taking a 2015 curriculum I had created for teaching SAT Advanced Reading Comprehension and using the capstone course to reflect upon my professional mindset while using a sophisticated rubric to improve my instruction. The result was a multi-tiered project that included storyboarding, modifications, a self-critique, and an open reflection journal.
Project title: SAT Advanced Reading Comprehension
Author: Nathan Elequin
Context of the project: The primary objective for the IDE 737 course is to provide an in-depth professional experience with designing, storyboarding, and revising a unit of instruction. As a result, I sought to apply my developed skills by taking a 2015 curriculum I had created for teaching SAT Advanced Reading Comprehension and using the capstone course to reflect upon my professional mindset while using a sophisticated rubric to improve my instruction. The result was a multi-tiered project that included storyboarding, modifications, a self-critique, and an open reflection journal.
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IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development (Plan)
Reflection and self-assessment: While this project did not include a deep look at the implementation or evaluation strategies for the selected unit of instruction, I still argue that this was the most comprehsive project that I completed during my work in the IDD&E program. I was excited to work on my SAT curriculum because I perceived that I would be starting immediate work as an SAT instructor or that I would be starting a small business using an SAT course of my own design.
While I originally expected to be uncomfortable with critiquing my previous work and revising it through such a rigorous process, I actually found it quite enjoyable. I believe the main reason for this was that I now had a process that I could confidently use to mold my work and set it up for success. Moreover, I like storyboarding because I tend to visualize my instruction in a similar manner and using a template like the one in this class made it much easier to realize my vision for the particular instructional unit I selected.
Overall, I was delighted to see many of those competencies come together in the form of a practical and demonstrative project. My hope is that I will be able to look at this project (and the self-reflection it included) and follow that system on future projects and in different fields and industries.
