Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

Memorial University
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia
Position Paper for Self-Instructional Product

Submitted to
Dr. Bruce Mann
Department of Information Technology
Faculty of Education

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Education
Information Technology

February 9th, 2015

Education 6615
Colleen A. Scott
cas530@mun.ca
1-902-635-3614

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

Position Paper on Web-based Personalized System of Instruction for African

Canadian Studies 11
The vision of the Social Studies curriculum for Atlantic Canada is to Enable and
encourage students to examine issues, respond critically and creatively, and make
informed decisions as individuals and as citizens of Canada and of an increasingly
interdependent world (Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Social Studies Curriculum,
1999). The vision of the Technology Education curriculum for this same geographic
region is to foster the development of all learners as technologically literate and
capable citizens who can develop, implement, and communicate practical, innovative,
and responsible technological solutions to problems (Foundation for the Atlantic
Canada Technology Education Curriculum 2001, p. 1). The curriculum document for
African Canadian Studies 11 (ACS 11), develops the course around various themes, or
topics, namely: Evolution and Change, Elements of African Diaspora, Impact of
Colonial Expansion, Struggle for Identity, Independent Study, In Pursuit of Justice,
and The Journey Toward Empowerment.
Based predominantly on reading and responding activities, the curriculum is not
well serving to those students who have difficulties with reading comprehension and
transferral of the text to paper, or alternate product of learning. There is a lack of
resources available to the classroom teacher to aid students with such learning needs.
Of primary concern is the textbook itself. Although there are really good pictures
and other quality text features, the reading level of the textbook is higher than the
reading level of a majority of students enrolled in the ACS 11 class. Not having the
necessary remediation - the time or required material resources to remediate - the

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

development of a web-based Personalized System of Instruction (wPSI) should be well

suited to students who have reading disparities in ACS 11.
How effectively will a wPSI work for students requiring visual and auditory
variations in ACS 11? The goal of this course is to motivate students to learn of the
diversity of African and Africans, the pre-colonial kingdoms of Africa, impacts of colonial
expansion, conditions of enslavement and its various implications, pursuit of civil rights
and equality, and the strategies for empowerment. The goal of this document is to
demonstrate how effectively a wPSI will work to deliver the content of the ACS 11
curriculum to students who require visual and auditory variations.
Problem Analysis
There are web-based resources already available to support teachers in various
courses. Upon having already carried out research, no resources exist specifically for
ACS 11. The concentration of such resources can be found for the United States
equivalent, African American Studies / African American History, yet the people, places
and dates are specific to the United States curriculum. I will develop a wPSI for ACS 11,
based on the topic/unit of Evolution and Change so as to target the needs of my
students with reading comprehension and application of information challenges.
Needs Analysis
Present Situation
Currently, the ACS 11 program for Grade Eleven students is to be covered in the
second semester of the 2014/15 academic year. It is scheduled to occur during ten
classes in an eight-day cycle, with a total of ten and one-half hours of instructional time
per cycle. Over the course of the semester (19 weeks or 87 days) there exists six units

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

to cover. The curriculum outcomes describe what knowledge, skills and attitudes
students are expected to demonstrate at the end of the course. According to the Nova
Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development specific curriculum
outcomes, by the end of the Evolution and Change Unit, Students will be expected to
demonstrate and understanding of the diversity of Africa and various African cultures
and show their importance in the development of Canadian Identity (p.1). The
complexity and volume of the content to be covered will determine the time spent on
each of these units. Each unit is allotted a timeframe of three weeks.
There is rarely time, or resources available so as to revisit the content once it has
been covered as a class. For those students who have issues with concept mastery or
otherwise struggle with the curriculum outcomes, this content can quickly compound
and make for a negative learning experience. Students can then end up with knowledge
gaps or lack the required skills when, or if, they further their studies in another
Canadian History credit. Ideally, students should be enabled to compare or contrast the
different aspects of Social Studies and Canadian History courses. Within the
fundamental skills being acquired in ACS 11, students may well be unable to make such
contrasts and/or comparisons to previous or futuristic study.
Ideal Situation
Rather than focusing on a timeline of dates and the individuals who made these
dates historically relevant, it would be idea, for certain students, to focus on the events
that occurred in order to make these dates significant. Thus focusing on the process
would be a more suitable approach for a number of Grade 11 students enrolled in
African Canadian Studies who will be interfacing with the wPSI. Those students in the

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

class who wish to learn the who and when could work to master this material as well
as the what?, where?, how?, and why?, while those students who struggle with
such content retention could focus on the what?, how? and why? and the where? in
a more general sense. Working within a wPSI, students could develop skills at their own
pace while accessing all pertinent information. Juxtaposed to teaching and then offering
remediation, the teacher could offer remediation following the student(s) working
independently with the wPSI. Essentially, the teacher could provide specific and direct
support, and review and remediation if required.
If interventions were a priority and made more accessible to students there would
be fewer students lagging with the prescribed curriculum outcomes. One factor that may
cause insufficiencies might be student schedules, if time not allotted for specific and
direct support and/or any necessary remediation. Were a class interrupted for a special
event, a sporting event, or similar activity, both the teacher and student would have to
work out mutually feasible time in order to carry out the necessary support, review
and/or remediation. Many high school students work outside of school hours thus often
eliminating their study blocks or after school hours as viable options for such to occur.
However, the more frequently opportunities are created for the purpose of review and
practice, the more likely students are to experience mastery of the outcomes. This is
more likely to occur with a student if given the opportunity to work within a wPSI.
Bridging the Gap
A wPSI is proposed as a means by which I can bridge the gap between the
current and ideal situations. Identified in a paper by Keller (1968), were five essential
features of a personalized course:

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

1) That it permits a student to move through the course at a speed

commensurate with his ability and other demands upon his time: a self-pacing
feature, 2) Lets the student go ahead to new material only after demonstrating
mastery of that which preceded: progressively sequential units, 3) Lectures and
demonstrations are no longer sources of critical information. Instead, they are
vehicles of motivation, 4) Teacher-student communication is mainly conveyed via
written word, 5) Use of proctors, which permits repeated testing, immediate
scoring, almost unavoidable tutoring, and a marked enhancement of the
personal-social aspect of the educational process (Keller, F. S., 1968, p. 79).
Not all of the components of a wPSI would be appropriate for a class of ACS 11
students. Sufficient technology (ie: computerized devices) would not be available for an
entire class of students. However, Rae and Samuels (2011) indicated, a wPSI can be an
effective pedagogical approach for teaching cognitive skills to diverse cohorts using
virtual learning environments and that many students can master a particular cognitive
skill should sufficient time, attention and instruction be provided. A wPSI, used for a
number of Grade 11 students in this case, those with reading comprehension and/or
application of information challenges would prove to be assistive in bridging the gap
between the current situation and a situation that is more ideal. More accessible and
meaningful interaction with the curriculum would occur were a web-based, multi-media
learning tool be provided to these individual students. Self directed learning could
readily occur online as opposed to traditional pen and paper type of activities being
undertaken. Students could access support from one another, from Resource
teacher(s), or from the classroom teacher. Both formative and summative assessments

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

would take place using the technological tools made available to students. These would
be submitted to the classroom teacher for timely feedback. The work of Williams,
Mehlinger, Powers, & Balwin (2002) relates to this as they argue that as opposed to
having to read a unified perspective presented by a textbook, students currently have
access to many different points of view when utilizing technology. Rather than
memorizing information, the need is there for students to learn how to collaborate with
others as they solve problems and communicate solutions to their teacher, all while
applying solutions to the world beyond the classroom. Gahala (2001) furthers this with
the fact that problems must be complex enough to support sustained exploration and
encourage collaboration, having multiple interrelated parts to develop students' ability to
break problems down so as to be able to better organize their solutions. Representing
and communicating such complex problems is an important function of technology. As
opposed to real world problems, technology can incorporate graphics, video,
animation, and other tools. The tools can then be utilized to create problems that can be
repeatedly explored. This makes multi-media representations easier to understand than
text-presented problems.
Data Collection
Grade Analysis
Comparison of grades earned by students in their other History credit will be
carried out. These will be compared with the level of achievement in English Language
Arts classes as well. Discussions will take place between myself and fellow Canadian
History course teachers and English Language Arts teachers. Additionally, student
records and documents can be accessed (via Technology for Improving Education

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

Network (TIENET), which is the iNSchool student services information portal) so as

to assist in the determination of student reading and comprehension levels. Resource
personnel will also be consulted for their expertise in this area of learning, especially
concerning those students who have Program Adaptations and Individual Program
Plans.
Interviews
In addition to the aforementioned, individual interviews would be conducted.
These would provide a more personal approach to getting to know my students
strengths and weaknesses insofar as their comfort with reading; their present level of
mastery and how they would like to see themselves progress. The expectation is for
students to partake in setting their own individualized learning goals. Student input can
prove to be very valuable. Not only does it demonstrate to the student that, as a
teacher, I care about their academic success, but it also allows them to have a voice in
their educational goals within a prescribed curriculum. Research has indicated that
students who set their own working goals tend to achieve more than when working on
goals set for them by the teacher. Students who set their own learning goals have more
confidence to take on more challenging tasks, regardless of their ability. Their motivation
to improve and master a task is improved and their self-esteem remains strong, even in
the case of failure (State of Victoria, 2007, p. 3).
Observations
I have regularly observed students with reading disabilities struggle with the
textbook. I have offered other texts when possible, and have offered the use of the
Internet as an alternative form of information gathering. Unfortunately, this has often

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

caused disengagement of these students and frustration on my part due to lack of

adequate resources, students not knowing what to search for, and it often proving to be
time-consuming on both parties involved. With disengagement, often these students fall
further behind in mastery of the course outcomes. The case often becomes one of
requiring more time to interact with required resources.
Document Review
For the purpose of this position paper, I reviewed the content pertaining to the
Vision, Background and Rationale for the curriculum. In the document, learning
outcomes were identified, proposed timelines were offered, methods of assessment
were discussed, and additional resources were suggested. The majority of resources
suggested were, unfortunately, not web-based. Many of the articles examined to
support this paper suggested technology integration as a way of improving learning for
all curricular areas as well as learning for students who were challenged with reading
abilities. Specifically, using appropriate sounds and visuals was identified as a means
by which these students could improve their learning of the content. Interactive
computer programs help students increase literacy rates (Evanouski, 2009, p. 5).
In reviewing these information sources I found that many of these explained how
a wPSI can support student learning, the factors to be considered when designing a
wPSI, and considerations for the construction of a wPSI. I would like to focus on those
considerations related to the use of visuals (sight), verbal, and auditory (sound)
information and the interactions of these factors when creating my course wPSI.

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Contextual Analysis
Setting
The school at which I work is a rural high school comprised of approximately 500
students Grades seven to twelve. The local income is driven by the fisheries industry.
There are quite a few families with high incomes; mainly those who own their own
fishing vessel and employ others. Likewise, there are a significant number of students
living at or below the poverty line. A number of families are of mixed, often comprised of
at least one non-biological parent helping to raise the children. Another fairly common
situation is of single mothers raising one or more child. There exists within the school a
large population of students who have special needs, whether these are in the form of
Program Adaptations (PAs) or Individual Program Plans (IPPs). The needs of these
students range depending on the subject area and their social, behavioural, and overall
cognitive development.
As a educational community, we have decreased the amount of work that goes
home as homework, assignments, and projects due to many students not having the
supports at home for it to be completed. We have a high number of students who have
special learning needs, ranging from reading and writing disabilities, Autism Spectrum
Disorder, Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder, Behavioural Concerns such as
issues with anger management, and other concerns with general developmental delays.
Our support staff consists of three full-time Resource Centre teachers, one part-time
Resource teacher, four full-time Teacher Assistants. These individuals assist in the
implementation of teacher-created learning plans and lessons for students who require
Program Adaptations and Individualized Program Plans. The documentation involved in

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

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creating and maintaining these plans is rather extensive. As such, teacher and support
personnel workload is a concern at our educational site.
The school is not technology rich. Each classroom is equipped with a liquid
crystal display (LCD) projector, a teacher computer and two student computers, shared
between two classrooms in a work room. Math teachers have recently installed Mimio
devices in their classrooms. Otherwise, one computer lab is shared amongst the entire
school population. This room is reserved for Exploring Technology classes, for
keyboarding and working with various software suites. This room is reserved for at least
ten class periods per cycle per semester. The room will comfortably allow for a class of
30 students, if and when all computers are functioning. Hardwired and Wi-Fi Internet is
available with limitations of password protected access. Some students have been
assigned iPads for use in class. These have been made are available to students who
have qualified for Resource Centre support. There is a classroom set of laptops
available on a sign-out basis. Similar to the computer lab, not all the laptops are fully
functional at all times. Our school policy is slowly becoming less stringent insofar as
students can use their own handheld devices when monitored. As a Nova Scotia school,
all students have been assigned a Board-based email account complete with cloud
storage.
Organizational Support
As part of our School Improvement Plan (SIP) individual staff members have
joined together to form a Technology Integration learning committee. The committee
was created so the staff could collaborate on technology learning opportunities and
integrate technologies into the various learning environments. Although this committee

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has only recently been created, we examine and share potentially useful resources so
as to integrate technology into our learning environments.
The Technology Integration Committee is allotted time to meet during our schoolbased professional development days for two hours. This time has afforded the teaching
staff an opportunity to network and share ideas relating to educational apps an
applications. There is little in the way of monetary resources for technology purchases
at this time. That being stated, we are presently limited to free or less costly apps,
applications. Ideas have been shared relating to application for grant monies so as to
move forward with the purchase and installation of technological devices. The
committee has looked into having professional development conducted by technology
experts from the school board, or other outside sources of technological program
development.
DECL Factors
Web-based educational material creation requires that a number of factors be
considered. Mann (2005) indicates that there are at least four factors that under certain
conditions will affect student learning. These factors are: Delivery, Environment, Content
and Learner (DECL).
Delivery
An educational website containing both instruction and activities is the intended
delivery method of my wPSI prototype. In creating this prototype, I will work to ensure
that the reading materials be adapted to the reading level fluency of the students
utilizing the wPSI. This will predominantly occur by conducting text to speech formatting.
So that students do not lose focus, sound cues appropriate to the activity will be

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provided. These sound cues will serve as a prompt, reminding students of the tasks
being carried out at a given time. Videos, multimedia presentations, and/or web-links
will provide information to be utilized by the student(s). This information will be used to
complete activities and assessments so as to demonstrate content comprehension.
Individual student comprehension will then be applied. Submission of student work will
occur online by way of the Cloud storage system, or directly to the teacher. Teacher
feedback will then be provided. Auditory, visual, or both forms of feedback will occur
dependent on my own learning curve with the software chosen. From class posts,
Weebly seems both easy to access and use as a medium for the development of my
prototype. Content can be maintained with relative ease, and the site is free of
advertisements. I first learned of Weebly in another Master of Education in
Information Technology course. I have interfaced with this site minimally and found it to
be rather user-friendly. In order to protect student privacy, I will verify the security
settings of this site due to the Freedom on Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Student safety and security is the number one concern of mine, my school
administration, the School Board, and the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development.
Environment
As much as it is possible to do, the learning environment will be the ACS 11
classroom. An alternate site will be the Learning Centre should additional time be
required by the student to master the material outside of the ACS 11 schedule each
cycle. If necessary, work can be completed outside school hours, as it is a web-based
tool, yet this will not be the expectation due to some students not having access to the

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

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Internet at home. The course teacher, and/or a Resource teacher, and/or a Teachers
Assistant can offer support, if required, during the school day while the student is
working from a school computer.
Content
All content contained within the wPSI will be based on the ACS 11 Curriculum.
More specifically, the content will focus on demonstrating an understanding of the
diversity of Africa and various African cultures. In doing such, students will need to
demonstrate the importance of African cultures in the development of Canadian identity.
Learner Characteristics
The wPSI prototype developed is expressly intended to be used with a select few
students enrolled in my ACS 11 class. These students have difficulty with reading
comprehension. The students reading difficulties relate to their lack of ability to decode
text, their processing speed, or both. The curriculum-assigned textbook is not at their
reading and comprehension level(s). Other external materials brought in for class use
would have similar results with these individual learners. A wPSI that will engage these
students and facilitate their learning for the first unit of ACS 11 is my proposed goal.
These students have a basic, working knowledge of computers. Part of this knowledge
base is word processing, and web browsing; accessing computer programs and webbased programs. As previously mentioned, a few students have Program Adaptations or
Individualized Program Plans and qualify for Resource teacher or Teacher Assistant
support. This support, in conjunction with time in class and support received from me,
should be very helpful for these students in mastering the prescribed content.

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

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Objectives
Prerequisites
Students will need to be able to comprehend at least a grade five level text,
either by way of reading independently, or through auditory activities. Additionally,
students will need to have access to a computing device (computer, laptop, or
iPad/tablet). In order for these to work effectively, Internet connectivity capability will
also be mandatory. Students will need to know how to operate a computer, laptop, or
iPad/tablet, a web browser, and interface with a website environment. This will include
working with a variety of multimedia, as well as having login capabilities, a functioning
student email account, and have access to storage space by way of the student cloud.
Should students not already have this knowledge, either the teacher, resource personel,
or both will have to teach the basics of interfacing with these mediums.
Goals
General curriculum outcomes and specific curriculum outcomes for teachers are
outlined in the curriculum document for ACS 11. These outcomes are shared with the
students by way of a course syllabus. The current general and specific outcomes for
Module 1 Evolution and Change for the ACS 11 course were examined. The Nova
Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, respectively states
these as: Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of
Africa and various African cultures and show their importance in the development of
Canadian identify (p. 1), and as:
Students will be expected to:

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

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1.1

share background knowledge that students bring to the course about

1.2

African heritage
examine the diversity of Africa in light of its physical environments,

1.3
1.4

cultures, languages and nationalities

describe their own cultural identity and why this identity is important
examine the meaning of culture and identify the various elements of

1.5

culture
examine the meaning of historiography, ethnocentrism, Eurocentrism,
and Afrocentrism and analyse the significance of these terms for the

1.6

construction of identity
investigate the roots of Afrocentricity from the history, geography, and

1.7

culture of Africa
explore the notion of Africa as the birth place of humankind (p. 1)

These outcomes can be paralleled with Manns (2005) ABCD format of Audience,
Behaviour, Condition, and Degree. Using this format will assist me in my creation of my
course wPSI. Likewise, it will be an acronym the students can apply in order to adhere
to the learning expectations of the wPSI; staying focused on what they need to do as a
learner. Essentially the what, how and how much that needs to be demonstrated to
me as their teacher; the assessor and evaluator of their learning. Here, as an example,
is ABCD applied to the general outcome: Students (A) will be expected to demonstrate
an understanding (B) of the diversity of Africa and various African cultures (C) and show
their importance in the development of Canadian identify (D).
Introductory activities may include:

viewing maps of the African continent and individual African countries

show (pictorial) artefacts of various African communities, and tribes art,

weaponry, musical instruments, and tools

Position Paper_ web-based Personalized System of Instruction

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have students respond to artifact highlighted

review tribal customs/practices dances, ceremonies, rights of passage, food

and drink, medicines & remedies

discuss migration from the south of North American to Canada make mention
of The Underground Railroad, and migration patterns thereafter

speak to the struggle of African Canadians and their determination to persevere

through physical and mental hardships such as discrimination and racism;
highlighting individual African Canadians and their stand against being treated
differently (ex: Portia White, Viola Desmond, Harry Jerome, Elijah McCoy,
Lawrence and Dan Hill)
Conclusion
There are several results expected in creating this wPSI. It is my anticipation that

those students challenged with reading comprehension and application of information

will find the content to be covered, manageable, accessible and engaging. Being able to
self-pace through the content should allow students to be successful in meeting the
prescribed outcome(s). Students should be enabled to work independently, thus
affording me time to check-in with both these students as well as their classmates more
frequently.
Interfacing with a wPSI, should benefit those students requiring time to work
independently and at their own pace. These students will have the opportunity to work
with a modified course content. They will have the opportunity to meet with success and
master the curriculum outcomes as prescribed by the Nova Scotia Department of

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Education and Early Childhood Development. Additionally, these students will be

working with and enhancing their technology skills. By working to complete the course
expectations, students will be enabled and encouraged to examine issues, respond
critically and creatively, and make informed decisions as individuals, as citizens of
Canada and of an increasingly interdependent world. Likewise, students will be enabled
to foster their development with technology literacy. In doing so, these individuals can
develop, implement, and communicate practical, technological, solutions to problems
given to them.

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References
Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation (1999). Foundation for the Atlantic Canada
Social Studies Curriculum. Halifax, NS. p. 1-43
Atlantic Provinces Education Foundation (2001). Foundation for the Atlantic Canada
Technology Education Curriculum, Halifax, NS. p.1-39.
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2007). Developing,
monitoring and reporting on personal learning goals. State of Victoria: AU. Office of
Learning and Teaching. p. 1-50.
Evanouski, L. (2009). The impact of technology in education. Retrieved January 28,
2015, from http://www.academia.edu/335899/Impact_of_Technology_in_Education
Gahala, J. (2002). Promoting technology use in schools, North Central Regional
Educational Laboratory. Retrieved January 30th, 2015, from
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te200.htm
Keller, F. S. (1968). Good-bye teacher. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 1: 79
89. Retrieved January 25, 2015, from
http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1901%2Fjaba.1968.1-79?
r3_referer=wol&tracking_action=preview_click&show_checkout=1
doi: 10.1901/jaba.1968.1-79
Mann, B.L. (2005). Making your own educational materials part I. International Journal
of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning 10(2). Retrieved January 25,
2015, from http://itdl.org/Journal/Dec_05/article02.htm

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Rae, A. and Samuels, P. (2011). Web-based personalised system of instruction: An

effective approach for diverse cohorts with virtual learning environments?
Computers & Education, 57(4). p. 2423-2431.
TIENET - Technology for Improving Education Network
http://inschool.ednet.ns.ca/board-school-administration/tienet
Weebly (2006). http://www.weebly.com/weebly/userHome.php
Williams, S.M., Mehlinger, H.D., Powers, S.M. & Baldwin, R.G. (2002). Technology in
education Encyclopedia of Education. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from
http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2497/Technology-in-Education.html