about this project
This is the first learning experience I’ve created for my portfolio. I chose the subject of supporting students with dyslexia in the language classroom because I found myself facing this issue, and I felt I wasn’t prepared enough.
Learner Profile: Early-career or practising high-school language teachers looking to improve or refresh their understanding of dyslexia to better support their students.
Needs Analysis: I conducted a needs analysis based on these 3 questions:
What are teachers doing? - Struggling to adapt learning resources and assessments to support dyslexic students.
What do we want teachers doing? - Adjust learning resources and assessments to ensure dyslexic students have access to learning.
Why aren't they doing it? - Lack of understanding of dyslexia and how to adapt materials/assessments to support students.
Authoring Tool: I chose Rise 360 because I wanted to learn its functionalities, as the Department of Education commonly uses it to design professional development courses. The modules include embedded videos, knowledge checks, and a variety of slides, such as text-based, click-to-reveal, and decision-based.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
Understand dyslexia as a neurobiological disorder
Apply strategies for supporting dyslexic learners
Adapt assessments and learning materials
Identify assistive tech tools helping dyslexic learners
Branching Scenario: I’ve created two short branching scenarios using a persona representing my learner (a teacher who has to adjust tasks and assessments for dyslexic students). I’ve written the feedback for each decision so the teacher understands the consequences of their decision rather than being told their answer was right or wrong.
Duration: I kept the course duration under one hour because one of the teachers' pain points is being time-poor. However, the course includes opportunities to further explore the subject through links to other resources.
How would I improve the course?
If this were a commissioned project, I would add a job aid that could be easily consulted on demand. For example, a PDF guide with all the practical information from the course that the teacher could print or save, keep handy and use on demand.
Within an LMS system, I would track engagement data and answers to knowledge checks and then ask for learners’ feedback. After a certain time, I would follow up to gain measurable data about the course's impact on teachers’ performance and confidence in teaching dyslexic students. Based on this data, I would then improve the course.
DETAILS
🖥️ Type: eLearning Development
👤 Client: Dept. of Education (potentially)
🗓️ Date: December 2024
TOOLS
✔️ Rise 360
✔️ Canva
SKILLS
🎓 Instructional Design
🎓 eLearning Development
Inspiration: I developed this concept for an eLearning project based on my experience as a language teacher with dyslexic students. I chose Rise 360 as the authoring tool because I wanted to master the same tool that the New South Wales Department of Education uses to deliver its Professional Development courses.
Part 1 - Instructional Design (ADDIE)
NEEDS ANALYSIS - I conducted a needs analysis following Cathy Moore's Action Mapping model (Moore, 2017):
What change do we want to see in performance? Teachers effectively adjust class tasks and assessments for students with dyslexia.
Why are they not doing it? While multiple issues are involved, such as a lack of time, knowledge, and support, for this concept project, I focused on one of them: a lack of knowledge of dyslexia and how to make suitable adjustments.
How will we know that the goal has been achieved? We will know quantitatively by comparing students' performance data (grades) and qualitatively by observing dyslexic students' attitudes and behaviours (teacher-recorded observations).
Where should the newly acquired knowledge be stored? It should be accessible by revisiting the course. In addition, to maximise on-the-job practicality, a job aid based on the course content, such as a PDF, should be developed as a reference material to be consulted on demand.
Part 2 - eLearning Design (ADDIE)
I structured the course into four modules (Lessons) that provide teachers with the minimum information required to reach the set goal of "effectively adjusting class tasks and assessments for students with dyslexia."
To avoid cognitive overload, I have chunked the information into short paragraphs within each lesson. The learner can expand the information using interactive tools like click-to-reveal and flashcards.
I have included knowledge checks in multiple-choice quizzes, drag-and-drop responses and scenario-based quizzes where the learner makes decisions. The feedback provided in the scenario-based quizzes is in the form of logical consequences rather than correct/incorrect feedback.
At the end of each lesson, I have provided an opportunity to deepen the knowledge of dyslexia by including links to external resources.
Part 3 - Evaluation (ADDIE)
1. As an instructional designer, I would follow Kirkpatrick's model for evaluating learning experiences. Firstly, I would analyse the teachers' completion data provided by the LMS.
2. Then, I would ask the teachers for feedback through a survey that includes multiple-choice questions, rating sliders, Lickert scale options and long-answer boxes. The aim of the survey is to understand how satisfied they were, what they learned and how useful they found the course. Their feedback will be used to improve future iterations of the course.
3. After a certain interval, I would ask the teachers whether they have applied the new knowledge on the job and what results they have observed.
4. These observations will be discussed with the organisations' SMEs and managers to reassess the impact of the course and make adjustments if required.
References
Moore, Cathy (2017). Map It. The hands-on guide to strategic training design. Montesa Press.