Syllabus Design

Syllabus Design

Group 3

Ball State University

Group Member	Task	Commented On
Emily Sheperd	Introduction and reflection	Group 4
Christina Guy	Rationale	Group 4
Jennifer Murphy	Syllabus Design	Group 4
Megan Brown	Table 1	Group 1

Introduction

We are going to design a syllabus for a workshop entitled Importance and Role of Relationships in Learning. The purpose of this workshop is to show how relationships affect the learning process. New adjunct faculty of Ivy Tech are required to attend the workshop, and community members who are interested in the subject are also welcome if there is additional space. This is a CEU eligible workshop. The objectives of this workshop are to introduce adjunct professors to relational learning, specifically the roles of facilitator-learner relationships, learner-learner relationships, and learner-self relationships; understand the different needs of relational and autonomous learners and methods that can be used to meet those needs; and adapt a lesson plan to better address the needs of relational and autonomous learners.

Rationale

Our group is focusing on relationships in learning. We are going to use the main ideas of this concept to frame our syllabus design. Our three main ideas include the importance of learner-facilitator, learner-learner, and learner-self relationships. The syllabus will focus on activities and strategies that will create an environment that promotes these various relationships in learning.

        We will focus on our first idea, the learner-facilitator relationship, during the first part of our training program. The learner-facilitator relationship is the primary context within which learning occurs (Mackeracher, 2004). The morning session of the program will start with an icebreaker, two truths and a lie about the instructor and participant’s teaching experiences. This will invite learners to break out of their shell, become comfortable with one another, and learn about the instructor and their peers. We intend for the instructor’s participation in the icebreaker to spark the learner-facilitator relationship. According to Smith (2001), showing realness with mentors and students facilitates meaningful learning. Teachers are more effective when they express real feelings and can simply be themselves. A lecture will follow examining the three main themes of relationships in learning and will include a section on how to incorporate the theories into a lesson plan. The lecture will include PowerPoint, videos, handouts, and a quiz to determine if the participants are relational or autonomous learners. Following the lecture will be a time of sharing within the large group setting. The aim of the ice breaker, lecture with it’s multiple components, and large group sharing is to help create trust within the learner-facilitator relationship, which will allow the facilitator to modify the course to best meet the needs of the students.

        After learning about the three main ideas of relationships in learning and how to incorporate these theories into a lesson plan, our next portion of the day will take place. The morning session will come to a close and participants will be given time to reflect alone on what they have learned and modify their lesson plans to meet the needs of relational and autonomous learners. The aim of this activity is to accommodate autonomous learners by allowing them to take time to themselves to complete the activity.  Autonomous learners value opportunities to think and contribute more introspectively (Mackeracher, 2004). Therefore, an option to work alone will meet that need.  Although some participants may choose to work in pairs or groups for this activity, especially relational learners, handouts from the lecture will help guide lesson plan modifications, along with additional resources to further help those participants that prefer to work alone.

        After the participants have had an adequate amount of time to reflect on the lecture, modify their lesson plans as needed, and had lunch, our afternoon activities will begin. In the afternoon session, participants will be divided into small groups and encouraged to share how they changed and updated their lesson plans. The aim of this activity is to accommodate relational learners, or those that prefer to work interdependently. As Gergen said, “Learning is social and does not take place in isolation” (as cited in Ticknor, Cavendish, 2015). Sharing their modifications in a small group environment will allow the participants to provide feedback for each other; a handout of questions will also be given to the groups to further facilitate the small group work. This time in small groups also gives participants an opportunity to reflect and discuss highlights of the training program and share their thoughts on the important takeaways of the day.

        After this time of reflection, modification of their own lesson plans and group discussion, participants will complete an evaluation of the training program. The aim of this activity is to accommodate autonomous learners and promote the learner-self relationship. The evaluation form will also allow us to make any necessary adjustments to the program in the future to better meet the needs of the participants. The facilitator will also discuss how evaluations demonstrate the necessity of self-reflection and modifications on behalf of the facilitator.  This further deepens the trust within the learner-facilitator relationship.

Syllabus

Importance and Role of Relationships in Learning

Description

A one-day workshop offered four times a year, prior to the start of a semester.  This workshop addresses the importance and role relationships play in effective learning and how to modify and facilitate lesson plans to meet the needs of both autonomous and relational learners.  This workshop is required for newly hired Ivy Tech adjunct staff, but is also open to any educators within the community seeking increased knowledge, skills and/or required CEU credits.  Participants should read the syllabus prior to attending as there is a pre-assignment to prepare and bring to the workshop.

Location  
Ivy Tech Community College-Noblesville Campus
300 North 17th Street
Noblesville, IN  46060

Phone- 317-921-4300

Dates Offered (attend only one date-each date has same content)
2018-2019 Calendar Year

Friday, June 1, 2018

Friday, August 10, 2018
Friday, January 11, 2019

Friday, May 31, 2019

Time
Registration: 7:30 am
Workshop: 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Lunch (on your own): 11:45 am - 1:00 pm

Workshop Objectives

• Gain a better understanding of the role they play in a learners ability to learn and the importance of building trust within...
• Learner-Facilitator Relationships
• Learner-Learner Relationships
• Learner-Self Relationships
• Gain a better understanding about what it means to be and teach relational and autonomous learners.
• Self-identify as either a relational or autonomous learner.

• Identify methods, ideas and activities to accommodate autonomous and relational learners.
• Ability to modify existing lesson plans in order to meet the needs of both relational and autonomous learners.
• Understand the importance of self-evaluation, peer idea sharing and adapting lesson plans.

Reading/Learning Materials

Website: Icebreaker Activities - https://www.icebreakers.ws/classroom-icebreakers

Website/Short Video: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/linguafolio/5794?style=print (Think, Pair, Share)

Video: Differentiation in Teaching:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVRYSC8YyYA&feature=related

Handout: Quiz-Are you a relational or autonomous learner?

Handout: Activities to accommodate relational learners

Handout: Activities to accommodate autonomous learners

Handout: Guiding questions for activities

Assignments

1. Prior to the workshop date, each participant must select a lesson plan to evaluate and discuss during the workshop. It is most beneficial if participants select a lesson plan they have previously taught that did not go as planned or expected.   
2. During the workshop, participants will take a survey to determine if they, themselves, are relational or autonomous learners.
3. Time will be given during the day for participants to reflect on the content of the workshop and modify the previously selected lesson plan utilizing the ideas and theories discussed earlier in the day.  Modifications should be completed by the conclusion of the lunch break.

Learning tools and methods

The facilitator of the workshop will use varying tools and methods in an attempt to meet the learning styles and needs of many and build trust in the room.  The agenda of the day is structured with activities that both accommodate the relational and autonomous learners in attendance while also being an actual reflection of the theory and method being taught.   Powerpoint, lecture, videos, and handouts are used to meet the needs of autonomous learners.  An icebreaker activity, small group discussion, and large group discussion is used to accommodate relational learners.

Schedule of Topics

Main Theoretical Idea 1: Importance of Learner-Facilitator Relationships

Main Theoretical Idea 2: Importance of Learner-Learner Relationships

Main Theoretical Idea 3: Importance of Learner-Self Relationships

Lesson Plan Modification

Purpose of Evaluations

Class schedule/Contents of the activities

7:30-8:00 AM- Check in/Continental breakfast and coffee provided.

Morning Session

8:00-8:30 AM- Icebreaker Activity
Two truths and a lie about your teaching experience

Outline group expectations for sharing and feedback of others

8:30-9:15 AM- Lecture & Quiz
Three theoretical ideas

Definition of relational and autonomous learners

Quiz: Are you an autonomous or relational learner

9:15-9:45 AM- Large Group Discussion

Share results of quiz

9:45-9:55 AM- Break

9:55-10:45 AM- Lecture & Handouts

Lesson plan activities and modifications

Videos: 1. Think, Pair, Share  

2. Differentiation in Teaching

10:45-11:15 AM- Large Group Discussion

Share pre-selected lesson plan with the group and reflection of why not successful

11:15-11:45 AM- Self Study

Take time to modify lesson plans to reflect theories and adaption to learners

11:45 AM-1:00 PM- Lunch

On your own- several options East on SR32 and also South on SR37

1:00-2:00 PM- Small Group Discussion, Teamwork and Reflection

2:00-2:45 PM- Large Group Discussion and Idea Sharing

2:45-3:00 PM- Lecture

Importance of evaluations

3:00-3:15 PM- Evaluation of Workshop

3:15-3:30 PM- Turn in evaluations and pick up Certificate of Completion

Grading Criteria/Standards

It is assumed that those attending this workshop are knowledgeable, capable educators looking to gain further insight and skills in new topic areas. Participation in all activities is expected in order to receive a Certificate of Completion.  

Attendance Policy

Ivy Tech Staff:  New hires to Ivy Tech Community College are expected to attend this workshop day, in it’s entirety, prior to their first scheduled semester. However, deferments are granted in extenuating circumstances, allowing staff to attend the next scheduled workshop date. Registration in this course will be completed during each new hire’s human resources orientation meeting and completion certificates are logged in personnel files.

Other Educators:  Attendance of the entire day is expected to obtain CEU* certificate and credit.  

Certificates of completion will be distributed at the conclusion of the workshop. Early departure from the workshop is not permitted and certificates are not handed out early.  

*The Indiana Department of Education Board and Indiana Professional Licensing Agency has approved this organization to provide Category I Continuing Education.  However, licensees must judge the workshop’s relevance to their professional practice.*

Reflection

Highlights

The highlight of this assignment was working on Skype together to create our workshop. It allowed us to have a good conversation about how we are currently using relationships in learning in our own lives and what it would look like in “a perfect world”.  In addition, the meeting established trust with each other and built a positive relationship that ultimately resulted in accountability to each other and a shared desire to do well on the assignment.  We discovered that all members of our group have a general mission of helping people succeed in their academic/career future, and we could all see a workshop like this benefiting our own work which made designing it much more exciting.

Process

To write this syllabus design, the group established roles and due dates for assignments. We set up a Skype meeting to delve further into exactly what we wanted our workshop to look like, pulled in resources already utilized due to our research on the topic, and set out a very, very rough draft. After that meeting, each person cleaned up and finished off their section. The group reviewed the document throughout the process on Google Drive to catch errors or update things in real-time, and after a final group review and sign off, it was posted on the blog.

Table 1. Summary of syllabus design

	Aims you wish to achieve in your design	Main theoretical ideas	Main activities in the syllabus	Main methods/tools in the syllabus
1.	Creating a trust relationship that allows facilitator to modify the course to best meet the needs of the students	Learner-Facilitator relationships are important to the learning process because they help to create an environment that is conducive to learning. The facilitator must understand how to build a relationship with the learner in order to help the learner achieve their overall goals in the course.	The icebreaker activity will help to build trust between the learners and the facilitator. It will demonstrate to facilitators how they may work to build a trusting relationship in their own classroom. The lecture over the importance of relationships in learning will allow the learner to determine whether or not they are best meeting the needs of their students, and how they might adjust to do so.	1. Powerpoint, videos, and handouts will give information on the importance of building relationships as well as the difference between an autonomous self-system and relational self-system. A quiz will also be given to determine whether the learner is more relational or autonomous in their self-system. 2. Two truths and a lie about my teaching experience will help to foster the trusting relationship needed between learner-facilitator and learner-learner throughout the workshop.
2.	Accommodating relational learners	Learner-Learner relationships within a course are important, especially to relational learners. Relational learners best learn by discussing and reflecting with their peers. In order to feel safe and able to share with peers in the first place, it is important to build a positive learner-learner relationship.	1. Each workshop participant will work in a small group to discuss their lesson plan adjustments. This will allow for relational learners to have the opportunity to collaborate with those amongst them. 2. Group reflection will occur over the lesson plan modifications that were made following the informational session on accommodating for both relational and autonomous selves.	1. Handout of questions to facilitate the small group work in order to help the groups stay on task and know what to discuss. The  classroom can be arranged to allow groups to work together well so the small group discussion is successful. 2. Groups will discuss the highlights of the modifications they made on their lesson plans that they adjusted individually.
3.	Accommodating autonomous learners	Learner-Self relationships assist the learner in achieving intended outcomes, especially when one is an autonomous learner. Autonomous learners prefer to work individually and reflect on an experience on their own time.	Workshop participants will have the opportunity to work alone during the day as well as take home their lesson plan to reflect individually and make necessary changes. This will allow for autonomous learners to have that piece of individual learning that they prefer. Attendees will complete a post-workshop  evaluation individually, which again caters to the autonomous learner.	1. Participants will have time on their own to adjust their lesson plans they brought. Handouts will be given to assist in the process of adjusting the lesson plan that has information presented during the workshop. 2.  Post-workshop evaluation will be given to each participant. Discussion of the importance of evaluations will occur to show how they can be an important tool in not only building relationships but allowing for the autonomous self to thrive.

References

MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning (2nd ed.). Toronto, Canada: University

of Toronto Press.

Smith, M. K. (2001). Relationships, learning, and education. Encyclopedia of Informal

Education. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/relationship-learning-and-education/

Ticknor, A.S., Cavendish, L.M. (2015) Bonded relationships: supporting pre-service

teachers to develop confidence and competency as elementary literacy educators. Teacher Development. Retrieved from: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals