Overall Instructor Rating: Satisfactory
Ratings explanation:
- Exemplary - A model answer in almost every way (this is given out very rarely).
- Satisfactory - Very well done; you've met the expectations of the assignment. There are some minor problems, so read my feedback well.
- Marginal Pass - You pass, but there are lots of issues to consider. Read my feedback very carefully and be sure you understand the points/issues I raise.
- Not satisfactory, redo and resubmit - The assignment was not completed appropriately. I am concerned that you do not understand the process well enough yet. To get credit for the assignment, you need to redo it, most probably on another topic. Read and consider my feedback very carefully before redoing.
Instructor's Overall Feedback:
You did a good job here. You seem to understand the process well. Take a look at my feedback below.
1. Preliminary: Describe the context within which this potential instructional problem takes place. This will pinpoint where the problem is located. If instruction is deemed necessary, this will be the place where it will be designed and implemented.
a. List the context, also known as the "system of interest".
Your final response:
Whole School Discipline at Vince Dooley Middle
b. Describe or show how the context relates to the bigger environment. Show how this context relates to other levels of the system within which it works.
Your final response:
Vince Dooley is part of the Gwinnett County School System that is supported by the taxpayers, which is part of the State School System, which receives funding from the Federal Government. Within the Middle School, there are various levels of discipline including: verbal warning, time out, teacher detention, administrative detention, and administrative refereals.
The instructor's feedback to step 1:
Good
2. Symptoms of a problem. Write a brief description of some symptoms that make you stop and wonder if something is wrong.
Your final response:
a. verbal abuse to authority figures b. verbal abuse to other students
c. volume levels during transitions d. lack of appropriate consequences for actions e. feeling unsafe while in the building f. insubordinate work behavior among high school students working at local establishments who went to Vince Dooley Middle.
Using the evidence cited above, describe why you believe that these symptoms signal a problem. Keeping these questions in mind, describe the reasons for identifying these symptoms as problematic.
Your final response:
When students are allowed to behave as they wish, they create a risk to society. The role of the school is to prepare students for life after the classroom. Students should treat other students and staff with kindness and respect. Data shows that the more behavior problems students have, the less interested they are in acadmic achievement. If we are not teaching them how to behave and be responsible for their own actions, what does the future of our society look like?
The instructor's feedback to step 2:
Good
3. Preliminary Problem Statement. Based on 1 and 2, write a preliminary draft problem statement. Your context should be the subject of the statement. This is just the initial pass -- the statement will be revised in subsequent steps.
Your final response:
Vince Dooley Middle School is doing a poor job in disciplining its students in a way that produces a strong learning environment and acceptable work place skills.
The instructor's feedback to step 3:
Good
4. Verify the problem and determine specific needs. Two things will now happen concurrently. First, you need a systematic procedure to identify and collect data in order to verify that a problem exists. Second, you must identify information that the data sources may help uncover.
Data sources (who, what) |
Information gathered |
What did you find? (Needs)* |
Example: Interview participants in course; administer class survey; administer test of understanding.
|
Example: Participant opinions on IDAs and course; Participant score on test. |
Example: Participants believe there is too much jargon (felt need); Participants don't understand ID vocabulary as compared to other classes (comparative need); Participants don't score above national average (comparative need); Participants don't/couldn't see the relation between their work and the ID process) |
| Your final response:
1. Parent Survey on how they percieve the school.
2. Teacher Survey
3. Discipline Records of VDMS vs other Gwinnett County Schools of similar population.
4. Student Survey on the climate of the school.
5. Meetings with all of the stakeholders, including parents, business owners and teachers.
|
Your final response:
1. Parent opinion on discipline, academic achievement, and safety.
2. Teacher opinion on behavior and support.
3. Records of referals, suspensions and fighting of VDMS in comparison to other Gwinnett County Schools with a similar popluation.
4. Student opinion on safety, bullying, and consequences.
5. Stakeholder perection of academics and discipline.
|
Your final response:
1. Most parents state that they are unaware of the discipline problems at Sweetwater and felt that nothing needed to change (felt need). A minority of parents state that the students are out of control and something needs to be done (felt need). They agree that proper behavior will increase academic achievement (future/felt need)
2. Teachers felt that the students are out of control and nothing is done at an administrative level to support them (felt need)
3. VDMS has higher incidents of fighting, referals, and suspension vs other Gwinnett County Schools (comparative need)
4. Students do not feel safe and feel that there are no consequences if they don't follow the rules (felt need).
5. Business owners state that they have many problems with insubordinate workers. Parents and teachers find that their students are difficult to direct.
|
*Note: You are not required to gather data; you can draw on your experience or imagination to list the data you might gather.
The instructor's feedback to step 4:
Good
5. Prioritize your list of needs.Which are most important? Why are they most important?
Prioritized needs |
Reasons/evidence for priority |
Your final response:
1. Strict and consistent enforcement of rules (expressed need)
2. Parent/Student education (expressed need)
3. Mentors from the business community to curtail future problems (future need)
4. Behavioral skills needed to function in school vs those needed to function in a work place environment(comparitive need)
|
Your final response:
1. If students feel that there are either no or minor consequences for their actions, they will not follow the authority figures instructions.
2. Schools are only one part of the equation. The parents need to buy into what the school is doing and support them following the school rules in the home. Parents will need to be taught the expectations of the school.
3. This will show the students what kind of behaviors are acceptable in the business world. The mentors can also point out that those who don't follow the rules are never successful.
4. Students need to be shown that while it may be "cool" to act out in school, when they get into the real world, they will get nowhere.
|
The instructor's feedback to step 5:
Good
6. Rewrite your problem statement. Take a moment to look carefully at the initial problem statement that you wrote. Revisit your prioritized needs and check if your problem statement is still accurate and appropriate.
Rewrite the problem statement here:
Your final response:
The students of Vince Dooley Middle School need to demonstrate behavioral skills that show respect to authority figures, students and community members so that a good learning enviornment is created.
The instructor's feedback to step 6:
Good
7. Identify the instructional goals. The last step in Needs Assessment is to list a few goals of instruction. Remember, not all goals can be solved through instruction. The instructional goals you identify will be the starting information for the next steps in the instructional design process. List the instructional goals in order of priority.
Instructional goals by priority |
Reasons for importance |
Your final response:
1. Establish a strict and consistent discpline system
2. Create Parent/Student Dinner and a Class
3. Business and community leaders will become mentors to students
4. Field trips sponsored by local businesses
|
Your final response:
1. Without a system of consequences that matter, our students will get an unrealistic picture of the way the world really is. In creating expectations of excellence, we will ensure that our students will contribute to society and creat a better world than that which we currently live in.
2. Students and parents will be taught the expectations of the school. They will also be told the rationale for the rules are to make their students successful in the real world. They will be fed to ensure greater attendance. The result is that the parents will support the school in trying to create responsible citizens and instill those values in their students.
3. Students who can't seem to follow the rules sometimes need a special friend, someone that they can count on no matter what. By having this mentor, students will gain insights on what other families are like and how other schools and businesses are run.
4. By providing free field trips, businesses will get the opportunity to show students how industry works and the social and academic skills needed to achieve success.
|
The instructor's feedback to step 7:
Oops, these do not read like instructional goals. Is there a lack of knowledge about correct behavior. Then what are the instructional goals to help students achieve?
|