Week 6 Final Paper and Folio
Week 6 Final Paper and Folio
You will create a Folio that includes redesigned activities from prior coursework in your program (MACI, MAECEL, MAED, MASE, or MATLT) that demonstrate your competency with your Programs Learning Outcomes, which are also the Course Learning Outcomes for EDU 696. Additionally, you will write a narrative reflection of your experience with the program and the Folio construction. The overarching goal of this Final Paper and Folio assignment is to showcase learning from your Master’s Program in a consolidated, web-based format that can easily be shared with anyone: colleagues, potential or current employers, friends, family members, and others. Within this Folio, you will tell the story of your educational journey and value of your personal Master’s experience as it applies to the labor market. Remember, the Folio is your chance to show what you know and are able to do in the practice of teaching and learning with technology. You will submit a link to your Folio and attach your paper portion of the assignment in a Week Six discussion for preliminary feedback by peers and the instructor before the final submission. The earlier you submit in the Week Six discussion the more opportunity you have for input from your peers and instructor to improve your work before the final submission of this assignment.
Creating the Final Paper and Folio
Please include a link to the Folio within the paper portion of this assignment. As needed, refer to your Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) list (MACI, MAECEL, MAED, MASE, or MATLT). Then, create your final assignment to meet the content and written communication expectations below.
Content Expectations
· Folio Components (5 Points): Include at least one artifact demonstrating mastery for each of your Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) (MACI, MAECEL, MASE, or MATLT).
· Folio Design (3 Points): Design the Folio to be professional in appearance. Be sure to exemplify effective and ethical uses of technology so that the Folio logically organized in a visually appealing way.
· Narrative – Ranking (5 Points): In no more than one paragraph for each Program Learning Outcomes, rank and discuss the importance of each PLOs to your individual work setting, including an explanation of each ranking and its value to you in your learning environment or your position. Discuss how you currently use each PLO in your work setting and, if PLOs are not used, discuss ways you might begin to use them in your current or future work setting. If you are unemployed or otherwise do not work in a teaching role, you can either (a) use a previous work location, or (b) imagine the perfect work location (e.g., your dream job), and use that fictional work center to rank and discuss each PLO. The overall goal of this section of the narrative is to rank each PLO according to its importance to you as an educator or potential educator, starting by listing the most important PLO to you first.
· Narrative – Challenges and Solutions (5 Points): In no more than two paragraphs discusses the design and development challenges experienced while creating the Folio and how challenges were overcome.
Written Communication Expectations
· Page Requirement (.5 points): Include one paragraph for each of the Program Learning Outcomes for a total of two to three pages (not including the title and reference pages).
· APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout the assignment.
· Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar.
· Source Requirement (.5 points): Reference three scholarly sources in addition to the course textbook.
· All sources on the references page need to be used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
For information related to APA style, including samples and tutorials, please visit the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).
Next Steps: Review and Submit the Assignment
Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the distinguished levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit the assignment for evaluation no later than Day 7.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Culminating Project
Learning Outcomes
This week students will:
1. Reflect on learning from the EDU 696: Capstone 2: Culminating Project.
2. Considering 21st-century skills principles, determine how educational action research influences educational change.
3. Create a Final Paper and Folio demonstrating mastery of the program learning outcomes.
Introduction
In Week Six, you will continue to reflect on 21st century professional development you prepared in Week Four, but this week you assume the role of a teacher leader. In the discussion, you will analyze professional development activities you could use in your current setting and how you could apply teacher leadership to influence to these activities. Moreover, you will reflect on your learning throughout this course, considering your successes and areas in need of improvement, with regard to your action research study. Finally, you will aggregate and finalize your Folio during Week Six.
Required Resources
Article
Phelps, P. H. (2008). Helping teachers become leaders. The Clearing House, 81(3), 119-122. doi:10.3200/TCHS.81.3.119-122
· In this article, Phelps discusses the need for school improvement is based on the idea that more teachers need to function as leaders. When we understand the various dimensions of teacher leadership, we can fulfill multiple roles at the school. This resource will support student completion of the discussions and assignment for this week. The full-text version of this article is available through the EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library.
Website
Folio. (https://ashford.instructure.com/users/893/external_tools/2653)
· This website provides a Folio resource. This resource will support student completion of the final project, as well as discussions and assignments throughout the course. Accessibility Statement does not exist. Privacy Policy does not exist.
Week Six Instructor Guidance
Congratulations on achieving all you have in the class thus far! We are now entering the final week of the course. Give yourself a round of applause! Over the past five weeks you dove deep into all the program learning outcomes for the MACI, MAECEL, MAED, MATLT or MASE program.
Week Six Intellectual Elaboration
The Week Six intellectual elaboration provides a recap of the EDU696 course, explores teacher leaders, and offers some final words for the course.
EDU696 Recap
As the course comes to a close, reflect back on what has been mastered these past six weeks.
In Week One a review took place with the Framework for 21st Century Learning by redesigning an activity that represented 21st Century Learning through incorporation of Student Outcomes and Support Systems. Additionally, there was a discussion on diversity in regards to 21st Century Teaching and Learning.
Week Two offered discussion on Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and a summarization on the understanding of the CCSS in Math and English Language Arts.
In Week Three, a reflection on critical thinking and problem solving in the classroom and a review of the Flipped Classroom concept. The redesign activity focused on 21st Century Learning & Innovation Skills and student assessment; making a connection between high quality assessment and Learning and Innovation Skills.
Week Four included the all- important step of sharing your previously experienced peer reviewed action research process. The presentation included a brief discussion on the purpose of your study, a listing of research questions, a description of the outcomes and results of the study and identification of the modifications/adjustments that could be made if another completed action research cycle was done. You assumed the role of presenter at a professional conference and included the creation of a poster that outlined the action research for participants at the conference to view. Moreover, continued development of your Folio transpired.
In Week Five, the opportunity to sharpen your collaboration skills took place in mock Professional Learning Communities (PLC). An informative proposal was written to persuade an Analyst’s Office of the importance of incorporating technology when collaborating with other teachers in the state.
This final week, Week Six, you reflect upon your learning during this course, successes, and areas for improvement with regard to action research. Finally, there will be a culmination of all knowledge and skills into a Final Project and formal Folio.
Teacher Leaders
Teachers have a powerful role in the classroom and larger school community. School teachers, administrators, and educators/ trainers make countless decisions each day that affect many people. As such, it is important for educators to ground their decisions in research. When we can ground our decisions in research based best practices, a shift in designing curriculum and managing resources that incorporate 21st century professional development skills can transpire. By shifting our thoughts to 21st century professional development skills, teacher leaders and administrators can widely impact school goals ranging from improved teaching practices, to shaping professional development needs around classroom and community relations. Administrators and teacher leaders can directly link professional development to the developmental priorities for the school community.
A Final Word
As a final word—for those of you who want the challenge (and if you are just finishing a Master’s program, it may be the last thing on your mind just now), taking the final step and going after a Doctorate can be incredibly rewarding. It can open professional doors, and can give you the feeling that you can accomplish anything. It is a lot of work, however, and requires time, effort, and money, so it is not a decision to make lightly. If you decide to pursue a Doctorate degree, good luck! And if you do decide to take on any formal research project, the things you have learned in the MACI, MAECEL, MAED, MATLT or MASE program at Ashford University will help you to be successful.
Week Six Assessments Overview
Review the full instructions for each assessment below on the Week Six homepage in addition to using this guidance.
Discussion 1- Reflecting on your Coursework
In this discussion, you share your takeaways from this course and how action research can influence educational change within the classroom, district and nationwide. As well, you will post your final Folio to acquire feedback from your peers and the instructor. Remember to submit early in the week so there is ample time for feedback and change as necessary.
Assignment – Final Paper and Folio
In this assignment, you will create a web-based Folio that includes redesigned activities from prior MACI, MAECEL, MAED, MATLT or MASE coursework that demonstrates your competency with the nine Program Learning Outcomes. Additionally, you will write a narrative reflection of your experience with the program and Folio construction.
Don’t forget to take the end of course Survey!