EDCI 6304
Aglhaen Nieto-Cruz
Project #2 Proposal
Deconstructing a learning activity
Intended learning audience: Approximately 50 Classic Upward Bound Program High School Seniors
The Classic Upward Bound Program high school senior class is about to embark on a new
endeavor. Participants in this college preparatory program have been academically preparing
for post secondary education. They have made a conscience decision to pursue a post
secondary degree. As per program criteria, the targeted students, participants of the Upward
Bound program, are student that have a defined goal of obtaining a bachelors degree, are 1st
generation and low income as defined by the United States Department of Education.
These students will graduate from a local public school high school in May of 2010. Their ages
range from 17 – 19. Their academic standing varies, their grade point average ranges from a 2.0
- 4.2. Their expected diploma type is also different. They will either earn a regular diploma or a
distinguished diploma, differences include, number of required credits, type of required courses
and rigor of courses. All targeted students have completed a minimum of 3 college credit hours
through dual enrollment course work. Although students are enrolled in this program voluntarily
and their motivation can be defined as intrinsic the program does provide extrinsic incentives
such as out of town excursions and residential summer programs and even small monetary
stipends –based on point systems.
Instructional goal: The learners will demonstrate understanding of necessary steps needed to
enter a post-secondary institution program of study by successfully completing the college entry
process and matriculate.
Instructional event: Implementation of a four unit lesson designed to ensure learners complete the
necessary steps to enroll in a post secondary institution. The events, unit one through four, will
take place at the host university campus and will briefly include general student service offices,
university classrooms, a lecture hall as well as computer labs. The first three units will occur during
the period of approximately 11/2 – 2 hours. Unit four will require a larger investment of time due
to the fact that paper processing will vary from student to student.
Sequential learning experience:
Unit one: The learners will gain knowledge of college preparation definitions
Unit Two: The learners will demonstrate understanding of definitions through instruction of college
entry steps – utilizing proper definitions - to peers/parents.
Unit Three: The learners will analyze when and how to complete college entry and design a
personal college preparation calendar.
Unit Four: The learners will evaluate and create various admissions applications, register and
complete: testing, orientation, academic advising, financial aid applications, course work.
Unit One: Knowledge of Definitions
The instructor will provide instruction and material for activity, appoint teams based on students
identified career fields of interest, motivate the students and serve as a direct as well as indirect
support for this learning activity. Following Vygotsky ideas of the importance of play, the initial or
opening activity will involve a timed game – a scavenger hunt.
CUB students will perform both independently and with some direction from the university
community. As a team of 5-8 students, participants will have to take different roles to complete
the task of locating or obtaining all responses on the scavenger handout. (Scavenger Hunt
handout is attached.) Based on the role participants are assigned in their team they will have to
self regulate. For example a very shy student will have to overcome such feeling and have to
approach a university employee to obtain a needed response. An inactive student will have to
increase their activity level to keep up with the team in order to complete the scavenger hunt in
the allotted time. Regarding self gratification, a student that may have envisioned himself as
leaders but never actually taken such as role may experience or fulfill that vision during this short
activity by utilizing a response he was instrumental in obtaining leading his team to success and
his self gratification. Vygotsky’ theory indicates that learning through play ensures self
gratification, self regulation and utilization of symbolism. Although it is expected that
involvement will vary, students involved in this activity will greatly benefit in those three areas.
Following the scavenger hunt, students will engage in an instructor guided discussion about
college definitions and conclude that discussion by administering a diagnostic. Based on
Benjamin Blooms mastery learning theory, further instruction will be provided for those students
that do not demonstrate mastery, in the initial diagnostic. An additional session consisting of
definitions being presented in various methods will be concluded with a second diagnostic. The
group that successfully demonstrates initial mastery of the definitions will be invited to individually
engage in an electronic college research (in a program called “Choices”) actually applying the
language they have just learned. Once the entire group has demonstrated mastery the
instructor will begin unit two.
Unit Two: Understanding of definitions and steps through instruction to peers/parents
The opening presentation for this unit is crucial and intended to help create an environment in
which the learner’s feel both capable and knowledgeable. By applying Bandura’s observational
learning theory, the instructor understands that when the model is more like the learner the
model will receive more attention; for this reason the instructor will invite an Upward Bound
alumnus to open up this unit. The alumnus will briefly recap his first year college experience and
share the importance of timely completion of the college entry process. The CUB Alumnus will
discuss all the essential steps that must be completed in order to get into ones top choice
university.
Immediately after, the instructor will allow the teams to select the “step” and offer
guidance as the participants create their presentation. Although the identified learning activity goals
are undoubtedly beneficial, the instructor will increase meaningfulness to the learner by attempting
to personalize the activities. In Ebbinghaus studies of memory, this theorist indicates the positive
impact meaningfulness of material has on actual memory of information. Allowing students the
freedom to select the “step” they feel they can best describe and can provide a personal example
or reference for will enhance their retention of the information. The instructor will provide very
informal instructions on the method of presentation delivery, permitting students to be creative
and use their talents. Presentations may be skids, plays, art work or anything the teams can
image using to share information on their selected college entry step. After preparing for 15
minutes, students (teams) will then take 10 minutes to present to both their peers and parents.
During the presentation students will be required to include examples from either the presenters
experience or someone they know. Due to the fact that the targeted populations’ parents’
primary language is Spanish, students will be encouraged to present both in English and Spanish.
Applying Barbara Rogoff’s theory about enhanced learning experiences based on parental
involvement, parents in the audience will be encouraged to participate either in the
presentation or simply asking questions. During the preplanning of this activity, parents will
receive an invitation along with literature related to this activity. In this correspondence they will
be encouraged to engage in a discussion with their sons/daughters about the college entry
process and provided a contact number where they may obtain additional information.
Establishing this initial rapport with students’ parent will aid in recreating such learning
experiences in future participant/parent activities.
Unit Three: Application and analyzing when and how to complete the steps
In this unit the instructor will help increase the learners self efficacy by providing opportunities of
success. Creation of “college entry process calendar” is non-threatening and provides an
excellent opportunity for student to practice time management, prioritizing and even critical
thinking skills. As the students progress through the listed tasks on their calendars students will
experience a sense of satisfaction and/or accomplishment. As described by Bandura, self
efficacy increases with each success and likely leads to self fulfilling prophecy. The instructor in
his role of both a mentor and advisor will aid in directing students to fulfilling positive prophecies.
The instructor will be vigilant of any negativity among his students and quickly redirect, through
guided assistance toward progress. Assuming that all students have successfully been able to
deal with life crisis as indicated in Erikson’s stages of development the targeted population is in
the stage of role identity vs. role confusion. Banking on the assumption that the students’
mastery of industry vs. inferiority occurred in the pervious developmental stage will likely result in
mastery of role identity vs. role confusion. The instructor will keep in mind that the targeted
students have made a conscience decision about their future goals and have proven their
abilities through concrete actions – such as applying and being admitted into CUB (a
competitive program.) In this activity students will identify with their college going peers and
devote themselves to completing steps necessary to accomplish the goal of pursuing a college
education. The student will been comfortable with his decision and confidently seek out
assistance to follow through. During the steps of this unit, students will not only rely on themselves
but on their peers and instructor as resources. Students will be expected to make concrete
decision and determine which entry exam thy must complete and by when. Students will also
have to determine a suitable degree based on their likes, dislikes, abilities and weaknesses. They
will have to determine when to complete and submit these college applications, scholarships
applications and their financial aid application. The instructor will provide individual supervision,
mentoring and unlimited support throughout this activity.
Unit Four:
Evaluate and create this various applications – admissions, testing and financial aid.
In this unit the instructor will simply verify tasks are completed and provide external items such as
test waiver, or point of contact information when asked by the student. Copies of college
related documents submitted by the participant will be maintained by the instructor in a
participant file. Learners will be expected to individually and practically independently
complete the final unit. Ideally some students will complete this unit earlier than others – and
serve as role models to their peers. Based on Bandura’s conditions of effective modeling, these
role model students will serve to help with reproduction of task by those students who continue
to work. The role models are also likely to enhance motivation being that they are someone
that the students can not only relate to but who has experienced the reward of college
acceptance.
Following Bandura’s theory students will experience vicarious reinforcement. Having been in this
college going environment for the duration of these four units will facilitate the ultimate goals
being met. The design of the units will likely result in reciprocal determinism. The students will
believe they are capable of meeting the goals because it is being modeled by someone they
can relate to. The instructor will observe the attitude and positive progress and perceive his
students as capable of meeting the goal. Ultimately - if the students believe they can do it and
are treated as if they can do it they will do it.
These units’ design intentionally takes the students through the different levels of Blooms
Taxonomy of the cognitive domain. The units begin by providing knowledge and understanding,
then requiring application, analysis, synthesis and finally evaluation of the college entry process.
Completing the college entry process will result in a smoother transition from high school to
college and ultimately college degree completion.
Assessing learning: College entry exam results, university acceptance letters, course schedule
and actual award letter both from financial aid and scholarships will aid in assessing learning
occurred with intended audience. Additionally, college going rate along with course work
outcomes will be utilized to assess learning.
Theorist considered: Lev Vygotsky, Benjamin Bloom, Hermann Ebbinghaus, Albert Bandura,
Barbara Roguff and Eric Erikson theories were carefully considered in the design of this learning
activity.
References
Bandura et. all (2003, May). Role of Affective Self-Regulatory Efficacy in Diverse Spheres
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Bloom B. S. et. all (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive
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Ebbinghus, H. (1913). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology (translated by Henry
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