Running head: ISD PROGRESS UPDATE 1

ISD Progress Update Rough Draft: Design

Genius Hour

Liberty University

Dayna Falzone, Roger Gray, Lisa Peters,

Beatriz Rodriguez, & Melissa Weaver

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Needs Identification

In a world where technology is ever changing, one can find it difficult to keep a student’s

interest in subjects they find boring or consider not worth learning.  Genius Hour is a program

where students direct what they are learning based upon their personal interests.  The curricular

concept underlying Genius Hour embodies an optimal learning relationship: students embracing

their own power and responsibility in the learning process working in conjunction with educators

who can facilitate and guide that learning to ever-greater heights (Simos, 2011).  Genius Hour

provides the opportunity for teachers to differentiate learning based upon what sparks the

student’s interest. Prior to classroom implementation, teachers are trained on what Genius Hour

actively looks like in the classroom. Genius Hour allows teachers to allocate part of their class

time, typically 20%, for student exploration with a topic that interests the student.  By doing so,

students are provided an opportunity to explore with critical thinking, collaboration,

communication and creativity. This also allows for the opportunity for students and teachers to

improve on their technology skills. In a world where technology is constantly changing, it is

important to stay current on the latest technology.  Genius Hour is a journey students will take to

reach personal, meaningful, educational destinations (Rush, 2015). It is exactly what they want

to learn (Rush, 2015).  The use of Genius Hour in the classroom will:

Increase student exposure to technology

Provide more opportunities for teachers to integrate technology into the classroom

Expose teachers and students to current technology

Allow students to pursue topics they are passionate about

Increase technological skill for both teachers and students

2

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Goal Statement

Given a professional development experience using an online workshop, secondary level

teachers will be able to create a simulated class using creative projects ideas, “Genius Hour”.

Within their classes, they will implement a variety of links between state curriculum standards

and students’ interests while both the students and teacher are integrating new technology.

Task Analysis

The figure above shows a task analysis for an online professional development aspect of

Genius Hour.  Classroom teachers will be required to attend professional workshop sessions in

order to familiarize themselves with Genius Hour.  During the sessions, teachers will identify

key pieces of technology that can be incorporated into student research projects.  The

professional development sessions will allow teachers to collaborate with one another while

exploring the concept of Genius Hour on an in depth level.   

3

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Learner and Context Analysis

Learner Analysis

Our target population consists of secondary educators who will ultimately be

implementing the Genius Hour Project into their classrooms of 7th-12th graders.  The educators

will be from various disciplines, teaching backgrounds, and experience.  The majority of

educators will have had over 3 years of teaching experience, some with over 25 years.

Technological skills will vary greatly in this population, however, all educators have had

previous training, professional development, and use of; an online learning management system,

Schoology, 1-to-1 devices, blended learning practices, personalized learning, and project-based

learning.  Given the backgrounds of these educators and their professional knowledge, it is

highly likely and reasonable that learners will not only be able to understand the content, but be

able to implement the program into their classrooms.

Genius Hour is a relatively new concept to the education realm and is likely to interest

learners due to its potential and applicability to their classrooms.  However, some teachers may

be resistant to trying new teaching programs and methods and, in the end, take a step back from

technology.  Educators will be familiar with receiving professional development training through

an online learning platform, which they have previously indicated as a positive experience on a

district survey.  There will be an optional in-person service day for teachers who need extra

support or prefer hands-on experiences.  In order to gauge how the educators are feeling about

the delivery method of this professional development, a survey will be sent out and analyzed to

gauge teacher interest, motivation, and openness to this new technology being used in the

classroom.

4

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Context Analysis

The nature of the learning environment for this course is an online platform.  Learners

will simply need access to an Internet browser, their Schoology accounts, internet access, and a

device to view the course on.  Laptops, mobile devices, or tablets would be sufficient in order to

access the content.  Educators will have four weeks to complete the online course at their own

pace, in their own time over the summer.  This online option is an alternative to the two

traditional professional development days spent in-person over the summer and allows for

maximum flexibility and pacing.

In addition to the resources found within the course itself, the learner will have access to

various other digital resources such as Atomic LearningTM, Lynda.com, and a compiled list of

other digital resources.  Furthermore, instructional coaches will be available for individual or

group meetings at designated times throughout the four-week time frame to assist with personal

questions and offer more guided instruction.

While SchoologyTM does not exactly simulate the teacher’s work environment of the

classroom, it is on a platform that teachers are comfortable with and utilize in their own

classrooms.  Teachers from this school district have had previous professional development

sessions on SchoologyTM while secondary teachers are required to use it as a part of their own

courses.  Teachers will be confident in the SchoologyTM learning environment and it will simulate

a type of course they might design even for their own students.

Instructional Objectives

Goal Statement

Given a professional development experience using an online workshop, secondary level teachers will be able to create a simulated class using creative projects ideas, “Genius Hour”. Within their classes, they will implement a variety of links between state curriculum standards and students’ interests while both the students and teacher are integrating new

5

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

technology.

Goal 1.  Provide formal and professionaldevelopment activities to help teachersincrease student exposure to technologyin a differentiated learning environment, ultimately leading students to learn about their own passions.

Goal 2.  Provide a formal andprofessional learning environment to

     engage teachers in using the Genius Hour instructional platform in which they consider student interests and the topics they are passionate about.

Instructional Objectives

1. Given examples of Genius Hour projects from different grade levels, teachers will be able to differentiate learning using this kind of innovate project in their own classrooms.2. When provided with an online workshop experience, teachers will be able to select at least two appropriate technology tools for the development of Genius Hour research lesson plans for their students.3. When provided with an online workshop experience, teachers will be able to create at least one simulated course to guide their students through their Genius Hour projects.

Assessments

Assessment for Objective 1

During professional development, teachers will be guided in creating a shared folder and

document in Google DocsTM.  Upon completion of professional development, teachers will set up

a project folder in Google DocsTM that is shared with their class.  They will guide their class in

opening and sharing a document with the teacher within this class folder for Genius Hour.  For

more advanced proficiency, teachers will guide students in setting up individual project folders

with Genius Hour documents that are shared with the teacher within the classroom project folder.

While using this technology tool, the teacher will be able to provide additional help to students

who are struggling and challenge students who are advanced.  

6

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Assessment for Objective 2

After completing the online workshop experience, teachers will follow the link

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FHRKH9L to complete a survey about the Genius Hour

workshop and identify which two technologies they will use.  Teachers must provide thorough

and honest feedback in order to guide further professional development workshops and help their

students reach their full potential with the Genius Hour project.  Additionally, this survey will

help ensure that teachers pay attention and complete the required work during the online

workshop session.

Assessment for Objective 3  

To assess completion of the simulated course, instructors will create a set of lesson plans

and necessary grading rubrics for use in instructing their students in the participation of Genius

Hour activities in their classroom.  Lesson plans will include links to instructional videos and

project examples to guide students in their brainstorming.   The project rubrics will be designed

to assess creativity, questioning, and independent research skills, not content.  For instance, the

rubric scoring could include completeness and format of the proposal, depth and documentation

of brainstorming and research, preparedness for presentation, and thoughtfulness and

documentation format of written learning reflection.  Separate, different rubrics may need to be

designed in order to grade different types of efforts effectively (Conrad & Donaldson, 2011, p.

30).

Instructional Strategies

Instructional strategies provide the opportunity for teachers to differentiate instruction in

their classroom. It is important to include instructional strategies in professional development so

that teachers can take what they have learned back to their classroom.  When instructional

7

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

strategies are included in professional development it fosters the teacher’s learning which, in

return, helps to foster the student’s learning. According to Clark (2008):

The challenge in e-learning, as in any learning program, is to build lessons in ways that

are compatible with human learning processes. To be effective, instructional strategies

must support these processes. That is, they must foster the psychological events necessary

for learning.

Instructional strategies can be easily found in educational research or even sites like

Pinterest. Inside the classroom walls the most common instructional strategies used are absorb,

do, and connect activities.  Absorb activities require the student to listen or read what they are

learning about.  Do activities include the student doing something with the material they are

learning, such as practice problems in math (Horton, 2012).  Connect activities provide the

opportunity for students to ask questions and research more on what they are learning (Horton,

2012).  According to Horton (2012), different types of subjects and different instructional

strategies will demand a different sequence.  

For an e-learning environment, instructional strategies are not going to follow the same

path that they do in a brick and mortar classroom. Engaging content and activities will be

needed to draw the e-learner in and excite them about the journey they are about to encounter.

Instructors need to keep in mind not to overload the e-lesson with unnecessary content.

Instructional strategies provide the opportunity for engaging content in the lesson without

focusing on content that may have nothing to do with the subject matter. The goal is to create

lesson with instructional strategies that aid in the learning process, rather than hinder it. The

order of what instructional strategies will be used when is important to the lesson. An instructor

will need to evaluate the best order for the instructional strategies so students get the most out of

8

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

their learning experience.  For Genius Hour, establishing the instructional strategies to be used

during professional development is key. Teachers will want to take these strategies back to their

own classrooms for implementation. The following storyboard details the elements included in

the design of an online workshop for secondary level teachers in which they will implement a

variety of links between curriculum and student interests while integrating new technology using

a Genius Hour project.

Storyboard for Objectives, Assessments and Strategies

Objective #1 Objective #2 Objective #3

Title Introduction to Differentiation for Genius Hour

Technology Tools for Genius Hour

Genius Hour Course Creation

Objectives: Given examples of Genius Hour projects from different grade levels, teachers will be able to differentiate learning using this kind of innovate project in their own classrooms.

When provided with an online workshop experience, teachers will be able to select at least two appropriate technology tools for the development of Genius Hour research lesson plans for their students.

When provided with an online workshop experience, teachers will be able to create at least one simulated course to guide their students through their Genius Hour projects.

Assessments: Teachers will;(a) Create a graphic organizer that summarizes the Genius Hour project.(b) Set up a project folder in Google DocsTM

that is shared with their class.

(a) Pre Assessment: A survey to gauge teachers background knowledge on various technological tools.(b) Post Assessment: A survey about Genius Hour and ways they can incorporate at least two technology tools into their classroom.

Teachers will…(a) Create a set of lesson plans and necessary grading rubrics for use in instructing their students in the participation of Genius Hour activities.

9

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Activities (a) Explore sample Genius Hour projects showing how students used their personal strengths to produce unique, individual artifacts to demonstrate learning from their research.(b) Create a graphic organizer to summarize what the Genius Hour project is and brainstorm how students can approach projects in different ways based on their individual abilities and learning needs.(c) Guided, videoinstruction to lead teachers through the setup of a shared sample of a Google DocTM.

The teachers will...(a) Use an online survey (pre assessment) to determine their familiarity with the available technology tools.(b) Read and view the learning materials on various technologies.(c) Group discussion with their peers on the technologies they have chosen.(d) Brainstorming to discuss how they could utilize the technologies in their plans with their peers.(e)Use their previously created graphic organizer to align the technological resources chosen for the project.(f) Use an online survey to complete the post assessment.

(b) Use RubistarTM

to create a rubric to guide students as they begin the research for their Genius Hour projects.(c) Use a provided template to create a set of lesson plans for Genius Hour instructing process.(d) Feedback from the instructor about the selection of technological tools for the project.

Instructional Content/Materials

(a) Teachers will discuss examples seen and descriptions of the implementation of Genius Hour projects. (b) Teachers will brainstorm how students can approach projects in different ways based on their individual abilities and learning needs. They will focus on potential uses of technologies and strategies such as speech-to-text, video, and collaboration that are available to accommodate students.

(a) Teachers will be introduced to potential technological tools (PoppletTM, Google DocsTM, Google FormsTM, SocrativeTM, SkitchTM, etc.) through the SchoologyTM course.(b)The SchoologyTM discussion board will be utilized.(c) Guide with instructions (Checklist) as part of the second step of the teachers’ project.

(a)  Teachers will use Google DocsTM

to post a template to guide lesson plan design.(b) Teachers will guide students with instructions specific to the planning part of Genius Hour (Checklist) as part of the last step of the teachers’ project.

10

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

(c) Guide with instructions (checklist) as part of the first step of the teachers’ project.

Readings (a) Online guides, sample lessons, and research articles regarding implementation of Genius Hour projects.(b) Explanatory videos on Genius Hour concepts and implementation.

(a) Videos for instructions on various technologies(b) Read instructional guides for the technologies

(a) Online examples of Genius Hour projects.(b) Review and reading of the research process.(c) Teachers will read the ISTE standards about bringing passion and individuality to classroom with Genius Hour.

Teacher Participation

(a)Teachers will follow along on their personal devices with a video example to set up their own sample of a shared Google DocTM.(b) Teachers will create a graphic organizer to summarize the steps of the project.(c) Teachers will practice using a collaborative document in Google DocsTM including the use of editing suggestions and comments.

(a)Teachers will participate in an online discussion about the two tools they identify from the survey. Feedback will be given by course instructors as well as their peers.(b)Teachers will watch and read required materials to develop sufficient background knowledge on various technologies.(c)Teachers will take the online survey identifying their technologies. Feedback will be emailed to them about their selections from the course instructors.

(a) Teachers will come up with the steps students need to take in order to complete a successful Genius Hour project (simulated course).(b) Using the results of the online survey, teachers will identify potential complications students may encounter as they begin their Genius Hour projects and work to come up with solutions.

Media (a) Active GoogleTM Teachers will be Teachers will use

11

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Development and Implementation

accounts for all participants.(b) Individual technology device for each teacher; laptop, chromebook, tablet, or desktop.(c) Stable WiFi access.(d) A Google DocTM prepared with resource and example links; Genius Hour videos, Google DocTM instructional videos and documents, SchoologyTM

course(e) Media projector or large display screen for additional PD day.(f) Links:Middleweb.comGeniushour.comSchoology.com

introduced to the following media resources through the SchoologyTM course:

PoppletTM

Google DocsTM

Google FormsTM

SocrativeTM

SkitchTM

Other media will include: Links:

surveymonkey.com SchoologyTM

Google DocTM

the following media selections in order to complete the activities:(a) RubistarTM

(b) Google DocTM

(c) Survey MonkeyTM

Time Allotment Notes

Activities:(a) Instructional presentation, modeling, and creation of a sample document are estimated to take 1 to 2 hours.(b) Planning and preparation of the graphic organizer is estimated to take 1 hour.(c) Creation of a project folder that is shared with students expected to take less than 30 minutes.

Estimated time:3hrs. 30min.

Activities:(a)The activities are expected to take 2 - 3 hours.(b)The survey should take approximately 20 minutes

Estimated time:3hrs. 20 min.

Activities:(a) Creating a rubric should take no more than 1 hour.(b) Improving the graphic organizer using technology tools and resources should take no more than 20 minutes.(c) To plan the lessons of Genius Hour project take approximately 6 hours.

Estimated time:7hrs. 20 min.

12

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Note: The estimated time to complete all the tasks is 14 hours and 10 minutes.  The

teacher has four days to complete the online workshop and the project.  

Media Development and Implementation

Teachers will be completing this web-based learning module on Genius Hour through

SchoologyTM. Within this learning module, teachers will be required to access other media and

technologies embedded within the course. Some teachers may be unfamiliar with accessing

courses on SchoologyTM or how to navigate the course, therefore, at the beginning of the course

there will be an introductory page supporting the teachers on how to utilize Schoology’sTM

learning platform.

SchoologyTM has both web-based and app-based accessibility, so the teachers will need

either a laptop/computer with a web-browser, or a device that can download the SchoologyTM

application. Overall, as long as teachers have access to basic Wi-Fi and an up-to-date browser,

they should have no problems accessing or using any of the required media.

Below are the requirements from Schoology’sTM (2017) support pages outlining the

bandwidth and computer capability requirements for users:

For optimal performance while using Schoology, we recommend upgrading to the latest

versions of the supported browsers and additional requirements below.

Mobile

If you are using our mobile app, please make sure you are using the latest version. We are

constantly improving the mobile app, and each version includes bug fixes and new

features, so running the latest version is important for optimal performance.

iOS: You can find the version number by opening Settings on your iPhone or iPad, and

tapping Schoology in your list of apps. The latest version of our iOS app is 3.11.2.

13

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Note: Schoology no longer supports devices running iOS 7 and strongly suggests that

iOS 7 users upgrade to the latest version.

Android: You can find the version number by opening Settings on your Android device,

tapping Application Settings and then Manage App. The latest version of our Android

app is 4.0.0.

Web

We recommend performing the following tasks for optimal performance:

Run a speed test during the school or work day.

Add *.schoology.com to your whitelist.

Check your firewall settings for blocks against common URLs.

o Additionally, if your school has firewall blocks against Google Ad

Services, it will cause Schoology to be very slow. This is because

Schoology has Google Ad tags incorporated into our site so that you, as a

current Schoology user, do not see Schoology advertisements elsewhere

on the internet. These tags do not track any personally identifiable

information or any other sensitive data. Remove any blocks against

Google Ads Services for optimal performance.

Ensure outgoing traffic rules for ports 80, 443, 8080, and 8443:

o Ports 80 and 443 are used for standard Schoology web traffic.

o Ports 8080 and 8443 are used to load SCORM content from Schoology.

14

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

Supported Browsers:

Firefox 3+ Download the latest version

Internet Explorer 11+ (for Windows 8 and previous versions) Download the

latest version

Internet Edge Browser (for Windows 10+) Download the latest version

Safari 3.1+ Download the latest version

Google Chrome Download the latest version

Additional Requirements:

Javascript How to enable

Flash 9+ Download the latest version

Cookies enabled

Websites often store cookies and other data as you browse online. This data may

include information that you have provided in the past, such as your name, email

address, and preferences. This data helps websites such as Schoology identify you

when you return to the site, and helps the site remember the user's preferences or

registration details for a future visit. On Schoology, enabling cookies in your

browser can help prevent login issues to Schoology.com as well as to other third

party apps within Schoology.

Other additional media usage and creation, such as Google DocsTM, PoppletTM, SocrativeTM,

SkitchTM, and RubistarTM, will be required throughout the learning module as outlined in the above

storyboard. Each of them require the same computer capability and bandwidth requirements as

listed above. The original media will be created by the ISD team and hosted on the Schoology

15

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

course. Additional media will be created by the teachers after completing the required training.

Teachers will need the following skills to be able to successfully complete the course: word

processing skills, use of Google DocsTM, use of Google FormsTM, electronic presentation skills,

web navigation skills, video-conferencing skills, etc. While the majority of these skills should be

already developed through their experience as an educator, they will be further developed

through the online training modules as supported by guides, videos, and tutorials.

16

ISD PROGRESS UPDATE

References

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. (2011). e-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines

for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd Ed). John Wiley & Sons P&T,

8/1/11. VitalBook file.

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner, updated: Activities and

resources for creative instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Horton, W. K. (2012) E-learning by design. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Rush, E. B. (2015). Genius hour in the library. Teacher Librarian, 43(2), 26+. Retrieved

from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu

/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=vic_liberty&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE

%7CA439185867&sid=summon&asid=a807f9b6ac75e6d020fdca0c4a629d17

Schoology. (2017). System requirements & troubleshooting tips. Retrieved from

https://support.schoology.com/hc/en-us/articles/201002153-System-Requirements

Simos, E. (2015). Genius hour: Critical inquiry and differentiation. English Leadership

Quarterly. 38(1), (2-4). Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/

Resources/Journals/ELQ/0381-aug2015/ELQ0381Genius.pdf

17