My Innovation Plan calls for an online platform where students can go to learn about the college admissions process. There will be videos, lectures and various courses that the student can explore on the platform about college admissions. They will be able to hear from college admissions representatives and check out a FAQ page.
As an Admissions Counselor, I want my students to be able to have access to help whenever they need it. Below is my learning unit where our students can go to get the help that they need.
3 Column Table
BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) – Overarching Course Goal
Learners will explore and learn from the online platform and share those experiences with their friends, family and counselors. At the end they will be able to apply their learned knowledge to their college applications.
| Learning Goals | Learning Activities | Assessment Activities |
| Foundation The students will have learned better knowledge of the college Admissions process. They will have learned about how different each college is in their admissions process | Students explore the online platform learning about college admissions Students watch videos and take courses about admissions | Students will take a survey on how their learning process went and share that with their counselors |
| Application The students will learn knowledge for their college applications and focus on practical thinking when completing their applications | Students will watch lectures and videos from admissions counselors explaining their college process | Students will gain a better understanding of what they learned by taking a group survey while applying their practical thinking to it |
| Integration Goals Step 1 Students will get access to the online platform and start learning courses and watching videos to better grow their knowledge and make connections with other students | Students will explore the website and pick out which videos they want to watch with other students | Students will reflect with one another on the videos that they watched |
| Integration Goals Step 2 Students will learn more in depth about admissions and they will have already watched a lot of the videos, done some courses and connected with other students | Students will go back and review videos and courses with other students and take more notes | Students will take an overall survey together on the website on how much knowledge they gained |
| Human Dimension/Caring Students will develop more confidence in their college search and applications and be able to help others learn | Students will talk to family members and other students about how the online platform worked for them | Students will gather with their family members and apply the knowledge they learned into their research for schools |
| Learning How to Learn Students will take notes on the information, and they will gain more knowledge on the College Admissions Process | Students will apply the information they gathered to their college applications | Students will fill out applications and talk with other students about submitting them |
Learning Environment & Situational Factors to Consider
1. Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation How many students are in the class? Is the course primary, secondary, undergraduate, or graduate level? How long and frequent are the class meetings? How will the course be delivered: live, online, blended, flipped or in a classroom or lab? What physical elements of the learning environment will affect the class? What technology, networking and access issues will affect the class?
- All the Students who are College hunting
- Undergraduate/Graduate
- No class meeting
- Delivery Method: Online
- Technology: The computer or phone they have
2. General Context of the Learning Situation
What learning expectations are placed on this course or curriculum by: the school, district, university, college and/or department? the profession? society?
- The online platform requires the students to have watched at least 1 video or done 1 course in order to take an online survey.
- The counselors will require their students to look at the website at least once for help.
3. Nature of the Subject Is this subject primarily theoretical, practical, or a combination? Is the subject primarily convergent or divergent? Are there important changes or controversies occurring within the field?
- Subject is Practical
- It is convergent thinking because this online platform is all about solving a question or problem that the student has about college admissions
- There are many controversies surrounding admissions such as all colleges and Universities require you to submit an essay or they are biased against certain students but that is not the case at all.
4. Characteristics of the Learner What is the life situation of the learners (e.g., socio-economic, cultural, personal, family, professional goals)? What prior knowledge, experiences, and initial feelings do students usually have about this subject? What are their learning goals and expectations?
- The life situation of the learners could have many factors. Struggling with their admissions process could include family, teachers, counselors or friends that all want them to do something specific that they want instead of listening to the student and what they want.
- Students at this level mostly don’t have any knowledge or experiences when it comes to admissions because a lot of them are first generation college students and their parents and family have no idea how to help them.
- Their learning goals and expectations are that coming from learning on the online platform will help them ultimately make better decisions when it comes to college admissions.
5. Characteristics of the Teacher What beliefs and values does the teacher have about teaching and learning? What is his/her attitude toward: the subject? students? What level of knowledge or familiarity does s/he have with this subject? What are his/her strengths in teaching?
- I am a strong believer in helping students gain the knowledge on how to go through life by themselves without needing guidance.
- My attitude towards college admissions is positive. I work in college admissions and there are plenty of rumors and confusion surrounding the field and on multiple occasions I see students get confused at the college admissions process and I want to create something that can help them gain the necessary knowledge they need to succeed.
- I have a lot of knowledge surrounding college admissions because I have been in it for about two years.
Questions for Formulating Significant Learning Goals
“A year (or more) after this course is over, I want and hope that students will ”
- I would like for students to gain better knowledge for college admissions and I hope that students will share the online platform and what they learned with their friends and family.
My Big Harry Audacious Goal (BHAG) for the course is:
- Learners will explore and learn from the online platform and share those experiences with their friends, family and counselors. At the end they will be able to apply their learned knowledge to their college applications.
Foundational Knowledge
What key information (e.g., facts, terms, formulae, concepts, principles, relationships, etc.) is/are important for students to understand and remember in the future? What key ideas (or perspectives) are important for students to understand in this course?
- College Admissions can be a confusing process but with the right help and knowledge the students can hopefully navigate the college admissions process successfully.
- The key idea in this online platform is that if you ask for help and do some research, college admissions are not as scary as you think it is.
Application Goals
What kinds of thinking are important for students to learn? Critical thinking, in which students analyze and evaluate. Creative thinking, in which students imagine and create. Practical thinking, in which students solve problems and make decisions. What important skills do students need to gain? Do students need to learn how to manage complex projects?
- Practical thinking is a must for this project. The students are learning helpful information and solving problems in order to make decisions about their college applications.
- They do not need to learn how to manage complex projects from this online platform. They are only learning how to navigate the college process and how they can apply that knowledge to their applications, friends, family and counselors.
Integration Goals
What connections (similarities and interactions) should students recognize and make? Among ideas within this course? Among the information, ideas, and perspectives in this course and those in other courses or areas? Among material in this course and the students’ own personal, social, and/or work life?
- Students need to recognize the connection between college the college process and speaking with their friends and family.
- They need to come out of this able to make connections with each other and have better knowledge of the college process so they can better educate their friends and family and guide them into how they want their college process to go.
Human Dimensions/Caring Goals
What could or should students learn about themselves? What could or should students learn about understanding others and/or interacting with them? What changes/values do you hope students will adopt? Feelings? Interests? Values?
- The students need to learn how to navigate the college process with the help of others. So often students are going about this alone and they have no one to talk to about it to ask for help. Their parents often get confused about the process and this online platform will help all of them learn how to take charge and be able to better navigate the college process.
- I hope students will adopt great interest in the college application field and be able to express their interests to their friends and family
References
Thomas, D., & John Seely Brown. (2011). A new culture of learning : cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Douglas Thomas And John Seely Brown.
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