Problem Analysis

Problem being addressed Generally, there are currently adults who have left secondary school with few qualifications or who wish to obtain a Social Studies qualification in the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate (CSEC) level. Specifically, this course addresses the unit on Government in that program. Optimally, participants will be more informed on government structure and functioning so as to evaluate or explain political happenings. They can perform better on this unit and more likely obtain a higher grade in the Social Studies exam. Symptoms Under qualified persons usually hold low paying jobs or are unable to go on to further study at higher education institutions. CXCs annual examinations reports for Social Studies repeatedly mention poor performance by candidates in the government unit. Root Cause Disinterest in and unfamiliarity with government concepts are at the root of poor performance. Students lack background knowledge on topics such as what is a republic, role of the regional final appeal court, and law making. Appropriateness of Instruction Instruction can equip participants with knowledge and understanding of the concepts, so they can now evaluate, apply, and problem solve civic issues, even reducing chances of infringements of their civic rights and entitlements. Appropriateness of WBI Web Based Instruction would allow a structured yet flexible way to deliver this course. Extended access to content, and instructor guidance beyond the specified face to face classroom time, and the flexibility to choose the most convenient hours for independent study and access to content are good reasons WBI. Access to internet is relatively high across the country, with access also available at public libraries, community centers, and selected locations around the island with free Wi-Fi. Instructional Goal Statement After completing the course, students will be able to discuss and analyze concepts related to government in the Commonwealth Caribbean in relation to electoral process, and systems, structure, functions, and forms of government. Context Analysis Organizational Infrastructure Infrastructure at Northern Beacon School is moderate and will need development/upgrading. Moodle is expected to be set up in January 2013 with training sessions for selected numbers of staff. The school servers currently support over 140 computers, (desktops and laptops) in addition to several teachers using their personal laptops during the course of the teaching day. All these systems access the internet using either wired or wireless connections, depending on their location

in the plant. This proposed online course takes place after school hours for a maximum of 25 students in the initial stages. The servers should adequately meet the technical demands of the course. Provided that appropriate analysis and justification is provided, school management is supportive of technology innovations and will facilitate the use of premises, equipment, and access to support personnel for this online course. Since Government: learn with e-Tuition is experimental, copyright of instructional materials remains with the developer/designer with fair use provided to users and the institution for the duration of the course. Training in copyright and fair use will need to be reiterated given the common perception that web based materials are free to use. Allocation and Competencies of personnel While the designer will have main responsibilities for development and instruction, 2 current staff members with training in instructional design can be called on for support and guidance. The Information Technology Coordinator (ITC) assigned to the Northern Beacon School will provide technical support both to the designer/instructor and the students during office hours and via email afterwards. The ITC can also get additional support from the IT department of the Ministry of Education which oversees WAN and individual educational institutions in the country. Learner Location and technology The target audience will be local to Barbados, and as a small country, learners can easily access the school campus for the required once a week face to face sessions. Orientation sessions can use equipment from the school to ensure learners are familiar with working with Moodle and online settings. Students must have computers with internet access, microphones, and preferably a webcam. Other specific applications and requirements will be determined later and communicated to learners. Learner Analysis Data for the analysis were compiled from examining extant data (Social Studies Examinations Reports from CXC), and unstructured interviews with instructors of adult continuing education classes (2 independent instructors and 2 with structured private academies). As a secondary school teacher of Social Studies, I also relied on my own experiences with learners and their response to the subject. General Characteristics: Participants are likely to be mainly females between the ages 18-30, with fewer males who are likely to be under the age of 25. Males tend to go after technical, vocational, or professional certification. Among the target learners should be drop-outs and low achievers from the secondary school level, as well as some highly motivated persons going after a specific qualification. The older adults are likely to be employed in relatively low paying jobs. Motivation and Prior Knowledge: Motivation levels are likely to be variable. The more mature learners are generally motivated to upgrade their employment and tend to be more persistent. Social Studies is a very popular subject to be taken at the CSEC level across the Caribbean, although prior knowledge is not high for the government unit. The enthusiasm for the subject should work in favour of this course.

Communication and Technical Skills: Writing skills may have to be assessed at the start of the course given the general characteristics stated above. Difficulties will have to be addressed as part of the course design. Some learners may be skilled in procedures such as navigating, keyboarding and email, but others may need orientation sessions to be successful in the program.

Standards The course will use the CXC CSEC objectives for the government unit in the Social Studies syllabus: The students will: Differentiate among the types of government systems in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Describe the structure of government and functioning of the legislative, executive and judicial arms. Evaluate the functions of government. Describe the electoral process and systems used in the Commonwealth Caribbean Describe how political parties prepare for elections. Outline the factors that influence the outcomes of elections Describe the factors that influence voter participation.

Some ISTE standards will also apply with focus on: Standard 2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems. Standard 3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. d. process data and report results Standard 4. Critical thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions Standard 5. Digital citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students: a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology. b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.