Laila Taylor

ITEC Portfolio Artifact Reflection

Standard 3.3 Online & Blended Learning:

Candidates develop, model, and facilitate the use of online and blended learning, digital
content, and learning networks to support and extend student learning and expand
opportunities and choices for professional learning for teachers and administrators.
1. Briefly describe the artifact and the context in which it was created. What was/were
your individual contribution(s)?
This artifact was created as a Blended Online Learning OLE Grid/ Unit Plan for ITEC
7480. I created this unit plan for 7th grade Life Science standards, Cell Theory Unit for a
blended online class. The unit plan also has a self- check component to systematically
organize the content, learning strategies, and assessments for this Unit.
2. Explain how this artifact demonstrates mastery of the standard/element under which it
is placed.
This artifact allowed me to develop a unit plan that provided a blended online learning
experience for students over the Cell Theory. This unit plan allows the teachers to extend
class time where students are building their back ground knowledge of the cell theory by
completing online learning modules that address the content. This allows for class time
to designate for extending that learning into areas of creating and analyzing. The Unit
Plan systematically focuses on the unit goals, standards, learner characteristics,
technology requirements, prerequisite skills, introductory communication plans, universal
design principles considered, timeline, module objectives, modules assessments,
description of learning activities, formative evaluation and feedback, physical learning
materials, digital learning objects, and plans for differentiation. This unit plan helps to
extend student learning and expand opportunities for students to focus on areas of
weakness and move beyond whole class objectives but truly becomes an individualized
educational plan for each student.
3. What did you learn from completing this artifact? What would you do differently to
improve the quality of the artifact or the process involved in creating the artifact?
I learned from completing this unit plan artifact that although creating a solely online or
blended learning classroom might be out of the teachers control it is beneficial for
teachers to use google hangout or blogs for class discussions that require students to think

Laila Taylor

ITEC Portfolio Artifact Reflection

critically when class time is limited. I enjoyed thinking about online learning from the
instructors point of view. As a student I have had several experiences with online
learning and understand that role but had not stepped back and thought about the whys
before. If I created this unit plan again I would make sure to include an equitable access
piece to the plan. A valuable way that I have found to ensure equitable access for all
students is to provide extended due dates.

4. How did the work that went into creating the artifact impact school improvement,
faculty development, or student learning? How can the impact be assessed?
This artifact impacted my classroom because it started my inquiry into class blogs, which
later became my capstone project theme. My students were greatly impacted through
incorporating a class blog and providing expectations for post and responses in the
syllabus at the start of the year saved me time in class throughout. The learning and
impact can be assessed throughout and determined on a formative basis observed from
the teacher on student engagement and participation.