Running head: Tiny Painters 1

Tiny Painters

Deanne Dominguez

California State University, Monterey Bay

December 12, 2017

IST522 Instructional Design

Dr. Jeanne Farrington

Tiny Painters 2

Recently, I have been approached on several occasions by parents in my community

asking if I would be willing to give lessons to their children in studio art. My first, and currently

my only, private lessons are with an age four learner. I have had previous experience teaching

art in an elementary classroom setting, as well as assisting and leading demonstrations for a local

community college. To aid my community I will be starting my first course under the

organizational name “Tiny Painters” which will cater to Pre-school aged learners. This

instructional design project will assist me in my first experience working with a toddler-

preschool aged learner whose main desire in studio art is to learn to paint.

A crucial foundational skill in painting is being able to create secondary colors, the

colors that result from mixing two primary colors. According to what I have learned from

observation, she draws objects that she has previously seen. If she only had primary colors

available, she currently would not be able to recreate many common things she sees everyday if

she desired to. In this scenario she, for example, would not be able to recreate an orange, her

favorite purple sneakers, or green grass. Moreover, “Aesthetic experiences, a variety of artistic

experience and a necessary part of any early years art programme, foster in children a deeper

perceptual understanding of the world, and, at times, serve to bridge and connect art making and

encounters with art” (Eglinton 2006, p. 36).

This design project will be used to train this particular student how to identify primary

and secondary colors, as well as produce secondary colors. Teaching students how to create

secondary colors does not just equip them with another skill, it builds a framework for

understanding that mixing colors creates colors which is the basis of color theory. Learning how

to color mix to create secondary colors specifically is foundational for creating tertiary colors,

then quanternary colors, and so on. Although the information is not complex and does not
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require extremely developed critical thinking skills, distance and delivery presented a few

obstacles that needed to be worked through in the design process. Despite barriers, the flexible

nature of the design provides for a great chance at reusability. Ultimately, the highest-level

organizational goal is to create a course that the student and parent will be satisfied with so that I

can begin to build a larger customer database.

Analysis

Needs Assessment

Data Collection

The first set of data I collected was through informal interviews with the student’s parent

and observing the student while she was painting. The latter will be expressed more in the

learner analysis. The mother expressed her child’s particular interest in art. The child spends a lot

of time perfecting her 2D creations, and has already won a coloring contest where a significant

number of other students her age had entered. She had also recently spent a lot of time watching

Bob Ross videos and had expressed how she had wanted to learn how to paint better. This was

point where I had decided I would take her on as a student.

Being the student is requesting very basic fundamental course in studio art, the

information could successfully be relayed with minimal effort. However, in order to create a

more personalized and meaningful experience for the learner, a questionnaire was created to

better understand her interests. Moreover, although I am confident in the data I have collected

through observation, and casual conversation with the parent, I want to ensure that any type of

instruction is learner-centered, and specific to what the learner’s desires and interests are.
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Therefore, in a brief questionnaire I created, I was able to identify both the needs assessment and

the learner analysis.

This process introduced the first of the obstacles I faced. First, at this time, we were in

completely different time zones. So not only was I not able to physically meet with the student,

the time that was feasible for me was an obnoxious hour for their household. I had to utilize a

method where I would be able to deliver a set of questions that could be answered, and sent back

to me on their time. Secondly, the student had not yet learned to read, therefore the questions

would need to be read to her. I also wanted to ensure that I was not causing any unnecessary

teaching for the parent. As I parent myself, I could understand that any kind of unnecessary

effort at the wrong time could be stressful even more so with this family as there are three small

children in the household. For that reason, I wanted to create the questionnaire using very simple

using words I knew, from interacting with her, she would understand, and would only need to be

read to her.

For the needs assessment and partial learner analysis, I sent a survey via google form to

her parent. The child’s parent then assisted in reading the questions, and scribing the child’s

answers. In the survey, I asked very basic questions to confirm whether she wanted to learn more

about painting, what she knew about primary and secondary colors, and what kind of secondary-

colored things she would like to paint.

If her responses indicated she was still interested in learning to paint, she confirmed that

she would like to be able to paint something in a secondary color, but also confirmed she lacked

the skills or knowledge to do so then the course would be worth developing. As was supposed,

all questions were confirmed.

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Problem or Opportunity

The data shows the learner expressed she has a desire to paint, as well as a desire to be

able to recreate 2D representations of objects. To begin to help her in that process, I would like

the learner to have the skills to identify and recreate the color of a secondary colored object using

paint. Currently, the student is capable of using paint with or without a brush and knows how to

duplicate (to the best of her ability) an object given that she has the same color (or at least in the

same color family). However, she does not know how to mix colors to create a color she doesn’t

already have.

Cause(s) of the Gap.

At her age, it is not surprising to me that the student lacks knowledge in color theory

aside from what she may have been exposed to about what the names of basic colors are. I have

worked with one-year-old up to three-year-old learners professionally, but have had a lot of

informal interaction with students her age. Her knowledge of the subject thus far is typical. It is

just new information that, with this design, will hopefully become something to easily relay to

other learners her age.

Initial Solution

I plan to create three short, simple, tutorial videos on how to create the colors: orange,

green, and purple using paint which will be sent out over the span of a week. A main goal of

these videos is to create instruction in its simplest form to accommodate to the learner’s age and

level of experience. Being that this is distance education, there will be a heavy focus on what

words are used in my instructional videos, and in the feedback, I give the student. If art
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instruction in the early years is void of teacher-support that the instruction is devoid of positive

development (Eglinton 2003, 22).

With an iphone video (under supervision) the learner is able to navigate through the

video with ease using the play features. The student’s parent will then send a picture, or face

time with me to review and give feedback on the completed colors. With a simple tutorial to

refer to in the future, as well as feedback on her work, after that week the student should be able

to reproduce the colors with ease on her own without my help.

Goals for Your Project

Currently, there are two organizational goals for this project, and one main learner goal.

The main organizational goal is to build a catalog of satisfied customers, and to develop a simple

reusable design. The main learner goal for the student is to advance in her skills and abilities in

painting.

Learner Analysis

Data Collection

My first data source for the learner analysis was the data I collected from the

aforementioned questionnaire. In the questionnaire, I included questions that would also serve as

a basis for the learner analysis. Results showed the student expressed her inability to identify

primary colors and what color combinations create the three secondary colors.

My second source was the data I collected through observation. I spent time watching her

create and took mental note of her abilities and prior knowledge. At the time, I did not collect

data in a formal fashion as it was before she became my student. However, the questionnaire
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helped confirm that as far as creating secondary colors are concerned, she does not know how to

at this point.

Currently the student is capable of using paint with or without a brush, and knows how to

duplicate (to the best of her ability) an object given that she has the same color (or at least in the

same color family). Many children that I have met at my student’s age are familiar with the

colors of the rainbow, the color brown, and can identify the values black and white. However,

like my student, do not know how to mix colors to create a color they do not already have.

Learner Profile

The student is in pre-school and has previously painted on a number of occasions. Also,

she has recently been watching online painting tutorials which have mostly been from the Bob

Ross collection. The vocabulary and technique usage is too advanced for her understanding.

Consequently, she hasn’t been able to follow the tutorials. For example, if Bob Ross talks about

using Alizerin Crimson or Vermillion, she would not be able to explain what those names mean.

However, these recordings have been useful in exposing her to possibilities, and have caused her

to be more motivated about endeavoring to build her skill. The skills and abilities she does

possess, make for a great candidate for this course.

Currently the student is able to identify all primary and secondary colors by name. She

also has had previous experience using paint, water, and a paintbrush (though for these exercises

using her fingers will be appropriate if need be) creating 2D pieces. Moreover, she is confident

and capable using an iphone to watch videos, as well as navigate the play options if she would

like to repeat a portion of the recording. Though I understand she has met all qualifications for

this course, I do foresee some barriers to learning.

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I expect that the learner will be able to complete the activities and understand the main

goal of the activity. However, she might run into issues with some technicalities that I intend to

account for beforehand. Because the activity deals with measuring, she may have some difficulty

dividing the paint into truly equal parts, or even understanding that equal amounts is a very

specific measurement. Therefore, it is anticipated that the product of the activity may not be a

perfect color match, and may even resemble a tertiary color. Because identical color match is not

the main goal for the learner, it might be something addressed in the feedback, but not something

that would significantly alter the critique on her product. With these barriers accounted for, I

believe her motivation for wanting to learn how to paint will outweigh the small obstacles we

may run into. I also believe that because the course has such a simple design, and she has the

entry requirements to complete it, overcoming possible barriers will not require much effort.

The first entry requirement, as was mentioned earlier, many children at my student’s age

that I have interacted with are familiar with the colors of the rainbow, the color brown, and can

identify the values black and white. Secondly, they have also most been exposed to some type of

paint. I believe these simple prerequisites would be helpful in utilizing the learner solution. Also,

if the student can independently navigate a cell phone or video playing device, or if he/she has

help from someone who can, then either would be needed for watching (and replaying if needed)

the tutorial.

Context Analysis

For the context analysis, I researched leading professionals in the “art at a distance” field,

and found useful support from Michael Stewart, one of the founders at Studio Art School, a

school that teaches art via distance education. He claims,“There are some obvious disadvantages

to working online—notably, the lack of face-to-face contact between tutors and students, and
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further, the loss of the interaction between students that forms a vital part of any classroom-based

experience. But we've found that any potential disadvantages are far outweighed by the

advantages” (Stewart 2006).

In developing my context analysis, I used past experiences, professional and informal, to

develop how I would administer the content. Studio Art may seem like one that needs to be done

in person because it is such a hands-on type of work, but if the material can be clearly delivered

in a way that the student can somehow receive a visual demonstration it makes the possibilities

of studio art instruction via distance learning a lot more achievable. Stewart explains that in order

to deliver activities online, his team had to be willing to think drastically reframe the way they

had approached education. The way they found to be most effective was to give a face-to-face

demonstration, photograph the students’ work, and then use the photographs to create a step-by-

step process for their curriculum (Stewart 2006). Similarly, my student will be watching a step

by step demonstration with the ability to rewind and revisit steps.

There is currently she is the only student in my target audience and she is located in

Southern California. Also for the context analysis, I conducted an informal interview with the

student’s mother. I realized that one of the logistical roadblocks we might run into is our location

and time zone. I am on the east coast so finding a time when we could reach other so I could give

feedback right after she finishes each activity may be a struggle. I would want to be able to give

immediate feedback so that she will remember what she did to produce the product. Thankfully,

this was the only foreseeable setback.

I also inquired about the supplies that she had, and they have everything they need to

complete the activities. In my experience, paint has been the easiest mode of color mixing

because it’s such an opaque substance. Using crayons, colored pencil, and markers require more
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specific tools, as well as a more developed understanding of pressure application. With paint,

virtually any kind (water based and non-toxic for this age group) plus the students’ fingers can be

used for color mixing. Many children that I have met at my student’s age are have most likely

used crayons, colored pencils, markers, and some type of paint. Although future students may

desire to focus on honing skills with a different medium, such as graphite, or colored pencils I

would still use paint as a mode of teaching about secondary colors.

In regard to what this course may look like in the future, I’m hoping to eventually create

curriculum that can be flexible enough to use for multiple students, but still be specific to

individual learner. One thing I have considered is that students in the future may be considered

developmentally atypical, so their acquired knowledge may not reflect what is typical of others

their age. As of now, I am willing to receive students who are learning at about a preschool level.

Content Analysis

1. What are primary and secondary colors?

The student will learn the difference between primary and secondary colors.

2. What pair of primary colors make each secondary color?

The student will learn which primary colors when mixed together will create a

specific secondary color.

In order to be able to create a desired color, the student will need to understand these

basics in color theory. She may understand that mixing colors creates another color, but in order

for her to mix colors to produce a desired color, she will need to know these two concepts. It is

not necessary that she knows the formulas by memory, she can use a color chart to aide in her

mixing. She will be tested on these two items

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Cost/Benefit Analysis

One might consider the feasibility of buying secondary colors. However, as was

mentioned, that does not build on the knowledge of color theory. It is a value of mine to not cut

corners in this organization. I want to prepare my students to be able to master fundamentals and

part of that would be using limited resources to measure their ability to create what they have

been taught to create. Moreover, even buying paint is not always feasible. In my community, a

lot of families are of lower socioeconomic status. Therefore, buying paint is not the best option.

Thankfully, this course is nearly free. Since I will be conducting this course free of

charge, and parents have agreed to administer the content, there is no paid person to account for.

The family will also be using the supplies that they have. As previously stated, all the student

will need to produce the colors is: a piece of white paper; red, blue and yellow paint; at bare

minimum, her fingers to mix the paint. In the future, a new cost analysis would need to be

produced considering future students may not have supplies, or access to a device that will play

downloaded videos. I also may charge in the future, but the hourly rate is yet to be determined.

Even in the future, I perceive that this course will be highly cost effective considering it doesn’t

require expensive materials. I also get a personal satisfaction offering my time and knowledge to

families in my community free of charge, as well as becoming more familiar with instruction.

Design

Learning Objectives

Declarative

 From memory, a preschool student will be able to identify all three primary colors

with 66.6% accuracy.

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 Using demonstration videos as a reference a preschool student will be able to

identify which primary color pairs will produce all three secondary colors with

100% accuracy

Procedural

 Using a color chart, a paint, and a paintbrush, a preschool student will be able to

produce all three secondary colors with 100% accuracy

 Using demonstration videos as a reference, a preschool student will be able to

produce a 2D interpretation of a secondary-colored object with 66.6%-100%

accuracy

Test Instruments

To keep consistent with the video instruction, a video will be made and the testing

administered by a parent. There will be test aides created that could be directly written on via

mobile picture editing features. These items could also be printed and written on. The parent

would then send a picture of the results back to me. Where I would then give feedback to the

student.

For the first procedural test, the student will be given the primary paint colors, and will be

asked to reproduce all three secondary colors. When the learner is finished, the work will be

reviewed and a note will be taken for each secondary color produced. For the second procedural

tests, the student will choose from the objects reported on the questionnaire which secondary-

colored-item she would like to reproduce. The student will choose and mix the primary color

paints necessary to create the item. She will then be asked to paint the object. Her finished work

will be reviewed to ensure accuracy.

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Media and Delivery System Decisions

Due to the aforementioned location limitations, I will be administering instruction and be

in communication with the learner via telephone and video. Therefore, I chose a blended learning

design with a mix of asynchronous learning, and somewhat self-study delivery format. I will be

sharing instructional media with the student, as well as giving her feedback after her activities.

Because the learner is familiar with video tutorials, and they are relatively easier to

follow than scrolling through pictures. I will be sending the student three videos that will provide

a brief explanation and demonstration. The explanation will be about the color that we are

aiming to produce, as well as a demonstration for the mixing. Although the lesson is in theory,

asynchronous, in order for the learner to watch the videos, she will need assistance from a parent

to operate the device, access the media, and help set up the materials she will need for the

activities. The time when she watches the videos and participates in the assignments will be

dependent on the parents’ availability. Although this method requires assistance from her parent,

I still understand it to be the most convenient method of delivery given our locations.

Within the videos, I will be using digital pictures of the items she talked about wanting to

be able to produce in the questionnaire. I believe using something that the student had wanted to

create as the subject will incite motivation and readiness to participate in the activities.

Instructional Strategies and Activities

Much of the development of this course was based on prior experience. During my own

experience in taking many art classes, teaching many art classes, as well as acting as a teacher’s

aide, I learned what effective instruction in art looked like. Typically, you were given a short

background on the subject, a demonstration, time to complete the assignment, and then critiqued
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on your work. That’s exactly how I developed my activities with intentionally simplifying the

subject matter.

Because the subject matter is simple, and I wanted to keep the course as simple as

possible I did not use any activities I researched. I did however consider using a type of

engagement activity. In a lesson conducted by Gran and McNamara on color mixing, they

introduced their students to the topic by presenting them with questions about color mixing, and

then handed out color pencils so the students could investigate what they found when they color

mixed (Gran & Mcnamara, 2012). This activity was administered to middle school students but a

simplified version may be a possible activity to add into this course. In the event of trial and

error, I may implement a modified version into the course.

Although the Adult Learning Theory seemed irrelevant for my learner’s age, I felt

Piskurch’s summary was significant in choosing which theory I would base my activity choices

on. Specifically, these two points caught my attention: “People learn what they want or need to

learn, and people learn when they are ready to learn”. Given that my student has the motivation

to learn, and the activities are based around what she had expressed she desired to create, this

makes me confident in what I chose for the agenda.

Agenda

1. Introduction (2 mins.)
2. Instruction/ creating orange activity (10 mins.)
3. Orange activity feedback (3 mins.)
4. Instruction/creating green activity (10 mins.)
5. green activity feedback (3 mins.)
6. Instruction/creating purple activity (10 mins)
7. Feedback (3 mins.)
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8. Instruction/Create a 2D image
9. Testing (6 mins)
10. Summary (2 mins.)

One of the ways this course is simple is in the way it is repetitive. There is a tutorial

video, an activity, the product of the activity will be the deliverable, and afterward the student

will receive feedback on her deliverable. In activities two, four, and six, she will learn how to

mix two primary colors together to create a secondary color, asked to duplicate the process and

be given feedback on what she produces. For example, if there is too much red in her purple

product, it will be explained to her. Activity 8 will be slightly different in that she will watch a

tutorial on how to recreate an object that is a secondary color, e.g., an orange, and the activity

will be to create something from the list of items she had expressed she wanted to create in the

questionnaire. There will be a video created for the introduction, and one for the summary. The

introduction video will be sent with the first activity and the summary will be sent after the

testing. The whole course should only take about a week to two weeks to complete.

Development & Implementation

List of Major Deliverables

There is not a lot of pre-work that needs to be done during the production process. I

already have the physical materials I would need to create the instruction which are: a recording

device, paint, paintbrushes and paper. For each instruction, I would want to have a physical 2D

example of what I will be teaching in each activity which I can easily search online for,

download, and print out. I would want to create scripts for any videos made to support learning.

According to Eckhoff (2012), the conversation used between instructor and student can support

student’s creative process. When making test instruments, Appendix D, I used primary and
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secondary copy-right free swatches that I found online. I would also use the same approach to

send a color chart for the testing.

Development Plan

This is not a time-sensitive course, and as described in the cost analysis, will require little

to no money. I plan for one instructional video to be sent out, and the student to complete the

activity between that day or the following. Feedback and the next instructional will be sent out

after, and the process will repeat until the end of the course. It should not take more than a week

to two weeks to complete. A foreseeable setback may be that the parents do not have the time to

help with the instruction as far as setting up a computer, or a video playback device. In that case

Plan B would be to create a timeline where the course can be finished in one to two days. In that

instance, there would be more planning needed between myself and the parent.

Implementation Plan

This course is asynchronous, and the student’s parent do not need any formal training to

be able to set up her work station or pass out her materials. For cost effectiveness and feasibility,

I developed this course so that materials around the house could be used, and if the student is

able to navigate the entire course by herself she could.

Evaluation

Formative Evaluation

The worksheet assignments and IST 522 books have been an excellent resource in

ensuring I have the components needed to ensure the course is complete. The course will be a

trial and error evaluation in itself. Because I am not yet charging, and there is only one student,

it’s a cost-effective opportunity to see how successful the course is. Exposing other learners her

age in my community to the material in order to conduct a formative evaluation would not be
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profitable in trying to build a larger customer database. In the future, this course will serve as

my source for formative evaluation in the redesign process.

Summative Evaluation

A google form, Appendix E, will be sent to the student and parent to for a Level 1

evaluation. I chose to also evaluate the parent to consider what changes should be made to the

design. If there was a component that seemed to time-consuming or difficult to set up, I would

want to increase usability by redesigning that feature and creating an easier learning experience

for both parent and student. As with the rest of the course, I ensured to use language conducive

to the learner’s developmental stage. Levels 3, 4, and 5 evaluations are irrelevant to the course.

However, if the student were to continue studying with me, I would be able to observe and

evaluate on levels 3 and 4.

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Appendix A

Questionnaire
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Appendix B

Agenda Item
(Teaching/Learning
Activity) Topic Description

Creating Mixing This student will watch a short

Orange primary colors to instructional video with demonstration. The

create the color video will also include an activity to be

orange completed after viewing.

Creating Mixing This student will watch a short

Yellow primary colors to instructional video with demonstration. The

create the color video will also include an activity to be

Yellow completed after viewing.

Creating Mixing This student will watch a short

Purple primary colors to instructional video with demonstration. The

create the color video will also include an activity to be

purple completed after viewing.

Creating a 2D Using a This student will watch a short

image secondary color to instructional video with demonstration. The

create a 2D image video will also include an activity to be

completed after viewing.

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Appendix C

Timeline

1. Materials development – 1 day

2. Implementation of instruction and feedback – 2 weeks

3. Testing – 1 day

3. Formative evaluation – 1 day

Appendix D

Test instruments

1. Choose all of the primary colors

a. Red

b. Orange

c. Yellow

d. Blue

2. Draw lines to match which two primary colors create the secondary colors on the right
PRIMARY COLORS
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Appendix E

Formative evaluation
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References

Eckhoff, A. Early Childhood Educ J (2013) 41: 365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0567-0

Eglinton, Kristen Ali. Art in the Early Years, Taylor and Francis, 2003. ProQuest Ebook Central,

https://ebookcentral-proquest-

com.library2.csumb.edu:2248/lib/csumb/detail.action?docID=3060378.

Gran, Susan, and Michael Mcnamara. “Integrating the Arts: Teaching about Color Mixing with

Light.” Science Scope, vol. 35, no. 7, 2012, pp. 62–66.

Piskurich, George M.. Rapid Instructional Design: Learning ID Fast and Right (p. 287). Wiley.

Kindle Edition.

Stewart, Michael. “Teaching Art at a Distance.” ELearn, vol. 2006, no. 12, 2006, pp. 1-es.,

doi:10.1145/1190070.1190072.