University of Hawaii at Manoa

Masters in Educational Technology

ETEC 645 Design Web-based Instruction

Using Blogs to Support the Tutorial Process among High School AVID Students
Instructional Unit

Facilitators Guide

Dain A. Shimabuku
Fall 2010
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Context

Advancement Via Individual Determination also known as AVID is a college

preparatory and college readiness course for students in grades four through twelve.

AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college

readiness and success in a global society. The AVID program has been around for more

then twenty years and its being implemented in 4,000 schools in 45 states and 15

countries. An AVID student is one who has average to high test scores, 2.0 – 3.5 grade

point average, college potential, and the desire and determination to succeed in school

and attend college. They must meet certain criteria such as be the first in the family to

attend college, historically underserved in four-year colleges, low income, and other

special circumstances.

The AVID program and AVID strategies have been implemented for three years

at King Kekaulike High School. Students at our school come from the Upcountry, Maui

towns of Haiku, Paia, Makawao, Pukalani, and Kula. Our school has an AVID elective

class at each grade level. AVID students who make up the AVID elective class learn

writing skills, inquiry, collaboration, and reading skills (WICR strategies). One of the

AVID strategies is Cornell notes. During every core class, Math, Science, English, and

History, students must take notes using the Cornell note format. Students must carry a 3”

binder to hold their Cornell notes, class assignments, and Tutorial Request Forms. AVID

requires students to attend a tutorial session which is run by the AVID elective teacher

and a trained AVID tutor.

Prior to attending a tutorial session, AVID students must complete a Tutorial

Request Form. The form requires them to compose two higher level questions by
 Facilitators Guide 3

referencing Costa’s Levels of questioning. Students must get their core teacher to sign the

form giving permission that the question is appropriate and the content is currently

covered in class.

These students have been in AVID since their freshmen year of high school. They

can differentiate between the three levels of Costa’s questioning. Level one questions

requires one to gather information. An example of level one question is; what is the

definition of Osmosis? Level two questions requires one to process the information. An

example of level two questions is; Compare and contrast Osmosis and Diffusion. Level

three questions require one to apply the information. An example of a level three question

is; predict what will happen during the osmosis process of tap water and salt water. The

purpose of the different levels of questions is to create an order of higher level thinking.

If a student can understand beyond what the question is asking then they understand the

reasoning to find the answer.

The tutorial process involves students and tutors asking questions to help the

presenter understand how to answer the process of obtaining the answer. The tutors go

through sixteen hours of training in which they learn and understand the process of the

tutorial session. They learn how to facilitate a tutorial session and to ensure that answers

are not being told but to guide students in understanding the process of finding the

answer.

AVID students are placed in groups according to the question that are derived

from the same subject. The size of the group is three to five with one tutor. During the

session the students are to take Cornell notes on the questions presented during the

session. The students bring resources (Cornell notes, text books, and worksheets) to assist
 Facilitators Guide 4

them during them with the questions. After the tutorial session students write a reflection

on what they learned and the process of finding the answer.

At our school these sessions are held once a week and often times not all students

are able receive help with their questions. The purpose of this instructional unit is to

design a web based tutorial session using Ning for high school AVID students and tutors.

During the face-to-face tutorial sessions the majority of the questions come from Math.

On many occasions students are not able to receive assistance during the allotted tutorial

session. An objective of this web based instructional unit is to allow AVID students to

receive help after the face-to-face tutorial session. This unit is intended to give AVID

students assistance with questions in other core subjects such as English, History, and

Science.
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Implementation

This instructional unit will be delivered in a time span of one month. The tools

that are going to be used are face-to-face sessions, Ning social networking site, and Jing

for screen capture videos. The face-to-face sessions will be to introduce the instructional

unit. The Ning social networking site will be used to host the tutorial questions in an

online forum. Jing will be used to capture video and audio of how the online tutorial

process should work.

The table below is the implementation schedule and describes time periods,

objectives, delivery methods, and reasoning.

Time Objective Asset Delivery Reasoning

Period Method
Day 1 Introduce the project to the Synchronous Face-to-Face To explain the project to
participants and explain the goal AVID students and tutors.
of the project
Day 1 To create a Google account for the Asynchronous Google email Setting up a Google
use of Google Documents account allows the AVID
students and tutors to
access future Google
documents such as the
Tutorial Request Form
and Reflection
Day 1 Verify Google account by sending Asynchronous Google email Allows the researcher to
an email to the researcher archive the AVID students
and tutors Gmail address
for future access to the
Ning site and Google
documents
Day 2-3 View a Jing video on how to share Web-Based Jing This video will give
Google docs. Content Google AVID students and tutors
Document a short tutorial on how to
share documents using
Google docs.
Day 2-3 View a Jing video on how to join Web-Based Jing This will provide a step by
the Ning network Content Google step video on how to join
Document the KKHS AVID Ning
network.
Day 3-4 Join the Ning network site and Asynchronous Ning To set up a profile page

modify their profile page.
Day 3-4 View a Jing video on how to
change the user Ning profile
Day 5-6 View a Jing video on how to post
a discussion in Ning forum
Day 5-6 Using Ning forums write a
paragraph on why you joined
AVID as a student or tutor.
Day 7-8 View a Jing video on how to post
a proper discussion response
Day 7-8 Respond to at least 2 peers on the
discussion, “Why did you join
AVID as a student or tutor.”
Day 9 Discuss and reflect on the process
of posting and responding using
Ning.
Day 9 Discuss the online tutorial process
with AVID students.
Day 9 Discuss the online tutorial process
with AVID tutors.
Day 10- Complete the tutorial request form
11 #1 and submit it to the researcher.
Day 12- Post tutorial question #1 under
13 Ning Tutorial Forum #1 on the
KKHS AVID Ning network
Facilitators Guide 6
where AVID students and
tutors can post TRF
questions and can receive
responses
Web-Based Jing To create ownership of
Content Google their Ning profile page by
Document providing a video on how
to customize your profile.
Web-Based Jing This will provide AVID
Content Google students and tutors a video
Document on how to post a
Ning discussion in Ning forum.
Asynchronous Ning To give AVID students
and tutors a time to
practice using Ning
forums.
Web-Based Ning To demonstrate to AVID
Content Jing students and tutors on
Asynchronous Google how to properly respond
Document to a discussion
Asynchronous Ning To give AVID students
and tutors a time to
practice peer responses
using Ning
Synchronous Face-to-Face To discuss problems that
AVID students or tutors
encountered while
practicing posting and
responding to peers.
Synchronous Face-to-Face To discuss the tutorial
process and what is
expected out of the AVID
student.
Synchronous Face-to-Face To discuss the tutorial
process and what is
expected out of the AVID
tutor.
Synchronous Face-to-Face To give AVID students
approval of their tutorial
question and allows them
to post the question on
Ning Tutorial Forum #1
Asynchronous Ning To start the tutorial
process by posting the
first tutorial question on
Ning Tutorial Forum #1
 Facilitators Guide 7

Day 14- Respond to at least 2 peers that Asynchronous Ning Respond to your assigned
15 will assist them with their tutorial peers and tutors will
question. facilitate the online
tutorial by providing
guiding questions.
Day 16- Respond to your peer responses Asynchronous Ning Provides a response to the
17 peer responses that will
allow the discussion to
extend beyond a response.
Day 18- Complete the tutorial process and Asynchronous Google Provides a time for AVID
19 write a reflection on Tutorial Documents students to reflect on what
Forum #1 they learned during the
tutorial process.
Day 20 Complete the Tutorial Form #1 Synchronous Face-to-Face Tutors are responsible for
and submit it to the tutor for grading the tutorial
grading. process because they are
facilitating the process.
Day 21 Complete the tutorial request form Synchronous Face-to-Face To give AVID students
#2 and submit it to the researcher. approval of their tutorial
question and allows them
to post the question on
Ning Tutorial Forum #2
Day 22- Post tutorial question #2 under Asynchronous Ning To start the tutorial
23 Ning Tutorial Forum #2 on the process by posting the
KKHS AVID Ning network tutorial question on Ning
Tutorial Forum #2
Day 23- Respond to at least 2 peers that Asynchronous Ning Respond to your assigned
25 will assist them with their tutorial peers and tutors will
question. facilitate the online
tutorial by providing
guiding questions.
Day 26- Respond to your peer responses Asynchronous Ning Provides a response to the
27 peer responses that will
allow the discussion to
extend beyond a response.
Day 28- Complete the tutorial process and Asynchronous Google Provides a time for AVID
29 write a reflection on Tutorial Documents students to reflect on what
Forum #1 they learned during the
tutorial process.
Day 30 Complete the Tutorial Form #1 Synchronous Face-to-Face Tutors are responsible for
and submit it to the tutor for grading the tutorial
grading. process because they are
facilitating the process.
Day 30 Write a reflection to determine if Synchronous Face-to-Face The reflection will
the online tutorial process was determine if the online
effective. tutorial process was
Facilitators Guide 8

effective compared to the

face-to-face tutorial
process.
 Facilitators Guide 9

Research

This instructional unit is a hybrid unit which uses asynchronous, synchronous,

and web based content learning environment to delivery this lesson. “To further improve

the design of web-based learning, the findings of this study suggested taking blended-

learning into consideration because the sense of unreality and distance exists in the

virtual classroom” (Hao-Chang, 2009). The asynchronous learning environment is an

environment in which the students, tutors and instructor do not have a meeting time. The

synchronous learning environment is where students, tutors, and instructors meet at a

scheduled time and place. The web-based content is an environment where students,

tutors, and instructors use a website that has resources for the instructional unit.

Asynchronous, synchronous, and web based learning environments each have a vital role

in this instructional unit.

The web-based content in this instructional unit are Jing video files, Google

Documents, Google Mail, and KKHS AVID Ning network. These learning tools will be

introduced using Jing video files which are shared in Google Documents. “During

cooperative learning projects throughout the year, the students use Gmail coupled with

Google Docs and Google Talk to collaborate on assignments” (Adams, 2008). Google

Documents were chosen because students, tutors, and teachers can share files such as the

Tutorial Request Form. Students, tutors, and teachers will be able to access the files or

documents from any computer at any time.

Google Mail will be used to share the Jing video files. “It appears that e-mails

positively influence the students’ attitudes toward support and might motivate the

students to use a more proactive coping mode” (Heiman, 2008). Google Mail was chosen
 Facilitators Guide 10

as a communication tool. Jing was chose so the instructor could capture video screen

shots of the computer and share it with the students and tutors. The video screen shots

will consist of how the students can modify their Ning profile as well as how to post a

discussion using Ning forums.

Ning was chosen because of its versatility. Students and tutors can modify their

profile to build a sense of ownership and community. “Group members could

asynchronously post the information they find, make comments on learning issues,

incorporate hyperlinks to other blogs or news sources, and discuss related topics” (Hao-

Chang, 2009). Ning allows users to post and respond to discussion or forums at any time.

It was also chosen because Ning is a secured social network and users must be invited to

join the network.

The asynchronous learning environment in this instructional unit is the Ning

social network site. The Ning network allows users to post and respond to online

discussions. The AVID program requires students to user higher levels of questioning

which promotes higher-order thinking. “Blogs, therefore, represent the potential to

promote interactivity, provide opportunities for active learning, increase student and

teacher relationships, increase higher-order thinking skills, and improve flexibility in

teaching and learning”(Ferdig and Trammel, 2004). Students will view video-based

instruction on how to post discussions and responses on the Ning network.

Students will view the video-based instruction by watching screen captures that

have been created through Jing. “Most of the participants perceived that the video-based

learning instruction was more effective than the text-based instruction in regard to

remembering the content” (Choi and Johnson, 2005). Video-based instruction will be
 Facilitators Guide 11

used so students can refer back to them if necessary. The video-based instruction will

also provide a model to what needs to be accomplished. “Model assignments are simply

another way of ensuring that students can help themselves if they are uncomfortable

asking questions” (Gilman, 2010). These links will be posted on the instructional website

as well as emailed through Google Mail.

The most important part of the instructional unit is the face-to-face synchronous

learning environment. The face-to-face session will be to introduce the unit and what is

expected of the participants. “Face-to-Face interaction is an important component of the

instructional format when developing team process skills; therefore, total conversion to a

computer- based learning environment is not a viable option” (Carbonaro, et al., 2008).

This synchronous session is the foundation of the instructional unit.

Another foundational piece to this instructional unit is to meet face-to-face and

place a picture to a name. “To encourage useful and ongoing peer-exchange, some work

needs to be invested beforehand: for example, opportunities to meet colleagues and peers

(face-to-face, if desired)” (Hampler and Stickler, 2005). Students and tutors can meet and

share some common interest about each other. This time of interaction between students

and tutors may allow for open discussion and assistance in the online tutorials.

The synchronous, asynchronous, and web-based content play vital roles in the

instructional unit. The face-to-face synchronous session sets the foundation for the

project. The web-based content provides a visual reference and model for the

instructional unit. The main section of the instructional unit is the asynchronous learning

environment. This is where the discussion and responses occurs in the unit. The outcome
 Facilitators Guide 12

of the asynchronous environment is determined when the students and tutors write a

reflection on the process.

 Facilitators Guide 13

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