Running Head: FORMATIVE EVALUATION OF THE ONLINE MODULE

A Formative Evaluation of the Online Learning Module:

WWII: Americas Involvement and Evolvement During the
War

Martha M. Hill
FRIT 7235
Georgia Southern University

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A Formative Assessment of the Online Learning Module
It is important to evaluate your module in a professional
manner to receive critiques, praise, and suggestions for
improvement. I approached this evaluation with confidence that I
would have qualified and interested peers that would give me the
feedback necessary to make improvements and to bolster my
confidence in continuing to utilize an online module for future
teaching endeavors so to make accommodations for those that
have specific learning styles and preferences.
I used a survey from http://www.surveymonkey.com to develop
a short questionnaire for a quick response to my online module.
Five teachers answered the survey and provided the following
response to the questions:
For quality visual impact and ease of navigation, the survey
showed that I received a unanimous critique of exemplary; which
took into account the aesthetics of the site, and the ability to
move in transition from each page to the next. The next two
criteria of the survey asked for the content of the module and its
appropriateness for the standards and grade. This again,
received an exemplary grade, with no dissensions. In the realm of

technology and whether the task was appropriate with the

technology offered, and if it provided rigor for instruction, four of
the survey participants thought it was indeed appropriate, and
one participant gave a score that indicated that the tasks were
appropriate, but not rigorous. I then provided the individual task
for the project-based learning so that each child would be
challenged to provide evidence for independent research and
initiative for their own challenged podcast or poster. I kept the
group project, as I feel it is important
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for students to be collaborative and to work cooperatively to
share talents and knowledge, but the independent project
became the rigorous activity so to provide for critical thinking,
and to assess how students will apply this to a deadline, with
criteria for research and a creative project based element.
Organization and resources to address different learning styles
and preferences was another survey element, and all participants
gave approval for the modules elements. One participant, who is
not specifically technologically savvy, commented that she felt
that a student would enjoy the different scenarios and resources
that were available for perusal. She actually went through the
entire online module, and plans to utilize many of the resources,
tasks, and sites for her instructional unit.

The questions that were directed toward my instructional

competence with organization and coverage of standards for the
unit, was given high marks; especially with the standards that
were covered and with the tasks that were given. The provision
of adding writing elements to a Social Studies Unit were a huge
hit with the participants, as it is providing writing across the
curriculum, and is fostering the communication ideal that we must
be able to express ourselves in all disciplines of education.
I then interviewed three more teachers from a school in South
Georgia, Sallas Mahone Elementary, and some suggestions were
presented, and accommodations were made for clarification.
First, simple mistakes, such as formatting for tests were
addressed for simplicity for the students understanding, and for
visual ease of comprehension. Next, discussion for the modules
tabs on the site was addressed. Many felt that they were difficult
to
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navigate, and I actually changed the template to one that had a
visual simplicity. The rest of the conversation was for the
approval of the selection of the resources, and how it gave insight
into many phases of the WWII era that most students were not
aware of. This was important to me, as I have always struggled
with the ability to provide instructional material that I deem age
appropriate. All of the participants from south Georgia felt that

not only was it age appropriate, but that it provided the rigor that
is necessary for pushing students to evaluate and synthesize their
opinions.
All eight participants are peers in the elementary field of
education teaching grades from third to fifth. Seven have
advanced degrees with four having Specialists of Education
degrees, and three has their Masters in Education. Two have
obtained their Gifted Endorsements, and one is pursuing her
Online Teaching Endorsement. They all are interested in the
technological aspect of integration in the classroom, and most of
the eight utilize technology elements from the IPad and Smart
Board to applications and Web 2.0 tools that are available for their
school and school district.
This has been an interesting and instructional element of this
class, and I have learned many aspects of online education that I
will utilize in the future. In particular, it has opened my eyes to
the amount of preparation and research that goes into the
development of a highly structured and functional online learning
module. For this alone, I have grown as an instructor and as a
student.

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Resources:
http://mmhillonlinemodule.weebly.com/
https://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/aCLktn8wfn0Rd4TgBCfPJ
U6nEwYvbrZsSfhUXdfLugk_3D
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=221926
East Jackson Elementary
Gum Springs Elementary
Sallas Mahone Elementary