THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES OPEN CAMPUS

ASSIGNMENT 3:Instructional Model

Submitted by: Samantha Wilson (320001145)

In partial fulfillment of

EDID 6503: Instructional Design Theories, Models and Strategies

Dr. Laura Gray

28th October 2017

Introduction

As a member of the United Nations (UN), The Bahamas has adopted the

Sustainable Development Goals. Goal number four speaks to the need for quality education.

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving peoples lives and sustainable

development (United Nations, n.d.). A component of this goal speaks to the enhancement of

teacher education both pre-and in-service.

Traditional professional development (PD) is typically a one-time gathering of

educators to learn about one particular tool, process or strategy. The challenge of this setting is

that content delivery is at one pace, one style, one time, and there is little to no follow-up with

the participants (in Bretzmann, 2015).

Summary of work environment

The Ministry of Education currently employs approximately 4,000 teachers with

responsibility for more than 50,000 K-12 students in approximately 170 institutions throughout

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, which are dispersed over 19 islands and cays.

Subject Education Officers within the Curriculum and Instruction Division (CID) of

MOE and school administrators are tasked with providing in-service training for teachers

through Professional Development (PD) initiatives. Teachers are required to obtain at least 30

PD credit hours within a given school year.

Opportunities for PD occur four times per year at different levels:

August School based

October School/District based

February Ministry based

 July Ministry based (Optional)

Description of Current PD Instructional Model

Professional Development training follows a variation of the ADDIE model.

In this structure, the Analysis is not seen as a part of the process, rather, a standard

identification of the targeted learners and the learning environment in which it is used. Hence, it

states:

- The Audience: Primary school teachers

- Delivery Option: School, district or ministry based

1. Design Phase During this phase, Subject Officers are mostly concerned with

identifying objectives and facilitators for the PD session. Oft times, the objectives determine

the facilitator, alternatively the facilitator determines the objectives.

2. Delivery Phase During this phase, the content is presented to the learners. Facilitators

employ various strategies to execute this. (See Description of Strategies Used.)

3. Evaluation Phase Evaluation for teachers within the MOE is conducted based on a

standard teaching rubric called Performance Appraisal Report. This evaluation is conducted at

the end of the school year and speaks to the general performance of the teacher. On this
 performance appraisal, the amount of PD credit hours is recorded. There is no formal

evaluation done based on the specific PD training conducted throughout the year.

Description of Instructional Strategies Used

Professional Development sessions are generally conducted through peer-lecture,

utilizing practicing teachers as facilitators. Sessions are conducted lecture style in whole group.

Learners are rarely afforded the opportunity to practice skills within the session. Application of

concepts taught is not assessed.

Description of New Instructional Model

Today schools should continuously readjust and recreate teachers professional

development to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century (Al Shammari, 2011). The

World Bank (2003) recognizes the importance of teachers facilitating lifelong learners in
students. As such, teacher preparation should be provided within the same frame of lifelong

learning.

Personalized learning is the provision of learning experiences that is tailored according

to personal interests and that reaches a persons needs (Al Shammari, 2011).

The PD CAF Model is designed to empower educators by providing a menu of PD

options which can be selected to customize and personalize their own professional learning path.

The acronym CAF was selected to emphasize the key component of free choice. Educators

determine what, when and how they will learn. Cafs are known for their relaxed and

comfortable environments. Extensive literature on professional development has ignored the

issue of teachers comfort and relaxation. The ignorance of this area can then form a problem in

teachers development (Andersen, 2011).

The PD CAF Model consists of four steps, Choose, Access, Follow through

and Evaluate. The cycle indicates that the learning process is continuous.

Choose - Teachers will set their own learning goals and explore PD options that best support

their learning style and interests. When individuals set goals, they determine an

external standard to which they will internally evaluate their present level of

performance (Driscoll, 2005).

Access Teachers will engage with content in various formats including in-person, online and

blended environments.

Follow through Teachers will be allowed time to practice the skill in the classroom.

Evaluate Provide assessment and feedback through various methods

How the instructional model will support your work environment

 Personalizing professional development is one of the most transformational shifts in

teacher training and school leadership today (in Bretzman, 2015). The PD CAF Model will be

ideal for providing training and support for teachers throughout the Commonwealth of The

Bahamas. Oft times, the Family Islands (minor islands) are excluded from professional

development opportunities that are available to teachers on the major islands. The PD CAF is

web-based and relies on ICT applications that will in increase teachers access to quality

professional development and reduce the cost of training by eliminating costs associated with

travel to the various Family Islands.

PD CAFs Instructional Strategies

Professional development should reach individual teachers needs in a flexible real life

learning that is independent and is tailored based on teachers needs and interests (Al Shammari,

2011). The PD CAF Model allows for readily available support for teachers at their individual

levels and pace.

The PD CAF Model will incorporate a variety of instructional strategies of which

educators can choose. A successful professional development model should provide an informal

active learning environment, self-reliance, self-aspiration on going direct support, follow up

feedback, productive progress analysis, and collaboration (Al Shammari, 2011).

These strategies include cooperative learning, independent study, portfolio development,

experiential learning and peer-coaching. Teachers would choose the instructional strategy they

are most comfortable with to complete the task.

Similarities and Differences between the work environments current IM and the new IM

Current Model PD CAF

Frequency Four times per year Ongoing and Continuous

Format Whole Group Individual (one on one)

Developed by Subject Officers and Administration Subject Officers and

Administration

Directed by Teacher-Directed: Administrators Learner-Directed: The teachers

and Subject Officers choose what choose what they want to

teachers will learn. learn.

Quality or Quantity Is concerned with quantity as the Is concerned with quality as

designers attempt to meet needs of the learner chooses activities

the general group. that are specific and

meaningful to them.

Reflective Non-reflective Reflective:

Provides opportunities for

learners to participate in self-

reflection and give feedback.

Reflection

When I first read the instructions of the assignment, I thought it would be easy seeing that

I already had in mind which aspect of my work environment needed improvement. However, as I

started fine-tuning the details, I ran across some challenges that will probably hamper this model

if it were to be implemented in our system today. As a new teacher trainer within the MOE, I am

often amazed at the simple things senior officials take for granted in relation to the professional

development of teachers. It is often assumed that because teachers are educated educators, they

can automatically and quickly make changes and adjustments to their pedagogy strategies given

little to no support.

The one-time and done strategy currently employed with MOE is not working and

teacher motivation is at an all-time low. I often wonder what the purpose of PD is if its not

meaningful to the teacher. I am a firm believer in professional development and its power to

transform education through educators.

Creating this model, I was made aware of the many holes located within the current PD

system. The major observation is that there is no set model. Within my unit, I will work with my

team to prepare a formal proposal to implement the PD CAF Model to present to the Director

of Education.
References

Al Shammari, I. A. (2011). Anywhere anytime personalized professional development for

teachers: Kuwait perspective. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 4(8), 55-62.

Retrieved from https://search-proquest-

com.library.open.uwi.edu/docview/908315061?accountid=42537

Andersen, M. H. (2011). The world is my school: Welcome to the era of personalized learning.

The Futurist, 45(1), 12-17.

Bezzina, C. and Camilleri, A. (2001). The professional development of teachers in Malta.

European Journal of Teacher Education, 24(2), 157-170.

Bretzmann, J. (Ed) (2015) Personalized PD: Flipping your professional development. New

Berlin: The Bretzmann Group

Desimone, L. M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers professional development:

Toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational Researcher, 38(3), 181

199.

Payne, P. M. (2007). Learning contracts: Personalized professional development to strengthen

teacher efficacy within the construct of the gifted cluster model. Retrieved from

https://search-proquest-

com.library.open.uwi.edu/docview/304712926?accountid=42537

United Nations (n.d.) Sustainable development knowledge platform. Retrieved from

https://sustainablzsedevelopment.un.org