Category: Education

Directions

1. Review all required readings and the required video.
2. From the provided materials, select either three curriculum models or three curriculum theories. Do not mix models and theories.
3. Use the Venn diagram template provided in this module to compare the three you selected:

Your Venn diagram must include:

• clearly labeled circles representing the model or theory.
• unique features for each model or theory
• similarities shared by all three
• Every section of the diagram should contain information.

Example

If the materials discuss Tylers Objectives Model, Backward Design, and Standards Based Curriculum, your diagram might show that all three emphasize learning goals, while they differ in how curriculum planning begins.

Submission Instructions

• Upload your completed Venn diagram as an image, PDF, or document.
• Use only the assigned articles and video.
• Cite all required sources using APA format. Citation is mandatory.

Reading Assignments:

• Theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism)
• Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective:
• Models (Tyler, Standards-Based Curriculum, Backwards Design, Taba’s Grassroots Model)
• Basic principles of curriculum and instruction:
• Understanding by Design Framework:
• Video (The Grassroots. Approach to Curriculum Development):

Find a minimum of five (5) articles using the following criteria:

The students will look for research studies that support their topic for consideration during this class. They must find a minimum of five sources as follows:

• Two peer-reviewed journal articles
• One dissertation or thesis
• One book for general content knowledge
• One miscellaneous item of their choice

Write a 1250-1500-word essay addressing each of the following points/questions. Be sure to answer all the questions for each bullet point thoroughly. Separate each section in your paper with a clear heading that allows your professor to know which points you are addressing in that section of your paper. Make sure to reference the citations using the APA writing style for the essay. The cover page and reference page do not count towards the minimum word amount.

1. After selecting the five pieces of literature, you will review the instructions in the learning materials section to help you determine how to construct an appropriate annotated bibliography. You will need to list them in APA format, alphabetized by author.
2. Begin by summarizing the source, explaining the primary purpose of the study, the population used, and the significant reported findings. Next, how does this selection compare and contrast with the other four selected references, and finally, reflect the usefulness of this source to your research topic and literature base?

Topic: Leadership and management practices in collective bargaining within public-sector education.

Chapter Two (2): Literature Review

The literature review synthesizes existing research related to the topic, identifying key theories, trends, and gaps while establishing a solid theoretical framework to support the study. This chapter presents thematic connections within the research, offering both a synthesis and a critique of the literature. It includes viewpoints that support and challenge the research topic, ensuring a balanced analysis. Length guideline: 25-30 pages

Draft 2: Chapter 1: Introduction and Chapter 2: Literature Review

The purpose of this assignment is to guide you in completing Chapter 2 and ensuring your Chapters 1 and 2 are internally consistent and properly aligned.

You may find that you need to revise previous components of Chapter 1 to ensure that you are fully developing a systematic approach that you will use to investigate a real-world educational problem of practice.

By completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your ability to formulate a research problem, develop a conceptual and theoretical foundation, critically engage with existing literature, build a coherent research argument, and structure a comprehensive applied research project.

You will receive feedback from your review committee on this assignment that you will use to make revisions prior to submitting your cumulative Chapters 1 and 2 in the Unit 7 Assignment. The grading timeline is adjusted to allow for your review committee to complete the review process. Please refer to the for guidelines.

DIRECTIONS

Use the most current version of your applied research project paper to complete this assignment. Refer to the EdD Student Handbook for specific details, such as page length requirements.

This assignment will guide you in developing a full draft of Chapters 1 and 2 of your applied research project paper. You are expected to use your current version of your applied research project paper, ensuring consistency and alignment with program standards. This template is structured to help you organize your work, creating a cohesive and comprehensive document.

Assignment expectations include the following:

• Use the most current version of your applied research project paper.
• Add these components to your existing paper.
• Ensure content within Chapters 1 and 2 are aligned and consistent throughout.

Chapter 1 must be revised based on feedback from your instructor and/or review committee.

Submit the following as one paper using the most current version of your applied research project paper:

Chapter 1: Introduction

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

• Introduction
• Restate the research questions.
• Preview the structure of the chapter: framework, thematic review, and synthesis.
• Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
• Detail the selected theory or modelits origin, key propositions, and relevance to action research.
• Explain how this framework informs data collection and interpretation in their setting.
• Literature Review
• Organize the review around topical subheadings:
• Historical Background or Context
• Chronology of how the problem has been addressed.
• Definitions and Key Constructs
• Definitions and boundaries of core concepts.
• Findings and Gaps
• Synthesis of what is known and where applied research is lacking.
• Methodologies Used in Existing Studies
• Common research designs in similar contexts.
• Summarize at least 10-15 peer-reviewed sources and note methodological rigor.
• Synthesis of Literature
• Merge findings into 34 major themes directly linked to your research questions.
• Key Theme 1 (aligned to research question)
• Key Theme 2 (aligned to research question)
• Key Theme 3 (aligned to research question)
• For each theme, you should:
• Summarize key studies and their outcomes.
• Critique methodological strengths and weaknesses.
• Discuss implications for practice and how their project addresses gaps.
• Summary
• Identify key research gaps and synthesize major themes from existing studies while demonstrating how the reviewed literature supports the chosen theoretical framework and justifies the research questions.
• Show the contradictions or limitations in current knowledge that your study addresses.
• Conclude by connecting the literature findings to the chosen methodology.

This assignment is worth 70 points and is due by the end of Unit 4. The rubric that will be used to grade your assignment is available from the Grading Rubrics page under Course Resources.

SUBMITTING YOUR ASSIGNMENT

When you are ready to submit your assignment, select the Assignment tab at the top of the screen and choose the Unit 4 Assignment Dropbox to upload your completed assignment.

This assignment addresses the following unit learning outcomes:

• Critically analyze scholarly literature and professional sources to identify patterns, themes, and gaps related to the research topic.
• Synthesize information from multiple credible sources to construct a coherent and evidence-based narrative that supports the research problem and purpose.

It also addresses the following course outcomes:

ED810-3: Construct a comprehensive and critically synthesized literature review that establishes a scholarly context for the applied research project.

ED810-4: Draft a research project proposal that demonstrates alignment among the research problem, questions, and intended methodology.

ED810-5: Apply appropriate APA formatting in scholarly writing.

Required Reading

TEXTBOOK

Mills, G. E. & Jordan, A. W. (2023). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and applications (13th ed.). Pearson.

• Chapter 4: Reviewing the Literature

Chapter 2 Literature Review Draft

In this unit, you will focus on writing the first full draft of Chapter 2: Literature Review for your applied research project paper. Building on the outline and reference list developed in previous units, you will now begin analyzing and synthesizing the research you have gathered into a well-organized narrative that supports your studys problem statement, purpose, and research questions. The literature review is a critical component of your applied research project. Your literature review establishes a baseline of existing knowledge. When you complete your research and analyze your own data, you’ll compare your findings to the existing literature. This comparison helps you contextualize your results and discuss their implications. As you work on your draft, you will apply skills in critical analysis, synthesis, and scholarly writing to connect relevant themes, theories, and empirical findings. You will also work to ensure that your literature review is logically structured and properly cited. This unit is an important step in your research journey and sets the stage for further refinement and development in future stages of your applied research project.

After completing this unit, you should be able to:

• Critically analyze scholarly literature and professional sources to identify patterns, themes, and gaps related to the research topic.
• Synthesize information from multiple credible sources to construct a coherent and evidence-based narrative that supports the research problem and purpose.

Course Outcome practiced in this unit:

ED810-3: Construct a comprehensive and critically synthesized literature review that establishes a scholarly context for the applied research project.

There are three conditions that must be met for a student to have the label “Intellectual Delay”. List and discuss all three. What are some conditions that result in Intellectual Delay?

This project is designed to help educators establish an effective learning environment by implementing clear rules, expectations, and procedures, while integrating research-based strategies and building strong student-teacher relationships. It focuses on fostering student accountability, maintaining a respectful and collaborative classroom, and organizing the physical space to support all students, including those with disabilities. Additionally, it requires you to align your behavior management plan with your vision for the classroom, ensuring consistency in encouraging positive behavior and preventing disruptions.

1. Download the template provided –

2. At the top of your template, record your name and specify a single, targeted grade level for your plan.

3. Continue using the template to begin your 35-page paper. Your paper will consist of Questions 1-4, but right now you are only focusing on Questions 1-3.

Please note: You will revisit Question 4 after you have created your Behavior Management Plan.

Question 1: Describe Your Ideal Learning Environment:

• Choose at least 3 research-based strategies to explain how you will create and maintain a respectful and collaborative class of engaged learners.
• Discuss how you will respond to student needs and incorporate their strengths and experiences.
• Use research to support each of your strategies. Be sure to cite your sources.

Question 2: Building Relationships with Students:

• Identify specific research-based strategies to build strong student-teacher relationships.
• Explain how these strategies foster trust and collaboration.
• Reference research to justify your approach. Be sure to cite your sources.

Question 3: Classroom Organization:

• Describe how you will arrange the classroom to support learning.
• Explain how the layout will accommodate all students, including those with disabilities.
• Discuss the use of flexible spaces and include Fred Jones’ Zones of Proximity (all three zones – red, yellow, green – must be accurately explained in plan.)

Complete In Step 5:

Question 4: Connection to Behavior Management Plan:

• Explain how your behavior management plan (developed in Part 2) supports your vision.
• Ensure clear alignment between your management strategies and your goals for the learning environment.

4. Continue using the provided template to complete the following sections:

Classroom Rules:

• List 3-5 positively worded rules (e.g., raise your hand to ask questions).
• Ensure rules are clear, observable, and enforceable.

Expectations:

• Develop 3-5 expectations that encourage student accountability (e.g., students are responsible for missed work due to absence).
• Expectations should promote both individual and group responsibility.

Classroom Procedures:

• Identify 3-5 common tasks (e.g., submitting work, lining up, transitioning between activities).
• Indicate numbered, step-by-step procedures for each task. Steps should be simply and clearly written.
• Include clear expectations for student behavior during each task (“It is expected that students will…”).

5. Continue using the template to complete your 35-page paper with Question 4. Refer to your Behavior Management Plan (rules, expectations, procedures) to complete the question.

Question 4: Connection to Behavior Management Plan:

• Explain how your behavior management plan (developed in Part 2) supports your vision.
• Ensure clear alignment between your management strategies and your goals for the learning environment.

6. Use the

as a check list to self-assess before submission. Ensure your submission includes:

• A targeted grade level (indicated on the top of the template).
• Responses to questions 1-4 (strategies included in responses 1 and 2 must be supported by cited research).
• Positively worded classroom rules, expectations and step-by-step procedures.
• A works cited page. You may use the style with which you are most comfortable (e.g. APA, MLA, or Chicago).

I need a detailed one-week lesson plan themed around “So You Think You Can Dance.” The main schedule should cater to children aged 5 to 12, with a smaller, simplified schedule for ages 2 to 5. The activities should be similar in structure across both groups but tailored to their age differences. For Monday, the focus will be on dance styles and music from the 1990s, incorporating popular songs, dance moves, and cultural references from that decade. Tuesday’s activities will feature songs, dance routines, and trends from the 2000 to 2012 period, highlighting popular artists and dance crazes from those years. Wednesday will cover the years 2012 to 2019, showcasing recent popular music videos, contemporary dance styles, and recent viral dance challenges. Thursday will be themed “TikTok Thursday,” where children will participate in TikTok-inspired dance challenges, create short dance videos, and explore trending TikTok dances. Also, include treats or snacks that are popular or commonly seen on TikTok. Friday will involve small, fun dance activities leading up to a party scheduled immediately after a mindfulness session. The party should include dance games, fun prizes, and a culminating performance, creating a joyful and celebratory atmosphere for the children.

This week, you will continue preparing for your field test by considering how to ensure trustworthiness in your study and reviewing your interview protocol in context. In your post, respond to the following: Define credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability in your own words, drawing from this weeks readings or other scholarly sources. Then explain why these four dimensions are important in qualitative research and describe how you plan to apply them to your own data collection and analysis. Identify who you plan to include in your field test and explain why you selected this individual or group. Your explanation should reflect the purpose of the field test as a practice activity, one that is not covered by IRB and not generating usable data, and should connect to the logic of your study design. After reviewing the Interview Protocol Template, share any questions or concerns you have about the structure, sequencing, or use of the protocol in practice. Your post should be a minimum of 300 words. Remember to follow the Discussion Question Standards. Use APA formatting for in-text citations and include a minimum of two scholarly references from this weeks readings.

Review the materials in . REVIEW THE RUBRIC! Then consider your first teaching experience and your reflections and goal setting from “Setting Goals for the Next Clinical Experience” from you Clinical Experience I Course (EDSN 682 Module 11) and from Observation Feedback (EDSN 682 Module 8) . What were you able to plan and implement in your teaching to support student learning since completing EDSN 682? Describe three experiences.

Identify two specific areas of strength (reinforcement) and two areas for improvement (refinement) related to your instructional and delivery skills. In other words, what are your strengths and areas needing improvement in your teaching? What pedagogical knowledge and skills do you aim to acquire by the end of this course? (see

).

Throughout this course, you will have opportunities to demonstrate your growth and development. You will also have opportunities to refer to these responses and revise them as you grow throughout the semester. This Professional Pedagogical Reflection will also serve as a foundation for your final paper “Looking Backward/Looking Forward”.

In your response,

• be thoughtful and thorough
• use
• state your ideas clearly and provide rationale for your responses by referencing previous course work and the Module 1 readings.

https://ctserc.org/component/k2/item/50-six-approaches-to-co-teaching

My understanding of learning changed during a moment of global uncertainty. When I entered university after high school, I was excited about the future and still viewed education as something that naturally happened in classrooms. Then the pandemic reshaped everything. For nearly two years, my college life unfolded entirely through a screen. I attended lectures from my bedroom, completed assignments alone, and often wondered whether I was truly learning or simply keeping up.

I remember repeatedly asking myself, Am I actually growing through this experience?

Without physical classrooms or peer interaction, my concentration weakened and my motivation faded. At first, I blamed myself for lacking discipline. Over time, however, I realized that the problem was not only personalit was structural. The online learning environment had been designed for access, not necessarily for understanding.

Instead of giving up, I began to observe myself as both a learner and a subject of study. I tracked when I focused best, how long I could sustain attention, and which study methods worked or failed. I reorganized my learning routine, changed how I consumed lecture content, and experimented with review cycles that matched my natural rhythms. Slowly, learning became manageable again. More importantly, I discovered that when the structure of learning changed, my behavior and confidence changed with it. This experience sparked a question that continues to guide me today: How does the design of a learning environment shape the way people think, act, and grow?

When in-person classes resumed, my undergraduate studies at the University of Washington iSchool gave language and theory to the questions I had been living through. Surrounded by students from different disciplines, I learned to see technology not simply as a tool, but as a system that influences human understanding and decision-making. I noticed that the same information could feel empowering or overwhelming depending on how it was organized and presented. These moments convinced me that learning experiences are not accidentalthey are carefully constructed. Technology should not lead learning; it should support it.

My professional experiences in user-centered design deepened this realization. I designed features and interactions to solve user problems and improve satisfaction. While this work was rewarding, I gradually felt something was missing. I had originally wanted to use technology to connect people in meaningful ways, yet I began to question whether the systems I built truly supported long-term understanding and growth. I could measure usability, but not learning. This gap left me searching for a more purposeful direction.

That search led me to think about those who struggle most to make sense of rapid technological change. I found myself drawn to younger learnersstudents who grow up surrounded by information and AI but often lack guidance in how to interpret it. They do not just need faster tools; they need learning environments that help them think critically, reflect, and find direction in a world that changes faster than they can process.

As AI became increasingly present in daily life, another concern emerged. While AI can personalize learning and expand access, it can also encourage passive dependence if poorly designed. I observed people turning to AI not only for homework, but also for emotional reassurance and decisions about their lives. These moments made me realize that the most important question is not what AI can do, but how and why it is used in learning contexts. The intention behind AI design determines whether it deepens understanding or weakens it.

Through these reflections, I came to believe that meaningful educational impact must be grounded in evidence, not intuition alone. To truly support learners, we must understand where they struggle and what kinds of interventions help them grow. This requires the ability to analyze learning data and interpret patterns of engagement, confusion, and progress. It also requires a thoughtful integration of AI into learning environments that respect human cognition and emotion.

This conviction is what draws me to the Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence program at UPenn GSE. Courses such as Core Methods in Educational Data Mining will equip me with the tools to transform learner interaction data into insights about how students learn. Adaptive Learning Systems will allow me to explore how AI can be used to create personalized learning paths that respond to individual needs rather than impose one-size-fits-all solutions. These courses resonate deeply with my own journey of reconstructing learning during the pandemiconly now, I seek to approach that process systematically and at scale.

Through this program, I hope to bridge my background in user-centered design with analytical methods that measure real learning outcomes. I want to design learning environments that do more than function smoothly; I want them to guide learners through confusion toward understanding.

Ultimately, my goal is simple but deeply personal: to help learners feel less lost in times of change. The pandemic taught me what it feels like to study without structure and direction. UPenn GSE offers the opportunity to transform that experience into purposeto become someone who designs learning systems that support clarity, growth, and resilience. I believe this program will prepare me to create educational experiences that honor both human needs and technological possibility, ensuring that learning remains a meaningful journey even in an age shaped by AI.