User:AmandaDutko

ETAP 623 Spring 2015

Go to: Amanda's Personal Page or The Benefits of Summer Learning Programs

My Topic/Purpose

This mini-course is designed to teach educators the importance of summer learning programs. The purpose of this specific course is to teach and inform educators how these types of programs can help to eliminate achievement gaps, as well as minimize the typical regression that occurs during the summer for any given student. The following questions will direct the design of this course on summer learning:

• What is the importance of having summer learning programs?

• What are the pros and cons of inclusive learning programs?

• What are the benefits of summer learning programs?

• How does summer learning have positive effects on student learning and their academic progress?

• How can summer learning programs help eliminate achievement gaps and minimize regression for students?

Learning Outcomes

The intent of this course is to teach educators the importance and benefits of summer learning programs.

Educators will…

• Educators will understand the importance of summer learning programs.
• Educators will learn the pros and cons that are inclusive to this type of learning program.
• Educators will examine research to identify the benefits of summer learning programs and the positive effects they have on a student's learning and their academic progress.
• Educators will determine how summer learning can help eliminate achievement gaps and minimize regression for students.

Needs Assessment

Instructional Problem

Students often show regression over breaks, especially over the long summer break months. In addition to this, students will often show achievement gaps. From my experience, educators are often looking for solutions to help reduce and minimize the amount of regression that takes place over the summer months. It is often proven that when students are in summer learning programs that spend much of their days focused on academics, these students tend to not show as much regression from one school year to the next. With this being said, students will often show achievement gaps in their learning as well. This could be the result of not understanding the concepts taught or absences. It can really be a number of factors. Summer learning programs can also reduce the achievement gaps that many teachers see in many of their students' learning (Making Summer Count: How Summer Programs Can Boost Children's Learning, 2011).

What is to be Learned

Participants will learn the importance and effectiveness of summer learning programs. These learners will gain an understanding of how these types of programs can help to eliminate achievement gaps, as well as minimize the typical regression that occurs during the summer for any given student.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

The Learners

In general, this mini-course is designed for educators and other professionals in the education field who are seeking to find information on how to improve and minimize student achievement gaps and regression that occurs over the summer. These participants will also gain more knowledge about the importance of these programs, as well as the pros and cons inclusive to summer learning programs.

Instructional Context

The entire mini-course program is solely online. In order for students to be successful, students will need to have access to a computer with a working internet connection. Since this mini-course is fully online, this course can be easily accessed at any hour and from any location.

Exploring the Instructional Problem and Solution

Learners will continue to gain and learn information about how we can effectively reduce the regression that occurs over the summer and how to shorten the achievement gaps. These participants will research and explore both the pros and cons inclusive to students attending summer learning programs. By researching and exploring the pros and cons, participants will be able to see the differences of students who attend and those that don't.

Goals for this Mini-Course

The main goal for this mini-course is for educators and other professionals in the education field to gain a better understanding for summer learning programs. These participants in the mini-course should be able to determine the effectiveness these programs have on student learning and progress. By the end of the course, these educators and professionals should see the importance of summer learning programs and how they minimize regression and achievement gaps for students.

Performance Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the participants will be able to...

• recall and recognize the pros and cons of summer learning programs. (Bloom's Knowledge)
• describe, explain, and restate the purpose for summer learning programs. (Bloom's Comprehension)
• apply and develop a plan to convince others why or why not summer learning programs should be utilized/implemented for their students to attend over the summer break.(Bloom's Application)
• discover examples of the parts and features of summer learning programs and the motive behind the implementation of summer learning programs. (Bloom's Analysis)
• justify whether or not summer learning programs are beneficial to their students and school. (Bloom's Synthesis)
• determine whether or not they think their school should implement a summer learning program for their students. (Bloom's Evaluation)

Task Analysis

Course Purpose

The purpose of this specific course is to teach and inform educators how these types of programs can help to eliminate achievement gaps, as well as minimize the typical regression that occurs during the summer for any given student.

Unit 1

What are summer learning programs?

1. Students (Educators) will be engaged and seeking information on summer learning programs. (Pre-requisite)

2. Students (Educators) will identify what a summer learning program is.

3. Students (Educators) will discover examples of the parts and features of summer learning programs and the motive behind the implementation of summer learning programs.

4. Students (Educators) will learn the history behind summer learning programs.

Unit 2

Why are summer learning programs so important to young learners?

1. Students (Educators) will be engaged in wanting to learn and know more about summer learning programs. (Pre-requisite)

2. Students (Educators) will understand the importance of learners attending summer learning programs through this unit.

3. Students (Educators) will recall, recognize, and identify the pros and cons of summer learning.

4. Students (Educators) will describe, explain, and restate the purpose for summer learning programs.

5. Students (Educators) will justify whether or not summer learning programs are beneficial to their students and school.

Unit 3

What benefits do summer programs have to offer for schools and their learners?

1. Students (Educators) will have an interest in wanting to seek summer learning programs for their learners. (Pre-requisite)

2. Students (Educators) will see and learn the benefits of summer learning.

3. Students (Educators) will research summer learning programs to find more information on the benefits of summer learning.

4. Students (Educators) will determine whether or not they think their school should implement a summer learning program for their students.

Curriculum Map

The link below will bring you to the Curriculum Map for this mini course on Summer Learning.

File:Curriculum Map Draft 2.pdf

References and Resources

1. Writing Objectives Using Bloom's Taxonomy. Learning Resources. Articles & Books. Goals & Objectives: Writing Objectives. UNC Charlotte: The Center for Teaching & Learning. Web: http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/goals-objectives/writing-objectives.

2. McCombs, Jennifer Sloan, Catherine H. Augustine, Heather L. Schwartz, Susan J. Bodilly, Brian McInnis, Dahlia S. Lichter and Amanda Brown Cross. Making Summer Count: How Summer Programs Can Boost Children's Learning. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2011.