When approaching this component of the assignment, my primary focus was on how to create a unit that reflects my learning objectives. With learning objectives like building fundamental skills in Illustrator, familiarizing students with the software interface and capabilities and having fun, the unit attempts to create a balanced, engaging curriculum. In many skill building type courses the content can sometimes be dry, or uninspiring. I purposely choose to include activities and resources that were informative but also fun in nature. Using game type interfaces like the Bezier game and Kahoot to teach skills and assess learning, act as a fun way to build these skills. Many programs include rot memorization of terms and shortcuts, but I find having students learn to use the shortcuts through their design process or discussing the projects in critiques or conversations is a far more effective way to learn the material.

It was exciting to have the opportunity to build a course that I will actually be teaching in my own classroom. With so many resources available I used myself as a gauge of how engaging activities were. I’m proud to say that everything in the unit covered my learning objectives. I look forward to observing and receiving feedback from students to see if they agree. This unit will act as a building block in the creation of a program that implements a similar purpose.

Invite Link: https://classroom.google.com/c/NTUxNzI2MDc5MTM2?cjc=q5g2phg

Class Code: q5g2phg

In Assignment 2: Part 2, I chose to develop the 2nd unit of my Media Design 10 course, titled Unit 2: Graphics/ Illustrator. My motivation behind the creation of this unit is based on the fact that I will be teaching this particular course next semester. My organization is the Vancouver Public School Board and the audience will include roughly 25-30 grade 10 students. Within this group will likely include students who are in ELL programs and students with various designations. My organization and diverse audience were strong influences in my decision making when developing this unit.

As outlined in Part 1 of my assignment, the variation of skill levels presented in an introductory technology course such as Media Design 10, can be challenging to teach, thus utilizing technology to create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment is imperative to the students’ success. Incorporating an easy to use LMS, multimodal activities, interactive resources and clearly organized content were driving forces behind my pedagogical decisions.

The unit’s learning objectives

In Unit 2: Graphics/ Illustrator, my learning objectives are very specific. As an educator of technology, it is important not to overwhelm the students. Focusing on building a strong foundation of skills, familiarizing students with the software and having fun are my main objectives for the students. This is an electives course, so it is vital to the course that students enjoy the class, so they will continue to enroll and build the program. 

Objectives specific to this unit include:

– Apply procedures to use Adobe Illustrator for visual communications.

– Understand Adobe Illustrator Creative Cloud interface and program settings.

– Understand document structure for efficient workflow.

– Apply procedures to create and modify visual elements Adobe Illustrator Creative Cloud.

Types of content

After the initial unit, Unit 1: Introduction to Design, which acted as an introduction moduleI, I specifically chose to use Adobe Illustrator as an entry point into the Adobe Creative Cloud. The Adobe Creative Cloud is the industry standard for most design based professions. Learning Illustrator will directly translate to using other softwares within the Adobe suite, as the interface, tools and shortcuts are similar across programs.

Compared to other programs in the Adobe Creative Cloud, Illustrator is a very technical program. Starting with using vector graphics (Illustrator), compared to using bitmap graphics (Photoshop), teaches students to build their own designs from scratch, rather than relying on found images and effects. The problem with this approach is that building graphics from the ground up can sometimes be tedious and time consuming. Inorder to prevent this, I have built a unit that delivers the content through a series of engaging, fun to use, dynamic activities.  

Learning activities, the types of assessments and instructional communication 

Activities:

• The first set of activities categorized under the “Introduction to Illustrator” tab, include 2 brief slideshows; the first gives an overview of the software’s layout and various components, the second explains the difference between vector and raster graphics. The third resource of the section is provided by Adobe’s HelpX online library. It includes working files, complemented by instructional videos to follow along with. 
• The first assignment, Assignment 2-1: Tools and Workspace Worksheet, is an editable .pdf, which includes questions about the workspace and various tools. The worksheet acts as a digital scavenger hunt, where students must explore the software to find the different components.
• The second section starts to introduce specific tools to the students. The “Learning the Pen Tool Part.1” section, includes a game that was built to help learn how to use the Pen Tool. The game link is accompanied by a video tutorial about how to play the game. This video tutorial is provided by an instructor who teaches an Adobe certification program.
• Assignments 2.2-2.4 include Illustrator worksheets that can be completed within the software. The worksheets provide easy to follow, visually interesting instructions. Although I intend on giving demonstrations in-class on how to complete these activities, I have also attached instructional videos provided by the certification program in the case students are away from class and need assistance.
• In addition to the worksheets, which are required assignments, I have provided bonus worksheets that can be completed by students who finish ahead of schedule. These bonus activities reinforce the learning from the activity but also add some more challenging components.
• The final assignment of the unit, Type Tool, has 2 parts; the first is an activity sheet much like the prior activities, the second component requires students to export a part of the activity sheet and post their design on a Padlet wall. These designs will be shared and critiqued during the class. Students can add comments to projects on the Padlet wall and provide a peer-evaluation to their assigned partner.

Assessment:

• Kahoot Quizzes (I have included 2 Kahoot quizzes in this unit. The first covers the workspace, while the 2nd is a final overview of the unit.) Kahoot is a great alternative to more traditional written assessments as it includes more visual queues and is a less intimidating delivery method. The software also allows instructors to track individual scores.

• Worksheet Rubrics (Rubrics have been provided for the unit’s worksheet activities.

• Peer Evaluation (The final assignment includes a class-critique and a peer evaluation sheet.)

• On-going teacher Observations (As for most electives courses, participation is an important component of the course. If students display a good work ethic, but have difficulty completing assignments, it is important for the instructor to incorporate this dynamic in their assessment. 

Communication:

• Google Classroom Student’s Cafe (For students to interact with each other and the instructor online. Informal.
• Instructor Email or Google Form. (I have provided my email, along with a Google Form that can be completed if student’s have specific issues.)
• Padlet/ Padlet Commenting, (Students will share work and critique each others designs using the Padlet platform.)
• In-Class critiques (We will discuss designs posted on Padlet as a class.) 

Role of the instructor

After this unit has been created, the role of the instructor is quite versatile. First and foremost it is the teacher’s role to provide a safe space, where student’s feel comfortable and supported. The content and approach to this program can be adapted to individual learners. Ideally the instructor will give in-person demonstrations and provide students first hand support while they complete the assignments, but in the event a student is unable to attend class, or has accessibility limitations, video instructions and online resources are provided through the LMS to assist with the learners specific needs. 

Where on the course pages the license information is displayed?

All resource citations and license information is provided on the final tab of the corresponding unit, titled “Unit 2 References and Additional Resources.”

References

Anderson, T. (2008a). Teaching in an online learning context. In Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (pp. 343-365). Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/14_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf

Kenny ME, Catraio C, Bempechat J, Minor K, Olle C, Blustein DL, Seltzer J. Preparation for Meaningful Work and Life: Urban High School Youth’s Reflections on Work-Based Learning 1 Year Post-Graduation. Front Psychol. 2016 Feb 26;7:286. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00286. PMID: 26955365; PMCID: PMC4767925.

McTighe, J., and Wiggins, G. (2004). Introduction: The logic of backward design (Links to an external site.). Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook.Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (PDF)

Rawashdeh, A. Z. A., Mohammed, E. Y., Arab, A. R. A., Alara, M., & Al-Rawashdeh, B. (2021). Advantages and disadvantages of using e-learning in university education: Analyzing students’ perspectives. Electronic Journal of e-Learning. Retrieved October 21, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.34190/ejel.19.3.2168