Program Design Task Analysis ADTED 506

Instructional Design, Task Analysis; Module 1 and 2 July 20, 2008
Adted 506
Penn State, World Campus
Louise Berry


This instruction is based on a Learning Analysis and is designed to create a purposeful and meaningful integration of life skills across the high school curriculum. The first module will have students learn about a general career area and skill set. In this module financial management students will explore careers and skills.
Students will gain many skills while building their knowledge about finance and the global economy. They will develop and utilize graph reading, data interpretation, prediction, computation, calculations (including percentages, increases and decreases) for stock gains and losses. Students will calculate, commissions and rates of change as well as percents of change for this module. Even if students do not plan to enter financial management as a career, they do expect to manage their own finances in the near future. This training and the skills it develops will be useful for student’s future.
The combination of computation, communication of knowledge, and information (both scientific and historical) as applied to finances will drive an integrated curriculum that is useful for students in their near future.
This instruction will use the inquiry mode. Students will be given a list of questions to research and answer. These questions have been artificially separated by topic to ensure each subject (History, Mathematics, Social Science and Culture) has been included. The English language standards are interwoven throughout this module measured in the end product, whether it is written, spoken or video taped form.

Module 1: Financial planning or jobs in the finance sector
As part of the historical perspective the students will research and be able to:
1. Describe and explain the history of money in the United States.
2. Describe and explain the history of money in Mexico.
3. Describe and explain the history of money in Canada.
4. Compare and contrast Canadian, US, and Mexican Monetary systems.
As part of the mathematical/logical perspective the students will research and be able to:
1. Describe how the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) works.
2. Make a graph including labels to explain how you read a stock listing from the Wall Street Journal.
3. Describe in detail what happens when large purchases/sales are transacted on the NYSE. Include a chart or graph.
4. Explain how you make money in the stock market.
5. Research and summarize the current market trends in the global economy, include the sectors and give specific examples.
6. Research and summarize the current trends in finance in the United States include the sectors and give specific examples.
As part of the career search and community exploration the students will research and be able to:
1. Give 10 specific examples of where I could work as a financial advisor here in Monterey County.
2. Analyze and explain how and why Monterey County, California fits into the Global economy.
3. Describe in detail what you see as the next big growth areas in Monterey County, California.
4. Evaluate to discern which companies you would invest in. Pick eight and be sure to give your justification.
5. Predict how will you fit into the Global economy cover the next 2-5 years. Include details and give examples.
Students using the Internet, teacher resources, staff, texts, magazines, business newspapers and online RSS news-feeds will research these areas. Students will compile and share information. They will write summaries of their findings. These will be posted to a classroom Wiki. This instruction will utilize the California State standards of research, compilation, summation, and citation for English. The written genre including persuasion, summarization, comparison/contrast will be used as students research and find facts to complete these tasks. Citations and qualifications in student writing will be required to ensure that other students can find the information and verify data. Rebuttals and alternate synopsis may be presented by students and could give rise to debates that will be recorded on video or pod-casts and linked to the Wiki. A chat room will be utilized for a prepared debate between groups.
An added benefit is that this module will create an instructional day for students, rather than an unrelated series of instructional periods.
During the instruction teachers will be guides and mentors, helping the students research and accomplish their learning. Students will have unanswered questions and can e-mail each other as well as their instructors for guidance.
Here are the standards addressed in this module: The ability to research, evaluate, synthesize, record and apply information from a combination of sources and disciplines. Communicate in written, audio, and video formats. Produce a Wiki site, or blog, video and audio recordings that are posted on the learning management system. Utilize critical thinking and organizational skills to synthesize information and make use of that for self and others.

Module 2; Career Exploration/Job Quest
There are many vocational areas to investigate. Cosmetology, Sales, Service positions, Hospitality and Management, Horticulture, Engineering, both mechanical and industrial; Contracting specialties, areas such as plumbing and electrical, framing, cabinetry making, dry wall finishing, painting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, (HVAC); Child Care, Teaching, Automotive services, like maintenance, auto body repair, and auto design. Students get excited when they connect with something they think they actually can do in life.
By starting with a career or skill set, students will see the applicability of the skills we expect them to master. Even if students can not immediately decide on a career, they will need a resume, at some point in life they will do an interview and should find out a little about jobs that are available and what levels of education are needed for each career.
This instruction combines computation, communication skills and the knowledge both scientific and historical about careers.
Using an inquiry model, students will be given a list of questions to answer. These have been artificially separated by topic to point out that each subject has been included. History, Mathematics, Social Science and Culture are integrated with Physical Education which is included through the study and use of body language. The English language standards are interwoven throughout this module as communication, both written and spoken.

Module 2; Career Exploration/Job quest
As part of the historical perspective the questions include:
1. What jobs were available in the Monterey County, California 25 years ago?
2. What jobs are available in the Monterey County, California today?
3. How is it different/similar today than it was 25 years ago?
4. What are the current career trends in the global economy?
5. What does it take to work in another country like Mexico, UK or Canada?
Research and pick one career and answer the following:
6. What skills does ___________ require?
7. How much money does an _________ make?
8. What are the statistics for ________?
9. How secure is an ___________ (how long do people stay employed)?
10. What opportunity for advancement is there as an ___________?
As part of the mathematical/logical perspective the questions are:
11. What jobs require a High School Diploma?
a. How much money do these jobs pay? (Averages/graph)
12. What jobs require a Certificate of training or AA degree:
b. How much money do these jobs pay? (Average/graph)
13. What jobs require a college Degree BA or higher?
a. How much money do these jobs pay? (Averages/graph)
14. Will I have to travel in my career?
a. If so what will that cost in time/money/resources?
As part of the career search and community exploration the questions are:
15. How can I be prepared to enter this career?
16. What is my list of needs or skills required for this career?
a. People skills
b. Physical skills
c. Academic skills
d. Letter of recommendations
e. Resume
f. Career goals outlined
g. Interview skills
h. Other
17. What type of working environment can I expect as an ________?
18. Are there _______ jobs here in Monterey County, California?
19. In the next 2-5 years, what will I need to do to prepare as an ________?
Students using various resources including the Internet, teachers and staff, texts, magazines, Junior Achievement materials and other online resources will research these questions. Students will compile information and write summaries of their findings. These will be posted to a classroom Wiki. This exercise will utilize the standards of research, compilation and summation for English. Students to report their research findings will use written genre such as summary and comparison/contrast. Students will need to use citations to qualify their data and ensure that others will find the same information. Mock interviews will be videotaped and students will constructively critique themselves and each other’s performance and skills, both as interviewer and interviewee. A chat room will be utilized for an online interview. The class Wiki will host an ever-growing list of tips for job seekers.

Organization Development Activities
The heart of this transition will be the connection, electronically, of one classroom with the next. Each student must be able to access their work from any classroom at Wellington Smith Jr. School, (WSS) modify that work, and save a new version for later access. The brain of this transition will be the imagination and knowledge base our instructors and assistant instructors at WSS bring to the classroom and the information available on the World Wide Web. Several things will need to occur simultaneously for this training to be successful. The strategic planning, organizational restructuring, individual and group performance management and feedback combined with effective teamwork will make this a winning effort.
It is probable that many other subjects will surface as students begin their research. These will be used to develop questions for future modules as we continue and expand inquiry-based learning at Wellington Smith Jr. School.