Student Management Project

This action mapping approach helps analyze the problem of increased parent complaints in classrooms in an elementary school to determine root causes, pinpoint behavioral changes required to improve the performance issue,  develop a storyboard with practice activities, choices and consequences and create an interactive prototype prior to full fledged project development. This approach aims to help teachers learn and apply strategies and self manage challenging situations effectively in the classroom using standard student management policies. This ensures that a stimulating and engaging classroom environment conducive to young learners is maintained at all times, thereby eliminating parent complaints. 

Audience - Teachers instructing young learners in an elementary school environment 

Responsibilities - Root cause analysis, visual action map, text based storyboard, interactive action map 

Learning Theory: Social Learning Theory, Behaviorism

ID Model: Action Mapping

Tools - MindMeister, Twine, Instructional design based on action mapping

Increased parent complaints were noticed in a medium sized elementary school where teachers were not applying strategies to manage situations effectively in classrooms. Scenarios such as student disruptions and conflicts, students reluctant to speak up and low student engagement were some of the challenges faced by teachers. 

After conducting a thorough needs analysis, I used an action mapping approach to develop detailed, highly contextual scenarios where the user is allowed to make decisions similar to on-the-job ones, but in a low risk setting. I incorporated consequences to help the user learn the impact of their decisions. 

These scenarios could be implemented in both in-person as well as online training to better equip teachers to handle challenging situations, create a stimulating classroom environment   and thereby reduce parent complaints. 

Root Cause Analysis

To address the performance issue, I conducted root cause analysis, consisting of the following:

• Needs analysis - I conducted in-class observations, discussion with teachers, discussion with managers,  data analysis and a review of best practices.

• Task analysis - I broke down critical skill areas into important strategies

• Audience analysis - I analyzed the age, technology exposure, geographic location, time available and motivation for learners to better understand the audience

• Resource analysis - I determined funds available for training resources and understood management motivation through discussions

• Reference to best practices - I referred to standards and typical strategies to understand best practices 

Visual Action Map

I developed a visual mind map during the brainstorming session to define business goal, behaviors/actions learners needed to do to achieve the goal, why they were not currently doing it (skills gap) and recommended skills and strategies.

I created a visual action map to match the business goal and actions needed to reach that goal, practice activities and training modality.

Interactive Action Map on Twine

Through this project, I learnt important steps in the action mapping process such as performing root cause analysis (needs, task, audience and resource analysis), developing a mind map and visual action map on MindMeister, creating a high-context text based storyboard  and a text based interactive prototype on Twine. The process involved leveraging critical thinking and problem solving capabilities and collaboration skills.