May 19th: This morning, I drafted the first two required pages of my instructional unit, “Digital Safety & Responsibility”. I focused on getting the high-level overview, context, target audience, learning objectives, and unit flow chart down on paper. I have a few ideas brewing for the rest of the project, but I’m still feeling out the direction and what specific activities will best support the learning objectives.

May 20th: I’ve finished drafting the two required pages of the instructional unit. I’m feeling ready to present them at tomorrow’s in-person class, though I am sure there will be a few areas where I can make improvements after getting feedback.

May 21st: Today’s in-person class was very informative. I gained some useful insights, particularly that I don’t need to design everything down to the minute details, but core elements like slideshows absolutely need to be developed. It’s also critical that both the instructor and learner guides are crystal clear. I also need to double-check that all activities are perfectly aligned with my learning objectives.

I received some great advice today:

1. Warm-up Activity: I need to be very mindful of student privacy in the warm-up activity. Students might not be comfortable sharing their personal opinions or usage habits regarding social media or specific apps. This means the warm-up activity could potentially be changed to be less directly related to their personal use and more general.
2. Real-life Examples: The suggestion to use real-life examples, like demonstrating how easily private data can be lost through Airdrops, was excellent. I should also include some “scary” examples of losing private data, emphasizing the financial implications (“When you are losing private data, you are losing money”). This will help make the content more impactful and relevant to them.

May 22nd: Today I started working on page 5 of the storyboard, which focuses on the “Introduction” event. I also dedicated my time to reading up on Merrill’s Five Principles of Instruction, which I know are important for shaping the unit. Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction emphasize learning through real-world tasks, activating prior knowledge, demonstrating new skills, applying them, and integrating learning into daily life. I need to ensure these principles are well-integrated into my design.

May 23rd: Today I continued developing my storyboard, focusing on pages 6 and 7, which cover the “Warm-up Activity” and “Content Delivery” events. I also did some reading on mnemonic and structure strategies for learning. I’m starting to see how these concepts relate to my project, especially since I’m aiming for a lot of hands-on activities. I think incorporating some structural learning strategies will help make the content stick to the students.

May 24th: Today I focused on developing pages 8 and 9 of my storyboard, specifically for “Interactive Activity 1: Info Card Sort” and “Interactive Activity 2: Privacy Poster.” I also completed readings 3 and 4. I found the readings on learning strategies, particularly the Luca and Oliver article and the “Teaching by Fostering Learning Strategies” chapter, to be quite relevant.

The concept of “generative strategies” from the reading really resonated with me, especially since my unit has so many hands-on activities. I see how activities like summarizing and questioning can promote deep understanding and transfer. For example, the “Privacy Poster” activity where students create a message in their own words is a clear application of a generative strategy, similar to how summarizing in one’s own words leads to better performance. The idea of “reflection” from the Luca and Oliver article also ties directly into the reflection elements I’m building into the “Privacy Traffic Light” and “Conclusion and Reflection” activities. It’s encouraging to see how these learning theories directly support the interactive, student-centered approach I’m aiming for.

May 25th: Today I focused on developing pages 10 and 11 of my storyboard, which cover the “Wrap-up Activity: Privacy Traffic Light” and “Conclusion and Reflection” events. I also completed readings 5 and 6, focusing on “Contextual Teaching and Learning” and “Enhancing Teaching and Student Activities Ideas.”

The readings reinforced the importance of contextualized learning, which aligns perfectly with my goal of making “Digital Safety & Responsibility” relevant to middle schoolers’ real lives. The “Contextual Teaching and Learning” article specifically mentions “Problem-based” and “Using multiple contexts” as key strategies, which I feel my “Info Card Sort” and “Privacy Traffic Light” activities address by having students grapple with realistic scenarios and categorize information. The emphasis on “Supporting self-regulated learning” and providing “time and structure for reflection” deeply resonates with my design for the wrap-up and conclusion activities, especially the reflective journal aspect of the final reflection.

From the “Enhancing Teaching Activities” reading, I particularly noted the suggestions for “Getting students to write better reflective journals” by providing specific guidance using the “4 what’s” (What happened, so what, now what, and what does it mean?). This is an excellent framework I can use to refine the prompts for my final reflection. Also, the idea of “Asking good questions to stimulate students’ reflection” provides a solid basis for framing the discussion points in my conclusion. It’s clear that the design of these final activities will be crucial for helping students internalize and apply their learning in a meaningful way.

May 27th: Today I finalized the storyboard, which feels like a significant milestone for the project! I also created a comprehensive list of all the resources and materials needed. This includes separate lists for the instructor to facilitate the unit and for the learners to actively participate. I wanted to make sure everything is clearly laid out for smooth implementation.

Instructor Resource & Material List

Printed/Prepared Materials

Blank smartphone screen templates (1 per student – for drawing apps)

Info Card Sort sets

(Cards with images and labels showing types of personal information)

Privacy Traffic Light layout

(Color-coded: Red = Stop, Yellow = Think, Green = Go)

Privacy Poster template

(Space for image + short sentence)

Sentence starters for reflection

(“I will protect my information by…”)

Notes or “exit ticket” cards for wrap-up reflections

Basic Classroom Supplies

Pencils and erasers

Colored pencils or markers

Notebooks and blank papers

Visual & Instructional Aids

Large T-chart:

(“Just Me/Family” vs. “Everyone”)

Large Privacy Traffic Light display (for group sort)

Visual vocabulary slides or posters with:

Icons for “Private”, “Public”

Key content terms (name, photo, message, etc.)

Learner Resource & Material List

Paper-Based Learning Materials

Blank smartphone screen template

(To draw apps/content they know — no personal use disclosure required)

Info Card Set

(Printed cards showing types of information — e.g., name, location, photo)

Privacy Poster template

(For drawing a message and writing a short safety phrase)

Reflection sentence stem

(“I will protect my information by…” – provided as a prompt)

Basic Supplies

Pencils and Erasers

Colored pencils or markers

Notebooks and blank papers

Sharing & Collaboration Tools

Sticky notes (for writing or drawing new examples)

Partner or group roles (e.g., speaker, sorter, recorder)

No personal devices required

May 28th: Today I finalized the draft of the website and uploaded all the materials I have prepared so far. It feels good to have a functional site with accessible content. This is a big step towards getting everything ready for the project.

I also got valuable peer-review comments from Stella.

• Clear and measurable learning objectives that align nicely with Bloom’s Taxonomy.
• Strong scaffolding throughout the unit—each event flows naturally from activation to application.
• Creative and inclusive activities like the “Info Card Sort” and “Privacy Poster” promote hands-on and peer learning.
• Formative assessment is thoughtfully integrated and aligns well with the goals of each event.

1. Clarify the Learning Progression in the Hierarchy Slide:
   The content hierarchy could better show how skills and knowledge build over time. For example, progressing from “Identify private information” → “Analyze sharing risks” → “Justify safe choices” would highlight the cognitive growth across events.
2. Explicit Scaffolding Across Events:
   You could emphasize how each activity prepares students for the next. For instance, stating that the “Info Card Sort” lays the foundation for the “Privacy Poster” helps show intentional instructional sequencing.
3. Make Assessment Criteria More Transparent:
   Consider adding a simple rubric or checklist for the final reflection or poster activity. Even a basic set of criteria will help students understand expectations and allow for more consistent peer/self-assessment.
4. Embed More Student Choice:
   If possible, build in moments where students choose the type of message, audience, or format for their privacy poster. This could increase motivation and reinforce the real-world application of digital safety skills.

Received some good feedback on my draft presentation today during the virtual session. Caitlin suggested reducing the activity sections to two and offering them as choices for the learners, with the third as an enrichment option for those who finish early. Her reasoning is that it could enhance learner buy-in and provide more flexibility for the facilitator in terms of timing, especially with middle schoolers who can be unpredictable. Brian agreed, noting adults can be the same way, which is a good point for broader application. Emma also liked the idea, as it would leave more time for content delivery and give instructors more room for flexibility. I will be thinking about how to restructure the activities to incorporate this valuable feedback.

May 29th – June 5th: This week, I focused on developing the presentation slides for the instructional unit. I put a lot of effort into ensuring they were directly related to the learning objectives and were aesthetically appealing for middle school students, using visuals and clear, concise language.

I referred to several websites for information.

What Not to Share Online for Teens and Kids from Digital Responsibility

Safe sharing online: 6 dos and don’ts for parents and kids

Online Privacy: What Teens Share and Restrict in an Online Environment | Pew Research Center

I made sure to include key elements like the learning objectives at the beginning, phrased in a student-friendly way (“I can find out what is private and what is okay to share online” , “I can try ways to protect my information when using the internet” , “I can tell how to be safe when I use apps or websites” ). The “What’s on a Smartphone?” slide is designed to be visually engaging and prompt student interaction for the warm-up activity.

For the core content, I created slides to introduce “Private vs. Public” key terms with clear definitions and examples. The visual for the “Info Card Sort” and the “Privacy Poster” activity are also incorporated, setting up these hands-on tasks. Finally, the “Privacy Traffic Light” concept and the “Reflection & Sharing” prompts are visually represented to guide the wrap-up and conclusion. I tried to keep the slides clean and use engaging imagery to maintain student interest.

I also discussed the activity structure with Zhen. She remarked that breaking the session into a warm-up, core instruction, and wrap-up discussion would work perfectly for students after a long school day, noting that it offered a good rhythm without overwhelming them. This positive feedback on the overall flow made me decide to keep all the activities I designed as they are, and instead allow the actual instructor to choose whether any activities are made optional based on their specific needs and timing.

June 6th – June 20th: Focused on developing the comprehensive instructor guide for the “Digital Safety & Responsibility” unit. My goal was to create a step-by-step facilitator’s guide that is incredibly detailed, including explicit event instructions, helpful facilitator tips, and clear assessment guidance for each phase of the lesson. I’ve broken down each activity, from the initial “Introduction” to the “Conclusion and Reflection”, providing suggested dialogue and anticipated student responses to help the instructor anticipate and manage the flow.

I also integrated the printable “Info Card Sort” cards directly into the appendix, along with a detailed section outlining possible explanations and categorization guidance for the “Privacy Traffic Light” activity. This ensures instructors have all the necessary materials and a clear understanding of the pedagogical intent behind each activity.

I discussed the guide with Zhen, and she noted that “Activities like app sorting, info cards, and the traffic light discussion connect closely with students’ digital habits. It makes the topic of privacy much more meaningful.” This feedback reinforced my focus on real-world relevance and active engagement. She also suggested “adding a quick-response or quiz-style element here like calling out answers or using snacks/stickers as fun incentives.” While I thought it was a good idea for increasing engagement, I decided this would be more of an instructor’s personal choice to implement, depending on their resources and classroom management style. It’s something I might try in my own teaching career later on, but for now, I want the guide to be flexible for various facilitators.

June 21th – June 23th: I focused on developing the participant guide for the “Digital Safety & Responsibility” unit. My aim was to create a clear, engaging, and easy-to-follow resource for the middle school students. The guide begins with a friendly welcome and outlines what students will learn and the activities they’ll engage in.

A key feature is the integration of the presentation slides directly into the guide, providing a visual reference for students throughout the session. I’ve included dedicated “Notes” sections alongside each slide to encourage active listening and personal reflection, offering space for students to jot down ideas, questions, or key takeaways.

For the interactive activities, I designed specific activity pages: “Warm-Up – Smartphone Drawing” with a blank phone template for their drawings, a “T-Chart – Private vs. Public” for the sorting activity, an “Info Card Sort” page for them to record their decisions, and an “Activity Page 4: Privacy Poster” for their creative output. The guide concludes with an “Activity Page 5: Reflection & Wrap-Up” that includes sentence starters to facilitate their final reflections on online privacy. I tried to make the overall design be highly visual and interactive, mirroring the hands-on approach of the instructional unit, and concise and easy to use by middle school students. Instructors could provide a translated version of this participant guide to offer comprehensive multilingual support.

June 24th: Today was a big day for wrapping things up. I completed both self-evaluation packets, which involved a thorough review of my instructional unit against the provided guidelines and rubrics. This process really made me think critically about the alignment of my goals, objectives, strategies, and assessments, as well as the overall instructional and message design. It was a valuable exercise in stepping back and evaluating my work from the perspectives of an instructional designer, an instructor, and a learner.

I also received the final feedback from Zhen on the whole project. Her insights were helpful in confirming my design choices and identifying areas of strength in the unit. Zhen found the “Digital Safety & Responsibility” unit to be very grounded in students’ real experiences, with a well-structured flow suitable for an afterschool setting. She praised the relatable activities, inclusive participation methods, and clear, well-prepared materials, noting the strong integration of theory and practice evident in the reflection journal. Suggestions for further refinement included clearer assessment expectations, a small engagement boost for the “Privacy Traffic Light” activity, more visuals for transitions, and a simple graphic to illustrate the learning journey. She also recommended tidying up the layout on a few storyboard pages.

June 25th: Today I designed an additional “Activity Grading Rubric for Instructor” to further meet the project criteria. This assessment form isn’t intended for judging student performance, but rather to help the instructor improve the quality of the instructional unit and better support learners. Now, everything for the project is set, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.

Overall, my work on the “Digital Safety & Responsibility” instructional unit for IDE 737 allowed me to apply instructional design principles to a practical, relevant topic. I developed every components, from the initial storyboard outlining the unit’s flow and learning objectives to detailed instructor and participant guides. The project emphasized creating engaging, hands-on activities that align with Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, promoting real-world application, multimodal learning, and student engagement over direct lecturing. The feedback received during virtual sessions was invaluable, prompting me to consider aspects like activity management for unpredictable middle schoolers while still maintaining a robust and comprehensive learning experience. The development process, including the self-reflection journal, truly deepened my understanding of how to integrate theoretical frameworks, such as generative strategies (“Privacy Poster”) and contextual teaching (“Traffic light” activity), into tangible educational materials designed to form deep learning and self-regulation.