The long-term profound impact of techniques I have learned from IDD&E New Student Orientation 2020

This was my first experience engaging with student orientation. I observed how my advisor Dr. Koszalka organized meetings, designed content, and revised and updated instructional strategies to best provide new IDDEers informative content to prepare for this new program.

I joined the team to organize New Student Orientation just after I completed the generic management plan in Spring 2020. As I moved forward, I compared and contrasted this analytic management plan with the generic management plan. I tried to figure out efficient ways to help instructional designers to use the generic management plan easily, both on a day-to-day basis and over the long term. It includes the standard methods for doing various things -- handling preparation, dealing with the actual work of the organization, addressing the way people in the organization do their jobs -- and the overall philosophical and intellectual framework in which these methods operate.

Although this project contained abundant details, Dr. Koszalka kept everything under control.

Phase #1 Preparation:

Dr. Koszalka sent an email to recruit instructional designers to work as a team to design this virtual orientation. In the email she noted the cultural and social environment and the importance of making connections with all the stakeholders in our department.

Before the kick-off meeting, she has already created an analysis protocol and set up Blackboard to make me have a sense of LMS.

Phase #2 Conduct job analysis:

First of all, she identified different layers of learning objectives according to our task sequence. She led us through her analytic agenda and helped us understand each step. She used many infographics so I had no difficulty understanding this project. She used different colors to list all the jobs and placed them in the different task statements.

The draft of the protocol included：

Part 1: Announcement（Pre-work included for new students) :

1 New IDD&E Student Orientation pre-work activities

Hi all and welcome to IDD&E. Prior to our orientation we will ask that you complete

(Pre-orientation Survey; Video self-introduction)

2 Welcome to IDD&E New Student Orientation 2020!

Welcome, new IDD&Eers!

Our New Student Orientation for graduate students in the Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation Department will begin at TIME (NOTE IN 12 and 24 hour time... indicating for NY time zone).

If you are are on campus, please join us at BUILDING/ROOM.

Please arrive early to get parking and be in the room by our start time. If you need assistance finding parking and the room please click here for a parking and building map --> Link SU maps

If you are participating online please INSTRUCTIONS TO GET INTO BB ORGANIZATION. In our BlackBoard New IDD&E Student Orientation cite you will find instruction to join our video conference. It is most helpful to others if you have a headphone and video access while participating. We have planned an interactive session engaging both our campus-based and online students together...

If you are unable to attend the orientation at the schedule time, all materials are available in BlackBoard New IDD&E Student Orientation.You should plan an appointment with your IDD&E advisor as soon as possible to make sure you complete the required activities we cover in the orientation.

Please feel free to email IDD&E Office Coordinator, Rebecca Pettit (rrpettit@syr.edu) if you have questions or experience difficulties joining the session.

Part 2: Detailed New Student Pre-work

1 Pre-work survey

2 Post New Student introduction video clip(What I can do: Make an e-magazine for all the students)

Part 3: Orientation 2020

Welcome note

includes agenda, instruction on how to participate or what to do if not at orientation, Instructions to join video conference, Ice break activity, which can be interactive to keep both campus-based and online students interacting together... She give some suggestions for the conversations.

Faculty introductions

Posted video clips

Instructions for live introduction during orientation session

(e-magazine/imovie to put them together)

Orientation Presentation

Video clip

Instructions / script for live session

• Debrief introductions... pointing our observed similarities about CB/OL students

• Review summary of pre-work

• Presentation on IDD&E PROGRAMS AND CAREER PREPARATION -- CAS/MS programs

  • using anchor diagram... overview of expectations for course / prof skills/ major activities throughout year

  • overview of portfolio requirements

  • overview of key handbook pages

• Presentation on PhD program

  • using anchor diagram... overview of expectations for course / prof skills/ major activities throughout year .. very brief, additional orientation session to be held at later date...

• fun quiz / game followed by Q/A debrief（ Kahoot game）

Review of Blackboard course interface

· Digital tutorial describing course layout, mends, etc.

· Script for live review mimicking digital tutorial

· summary quiz/game followed by Q&A debrief

1. Assessment tools: Google Forms; Kahoot! (in the beginning); Padlet; Plickers; Poll Everywhere: A real-time polling app that works with mobile, Twitter, or in the web browser; Quizizz: Another great game and quiz-making application; Socrative.com: A free web-based service that lets you assess students with prepared activities or on-the-fly questions to get immediate insight into understanding; Nearpod: Nearpod works in the browser of any device to let you create or upload a slideshow, to which you then add your own questions; Quizalize: This is a new website for playing class quiz games. The teacher inputs their own questions or they can use a pre-made quiz.

2. Collaboration: Lino (pasting sticky notes)

While listening, I quickly jotted down notes and some design ideas I created.

Tour of IDD&E and Syracuse University

· Short video tour of IDD&E spaces

· Links to campus tours ... overview of key buildings like library, (maybe a short video clip from our SOE librarian); health center, etc.

Introduction to student social events and activities

· video clip

· script for live session ... brown bags, RIDLR work, newsletter, other social events...

· GSO .. maybe a short video clip from GSO SOE rep??

Faculty and Adjuncts interactions with new students

· some type of interactive event to help students learn, from faculty, the expectations of being graduate students, hidden agenda of a graduate program, importance of career preparation, building professional networks...

· something fun, interactive...

Academic and Student Services overview

· Short video clip from rep

· Script for live session

· link to Student and Academic services site with contact info - provide explanation of when and why to contact this office (noting course and program issues should be addressed with professors and IDD&E advisors)

Overall Orientation quiz/game and Debrief

· review of most critical info... classes, understanding the course agenda, portfolios, advisors, remaining active with peers and Department, etc.

Completing your program plan

· Video tutorial

· Sample augmented / completed form describing each section and how to complete it...

· live scripted walk-through

· process to schedule appointments to complete program plan - as needed (transfer credits, part-time students determining when to take courses, etc.)

Part 4: Orientation Followup 2020

1 Orientation evaluation

2 End-of-fall semester orientation evaluation

Phase #3 Design and Development:

We picked our tasks and started to work and reported to Dr. Koszalka weekly. She gave me prompt feedback and a rationale for me to rethink the task. Gradually I improved my design for the activities. I gained collaborative experience with all team members as well as the experience of making a video, creating tutorials, creating quizzes and evaluating projects.

Phase #4 Implementation:

I tested the activities I created multiple times before I handed them in. Dr. Koszalka guided me to design the quizzes in a simpler way to use in synchronous sessions and creative comprehensive and in-depth questions. Finally, hard work paid off. The orientation went very well.

Phase #5 Evaluation:

After the orientation, Dr. Koszalka sent the summative link by email to all the students and later sent another follow-up email to remind all the faculty and students to complete the survey. She lastly debriefed and expressed her appreciation to all the faculty and the orientation team.

Going through this project, I still couldn't believe my eyes. This orientation was so successful because it involved so many interactive, informative, and advanced design ideas. It beautifully illustrated what this IDD&E program will bring the new students in the new semester.