Discussion

Discussion 2

 

A professional elevator speech is a concise message that can be presented to potential employers describing your professional qualifications, philosophy, experience, and so forth. It is essentially a personal commercial lasting about the time it takes to complete an elevator ride (approximately 30 seconds), which is how it got its name. You will encounter times throughout your career in which having an elevator speech to present becomes essential, including interviews, presentations, meetings, school functions, professional development conferences, and more.

Initial Post: Post an initial response that addresses the following areas using the discussion board forum:

· After reviewing the required readings this week about creating your own elevator speech, take some time to consider how you want to professionally present yourself. Draft your 30-second elevator speech to include:

· Your introduction.

· Your professional accomplishments.

· Your professional experience.

· Your strengths.

· Your professional goals/philosophy.

· Your “why” or professional career motivation (why you do what you do).

· Within the discussion in the discussion board forum, record or post a link to your 30-second audio elevator speech containing all six components from your draft. Please be creative and incorporate multimedia into your initial post. Employ a web tool, such as  Screencast-O-Matic (Links to an external site.) (for video recording),  Jing (Links to an external site.) (for screen and video captures), or presentation tools such as  PowerPoint (Links to an external site.),  YouTube (Links to an external site.), or other software of your choice.

Please do a PowerPoint

 

ESE668: EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS FOR STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DISABILITIES

Instructor Guidance

Week 2

Welcome to Week Two of ESE 668:  Evidence-Based Instructional Methods for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities.  Please be sure to review the Week Two homepage for this course to see:

· The specific learning outcomes for the week.

· The schedule overview.

· The required and recommended resources.

· The introduction to the week.

· A listing of the assessments.

Next, be sure to read this entire Instructor Guidance page.

 

Overview

Recall that in Week One you discussed cultural influence on the development of goals, objectives and PLAAFPs. Week Two is designed to expand on this learning by taking the next step in the development of IEPs using evidence-based methods. We will examine data monitoring systems and developing assessment-driven goals and objectives. As part of the Week One Discussion One, you were encouraged to review the weekly homepages for the course and take note of the assessments each week. Now is an appropriate time to revisit the Week Six Final Project instructions and Grading Rubric to be sure you understand the scope of what you will do in that assessment and how your participation in Week Two supports your success.

 

Intellectual Elaboration

“A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.”

–David Hume

Evidence-Based Practice & Formative Assessment What makes it EBP? Evidence-based practice, or EBP as you will see it referred to as in our discussions and in your readings, is a clinical practice across disciplines that incorporates scientific research, clinical/professional expertise, and student/client preference and input. In the field of special education the use of EBP is not only best practice, it is mandated by IDEA (2004). These components of EBP are applied to all components of instruction in special education. Throughout this course, you will be examining the components that make up a successful IEP. This will include summative and formative assessment, which you have been introduced to in ESE 610. Formative assessment is of the teacher’s own design and created to specifically monitor individualized skills and behaviors of the student (Gillies, 2014). These methods of data collection are still based in evidence, or “what works”. Teachers are encouraged to use documentation and data collection systems that are designed to record measurable behavior and skills (i.e. goals and objectives) using direct observation and recording. This EBP of documentation provides the basis for progress monitoring and determination of PLAAFP throughout an IEP and as the development of a new program begins. Formative data collection systems should be individualized, efficient, and effective. For those who have taken ESE 656 prior to this course, remember our discussion on measuring behavior and skills in ESE 656? For those that have not yet taken ESE 656, we measure behavior that we have defined in observable terms to help monitor progress on skills. Take another look to see how these methods of data collection apply not only to skills of challenging behavior, but also to monitoring and documenting progress for all skills in teaching (Harkins, 2016): Data can be collected in a variety of ways. Anecdotal reports can be helpful to provide detailed information. Permanent products (i.e., photographs, work samples, video records) work well for documenting many skills, from academics to productivity to self-help skills. Observational data collection provides objective comparisons of progress on specific behaviors and skills. The type of observational data collection system selected will depend on the type of behavior you wish to measure.

Data Recording System	Description	Dimensions or Types Measured
Event Recording	Recording each instance of a behavior	Frequency; Rate
Duration Recording	Recording the length of time the behavior occurs, each time it occurs	Duration
Latency Recording	Recording the time between the antecedent stimulus (i.e., instruction, question, etc.) and the start of the behavior, each time	Latency
Interval Recording	During an observation session broken into equal time intervals, recording whether the behavior occurred at all within each interval or not	Approximations or Estimations of Frequency; Rate; Duration
Time Sampling	During an observational session broken into equal time intervals, recording whether or not the behavior is occurring or not at the moment the interval ends	Approximations or Estimations of Frequency; Rate

Data recording systems measure the dimension of the behavior and any additional information that might be necessary for the student or the teacher to track. The form should be easy to use within the classroom and include observational data that can be graphed and analyzed to determine progress (see the example below).

Date	Session Duration (Record the Time began, Time ended & Total Duration)	Tally every time that the behavior occurs	Total Occurrences	Rate  (Total Occurrences/ Session Duration=Rate)

In addition to that review of observable behavior and data collection, keep in mind there are many ways and styles for teachers to collect meaningful, accurate documentation in formative assessment. Formative assessment and data collection are the root of assessment-driven instruction as we continue our focus on EBP. These formative assessment and documentation systems should be directly tied to the way in which the goals were designed to be measured (e.g. daily, weekly, by percentage of opportunities, trial by trials, task analyzed checklists, etc.). All components of the IEP tie together in this fashion: We determine how we will measure the skill when writing the goal, then we collect the data using that measurement to monitor progress. Some recommended examples of what constitutes EBP documentation, as well as example data collection forms can be found here, however, this is by no means an exhaustive list:

· Formative Assessment Example 1 (Links to an external site.)

· Formative Assessment Example 2 (Links to an external site.)

· Formative Assessment Example 3 (Links to an external site.)

· Formative Assessment Example 4 (Links to an external site.)

· Formative Assessment Example 5 (Links to an external site.)

After exploring these examples, consider how you would use, adapt or create your own monitoring system to constitute EBP. The Cycle of Assessment & Instruction There is a cycle of assessment and instruction when developing and carrying out IEPs for each student. In the figure above, you can see the way in which each step of development builds upon the evidence and products of the previous step (Boston, 2002). This cycle continues on as the student makes progress and gains skills, at which time the data collected on that progress becomes the assessment for developing new PLAAFP based on this progress. The new PLAAFPs summarize areas of strength and areas of need, which are incorporated into the development of new S.M.A.R.T. goals and objectives based on this documentation. The IEP team comes together to approve this new plan. EBP strategies for instruction, differentiation, modification(s), and/or accommodation(s) included in the program are also determined by the team to align with  in the IEP for all new goals and objectives. Those measurable goals are documented using data collection systems, and the whole process continues. How S.M.A.R.T. Can Your Goals Be? Throughout your courses, you have been practicing the development of goals that are S.M.A.R.T (NASET, 2007). Take a moment to read through each component in  this chart (Links to an external site.) developed by Lee to see examples and non-examples of each component for S.M.A.R.T. IEP goal (2015). When preparing an IEP, each area defined in the PLAAFP will need to be a focus for goal development. S.M.A.R.T. goals should be written to build upon previously mastered objectives and with the scope and sequence to encompass long-term goals and transitions from grade level to grade level and on to adulthood. Elevator Speech There will be moments throughout your career when you need be prepared to provide information about your professional abilities to make a first impression. Whether it is for an interview, for meeting colleagues, when presenting research or attending a conference, or when interacting with the families of your students or the community, it is important to be prepared. View this video (Links to an external site.)  to see a dramatization of what not to do…and then what to do.   Ashford University’s own Dr. Murad Abel speaks to us in one of your required readings this week in a  video file (Links to an external site.)  about the importance of an elevator speech and how to develop one. This 30-second speech should be concise and well thought out. Think about the components of a good elevator speech (Abel, 2015; Brown, 2015). It is important to state your “why” to your audience. Why do you do what you do? Why is it important? What is your motivation? Then, close with a call to action. Provide the listener with information to contact you or take the next step in meeting a common goal. Closing Remarks Looking at the process of educating students with disabilities under special education as a whole, we see that it is a cyclical process that must be rooted in EBP at all steps along the way. In addition, being able to express yourself as an educator of students with disabilities requires not only your mastery of these skills and objectives yourself, but also the ability to communicate your skills to employers, colleagues, and stakeholders.

 

Assessment Guidance

This section includes additional specific assistance for excelling in the discussions for Week Two beyond what is given with the instructions for the discussions. If you have questions about what is expected on any discussion for Week Two, contact your instructor using the Ask Your Instructor discussion before the due date. Discussion 1: Analyzing Performance from Data Monitoring Systems For this discussion, you will be reviewing and analyzing data collection systems and making a determination of progress and performance levels. More specifically, you will be creating a professional email to Mr. Franklin discussing the progress and mastery of goals of one of his students, Huang. Remember to read the final assignment for this course, before starting on this Discussion as all work in this course lead up to the final Assignment. Discussion 2: Elevator Speech: Representing Yourself Professionally to Potential Employers This discussion is your opportunity to develop an important career skill: The elevator speech. An elevator speech is a concise summary of who you are as a professional that is shared with those in your field and potential employers. You will record your 30-second elevator speech using the components in the discussion description.  Assignment: Creating Assessment-driven Goals & Objectives   In this assignment, you will use what you have learned about the way in which assessment drives instruction to create goals & objectives for Huang, a student in Mr. Franklin’s class. You will specifically analyze components of Huang’s most recent assessment and the PLAAPFs you have developed to create S.M.A.R.T. goals and objectives for his upcoming IEP.

 

References

Abel, M. (2015).  Crafting the perfect elevator speech (Links to an external site.). Forward Thinking. Retrieved from http://forwardthinking.ashford.edu/writing-perfect-elevator-speech/ Boston, C. (2002).  The concept of formative assessment (Links to an external site.). ERIC Digest. 1-8. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED470206.pdf Brown, L. (2015).  A quick guide to writing your elevator pitch (with examples!) (Links to an external site.). Idealist Careers. Retrieved from http://idealistcareers.org/a-quick-guide-to-writing-your-elevator-pitch-with-examples/ Cornelius, K. E. (2014). Formative Assessment Made Easy: Templates for Collecting Daily Data in Inclusive Classrooms. Teaching Exceptional Children, 47(2), 112-118. doi:10.1177/0040059914553204 Gaffey, A. (2014).  The elevator pitch: How to craft a successful five-minute elevator pitch and why having one is important (Links to an external site.). Psychological Science Agenda. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2014/06/elevator-pitch.aspx Gillies, R.M. (2014). The role of assessment in informing interventions for students with special education needs. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 61(1), 1-5. doi:10.1080/1034912×2014.878528 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400. (2004). Lee, A. (2015).  How to tell if your child’s IEP goals are SMART (Links to an external site.). Understood: For Learning and Attention Issues. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/how-to-tell-if-your-childs-iep-goals-are-smart NASET (2007).  Determining measurable annual goals in an IEP (Links to an external site.). National Association of Special Education Teachers: The Practical Teacher. Retrieved from https://www.naset.org/760.0.html Seaman, J. and Smasal, R. (2015). Fueling student growth: Formative assessment, data-driven instruction, and overcoming the problem of limited time: Finding ways to use assessment and interventions to create personalized learning (Links to an external site.). District Administration, (12). 68. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsggr&AN=edsgcl.436542402&site=eds-live  TTU College of Business (2013).  The elevator speech (Links to an external site.)  [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/LDpe9StfGTA

Required Resources

Articles

Brown, L. (2015).  A quick guide to writing your elevator pitch (with examples!) (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.idealist.org/en/careers/a-quick-guide-to-writing-your-elevator-pitch

· This web-based article provides a resource for creating an elevator speech with examples. This resource supports your Elevator Speech: Representing Yourself Professionally to Potential Employers discussion this week.

· Accessibility Statement does not exist.

· Privacy Policy does not exist.

Cornelius, K. E. (2014).  Formative assessment made easy: Templates for collecting daily data in inclusive classrooms . Teaching Exceptional Children, 47(2), 112-118. doi:10.1177/0040059914553204

· The full-text version of this article is available through the EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library. This article explains the importance of efficient formative data collection in the classroom and provides three data collection templates (e.g. anecdotal seating chart, daily scorecard, and objectives grid). This source will support your Analyzing Performance from Data Monitoring Systems discussion and your Creating Assessment-Driven Goals and Objectives assignment this week.

Gillies, R. M. (2014).  The role of assessment in informing interventions for students with special education needs . International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 61(1), 1-5. doi:10.1080/1034912×2014.878528

· The full-text version of this article is available through the EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library. This article discusses the role of assessment in the development of classroom intervention in special education settings. This resource will support your Analyzing Performance from Data Monitoring Systems discussion and your Creating Assessment-Driven Goals and Objectives assignment this week.

National Association of Special Education Teachers. (2007).  Determining measurable annual goals in an IEP (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.naset.org/760.0.html

· This web page from the National Association of Special Education Teachers provides a guide for determining measurable annual goals for IEPs. This resource supports your Creating Assessment-Driven Goals and Objectives assignment this week.

· Accessibility Statement does not exist.

· Privacy Policy does not exist.

Web Page

Abel, M. (2015, October 14).  Writing the perfect elevator speech (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://forwardthinking.ashford.edu/writing-perfect-elevator-speech

· This web-based article and accompanying 19-minute video from Dr. Abel of the Ashford University Forbes School of Business discusses the components of composing an elevator speech. This video supports your Elevator Speech: Representing Yourself Professionally to Potential Employers discussion this week.

· Accessibility Statement does not exist.

· Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Recommended Resources

Articles

Gaffey, A. (2014, June). The elevator pitch: How to craft a successful five-minute elevator pitch and why having one is important (Links to an external site.) . Psychological Science Agenda. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2014/06/elevator-pitch.aspx

· This article provides a resource for creating an elevator speech with examples. This resource may support your Elevator Speech: Representing Yourself Professionally to Potential Employers discussion this week.

· Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)

· Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Lee, A. M. I. (2016, September 14).  How to tell if your child’s IEP goals are SMART (Links to an external site.). Understood: For Learning & Attention Issues. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/how-to-tell-if-your-childs-iep-goals-are-smart

· This article summarizes ways to analyze whether goals meet the criteria of S.M.A.R.T. This resource may support your Creating Assessment-Driven Goals and Objectives assignment this week.

· Accessibility Statement does not exist.

· Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Seaman, J., & Smasal, R. (2015).  Fueling student growth: Formative assessment, data-driven instruction, and overcoming the problem of limited time . District Administration, 51(12). 68-69. https://www.districtadministration.com

· The full-text version of this article is available through the EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library. This resource summarizes the ways in which formative assessment can be used to individualize instruction for students. This resource may support your Analyzing Performance From Data Monitoring Systems discussion and your Creating Assessment-Driven Goals and Objectives assignment this week.

Multimedia

ttucob. (2013, February 19).  The elevator speech (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/LDpe9StfGTA

· This nearly three-minute video gives a satirical example of non-examples of elevator speech, as well as the importance of a quality elevator speech. This video will support your Elevator Speech: Representing Yourself Professionally to Potential Employers discussion this week.

· Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)

· Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)