Justification Paper

User Assumption

This unit of instruction is on inference. The users for this unit will be third grade students. Reading abilities for this group range from average to below grade level. This is a regular education classroom.

Graphic Description

Detective

This graphic will help my learners to visualize the concept of inference. This design works because I have used contrast with the text. I also repeated the same size and font with the text, excluding the font placed in the magnifying glass. The text placed in the magnifying glass is slightly larger to show an effect. Following Lohr's rule of thumb for one 1/2 inch for every 10 feet, I used a point size of 22 because this graphic will be used projected from a computer (Lohr, 2007). I used a sans serif type font for legibility for computer-based instruction.

Beach

This graphic is showing images of items you would take to the beach. I used CARP when designing this image. Contrast is used with the individual images. Repetition is used to create unity throughout the graphic (Lohr, 2007). The images are real images and not clip art. Placing the images as I did is using alignment (Lohr, 2007).

School

This graphic is showing images of items you would take to school. There are no words on this image except for a question mark. This is used to show the learners they must used what they know about going to school in order to figure out where this person is going. I have aligned the images using CARP. I have used realistic images instead of clip art. I also chose to use brighter primary colors, because children prefer bright (Lohr, 2007). One of the instructional functions of color is to create appeal (Lohr, 2007).

Graphic Organizer

This graphic will help learners as they read through different genres of text. It will be used to assist the learners in making inferences about different text. I used squares and lines in this graphic, which will contain information and be used to make connections (Lohr, 2007). I distributed the rectangles into equal spaces. I focused on space by allowing enough room for students to write if necessary. I also added color to the header boxes of the graphic organizer for a more pleasing feel for the learners.

Poem

This is a graphic of two separate poems with a smaller version of the graphic organizer for learners to complete. In creating the graphic, I clustered the poems into rhyming chunks, to make them easier to read (Lohr, 2007). I used chunking to help learners think about information in a meaningful way. I used CARP when designing this image. A contrast of black text and white background has been used. Repitition has been used as another poem is below the first, written in the same font. A smaller image of the graphic organizer is also repeated. Repitition is used between the lines on the poems and the graphic organizer.

Curious Creature

This image has been designed for the learners to read a different type of genre. I used an effect of coloring when creating the title in order to liven things up (Lohr, 2007). I also created a sense of balance with white space. I used the effect of a drop shadow to create dimension (Lohr, 2007). I used CARP when creating this image. I repeated colors of the small spaceship in the title of the short story. I used black text and white background for contrast. I aligned the story and the small image to the left margin.

Rain

This image will help learners use inference based on just an image with no words. In creating this graphic, I concentrated on use of space and previous experience. I used white space to create a sense of balance (Lohr, 2007). I wanted the focus to be on the image. "The previous experience principle states that new impressions are influenced by previous experiences" (Lohr, 2007, p. 168). I used a real image instead of clip art for a more pleasing picture.

Comic Strip

This image has been created for learners to use inference create their own meaning of the comic strip based on pictures. I used CARP and Lohr's generative strategies when creating this image (Lohr, 2007, p. 111). The original conversation was taken out of the speech bubbles, making students focus on the picture and fill in their own conversation. This was done to make the most important information stand out, which are the pictures (Lohr, 2007). I aligned the top text with the comic strip. I used the Comic Sans font type for appeal.

Process Design

My web page format is an easy to follow instructional design. Instructional design "refers to the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation" (Smith & Ragan, 2005, p. 4). Each page was created using FireworksCS5 and Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 and Microsoft Word 2010.

The page has been designed so the learners can easily move from one lesson to the next. The webpages are arranged in a logical order from the start page, each lesson, and ending with the teacher link. The pages are designed for both student and teacher use. A complete Unit of Instruction, and individual lesson plans and this justification paper can be found on the teacher page. The lessons that are included are:

  • Lesson 1 - What is Inference?
  • Lesson 2 - Infer with Poems
  • Lesson 3 - Infer with Stories
  • Lesson 4 - Infer with Pictures

My individual graphics were placed strategically in each lesson. I used bright colors in designing the pages. I chose to do this for a more appealing look. Each page was created using FireworksCS5 and Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 and Microsoft Word 2010.

References

Castro, E. (2007). HTML, XHTML & CSS (6th ed.), Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.

Lohr, L. L. (2007). Creating graphics for learning and performance: Lessons in visual literacy (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Rossett, A. & Schafer, L. (200x). Job aids and performance support: The convergence of learning and work. Int. J. Learning Technology, X, 1-19.

Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional Design (3rd ed.), Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.