Practicum Project Part 1: Project Proposal

Beverly Ashford
EDTC 3332
7/22/09
Practicum Project Part 1: Project Proposal
Introduction
There are many classroom situations which require school teachers to develop
drawings and diagrams to enhance their students’ learning. Examples of these drawings
and diagrams include graphs, timelines, process flows and organizational charts. The use
of these types of visual aids is one way to add depth to classroom activities. Students’
interest and retention of information often increases when they have a visual association
with new information. It is time consuming to create visual aids using pens, markers,
rulers, triangles and compasses to draw the shapes necessary for creating a diagram or
drawing. Microsoft Visio is a diagramming and drawing software program that enables
the user to create a variety of useful graphs, drawings, charts, and diagrams quicker
and easier than manual drawing. The training program I propose is a self paced, webbased
lesson which will introduce teachers to some of the basics of Visio and illustrate
how to create drawings and diagrams quickly and professionally. The Microsoft Visio
introductory lesson will show teachers how they can save time and effort and create
more time for classroom planning and instruction.
Identification of the Problem
There are numerous teachers I have worked with who spend hours working to create a
graph, drawing, chart or diagram to help support their lesson plans. Often when they are
finished the graphs, drawings, charts or diagrams do not look professional and sometimes

are hard to read and comprehend. The teachers need a computer software tool to help
them complete the drawing or diagram in a timely manner and produce a professional
looking finished product. The teachers are computer literate and are proficient in
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. The teachers have never been instructed how to use
Visio and are not familiar with the software program. Although the teachers do not know
what Visio can do or how to get started using it, they are excited and eager to learn the
new software. By providing a self- paced web-based lesson on Microsoft Visio, the
teachers will learn how to use a new software program which will save them time and
effort when creating graphs, drawings, charts and diagrams in addition to creating clear,
professional looking presentations.
Description of the Proposed Solution
The solution I propose to the instructional/training problem is a self paced computer
web- based module that teachers can access when needed. The Microsoft Visio training
module will introduce the teachers to the software program by describing what the
program can do. The module will explain key words used in Visio, such as shapes,
stencils and templates. The training module will explain the steps required to navigate
the program and how to find and create shapes quickly and easily. The module will use
Visio screen captures and the process steps necessary to create a flowchart. The training
module will explain some of the features of Visio and the many different ways it can be
used. The teachers will be able to access the training module at any time to follow the
steps and create a graph, chart, drawing or diagram without using a pencil or ruler. The
teachers will appreciate the time savings Visio provides and will discover how easy Visio
is to use.
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Project Timeline
Phase: Start Date Completion Date
1. Analysis…………………. 7/14/09……...... 7/26/09
2. Design…………………… 7/27/09……….. 8/2/09
3. Development……………. 8/3/09…………. 8/6/09
4. Implementation…………. 8/7/09…………. 8/10/09
5. Assessment……………... 8/10/09…………8/14/09
Summary
This practicum project proposal introduced a need to develop a web-based self paced
training module for the software program Microsoft Visio. A training need exists to
instruct teachers how to use Visio to create graphs, drawings, charts and diagrams in
order to work more efficiently and professionally. The training module will consist of
how to begin using the software program and the definitions of Visio key words.
The module will explain how to navigate the program and how to create different types
of drawings. The training module will use screen captures and list the steps to create a
flowchart. By utilizing Visio, teachers will be able to create instructional materials in less
time and produce clearer, better looking drawings and diagrams. The completion date for
the five phases of the practicum project is 8/14/09. The training will begin on 8/7/09 and
be completed on 8/10/09. The next phase of the practicum project training module is the
design plan. The design plan will focus on the analysis and design phases of the
instructional design process. In this phase the performance objectives, assessment of
learning outcomes and instructional strategies will be clearly defined. The design plan
will serve as a blueprint for the Microsoft Visio instructional/training module.
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