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Assignment 2System Analysis
Out of School Virtual Program
byAlva Hartry
EDD 8006 - CRN 32755System Analysis and Design
Nova Southeastern UniversityMarch 29, 2010
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Abstract
This paper will verify the design of an out of school suspension distance education
program. This program will supplement the out of school suspension program for Turner Middle
School. The following content provides justification for the distance education program. It also
addresses the purpose, resources of the system, stakeholders that compose the system,
environmental conditions/issues that internally and externally compact the system. Furthermore,
it totally explains the system by showing elements and relationships, interdependency, and
learning paths. Moreover, the support of learning theory will be identified. Following the
description of the system is the macro, mega, and micro components. Finally, the assessment of
the system will be presented. The assessment will describe how the system evaluates itself, the
self efficacy measures, and the change procedures.
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System Analysis
Out of School Suspension Virtual Program
Introduction
Working in an urban, inner city school for the past few years, it has been observed that
students are suspended quit often for serious disruptions. According to No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) and Atlanta Public Schools, students may not be suspended no longer than ten days
According to Georgia Code 20-2-735, students could be suspended out of school for the
following reasons (Georgia Department of Education (GADOE), 2010)
a. Endangerment to Persons/Property
Student poses such a danger to persons or property that exposes a pupil or property to
damage or injury, peril, risk, hazard or any harmful situation, (e.g., violent crimes,
weapons possession and drug distribution) that out-of-school suspension is warranted.
b. Serious Disruption
Student poses such a serious disruption to the educational process that causes a
serious disorder, confusion, interruption or impediment to the operation of a class,
study hall, library, assembly, program or other gathering involving pupils or staff
members that out-of-school suspension is warranted.
Purpose
The purpose of this analysis is to design a distance education system which will be titled
Out of School Suspension Virtual Program (OOSVP). This program will allow students to
continue their coursework while absent due to suspension from Turner Middle School. NCLB
asks individual states and schools to develop standards for safety, apply research-based
programs, gather and evaluate data, and improve on safety problems identified by schools and
states in order to make “Adequate Yearly Progress” (U.S. Department of Education (USDOE,
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2010). Moreover, USDOE states that schools are is required to conduct an evaluation on the
impact of schools funded under Safe and Drug Free Schools. It iterates that programs must
demonstrate a reduction in school violence.
To ensure school safety, the USDOE is required to access and evaluate schools on their
safety. This evaluation is funded under the Safe and Drug Free Schools. With the program in
place, USDOE says that schools should show a decline in school violence and unruly discipline.
Justification
Disruptive behavior at Turner Middle School is a constant problem. There is aggravation
from teachers and administrators to follow the No Child Left Behind Act and at the same time
run an orderly and non disruptive environment. Since this Act requires that students cannot be
suspended longer than 10 days, a virtual out of school suspension program will allow students to
attend school longer than 10 days if needed. According to Frank Densler, 2006, students who are
suspended from school find themselves doing nothing. By participating in a virtual out of school
suspension program, student will be able to stay on task with school work and not fall behind in
their studies. This type of program will also make students accountable for their own learning
while using 21st century skills.
Context
Resources
The resources for OSSVP will come from federal, state, and local funds. The funds will
provide for salaries, training, distance education materials, and technology. Based on previous
year suspension data and resources needed, the resources for the out of school suspension
distance program are shown in the table below.
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Resources DescriptionStaff Administrators
Out of School Distance Education CoordinatorAcademic DeanModel Lead Teacher for Technology(MTL)InstructorsMedia SpecialistCounselorSocial Worker Administrative Assistant
Financial Federal, State, and Local FundsGrantsSchool Partners
Physical Office/ClassroomStudent and Teacher LaptopsDigital CameraProjector
Technical SoftwareDedicated Servers
Community
Kaufman, 2001, says to have a thriving system, “input from a variety of partners and
stakeholders will be necessary when defining, prioritizing, and achieving successful results”, p.
52. This virtual out of school suspension program will service one middle school in an urban
district. Currently there are approximately 820 students enrolled at Turner Middle School. Many
of the students in the school are considered at-risk with behavior problems. The weekly average
suspension consists of five or more students who are suspended 5-10 days (TMS Disciplinary
Report, 2010).
The stakeholders for this community are either directly or indirectly involved.
Direct Stakeholders Administrators, OSSVP Coordinator Academic Dean, Model Lead Teacher of Technology (MTL), OSSVP Teachers, Administrative Assistant, Media Specialist, Counselor, OSSVP Students
Indirect Stakeholders Parents, School Partners Hardware and software vendors, educational content publishers,
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Environmental Conditions
The OSSVP’s office will be located and housed in a classroom in a building which has 55
classrooms. The building has two technology labs, a media center, and a cafeteria. The out of
school distance education program’s office will also be used for teacher mini offices, physical
staff training and meetings, equipment and storage.
Description of the System
Elements and Relationships
A system approach to educational planning and achievement begins with the society as a
whole. The analysis begins with the sum total of parts working independently and together to
achieve results. (Kaufman, 2001). The OSSVP is a system, which includes the students,
administrator leadership, design team leadership, student support services team, and technical
support team. The administrators will determine who will be suspended and for how long. The
design team, which includes the academic dean and the MTL, the instructors, will lead with
curriculum planning. The technical support team will provide students, teachers, administrators,
and parents with the technology tools that are need to successfully complete assignments when
out of a school environment. The students support services team, lead by the counselor and
social worker, will provide personal advice and counseling as needed. OSSVP’s mega, macro,
and micro communities are shown below in.
Mega CommunityAtlanta Public Schools
Macro CommunityOut of School Suspension Virtual Program
Micro Community
Instructors
Students Media SpecialistCounselor
Social Worker
Admin. Assistant
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Interdependence
Interdependence means that parts of the system depend on one another. They are
coordinated and linked together according to a plan (“System Analysis and Design”, 2010). The
OSSVP is a combined system that functions at levels of independence and interdependence. The
mega, macro, and micro communities will flow continuously. The resources from the mega
community will flow into the macro community which will flow into the micro community,
therefore, establishing a functioning virtual system which is the output. Being a part of the
Atlanta Public Schools (APS), the OSSVP will govern under the policies and procedures of the
school system. In terms of budget operations, the virtual school will also operate on funds from
APS and other grants that are written and monies from school partners. The stream of the
communities will allow the virtual program to function efficiently.
Learning Paths
Along with Turner Middle School students, the OSSVP students will continue their
education and instruction despite an absence from school due to suspension. Students will use
MegaAPSMega
APSMacro
OOSVP
MicroStudents, Teachers, Administrative Assistant, Media Specialist, Social
Worker Counselor,
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the eLearning Software, Elluminate, so that they are able to collaborate with teachers
synchronously. The curriculum team will develop pacing guides for courses so that it coordinates
with the student’s classes. Furthermore, teachers will complete a professional development
training course. In this course, teachers address the pedagogy of virtual learning and instruction
as well as the policies and procedures of OSSVP.
Supported Learning Theory
Curriculum
Constructivism calls for the elimination of a standardized curriculum (Tam, 2000).
Instead, it promotes using curricula customized to the students’ prior knowledge. Also, it
emphasizes hands-on problem solving. According to Mehner (2009), constructivism learning
theories are important when developing education environments. The six key elements to
implementing constructivist theory into courses are “interactive learning, collaborative learning,
facilitation of safe learning environments, authentic learning that has real world relevance,
learner-centered learning, and high quality learning that causes learners to determine the
authenticity and quality of information received” (p. 32). Therefore, the constructive learning
theory is the primary underlying principle for the OSSVP. With online learning, this school
creates a genuine, collaborative learning environment that provides distance education services
to students.
Another key theory is Bruner’s theory of behavioral or operant conditioning. Behavioral
conditioning (learning) occurs when a response to a stimulus is reinforced (Skinner, 1938). In
other words, operant conditioning is a simple reaction system. When reinforcements or rewards
are given, responses are more likely to occur. Children with behavioral problems tend to respond
to this very well (Skinner, et al.). OSSVP students will be rewarded with prizes such as
homework coupons, food and treat coupons.
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Mega Community
Society
The mega community is where the system lives or resides. The Atlanta Public Schools is
a large urban district with 49,300 students. Most students come from a low socioeconomic
background and face many challenging issues. However, it is considered one of the top-
performing urban school systems in America (Atlanta Public Schools, 2010). APS prides itself
on nontraditional schools. Presently it has two gender schools, Coretta Scott King Young
Women’s Leadership Academy for girls and Business, Engineering, Science and Technology
Academy for boys. The leaders in the school system believe in reform models and any
environment that will increase students’ academic performance. The physical address for the
school system is 103 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia. The offices are located in the heart of
downtown Atlanta.
Kaufman, et al., 2001, says the mega level identifies outcome we are committed to
achieving as well as explaining how stakeholders want students to be successful.
Mega Input-Process-Output
Input Process Output
Federal Funding State Funding Local Funding Grants
Policy and procedural implementations
APS Leadership Budgeting Procedures
Functional virtual out of school suspension program Successful student
completers
Boundary
There are boundaries with the federal and state funding. With drastic cuts in education at
the state and local level, there are boundaries with local funding for the extra programs at
individual schools. Also, there should be effective communication between all the communities
to make sure that suspended students are participating in the program.
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Macro Community
A macro community is an education institution with various members (Kaufman, et al.,
2001). The OOSSP represents the macro community. So that students may continue their
education during suspension from school, the OOSSP will be established. The community
includes administrators, out of school distance education coordinator, and the academic dean,
and the MTL.
Hierarchy of Authority
The OSSVP is an extension of Turner Middle School which is under direct supervision of
Atlanta Public Schools. The virtual program is monitored by the administrators (principal and
assistant principal). The program has a leadership team, curriculum team, technical team.
Macro Input-Process-Output
Input Process Output
Funding Strategic Plans Technical Team
Curriculum Planning Staff Development Monitoring
Modified Plans Functional virtual out of
school suspension program
Atlanta Public Schools
Turner Middle School
Leadership TeamPrincipal
Assistant Principal
Curriculum TeamOSSVP Coordinator
Academic Dean
Technology TeamMTL of Technology
OSSVP
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Boundaries
There are boundaries in terms of budget restraints. State funding may be limited,
therefore, limiting local funding. In addition, effective communication is essential between all
the communities to make sure that the macro community is able to operate.
Micro CommunityImmediate Stakeholders
The micro level contains direct and indirect stakeholders. The direct stakeholders are the
administrators, OOSVP coordinator, academic dean, MTL, instructors, counselors, teachers,
media specialists, administrative assistant, and students. The indirect stakeholders are parents,
school partners, hardware and software vendors, and educational content publishers. The most
immediate direct stakeholders are the students.
Immediate Spheres of Influence
The immediate spheres of influence include all of the personnel who contribute to the
developments of the procedures for the out of school virtual program. Turner Middle School is
under direct leadership of the principal and assistant principal who also directs the leadership
team. The leadership team is responsible for planning specific programs and curriculum. The
spheres of influence include the teachers, counselor, social worker medial specialist, and
administrative assistant.
Micro Input-Process-Output
Input Process Output
Instructors Students Counselor Administrative Assistant Social Worker Media Specialist
Lesson Planning Instructional Strategies Student Counseling and
Support Functional technology
Successful, on task students Independent, thinking
students Functional out of school
suspension program.
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Boundaries
Effective communication is essential between macro and micro communities. Also,
laptops should be accessible for students who do not have the required technology at home.
Assessment Systems
The OSSVP will continuously be evaluated by the administrators and the leadership
team. The macro community will look at the effectiveness in terms of student achievement data.
Data from weekly assessment, monthly benchmarks, and the state’s comprehensive exam will be
collected and disaggregated. Students, teachers, and parents will be surveyed on the validity of
the program. The data from both segments will be gathered to substantiate the program. After the
data has been formulated, the administrators and leadership team will determine the progress of
OSSVP. Therefore, the need for an out-of-school program can be justified.
Change Procedures
OSSVP, along with Atlanta Public schools, realizes that change is very important and is a
fundamental part of a well functioning system. APS is constantly using best practices and
incorporating reform models to meet the need of every student.
Summary
OSSVP is a virtual program which is an extension of Turner Middle School. If is for
students who have been suspended out of school. This program will allow students to participate
in synchronous and asynchronous distance learning. The learning path of the students will never
alter because they may complete their lessons and continue to meet objectives and standards.
OSSVP will focus on the theories of constructivism and behavioral conditioning. These
theories will drive the learning paths for students enrolled in the virtual program. The mega,
macro, and micro communities flow constantly between each other, and they are interdependent.
The inputs lead to successful outputs. Assessments are in place to make sure that the virtual
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program is reaching its objectives. Disruptive students are more likely to participate in 21st
learning activities that will allow them to return to school on task and with no breaks in their
learning process.
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References
Atlanta Public Schools. Inside APS-about APS. Retrieved from www.atlantapublicschools.us, 2010.
Denzler, F. (2006, September 14). School suspension program. Russville. Republican Newspaper. Retrieve from http://rushvillerepublican.com/local/x681482607/School-suspension-program
Georgia Department of Education, 2010. Georgia school safety laws. Retrieved from http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/_documents/schools /safety/school_safety_laws.pdf
Kaufman, R., Watkins, R. and Leigh, D. (2001) Useful educational results: identifying, prioritizing and achieving. Lancaster, PA: Proactive Publishing.
Mehner, Jason (2009). Applying cognitive theory in curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1899000/applying_cognitive_theory_ in_curriculum_pg3.html?cat=4.
Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
System Analysis and Design (2009). Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/19804288/.
Tam, M . (2000). Constructivism, instructional design, and technology: Implications for transforming distance learning. Educational Technology & Society, 3(2), 50-60.
Turner Middle School Disciplinary Report, 2009-2010.
U.S. Department of Education, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/accounts/nclbreference/page pg 31.Html
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Appendix A
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Reviewer 1
Heather [email protected]
Why did I choose Heather?
I chose Heather because her child has participated in an online program. Although, her child has never participated in an out of school suspension program, he is considered and at-risk child. When I spoke to her about this assignment, she felt that it was a program that could really benefit her child.
Below are email exchanges asking Heather to view my paper.
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Phone Conversation, Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.
Furthermore, Heather is a technology distance education student at Kansas University. She employed by Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City Kansas...
Heather said that the draft look pretty good formatted. She found some typographical errors which I corrected.
Heather questioned the list of the micro community. There was some discussion about the administrators and academic dean being in this community. She felt that they should be part of the macro community. Once I deeply thought about it, I agreed with her.
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Appendix B
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Reviewer 2
Vivilora [email protected]
Why did I choose Vivilora?
Vivilora and I begin the doctoral program together. So, she is very familiar with the type of work that I can do. She is always willing to provide constructive criticism. Furthermore, Vivilora has four boys who can be rambunctious at time. Although, they have never been suspended from school, one of her child has received in school suspension before. She was very interested in the systems that I developed. Vivilora is an educator in Dekalb County Schools, Decatur, Georgia. She is presently a student enrolled in this class, completing a doctorate in Instructional Design and Distance Education.
Email Exchanges
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Phone Discussion about draft:Phone Conversation, Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Suggestions:
Vivilora gave more suggestions for input in the macro community. She felt that I should list more about the funding. I took her suggestion into consideration.
She also felt that the justification should be more detail and should include what would be the output once the system had been put in place.
