Developing a web-based Instructional Module on the Transition from Elementary to Middle School

Youth will experience numerous transitions throughout their lifetime as they venture towards adulthood. Students completing the final year of elementary school are set for one of their first major life changing events as they move on to middle school. Alongside the academic concerns they will face, these youth will experience issues that may affect their physical, emotional, moral, and social well-being. Though there is an abundance of evidence-based academic literature, there currently lacks content designed for children.

Technology’s importance and presence is intertwined with our everyday lives and the ability to learn can be simply had within the grasp of your fingertips. Current educational climate emphasizes effective technology usage that promotes a student’s ability to be responsible for their own learning while changing the teacher’s role as an advisor, coach, or facilitator.

Therefore, in order to better prepare these learners, a web-based instructional design project was designed and evaluated in attempt to provide information to these students based upon common concerns many students face during this transitional period. The independent online module can be found at http://patrickdevega.wix.com/upwego. John Keller’s ARCS Model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) was employed throughout development. This presenter creates a fictional story involving a group of friends who navigate middle school while encountering problems like academic pressure and concerns with appearance. Learners gain strategies to assist characters and receive feedback through embedded assessments. This presentation will feature the development of the instructional module, lessons learned, and recommendations for future iterations.