TO: EVOC 501 Course Instructor
FROM: Leonard Moreno
DATE: January 03, 2001
RE: EVOC 501 Distance Learning Contract Request

I have worked in the Computer Information Technology industry for 9 years and have been teaching Computer Repair for the past 2 years. I have reviewed all of the materials relating to the EVOC 501 course posted in the EVOC 501 E-TEXT and am submitting this memo to verify that:

1. I meet the requirements for admission to CSU San Bernardino, and have applied for admission as a regular student there for the Winter Quarter, beginning in January of 2002. I have received a memo from CSUSB stating my application has been received and is being processed.
    

2. I have reviewed all of the links and related information on "Fred Fudrucker's EVOC 501 Home Page" and will be able to complete all of the assignments indicated on the "Points Record & Grade Information page."
    

3. I have the prerequisite skills described in the EVOC 501 E-TEXT for the Distance Learning Option and have established my own EVOC 501 Web Site at: http://www.geocities.com/lgbmoreno
    

4. I have posted my FA2 - Individual Data Sheet on the Web site indicated above.
    

5. I will post all required assignments on the above noted Web site and e-mail all required e-mail assignments not later than the due dates indicated on the EVOC 501 "Distance Learning Due Dates" for the quarter I will be officially registered in the course.
    

6. My social security number is 606-01-5927, my telephone number is (661) 948-1980, and my snail mail address is 1134 E. Caperton St., Lancaster, CA 93535.

Answer to Question 1 - The telephone numbers to call for assistance with E-TEXT technical problems is (800) 44-8398 / (888) 333-8398 / (310) 452-3007.

Answer to Question 2 - E-mail Standards Criteria 2 indicates about the title of each e-mail that it must start with 501 followed by the assignment and ended with my last name. This is important in order to insure the instructor of the email content.

Answer to Question 3 - The next EVOC course I could take would be EVOC 501 offered in the Spring Quarter of April 2002 on Saturdays from 8am to 12pm with Dr. Pendleton as instructor.

Answer to Question 4 - The letters for CASE stands for Center for Assisting Students in Education. The information on this site will be a value to me when I have a question that needs answering about credentialing.

Answer to Question 5 - One of the books described in the fiction list of recommended readings that seems most interesting is Lord of the Rings. I first read the Hobbit when I was young, it has been my favorite book. I recently read The Fellowship before movie and both have inspired me to finish the rest of ring sets.

Answer to Question 6 - The three words that best indicate what the letters ALI stand for on the web page is Apple Learning Interchange. The links that best interest me were the Digital Video Made Easy and Tips for Developing School Web Pages. These sites will help with the requirements for this course.

Answer to Question 7 - The page is for the San Bernardino Regional Occupational Program. It is helpful to anyone looking for job training or career services in their existing or an alternate employment. The link I personally thought interesting is "Our Courses", which listed all available courses.

Answer to Question 8 - The survey indicated that my prominent learning style is Tactile/Kinesthetic. I believe the results are very accurate because I have always learned more from hands during my childhood, military and my computer information technology field.

Answer to Question 9 - Three of the links that I found to be the most value are: Brain Test - I am a Right Brained person Funderstaing - After some time, allowed me to get the roller coaster across with no casualties! Keirsey Temperament and Character Web Site - The Great ADD Hoax interest as I often enroll resource students.

Answer to Question 10 - Elin has studied with noted artist Richard Schmid, Al Brouilette, Joyce Pike, Robert E. Wood and Ovanes Berberian. The painting I liked best is "In God We Trust - Pala Mission Cemetery". This painting wonderfully depicts the two of the strongest faiths.

SCHOLARS NAMES AND COMMENTS:

My responses to the FA4 directives relative to the One Minute Manager are as follows:

Question 1: Briefly describe a specific circumstance relative to something you teach where a "one minute praise" was (or would have been) appropriate.

Answer 1: As a project for my recent computer repair class, students where tasked to complete their practicum finals by using all their skills to diagnose and repair old computer systems. My brightest student, knowing that the final would not challenge him was given the task to use what he had learned combined with his own abilities to complete a special project. The special project was to revive a Power Macintosh 8500 series, install a compatible Linux operating system and give it the ability to act as a server for a game called Unreal Tournament. When I first introduced this project I told him up front what he was going to do and how to do it so sat him down to the challenge and made sure he understood that the project was going to be difficult, but I believed that he would be able to accomplish the task as he was the brightest student and was equipped to the challenge. Every other day I made sure that I would have a quick session on his progress and answer any of his questions or recommend some pointers while letting him know that I myself was learning quite a bit from his research. At the end of his final day, the student had come in disappointed that he was unable to fully complete the project. I sat down with him to evaluate his work, I made sure to tell him that the task that was set would be difficult even to techs that currently work for the school. I also informed the student that the project was to be used as a template for future students and that he has helped me to see my own errors and mistakes. The student ended up completing the project one week after the final without my knowing as he was determined to be the first.

Question 2: Briefly describe a specific circumstance relative to something you teach where a "one minute reprimand" was (or would have been) appropriate.

Answer 2: The final practicum was a three week event (2 days a week class) and one day my special project student came to class distress about the amount of work and challenge of this project. The student voiced that if he had done the normal final practicum that he would of been done by now easily and that the project is falling apart as the certain computer components were not working correctly and his repair ability of MAC hardware was not there, that I never taught him or anyone about Macintosh systems. I immediately took him to my office and sat him down, letting him know that it is unacceptable to be disrespectful to a teacher especially while the class has been interrupted. I then walked up to him and asked him to follow me to the repair lab and sat him down in front of the special project computer and let him know that the special project I had instilled on him was because that I felt the final would not challenge him. I informed him that I knew he was having a bad week already with other finals and that this project was probably eating away at his time. I let him know that the purpose of a final is not only to see if you can apply what you have learned, but to challenge your own self. I let him know that already, he has went above and beyond my own reasoning of the project if I were to perform it myself. We ended the conversation with me presenting him with new information I had found online to help and the student correcting me on what he found would be better and showed me.

My responses to the FA4 directives relative to Verbal Judo-The Gentle Art of Persuasion are as follows:

Question 1: Briefly describe what you personally believe to be of most value from the Verbal Judo book. Include an example of how you have applied that.

Answer 1: I personally believed to be of most value to me is the Verbal Judo method for EMPATHY. Until now, I have always thought of the word itself to mean feeling sorry for the person and letting them be. With the correct function and application described in Verbal Judo, I have found it to be something I have been using in my life professionally and personally all this time. I can't sit here and explain where I have first used it or why I used it, but I have always felt that in order to settle something or get something done, that I must look from the "eye of the beholder". One of the best examples I can think of is from my personal life involving my in-laws. My wife's parents being from Egyptian descent and my own from Hispanic culture did not mix well during the first five years of marriage. Straight from the first day on announcing to be wed, I had been told that we were to marry only under one religion, that the ceremony itself had to be from a Egyptian culture and that I was unable to wear my military uniform. Probably anyone else would of taken the bait and did some verbal karate with a situation that I can only see as not accomplishing the reason. I knew that in order to just get married I had to work with all the parties involved, my own personal believes would need weighed and that I would concentrate on the marriage itself to be. I agreed on every behalf of my in-laws proposals on how things would be as it seemed very evident that putting up ANY kind of struggle would falter the situation. I knew I could live without my own "wants", and knew that my "needs" were the marriage itself. Seven years later, and applying this principle in too many occasions has allowed myself and in-laws to have have a relationship that is greater than with my own parents.

Question 2: Without naming any names describe a specific situation you have observed where a particular person would have been more effective if he/she had applied principles discussed in Verbal Judo. Then describe how you might diplomatically bring those principles to the attention of the person indicated.

Answer 2: One situation I remember was when a student of mine during a class session during my first year as an instructor, I was involved with a disciplinary challenge between one of my adult students and a high school student. I was lecturing to them on the history of computers when all of a sudden my high school student started to use vulgar language at the adult student. The class immediately turned their attention to the conflict in which I immediately asked the high school student why he was being inappropriate. The high school student said the adult student had given him a racist remark and was dealing with it by doing the same. The adult student and high school student now were defending each other and disrupting the class once again which prompted me to excuse them both outside with me. I called in security and waited for them until we could figure out the ordeal together. I decided to interview the students and classroom to find out what happened. The adult student told me that he lost it and told the high school student to shut his mouth because he was tired of the high school student always fooling around and talking instead of learning and disrupting his own learning (they sat in front of one another). He proclaimed that he did not use racial remarks and simply told him to shut up. The high school students story was that he heard the adult student tell him to not only shut up but at the end turned his head back to his table and slur a racial remark. Interviewing some of the student in the classroom ended up being that some heard the racial remark while others didn't. The adult student would have been more effective by not giving in to his emotions and ask the student during break about his problem and try to deal with up front and personal while still remaining a friend rather than embarrassing the student and enraging his emotions. After class, I end up inviting the adult student to walk with me to another classroom to help clean up. I professionally as I could, reminded him that though the student was wrong for this defense, that he was still the adult and should of acted responsibly. I asked the adult student that like all high school children as we once were, being cornered in a class full of his friends only gave him the choice to make himself look good. Sitting there and challenging the student would never accomplish anything as the high school student will be emotionally outraged and defend by all means. I did thank him for not taking the situation to the physical level as the student wanted and asked him to empathize with students if any future situations arise.

Question 1 - What is the purpose of the page that indicates the Distance Learning Due Dates? Indicate what penalty will result from assignments that are late and what you plan to do to avoid such penalties. Answer 1 - The purpose of the distance learning due dates is to inform me of what assignments are due, it is structured by week indicating when those assignments can no longer be accepted. As stated, late work is not acceptable and will reduce my overall grade for the course by one full level. I am encouraged to complete all assignments in advanced.

Question 2 - What is the purpose of cover memo required with the WR1 assignment? Discuss both the type of content and the format specified for WR1. Answer 2 - The purpose for a cover memo for the WR1 assignment and other reports is to inform the reader information about the report such as an overview of purpose, list of assignment criteria and sources of the information obtained. WR1 should provide information and material for students in support of any assignment for instructional resource. The format should provide a well written description of the assignment while staying brief, contain enough resources from either online or book format with a concise narrative description.

Question 3 - What are the three categories of instructional material? From one of those categories select your favorite type of instructional material and explain why you like that material. Answer 4 - There are three categories of instructional material that each contain specific types of learning; the materials are: Printed Matter, Audio-Visual and Manipulative Aids. My preferred type of instructional material is Manipulative Aids. Interaction in the field of computer repair and networking in my vocational courses helps simulate what they will experience in the real world. Hands-on training breaks the intimidation factor and creates confidence when they see the Printed Matter and Audio-Visual materials.

Question 4 - What needs to be considered by an instructor who decides to prepare written handout materials for his/her students? Discuss the importance of developing test questions before writing the information that will be in the handout. Answer 4 - An instructor who decides to prepare written handout materials needs to consider the design and preparation involved. Planning ahead of the account to students, instructional situations and tasks for accomplishment. The actual work must be organized and defined to give students what tasks are required. The development of test questions early before the final draft is to quickly give the instructor a list of what the student should accomplish as a result of the written materials. Developing early helps the instructor define the actual content needed to be retained by the student and organizes the rest of the writing.

Question 1 - How many pages should each lesson plan required for the EVOC 501 LP activities be? Name the five parts required for each lesson plan and, in your own words, briefly explain what constitutes each part. Answer 1 - The required EVOC 501 lesson plans should be contained in a one page document. The rationale of a lesson plan should be structured in five parts: The Type of lesson, Title of lesson and Estimated Time - Type of lesson will give the student an idea if they will be listening, seeing, or doing the lesson with the instructor. It points out exactly what they will be doing with the Title and will let them know how long it will take the instructor to relay the lesson.

Question 2 - What are the four parts of a Student Performance Objective? Name the four parts and, in your own words explain what each part means. Answer 2 - Student performance objectives that indicate what a student should complete from a set of instructions are Condition which shows the content to be completed by the student, the student would be the Person objective. What the student actually does is the Performance objective, how well they should perform it should be set in the Criteria.

Question 3 - What are the three domains of learning postulated by Maslow? Briefly explain each one. Answer 3 - Abraham Maslow identified three domains of learning instructions. The Cognitive Domain states the receiving of a skill and applying it intellectually. When a physical application is needed to accomplish a skill either by trial and error or first time observation then it is a Psychomotor Domain. The Affective Domain applies a conscious factor to the other domains for safety or presentation.

Question 4 - Which of the skills listed are you best at? Which do you most need to work on? Explain how you have improved and/or how you plan to improve any one of communication skills listed. Answer 4 - The skills I am best at are having a Sense of Humor, always Enthusiastic and being Flexible. I need work on being more prepared, not restating materials that are already known, and instill a structure for good note taking. I have noticed in my classes that improving on my enthusiastic skills has challenged students to take tasks more personally. Computer repair is tedious and full of background information, what I did is establish an avenue of new types of repairs for subjects important to each students themselves. If a student had a previous or current problem, they tackle that objective first then saw that they had actually solved a real problem and not a hypothetical. My first year teaching involved rehashing from the materials and talking from straight out of the textbooks, not only was this eating up the entire time but some students either knew the material and were bored while for others it was too much information. I am now making sure that reading materials are for reference not the actual objective.

Question 1 - Why is it important for instructors to determine if mandated skills exist for courses they are asked to teach? Explain how you would decide what to teach in a course for which there were no mandated skills.

Answer 1 - Mandated skills makes sure that the instructor knows what skills are required in the classroom. The instructor can then use his experience to use it as a building block. If I were to teach a non-mandated course, it would choose to research the skills needed by an advisory committee. In our own R.O.P, we wanted to teach a laptop repair class that has no mandated course curriculum. We called an invited companies and experts from our local community to come up with a basic skills goal to accomplish this.

Question 2 - Why are verbs so important when writing student performance objectives? Provide examples of good verbs and examples of bad verbs. Explain why the good verbs are good and why the bad verbs are bad.

Answer 2 - Selecting good verbs will give the student an understanding on what they are set to accomplish. Good verbs are build, diagnose, assemble and perform. Bad verbs are have, can, will or do. Good verbs give the impression of themselves accomplishing the task rather than being told to do it because they have to like bad verbs.

Question 3 - What is the difference between a course outline and a course plan? Provide an brief example of a course outline for a course that you could teach.

Answer 3 - The difference between a course outline and course plan are the amount of detail, the course plan is the collection of the entire course while the outline underlines a quick overview. A simple course outline for installing windows on a computer would be:

Goals: To install a copy of Windows into a new hard drive.

Objective: Students will be able to: remove old hard drive with new, partition the hard disk, format the hard disk, install windows, install appropriate drivers.

Topics: hardware, software, internet download

Materials require: tools, windows cd, hard drive, computer

Course Assignment: Day 1 (install hard drive) Day 2 (partition and format) Day 3 (install windows) Day 4 (driver install)

Evaluation: Grading will be a pass or fail. Participation and completion will be evaluated

Question 4 - What are the three most important things to consider when developing student activities? Explain why.

Answer 4 - I believe the three most important things to consider when developing student activities is student time, instructor time and equipment. In my own experience, If I don't take the time to prepare for the activity then the activity itself will not succeed. How long the students will take to accomplish the task should be given the highest consideration as every student learns at different rates. Having the right equipment makes the activity go easier as their is no attempts to compensate for teaching.

Question 1 - When considering the characteristics of a test, how does validity differ from reliability? Provide an example to illustrate the point.

Answer 1 - Validity differs from reliability in that it should indicate who is capable of responding correctly and who is not. For example a questions like "When the computer first boots up and you see the BIOS screen, where should the date be located?"

Question 2 - Why are true-false test questions poor indicators of student knowledge? Provide an example of a true-false question followed by an example of how that question might be written in another format to better measure student knowledge.

Answer 2 - True-False questions are not indicators at all of student knowledge as it the answers are already there and you pick one of them. For example, "When the computer first boots up and you see the BIOS screen, the date will be located in the bottom corner" True / False. A better format that follows the short answer questions would be "After the computer boots, you can find the _________ date in the bottom corner"

Question 3 - What three strategies (from the grading strategies listed) do you believe to be most effective? Explain why in the context of the circumstances under which you teach or expect to teach.

Answer 3 - I have been a clear advocate of the Pass/No Pass, Make Up and multiple indicators. During the three years of teaching, I have seen many students take up the already daunting task of taking a repair class only to find out the information needed to know is more intimidating than the computer itself. Though my vocational institute requires and letter grade of all my students, they are told that everyone passes the course unless they fail to follow the basic guidelines to participate and come to class. The actual letter grades are determined by the quizzes and practicum exercises. Most of my adult students work extra shifts and have to deal with family issues, same with high school students that already have a load of homework or involved with athletic events. The availability of make up work is always there because everyone is working at their own pace and time rather than taking the "hit" a feeling frustrated. I use many multiple indicators like hands on practicum tests rather than paper tests, or group presentations of doing the same thing but their way.

Question 4 - How does constructive criticism differ from conventional criticism? Provide an example of each and indicate why constructive criticism is better.

Answer 4 - Constructive criticism not only complements but points out how they can make it even better. Lets say a student is installing memory on a computer and finishes. Convention criticism would tell him that he did a good job in putting the memory in and how fast it was. Constructive criticism will tell him the same but also inform him that he might want to make sure and turn on the computer to make sure that it turns on because the memory is in right but something else might be wrong.

Part 1 - CREDENTIAL INFORMATION

What subject(s) should (or do) appear on your Designated Subjects Credential (indicate if your credential is PART TIME or FULL TIME and ADULT or VOCATIONAL)?
Computer Maintenance and Repair - Part Time - ADULT

What CSUSB courses do you need to take to clear your Designated Subjects Credential and when do you expect to complete them?
Level 1 Requirement: EVOC 501 - Feb, 2002 EVOC 518 - Mar, 2002 EVOC 519 - Mar, 2002 EVOC 504 - June, 2002 Health Education - Mar, 2002 US Constitution - Mar, 2002 CPR (Red Cross) - Mar, 2002

By what date do you need to have all the listed above courses completed?
Level 1 - March, 2002

What is the name and phone number of your credential analyst and the name and address of the agency for which he/she works?
Jerry Woodward - 661-575-1040 ROP Center Palmdale Antelope Valley Union High School District 1212 East Avenue S. Palmdale, CA. 93550

Part 2 - COURSE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

What QUARTER (Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer) in what YEAR do you plan to attend next at CSUSB?
Summer Quarter 2002

What course(s) do you plan to take in the quarter indicated above (indicate the day and time that each course will be offered)?
EVOC 504 – Tu/Th, 6PM-10PM EVOC 502 – Tu/Th, 8AM-Noon, Scarcella EVOC 503 – Tu/Th, 1PM-5PM, Scarcella

When is your assigned registration date?
May 15, 2013

Do you have any particular problems (challenges) relative to the registration process?
NO – But I have yet to receive the letter in the mail that was promised to me confirming my enrollment and assigned registration date. I will be calling the CSUSB Admissions Office to resolve this problem. I was unaware until today about the required EVOC 504 class, I was told that only the 501, 518 and 519 were the only ones required. Though my credentials expires on March, I will be either resubmitting the vocational package again or submitting a extension proposal.

The purpose of this memo is to request all six of the additional credit points possible for the EVOC 501 course. I believe I have earned these points because I:

1. Expect to accumulate 94 points from completed assignments.

2. Completed and submitted all assignments on time.

3. Generated and maintained a comprehensive web site for instructors review.

4. Provided the EVOC 501 instructor with feedback when requested.

5. Have successfully implemented the competency based methods taught in the EVOC 501 course into the Computer Repair Class course that I teach.  I am using all that I have learned and currently implementing.