Implementation Module: New Hire Teacher Academy
- Blog
- Apr 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 20
Introduction
This implementation module was designed to support newly hired academic teachers in Windham School District. The course, titled New Hire Teacher Academy: Instructional Foundations for TABE/GED Success, uses a blended learning format to combine onboarding support with instructional design practices for adult education in correctional settings.
The goal of this course is to reduce overwhelm, build teacher confidence, and provide practical strategies that can be immediately applied in the classroom.
Purpose and Audience
This course is designed for newly hired academic teachers serving adult learners preparing for TABE and GED success.
As an Academic and Instructional Technology Specialist, I created this course to extend new hire training beyond a one-time event and to provide ongoing, structured support through a blended learning model.
Course Design Overview
Google Classroom serves as the platform for this course and includes:
Start Here (Overview Module)
Module 1: Foundations of Instruction
Module 2: Classroom Systems and Learning Tools
Resource materials and ongoing supports
Course Reflection
The course combines asynchronous learning through Google Classroom with synchronous support through Teams meetings and follow-up coaching.
Instructional Design Approach
The design reflects a student-centered and competency-based approach.
Learning is structured around:
clear outcomes
aligned activities
meaningful assessments
This design is influenced by Fink’s model of significant learning, which emphasizes alignment and purposeful learning experiences. It also reflects the belief that adult learners benefit from relevant, structured, and immediately applicable instruction.
Teachers in this course are positioned as active learners who reflect, apply, and build understanding rather than passively receive information.
Course Modules
Start Here Module
The Start Here module introduces the course, establishes expectations, and builds community through an introduction discussion.
Module 1: Foundations of Instruction
This module focuses on student-centered learning, competency-based instruction, and alignment between outcomes, activities, and assessment.
Module 2: Classroom Systems and Learning Tools
The focus is on practical classroom structures, routines, and instructional tools that support effective teaching in correctional education settings.
Implementation Video
The following video provides a walkthrough of the course and explains how instructional design decisions align with course goals and real-world implementation.
Reflection
This course was intentionally designed to address a common challenge in new hire training, which is information overload without sustained support. By organizing content into modules and incorporating reflection and application, the course shifts learning from passive intake to active engagement.
In my role, I have seen that new teachers benefit from ongoing support rather than a single training session. Teachers are able to revisit content, apply their learning directly in the classroom, and receive continued guidance.
The blended structure also reflects the realities of correctional education, where flexibility is essential. By combining asynchronous learning with synchronous support, this course creates a more sustainable and responsive model for teacher development.
As I gather feedback, I plan to refine the course by adjusting pacing, clarifying instructions, and adding resources that better support teacher needs. This process has reinforced the importance of designing learning environments that are both structured and responsive to evolving teacher needs.
Engagement and Reflection on Feedback
Through engagement with my learning community, I received feedback that reinforced the importance of clear structure and intentional design in reducing cognitive overload. Specifically, the use of chunked information and organized navigation was recognized as supporting a more accessible and user-friendly experience for learners. This feedback confirmed that the course design successfully addresses one of the primary challenges in new hire training—overwhelm—while also supporting continued learning through embedded resources and opportunities for reflection.
Additional feedback highlighted the broader impact of this course beyond initial onboarding. The recognition that the course can also serve experienced teachers on growth plans reinforced the value of a flexible and sustainable design. This perspective emphasized the importance of consistent instructional practices aligned with adult learning principles, supporting both individual teacher growth and overall instructional cohesion across campuses.
As I reflect on this feedback, I will continue to prioritize clarity, structure, and usability while refining the course to better support both new and experienced educators. Future refinements may include enhancing resource accessibility, strengthening alignment across modules, and ensuring that learning remains manageable while still promoting meaningful application. This process highlights the value of feedback as a driver for continuous improvement, as instructional design is inherently iterative, requiring ongoing reflection, evaluation, and refinement to remain effective and responsive to learner needs.
Alignment to Assignment Requirements
This implementation module includes:
A Start Here module with welcome materials and community-building
Two instructional modules with aligned content, activities, and assessments
A blended learning structure
A student-centered instructional approach
A narrated implementation video
Reflection on implementation and future improvements
References
Bates, T. (2015). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. BCcampus.
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.
Lalonde, C. (2013). Assessment of learning, for learning, and as learning [Video]. YouTube.
Young, A. (2026). Designing effective TABE/GED instruction for adult learners [Presentation].
Young, A. (2026). Monthly new hire: Academic and instructional technology training [Presentation].
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