New Directions in Instructional Design and Technology

Distributed Learning or e-Learning Environments:

According to the authors, distributed learning is any educational or training experience that uses a variety of means, including technology, to enable learning. It can provide for intentional and incidental learning outcomes and may be separated by time, distance, or both. Distributed learning includes, but is not limited to distance learning and online learning and can take many forms. In my classroom distance learning will include podcasts, video lectures, webquests and wikis. As a classroom teacher, I also see the use of distributed learning as a support tool for other teachers in the form of informal training, collaborations and planning opportunities.  
 

Reusable Design or Learning Objects:

Reusability is defined as the ability to use the resource multiple times in multiple ways and in multiple contexts. Reusability also encompasses the ability of developers to use a resource as a building block in their own work. One way I intend to use reusable design is to create my own website and post my own content to link to for lesson purposes. I will make my own short videos and podcasts to enhance my classroom presentations. I could update and enhance my materials as needed.
 
Learning objects are individual components of learning materials that can be aggregated or disaggregated to form instructional units of varying size. I see this manifesting itself in my classroom in the form of thematic units that can be used as a whole or in part as well as being used in across the disciplines.

Rich Media:

Rich media is defined as learning products that incorporate high-end media such as video animation, sound, and simulation. I currently use some rich media but I can expect to use it much more in the future.

For instance, I use powerpoints quite often but I have been experimenting with adding video such as podcasts, virtual tours and other interactive material to make the lesson more engaging and the learning more meaningful.

Getting an IDT Position and Succeeding at It

Currently, I work as a substitute teacher. I am a certified teacher (EC-4) actively seeking a permanent position preferably Headstart or Kindergarten. I went through the Alternative Certification program at A&M Commerce and also earned by Masters in Elementary Education. I am currently enrolled in the Masters Reading program. I am taking next semester off but will be done this summer. I have not been the teacher of record as of yet. I am hoping to serve in a teacher capacity for a few years and then I will seek a position as a reading specialist. In my three years as a substitute teacher, it has pained me to see students with subpar reading skills. I am more comfortable in the first-level service by working in a teaching capacity. Regarding economic sector, I feel that working with the less fortunate would be more rewarding for me.

 

Ultimately, I want to open my own school. That is several years down the road. To prepare for that I will need the teaching experience under my belt and the experience as a specialist. I would also like to go through the principal certification.

 

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology would be an ideal organization for my future endeavors. They focus on the best practices in regards to educational technology. I would want to take advantage of the training and performance facets of this organization to further my learning.

Trends and Issues in Varios Settings

I work in the P-12 arena. I am certified at the elementary level. In the business and industry setting technology is being used to enhance training effectiveness and efficiency. This approach can be adapted for facilitating training in the public school environs. In the corporate world, the two purposes for employing technology are to reduce training time and costs and to ensure training effectiveness by using more sophisticated evaluation techniques. Both of these would greatly benefit the public school system. Oftentimes, teachers are in need of specific training and development but are not able to sit in a classroom. Distance learning, teleconference type classes and other methods would allow teachers more flexibility with meeting their training needs. Schools could use outside agencies to provide the training or if there is a specialist on campus or within the district then that individual could provide it. There are several avenues available. This could even be done small scale. For instance, if one teacher had something she wanted to present to the campus or even a small group, she could use a podcast or Skype. Meetings and group collaborations could even be conducted as such. There is no end to the usefulness of technology on the public school campus as it relates to teacher training. Evaluations could also be simplified. Courses, projects and such could be evaluated at the close of the presentation electronically. Oftentimes, evaluations are paper based and tedious. This would make it faster and more accurate.

Human Performance Technology

Chapter 14

In my line of work, a performance problem that I have an issue with is poor team input in core meetings. Teachers do not bring anything to the table. The team members usually show up to the meeting with a blank note pad and leave with that same blank pad. Performance is defined as the ends or results to which purposeful means are directed. The desired outcome of a core meeting is instructional improvement through collaboration. A non-instructional solution would be to create a form that each teacher would complete prior to arriving at the meeting. The form would allow teachers to brain storm and come up with ideas and suggestions without feeling “on the spot.”

 

Chapter 15

A performance support system is a combination of resources and tools to facilitate to cause or improve performance. I believe that team meeting input would be benefitted with the use of a performance support system. The textbook author describes the D4M2 model. It is extensive but I think on a simple level it could be incorporated into use for the team meeting issue. In the define phase, a simple survey would suffice to get team members thoughts on their failure to contribute and also an idea of what supports they needed in order to be more forthcoming in the team collaboration efforts. The design phase would be a product of the information garnered from the surveys. The develop phase would consist of creating the form and perhaps having a few teachers complete it anonymously to see if it was easy to understand and use. I would present the form in a staff meeting for the deliver phase during which questions can be asked and examples shown.

 

Chapter 16

Knowledge of state standards and district scope and sequence are needed to help with the issue above. When teachers are not sure of what it is they are to do and when to do so, they are confused and not willing to offer suggestions about the process. In my experience, I often overhear other teachers’ complaints (similar to my own) about the standardized assessments, data collection, poor student performance and other instructional issues. A lot of the issues stem from confusion. Administrators who have gotten out of touch with the classroom make changes that make no sense to the classroom teacher.

This knowledge would need to be cohesively provided by administrators and in a manner that was understandable. It would also be beneficial if major changes to this information were done at times that were more advantageous and convenient. I am a substitute teacher. I usually have long term assignments rotating between two elementary schools in a small town district so I am very familiar with the practices there. I attend most meetings and am privy to most of the same things as the teacher of record. One thing that I would like to see is a common place to find necessary information.


Chapter 17

As a substitute teacher, I have the opportunity to visit several classrooms and see how different teachers approach the same challenges. I see what works and what does not. I make note of things that I would incorporate into my classroom. I take pictures of inspirational items and jot down any ideas that come to me as a result of being in someone’s “position” temporarily. One year, a veteran teacher was in the class next door during a three month assignment. Over the course of my stay, we brainstormed together often. Oddly enough, she asked me more questions than I. She took my advice a few times on how I dealt with certain things in the class. I once stated, “I’m the newbie! I need your help!” She replied that I have a new outlook on things she has tended to do the same way, year after year.

The knowledge I have gained could be codified and managed. I have it cataloged on my computer under Educational Ideas. It could be broadened and replicated as I believe others could have an idea bank just as extensive as mine. One teacher may have a how-to question and something another teacher has done may spark an idea to solve their problem.

Evaluation, Implementing & Managing Instructional Programs & Projects

Other Models for Evaluation

Smith and Ragan’s Design Review is a formative evaluation model that is conducted at the output of each stage of design in order to make revisions before anything actually takes place. There are four components of the design review phase of evaluation. They are Goal Review, Review of Environment and Learner Analysis, Review of Task Analysis, and Review of Assessment Specifications and Blueprints.

Goal Review consists of a review of the learning goals based on a formal needs assessment and a formal stating of performance indicators.

Review of Environment and Learner Analysis involves collection of data from an environmental and learner analysis and reviewing its adequacy.

Review of Task Analysis confirms the prerequisite relationship of skills by testing two separate groups of learners. One with the targeted skills and another group of learners without the skills.

Review of Assessment Specifications and Blueprints involves having content and testing experts review assessment items and blueprints for the correspondence of the objectives and test item specifications and verify if the type of items outlined in the specifications sufficiently describe and are representative of the domain. Skilled learners can also be administered test items before the materials are developed to determine reliability of the items.

I would use this type of evaluation before any type of instruction is given so that I would know if any revisions were needed before hand. I feel that this type of model would be ideal in a type of environment wherein a curriculum was being completely built. On a smaller scale, designing a unit perhaps, I would use the steps. For example, the goal review would be making certain that my unit’s learning goals were congruent with state standards and district scope and sequence. Review of environment and learner analysis would consist of checking to make sure I had the proper materials and space in which to teach. I would also need to assess whether the students have the prior knowledge required in order to bridge with this new learning. Review of task analysis would consist of comparison of how same or similar unit or lesson worked before. Lastly, the review of assessment specifications would take the form of co-teachers, peers or specialists reviewing the unit to offer any insight or suggestions for changes.

Objective-based evaluation is a process of determining the degree to which educational objectives are being achieved. This follows a more traditionalist approach to learning and is straightforward to apply. It does not take into account unintended outcomes, and takes no account of students as individuals with all their differences.

This would be a model that I would use if I was trying to evaluate myself and how well I presented a lesson. I would use it if I was trying to see if I met the particular goals.

 

 

What else would be useful to know?

Evaluation more than just about how the student performs; it is also about how good the design is at meeting our goals. It would be useful to know if our resources were adequate or excessive. For instance, could we have used less paper? Could we have used more of less slides in our PowerPoint? Could we have used a trade book instead or in addition to the textbook. It would be useful to know how time was managed. Was enough time allotted to each aspect of the design? Was more or less time needed? In instructional design, student outcome should not be the sole means of critiquing our design. Even if all students did well, there may be some places were improvement will result in better student learning the next time.

 

 Situational Leadership

Leadership is contextual. The situational leader must readily adapt their leadership style to meet the needs of the team. I would work at balancing skills and maintaining motivation while working with the limited resources. For instance, I would make the most out of what experts I had on campus. Oftentimes, schools have resources in their teachers that are untapped.

 

Theories and Models of Learning and Instruction: Week Two

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies knowledge. It focusing on the question of what is adequate knowledge and what is inadequate knowledge and deals with the origin, structure and validity of knowledge. This differs from theories, methods and models of learning as they are the schools of thought of how knowledge is acquired. Epistemology is the top of that food chain, so to speak. It is the core of learning theories and the approaches to teaching. One’s epistemological stance determines their view of the learning process, how learning is fostered, student and teacher roles, and the learning environment.

Epistemology is the area of philosophy that is concerned with knowledge. It looks at the definition of knowledge, the sources of knowledge, knowledge acquisition and the limits of knowledge. Epistemology considers that knowledge can be obtained through experience and/or reason. Contextualist epistemology is an approach to knowledge that offers an explanation to the query of how we come to “know.” This view claims that knowing is context sensitive – that ‘knowing’ means different things in different contexts or that it has a different semantic value in different situations. One’s view of what they know is dependent on their perspective. For example, in modern times what society views as a fat and unsightly woman was considered beautiful during the renaissance.

 

Defining the Field: Week One

For starters, I have referred to the field as educational technology throughout my brief teaching career. It never clicked, even with taking courses titled Instructional Technology, that educational technology was an out of date term. The AECT definition changed my perspective on several levels. One thing that really stood out was the use of the word ethical. On reading how this term focuses on the use of technology to facilitate learning. I thought back to my grade school experiences wherein the teacher would pop in a film that had no relevance to what we were studying that week. We did not discuss it afterwards so it had no educational value. Now, the standards are very structured. In my district, we cannot just pop on a movie without it being a part of the lesson plan. This is where the term facilitate comes into play. Educational technology is generally thought of as the use of technology to facilitate learning along with the various technological resources and materials available. However, I feel that it is all in how that multitude of resources is used that makes it what it is.
 
 

During a long term assignment in second grade, I did a unit on the water cycle. It only adhered to one of the six characteristics of instructional design. The unit was goal oriented as I aligned the lesson completely around the TEKS. I would have made it more student-centered by letting the students explore more. I could accomplish this by allowing them to taste, smell, touch and maneuver the water. To exhibit a meaningful performance, I would require students to recreate a model of the water cycle and be able to successfully present it to their peers. I would use a rubric. I would allow them to work in groups to support the team effort concept.

 

I strongly consider teachers, chalkboards and textbooks instructional media as these are also means in which knowledge and information is communicated. They just are not plugged into an electrical source. The purpose of instructional design is to incorporate media into instruction by creating interest, manipulating the learning climate and persuading acceptance of lesson ideas.