Week 5: Current Issues & New Directions

The changing landscape of Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) with new and emerging technologies has the field constantly evaluating the direction for effective instructional design. These emerging technologies are e-learning environments, learning objects, Web 2.0 technologies, rich media, digital games and simulations, and virtual worlds. Three of these emerging technologies are reflected upon and then explored how they may be applied to my current position.

E-Learning

Online Learning Connections

To put a definition on E-learning is difficult because this type of learning involves technology of many sources and methods. E-learning may consist of a hybrid, blended, or distance learning method of instruction and student engagement. The evolution of this learning has transformed from asynchronous to synchronous which providing an opportunity for learners to connect and collaborate ideas. New possibilities for learners to synthesize learning using new technology provides a gateway for students to explore and construct learning.

During the past 5 years, I have had the opportunity to work with a hybrid style of E-learning course using Moodle open source software for Garland Education Online (GEO). This has be a challenge for both teachers and students as the GEO concept has been treated as a distance type of learning tool and not a Learning Management System (LMS). We are slowly seeing how GEO is a supplement and not a replacement to our instruction. Last summer I had the opportunity to create and develop my own course content from the scratch. This has been a true learning experience without any instructional design training. While reading, posting, and commenting through ETEC 561, I have seen how most of my colleagues and I have been using GEO as a “digital locker” to store our assignments and lessons and not as an E-learning platform.

My goal for the upcoming school year is for my student’s learning environment to evolve. The functional architecture for the learning environment will need to increase the collaborations and construction of real-world learning opportunities. The objectives will be to provide students opportunities through relevant instructional technics (reference websites, blogs, animations, e-books, and other rich media) to drive the desired learning  outcomes. One of the largest constraints I have encountered in E-learning for my courses is the design, function of the environment, and time. The design has been generic and simplistic at best. As a result of the basic design and nature of the course, I believe the “online” environment is not motivating to students. The aim for my E-learning course will not be simply the medium connecting students to the real-world but rather a launching pad to provide students authentic learning in the outside world.

Web 2.0 Technologies

Connecting students with technology in my classroom is an everyday occurrence. The challenge has been create a two way medium in which the students are collaborating with each other and collectively building knowledge through online communication. I have been toiling with the idea to create a learning environment which fosters student collaboration, construction of knowledge, and take control of their learning. One of the limitations in my classroom for applying Web 2.0 technologies has been the privacy issue and the protective measures the district has in place for students. Using social networks is not possible at this time; however, each student in my class has a district student assigned Google account. Students have limited access to most of the Google products, and next year I plan to have students use Google docs to collaboratively begin the pre-production  phase. Google docs allows students to collectively develop a video treatment, script, timeline, shot list, and then allows for sharing and editing of the group developed content.

The other Web 2.0 technology I would like to apply is the use of student created blogs. This would be experimental because of the district’s student privacy policy. I like what we have done in ETEC 561 with our blog posts and comments, and this would be a great opportunity for students to be engaged with technology and facilitate creative student expression. Students would be able to make weekly posts about the week’s activities and/or current project and would have an opportunity to comment and critique their peers by adding comments to other student posts. Lastly, I am interested in browsing through the 3,000 or so Web 2.0 applications indexed at GO2WEB20.net to uncover new and ‘trendy’ applications students are accessing. There just might be many Web 2.0 applications listed students could use for class assignments.

Web 2.0 ... The Machine Is Us/ing Us

Rich Media

Digital Asset Management

Multimedia sources such as audio, video, and animations are examples of rich media to motivate learners interest and enrich the learning. An interesting note about rich media from what Reiser and Dempsey mention in the text is how less is often more effective in the learning process. I had been under the assumption rich media in regards to video can benefit visual learns. As I was progressing through the chapter I was beginning to question the benefit of using video and began pondering how often students are disinterested in the watching educational videos. The learner is passively participant in the instruction. Reiser and Dempsey confirmed my questions to the decreased benefit of using video and rich visuals for learning. I can’t wait to debate the use of rich media and its benefits in the classroom with my colleagues.

It is all to easy to focus instruction on technology and rich media and forget about keeping the learning focused around the learner. I would like to apply rich media such as audio narrations of processes with graphic illustrations to reinforce learning. One application might be to record on-screen activity and add audio narration to guide students through software tutorials. This would be similar to an animation allowing students the ability to pause and repeat segments of the tutorial. A key for this type of animation to be benefit the learner would be to keep is simple and not overload the student with more than one or two processes to learn. Allow the student to understand and also practice the task before moving onto more advanced processes. As with any type of instruction to be successful, it takes time to create lessons that engage the learner and keep it learner-centered. This is a goal of mine for next school year to create short animations using Camtasia software to teach students the different tools of video editing software they will be using. Students would be able to access these animations on GEO (Garland Education Online using the Moodle platform).

Learning Goals Using Technology

Web 2.0 technologies, rich media, and digital games when used correctly will benefit instruction by allowing students to accommodate their working memory and in-turn construct long-term memory. These technology tools develop the long-term memory by using verbal and visual cues from selecting, organizing, and integrating the information during the learning. These instructional tools allow students to apply and engage in real-world applications. 

I think the above technology teaching tools are not necessarily better than traditional instruction. These technology tools should supplement the instruction with the teacher facilitating students through the learning. The teacher will be the “guide on the side” for the students as they use these technology tools. It is important not to get distracted and focus on the media, the medium, or the method of instruction when using technology. The goal is to use technology wisely to motivate students and allow for cognitive processing and not overload the learner with extraneous information.

Current Issues in Instructional Design and Technology

The underlying rules that govern our behavior and correctness can be referred to as ethics. Instructional designers need professional ethics to display professionalism across the field to validate the profession. Each and every time an instructional designer works on a project, the designer must follow the AECT Code of Professional Ethics. Ethics carries over to the design process, and the designer must be cognizant of the diversity of the learners. Appropriate technologies must be provided to allow the learner multiple ways to construct and acquire knowledge on their own doing.

E-learning must be planned and well thought out about who the users will be and the diversity of the learners. It is all too easy to assume everyone learns and acquires knowledge in the same fashion. A challenge for E-learning is providing multiple sources of technology to assist a diverse group of learners from auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. The designer must be aware to create learning opportunities that are accessible by all learners. This can be challenging when trying to identify design solutions and any adaptations (text reading software, magnification devices, close captioning adaptive pointing devices, and modified assessments) needed for learners with disabilities. The universal design (UD) should allow learners to access the learning from multiple mediums and methods if necessary. Another barrier for technology in E-learning is not only the multiculturalism of our society but also the socioeconomic status of the learner. Every learner may not have access to technology outside of the school setting or the technology may not be adequate to complete the learning process.

Technologies dealing with Web 2.0 have an ethical position to be aware of when related to youth today. Web 2.0 technology has become very popular with today’s students. Unfortunately, students do not always understand the ethical issues this type of technology presents. Instructional designers should be aware of the technology and the age of the student. This can be a great learning opportunity for designers to build into the instruction the proper methods and uses for Web 2.0 technologies. This technology can enhance learning as student collaboration may not be face-to-face. Students with disabilities and cultural differences may develop confidence, social skills, and opportunities needed interact with other students. Another ethical issue raised with Web 2.0 technologies is the privacy of students as minors and the easy of copyright violations. Other methods to connect and share information must be made possible as not all students have technology tools to access Web 2.0 technologies. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the 3,000+ applications available. What a power learning opportunity for students to understand the power and dangers of Web 2.0 technologies.

The use of rich media in the class room and instructional design should be used carefully as part of learning. Rich media’s potential to overload a student’s cognitive load is always a concern and more so because of the multiculturalism of schools today. There may be a language barrier when viewing rich media and the ability to process the English language efficiently. Another concern would be for visual and/or hearing impaired students with the inability to make a connection with audio narration and still/video images. Instructional designer should always remember today’s students are diverse in physical abilities, culture, mobility, cognitive, and socioeconomically. Not accounting and incorporating diversity into instructional design can present ethical difficulties in the future for the designer.

Resources:

Danti, Andrea. Online Myths Sized. Digital image. The EvoLLLution. The EvoLLLution, n.d. Web. 3 July 2013. <http://www.evolllution.com/distance_online_learning/debunking-the-biggest-myth-of-online-learning/>.

Hastings, Robin. Web 2.0 Technology. Digital image. MOREnetworking. The Curators of the University of Missouri, 8 Nov. 2007. Web. 2 July 2013. <http://members.more.net/stories/missouri-river-regional-library-embraces-web-20>

3 Asset Management. Digital image. Digital Asset Management. Easysite CMS, n.d. Web. 3 July 2013. <http://www.easysitecms.net/web-content-management/digital-asset-management/>

Week 4: Trends & Issues in IDT

Various Contexts in Instructional Design

9 Essential Instructional Design Skills

Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) is in demand more than ever these days due to technology and how it is shrinking national borders and creating a competitive global economy. IDT is being used across commercial, education, government, and health care sectors around the world. In order to see just how different and similar IDT is across these contexts, three areas will be compared and contrasted to see the trends and issues in IDT. The three contexts to be analyzed are business/industry, P-12 education, and military. 

Instructional Designers in these three fields have very similar issues they encounter during the instructional design (ID) process. The ID field for the business sector is a vastly growing area for businesses with a need train and employ competitively qualified employees. The instructional designer for business and industry is not only concerned with providing training for processes and problems they are responsible for developing a stronger work force through analyzing worker performance. Causes of problems must be identified and then solutions must be prescribed through training and instruction. The instructional designer may be an internal employee or contracted externally.

Within the military sector of ID, the instructional designer has demanding responsibilities to meet the goals of the US military and its allies. The pressures and challenges for instructional designers working for the military are magnified when military personnel lives are at stake with improper training and instruction. The training and instruction occurs in the classroom, on military bases, and on deployments. Being informed and knowledgable when working for the military can be beneficial. The military’s desire is to provide an Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) environment, joint operations and training with its allies, and lifelong learning for service members.

Universal Instructional Design

For the P-12 Education sector, teachers were once believed to be replaceable by technology. This myth is quickly being debunked and the value of teachers in the classroom are difficult to replace. Technology and its use in the classroom is being reevaluated and used as a supplement to the learning process. Students perception and value of learning is needing to be enriched and engaging. Technology is a valuable tool to assist learners during learning; however, educators are learning text on a screen with someone speaking is no different from traditional classroom lectures and disengaging for the learner. Instructional designers are needed to assist students with advancing into the 21st Century with appropriate and relevant ID development.

Contextual Comparison and Contrast of Instructional Design

“Instructional Design models or theories may be thought of as frameworks for developing modules or lessons that 1) increase and/or enhance the possibility of learning and 2) encourage the engagement of learners so that they learn faster and gain deeper levels of understanding” (Clark 2004). The end result of ID is the same as Clark specifies; however, the means and methods instructional designers employ to design and develop training and instruction are vastly different. 

Contextual ID Contrasts

	Business & Industry	Military	P-12 Education
Location	Training and instruction occurs outside of the work place and normal business operations	Conducts on the job training and instruction in the classroom, military bases, and on deployments	Instruction occurs in the class room, computer-based instruction, and system wide
Purpose	Must use technology to make a profit and remain competitive	Technology must be able to adapt and evolve for long term goals and objectives	Technology integration is the primary focus
Goals	Analyzing performance problems to meet organizational objective	Lifelong learning for service members and the ability to address multinational needs	Method to influence and motivate students in the 21st century and the digital age

Contextual ID Similarities

	Business & Industry	Military	P-12 Education
Trends	Cross-cultural training and societal cultural factors	Multinational military clients and new technology uses	Multicultural factors and transform students ready for a global society
Demands	Increased efficiency and lower training budgets	Limited budgets and time sensitive project deadlines	Decreased budgets
Gaps	Contextual issues, designer-related issues, and project management	SME’s may not directly support project as their mission is their primary objective	Support from administrators, tech help, and peers
Increased Role	Ability to communicate with client and provide unbiased solutions for the client	Communication skills necessary to provide input and how to organize information	Skills to inform administrators and teachers on the advantages with new technologies

Similar IDT Trends and Issues with Teaching 
The IDT trends and issues presented for business and industry, the military, and P-12 educators are similar to trends and issues I encounter at my school. One trend experience is the demand related to budget constraints and deadlines. Garland ISD is trying to do more with less money and this doesn’t always work. The district is very creative in allocating funds for technology with decreased state funding, but sometimes there is not enough funding and training to properly roll-out new computer-base software and computer-assisted instruction. I myself, like the instructional design, must wear many hats as a teacher. In reference to the "New and Improved Instructional Designer" image above, teaching is a tough job but someone has to do. Teaching is like an instructional designer, the job is very difficult and time consuming but it is so rewarding when you see those “ah-ha” moments from after instruction.

Global Trends and Issues in IDT

As the world’s population grows, exponentially one can gain a quick understanding of exploding population growth by viewing the short movie, History of the World in Seven Minutes (World History for Us All, n.d.). Will this rapid growth of the human population with people living “tightly” together in large cities and declining natural resources be a detriment to the the world and end of civilization? One might get this opinion after viewing the History of the World in Seven Minutes and the onslaught of new technology with today. Our society wants instant gratification with news and information at our fingertips brought to us by new and ever changing technology. The youth of today have grown up in this digital age and are being referred to as Digital Natives. Today’s youth have been refined with technology bombarding them throughout their daily lives and have been labeled the iGeneration (Whittaker, 2010).

The current education system will need to be evaluated to determine if current curriculum and instructional practices will be sufficient to motivate and drive students to be enriched with the current system. Today’s youth are so intertwined with technology and the advancement of the Web 2.0 revolution in being so interconnected. “Onlignment” is a new term which is aligning the current Web 2.0 environment to develop a flexible curriculum which will cultivate the needs for higher cognitive thinking skills. Flexibility is the key for instructional design with the changing landscape of technology and Web 2.0 trends. Educators need to be confident in their skills and practices with technology in order to guide Digital Natives. IDT should be relevant in the development of curriculum to create a society which nurtures the “have nots” of under developed countries.

The methods and practices of IDT used in the United States appears to be more aggressive than in Europe and Asia. There are a number of universities in the US now offering instructional design degree programs to train and produce qualified instructional designers needed to meet the growing demand of the $134.39 billion training industry. Countries in Europe and Asia are not as quick to change from old ways to the new demands of instructional design.

Resources:

The New and Improved Instructional Designer. 2013. Graphic. The Learning Rush. Web. 27 Jun 2013. http://learningrush.com/story/elearning_v1/9-essential-instructional-designer-skill/4b6f7a673342746e4c535374524a4164476d334f79673d3d.

Forsythe, Giulia. Universal Instructional Design. 2013. Graphic. Flickr. Web. 27 Jun 2013. http://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/7980155098/.

Clark, D. R. (2004).The Art and Science of Leadership. Retrieved June 27, 2013 from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/learning/development.html.

Whittaker, Zack. "Defining the 'iGeneration': Not Just a Geeky Bunch of Kids." ZDNet. N.p., 20 June 2010. Web. 28 June 2013 from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/defining-the-igeneration-not-just-a-geeky-bunch-of-kids/5336.

Week 3: Evaluating Programs & Human Performance Technology

All too often instruction is developed with little thought as to how evaluation of learning or the effectiveness of the instruction will take place. When evaluation is considered on the front end of the instructional design process, it is often limited to evaluating whether the instructional design is more effective than traditional methods.
 
Instructional Design Evaluation focuses on measuring instructional objectives and what knowledge learners acquired through training or instruction. Merit, worth, and value are the goals of evaluation.  Three evaluation models of instructional design are CIPP, Five-Domain, and Kirkpatrick’s. Two other evaluation models are Brinkerhoff's Success Case Method and Patton's Utilization-Focused Evaluation (U_FE).

Brinkerhoff's Success Case Method

 

The reality of learning interventions

Robert Brinkerhoff published his book The Success Case Method in 2003. The Success Case Method (SCM) analyzes successful training cases and compares them to unsuccessful training cases. The SCM utilizes 5 steps to measure human performance by analyzing those that did not use their training, those that used some of the training but did not see any improvement in performance (the largest group, see graphic above), and those that successfully used the training to improve performance. The focus of the evaluation is directed at how successful the learners and/or organizations use the learning and not at the actual training.

The 5 steps to SCM are:

1. establish and plan the evaluation
2. define the program goals and benefits of the training
3. conduct a survey to identify learner success and/or lack of success from the training
4. carry out interviews to document success in applying the training
5. formal report on the findings from the evaluation

The objective of the formative evaluation is to assist organizations and trainers on environmental factors that promoted success, how much value is obtained, the overall impact of the return-on-investment, and the widespread success from the training. The scope of the SCM will include responses from named individuals to further assist evaluators to coordinate interviews. Results of the unsuccessful interviews will help identify those factors that inhibit the training from being implemented partially or completely. The end goal of SCM is to evaluate learner "buy-in" to the prescribed training and how effectively the training is used in day to day operations.

Student "Buy-In"
This past year I used a modified version of the Success Case Model to evaluate my Digital Video & Audio Design class. I spoke with students I felt were successful in the class not only through their grade but how engaged they were throughout the year. The major difference between my modified version and Brinkerhoff's SCM is the order I approached the evaluation and there was not any formal report on my findings. 

The purpose of my evaluation was to provide student feedback for this first year course and the curriculum I created for it. It would not be too difficult for me to follow the SCM steps to discover how my students are using instruction/training from my class. One area I am most interested in are the barriers and limitations that prevent students from being successful and engaged in the class. Are the barriers for unsuccessful students environmental factors, my teaching strategies, project-based learning, etc?

Patton's Utilization-Focused Evaluation

Saving lives, changing minds.

All to often processes are evaluated without any focus or direction to utilize the findings. Evaluation may be conducted to simply assess processes and trainings without the feedback for the intended users.  Patton's Utilization-Focused Evaluation (U-FE) has been around since the 70's and is still being used today.  Evaluation sometimes may be compared of as the old saying, "we have a meeting just to say we had a meeting." There has to be a purpose for the evaluation and it has be used.

The objective for U-FE is to align the evaluation goals with the how the intended users plan on utilizing the evaluation results. For the evaluation to be successful, the intended users must be engaged and part of the evaluation process. This provides a sense of "ownership" for the intended user and they will be more willing to provide authentic findings for the evaluators during each step of the evaluation process. There many steps of the U-FE process and the nine listed below are those major steps of the process:

1. Perform a readiness assessment to evaluate the commitment level of the organization
2. Identify intended users and build a relationship of engage with user
3. Conduct a situational analysis of environmental factors that might have an effect on the results
4. Identify the intended users and build a process to continue the evaluation, communication, and learning after the U-FE is completed
5. Focus the evaluation to address questions and issues of the intended users
6. Evaluation should be designed to report relevant findings
7. Data collection will be analyzed and translated for the intended users
8. The evaluation results must be actively used and may need guidance to insure its use
9. A quality control of the findings (metaevaluation) must be revisited to determine the extent, additional uses, and misuse of the evaluation was achieved

To create a successful evaluation the intended users and the evaluator must be engaged and committed throughout the utilization-focused evaluation. The U-FE approach may be used independently or it may be used to supplement other evaluation models.

Students as Intended Users 
One method I might be able to use the Utilization-Focused Evaluation process in my classroom is to allow my students to be the evaluators. Students can conduct peer evaluations of completed projects and provide feedback to each other. This provides the students the level of ownership in the evaluation process and allows them to constructively critique other student's work. Students are aware of factors that might be limiting student success in the classroom. An advantage for this approach is students learn from each other and they sometimes have a way of "wording" things differently from the teacher. The quality control can be conducted with the students and myself.

Instructional Design Evaluation

Instructional Design vs. Traditional Methods
Here are a few questions instructional design evaluation should address when compared to traditional methods of instruction. Are students actively participating in the learning process? Are the delivery methods of the instruction engaging and relevant for the desired outcomes? Another question, what environmental factors are supporting or preventing learning in the classroom? Are some areas of the instruction working better than others and why? How much more value can be added to the instruction process? Lastly, is the feedback on student performance findings being used to improve the instruction?

Return on Investment and Instructional Programs
The return on investment (ROI) methodology should always be considered for instructional programs. The landscape of technology is constantly changing and being updated. This constant change and the need for authentic and valid instructional programs is a challenging path for schools. A school's technology objectives and its contribution to student success should be a driving force when investing in new and current technologies. Educators should follow the ROI Process Model to support budgets with the impact and consequences new technology has on education. The ROI Process Model should begin with an evaluation plan, collect data, analyze the data, and report on the findings. Other measures such as process improvement, time to deploy instructional programs, back-end personnel needed to support programs, and enhance the image of the school should be considered.

Performance Improvement

Section IV focuses on human performance, performance support systems, knowledge management systems, and the concept of informal learning. Not all problems in learning and/or performance require an instructional one. Many times a non-instructional approach is a more appropriate solution. 

A performance problem in my school is the gap between teacher competency and “buy-in” of new technology to increase efficiencies in and out of the classroom. One of the reasons for the gap are the demands put on teachers that are beyond the instructional process. The demands to increase test scores, manage increased paperwork, plan lessons, and tutorial requirements all put a heightened level of stress on teachers. Managers in the corporate world have administrative assists to help manage the daily operational processes and scheduling requirements. Teachers have to manage and organize the daily p rocesses and stay current on their instructional processes.

Several years ago, Garland ISD created master trainer positions on each campus to help facilitate technology implementation and training for teachers. Over the last couple years, the district has began to hold master trainers accountable for facilitating technology tools to assist teachers during instruction and operational processes. Garland ISD is aware of the opportunities technology offers to improve performance in and out of the classroom. Before any technology is put in the hands of teachers or students, the district’s technology implementation plan provides adequate training for teachers to be competent in the new technology, its benefits, and proper ways to implement technology in the classroom. Support and management systems are part of the roll-out process for new technologies. This roll-out process appears to be similar to Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model in that master trainers align district objectives with technology to improve teacher behaviors (morale) and overall student performance. 

The implementation of Garland Education Online (GEO), a Moodle learning management system, is one of type performance support being implemented district wide. GEO is not only for students, it provides teachers support opportunities for software training on non-critical software (i.e. MS Word and Excel) and grade book tips and new features. Teachers can go access GEO at school or home anytime of the day. This is where the master trainers responsibility becomes apparent as a support system for teachers on campus and are readily available to support and answer questions. For more critical tasks, the district’s performance support will schedule training prior to rolling-out instruction technology in order to build teacher confidence and ability to correctly utilize these new instructional tools.

 

The reality of learning interventions. N.d. Graphic. GoodPractice for Leaders and ManagersWeb. 19 Jun 2013. <http://toolkit.goodpractice.com/mdt/resources/development-cycle/training-cycle-evaluation/robert-o-brinkerhoff-the-success-case-method>.

Smith, Julie. Saving lives, changing minds. Project/programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) guide. 2011. Cartoon. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)Web. 19 Jun 2013. <http://www.ifrc.org/Global/Publications/monitoring/IFRC-ME-Guide-8-2011.pdf>. 

Week 2: Theories & Models of Learning & Instruction

Epistemology and Learning Theories

Epistemology, the study of what and how we come to know, has been challenging researchers over the years to develop instructional theories to help learners acquire knowledge. Epistemology is a philosophy which focuses on the mind and how it functions in knowledge acquisition. Instructional theories direct their attention on a learner's behavior to build knowledge from external conditioning (the learning process). Both epistemology and instructional theories compliment each other during the learning process. The instructional theories use scientific research to develop instructional methods to process how the learning is going to occur. 

There are many different learning theories that have evolved to assist the instructional designer in developing instruction for learners. Models of learning are the processes of learning theories (the methods) in which the learner is actively or passively doing something. Instructional methods have progressed from learner observations to more cognitive processes allowing the learner to be responsible for constructing knowledge. This student-centered model of learning is focused on creating real-world problem solving opportunities. Research has shown problem-based instruction creates a deeper understanding of knowledge through authentic and relevant activities. In the end, the goal of learning theories and epistemology is to develop instruction that will contribute to learning.   

Epistemic Stances:  Positivist, Relativist, and Contextualist

Epistemic stances are the cognitive processes of knowledge consisting of positivist, relativist, and contextualist. Each of these three epistemic stance contradict the others. The positivist believes knowledge is an observable fact without any question. Whereas, the relativist does not believe in absolute knowledge and things may change between individuals or observations. Finally, the contextualist sees knowledge as understanding the subject and being able to solve problems.

My primary epistemic stance is that of a contextualist. I firmly believe in building knowledge from actively completing a task. Throughout my life I have learned best when I have been able to be "hands-on" with learning a new skill or task. I learn best by actively constructing the knowledge or solving a  problem. It is quite fitting for me to be a contextualist and also teach technology courses. Constructivism and problem solving learning styles have been the focus of my classrooms. The learning is student-centered because the students "learn by doing" with authentic real-world projects. The students are building/creating web sites, animations, and video productions. Students collaborate and work in groups to complete different tasks related to their website or video production. I have been the "guide on the side" for my students as my focus is to facilitate the classroom. This can be difficult at times when students need to trouble shoot and solve problems they encounter. Students simply want you to tell/show them what is "broke" and they can move forward.

Identifying an instance when my epistemic stance conflicted with that of an instructor is difficult. My high school biology teacher had a positivist view of the world. Everything had a purpose and reason for its existence. Myself and a few classmates had some questions about his view of Darwinism and evolution. We would try to have a conversation with our instructor and it would always end with him referencing the textbook or encyclopedia as the absolute truth to dispel our questions or skepticism. Our conflict was completely over the differences in our epistemic stance. That instructor forced me to have an open mind when discussing differences with others and to never be so confrontational or stubborn with my students. I've learned as an educator to be flexible with my philosophies and to keep my opinions out of the classroom.
 

Epistemic Stances Related to Problem-Solving

The behaviorist approach to problem-solving is based primarily on observable events. Environmental antecedents would be signals from the environment or case confirming the necessary behavior occurred. Empirical data from the case would be signals the required steps are being followed before and after any observed behavior. The desired behaviors would be objectives to complete during the problem-solving. The instruction or learning is not student-centered as the teacher is attempting to evoke the required behavior. The environment drives the knowledge for the learner to internalize and transform into knowledge. Evaluation is immediate for the learner as the problem-solving progresses. If the desired behavior has not changed then the teacher can address the evaluation objectives in the instruction. The teacher is directing the learning and the students in the end are problem-solving after receiving small "chunks" of instruction. The goal for immediate feedback is to help motivate students answer correctly and proceed onto the next behavior to solve the problem.

Constructivist's quickly point the differences between a behaviorist approach and constructivist approach to problem-solving. The constructivist learner is the focus of the instruction and knowledge is directed from within the student out to the environment. The objectives are to extract higher order thinking and reasoning skills for learners to formulate their own learning. The constructivist case while problem-solving will be an authentic representation of complex learning environments. Learners will check for their own understanding and organize the environment to facilitate the process to construct their own knowledge. Collaboration among groups will offer learners opportunities to work in a team environment similar to real world collaborations. The student leads themselves through the instructional strategies monitoring their own progress and learning. In the end, the students are acquiring relevance to job performance through active engagement with the outside world.

The motivation for students to learn does not correlate the same for the behavioralist and constructivist approach. The behavioralist approach may cause students to be less motivated due constant formative feedback. Boredom and creep into these students as they progress through the small "chunks" of learning. The constructivist approach reinforces intrinsic factors to motivation as students are directing their own learning and knowledge. The motivation for constructivists will be enhanced with real-world learning they will be experiencing and pride they are in control of their goals and future.

Week 1: Defining the Field

1. How do the definitions in the first chapter compare to your own definition of instructional or educational technology?

One thing I found very interesting is how long instructional technology has been in existence.  My definition or my first thoughts of instructional technology begins in the mid-90’s.  One thing I have observed through my experiences with technology is how quickly it changes and becomes obsolete.  The definitions of instructional technology have also continually adapted and changed since its inception during the 1920’s to reflect current trends and philosophies.  Until 5 years ago, my definition was about the media and the medium in which it was delivered (CDs, DVDs, internet-based, films, and video).  Since I began teaching technology courses, I have seen the importance of including instructional design procedures to benefit the learner’s performance.

What experiences or other influences have shaped your definition?

A major influence on my definition of the field of instructional technology stems from an opportunity I had last fall to assist in the redesign of World Geography and History GEO courses last fall.  GEO (Garland Education Online) is open-source software from Moodle online Learning Management System (LMS).  The focus of GEO is to compliment and reinforce learning through-out the district at the secondary level for both students and faculty/staff.  The district uses the Moodle software to develop, maintain, and manage online courses.  I have been using GEO for 4 years and I see how it can be a valuable resource for both educators and students.  I am gaining a better understanding how instructional technology and design needs to be continually evaluated and a tool to drive the learner’s performance.

How has your definition changed from examining the definitions in the first chapter of this book?
The definitions in the first chapter of the book allowed me to see how instructional design and technology is more than simply using technology media in the classroom.  The definition encompasses 5 domains: design, development, implementation, evaluation, and management.  These domains drive the instruction and learning in both education and the workplace and are all interrelated in non-linear methods.  I use non-linear video editing all through the year and I like how the domains all compliment and support the others in any order that is appropriate.  One thing that I have learned is to not focus solely on the media but rather the design and process in which the learning is taking place.  This definition reaffirms my belief in the constructivist approach in which the learning is student-centered.  
 

2. Next, think of a lesson or unit of instruction that you have developed. Or if you haven’t ever taught or developed instruction, think of one that you have received. How does that lesson adhere or fail to adhere to the six characteristics of instructional design? 

A couple of lessons come to mind when deciding on a lesson use.  The first is a capstone (end of year) project I created for a Webmastering course I taught last school year.  The objective of this lesson was to create a “real world” scenario in which students designed, implemented, and maintained their own web design company for a fictional client.  The second lesson is also a capstone project I created for my Digital Video & Audio Design (DVAD) students this school year.  I decided to use the DVAD project for the reason I am teaching this class again next year.

For the DVAD project, students were to create a short film in which the objective was to display the knowledge and skills they had acquired throughout the year.  This project was an class wide project with all the students participating in different roles and responsibilities.  The first goal was for the students to select a film company name and film genre.  The purpose was to create a project that was student-centered with each class assigning roles ranging from producers/directors, writers, storyboard artists, editors, camera crew, and on-camera talent.  Before the production of the film could begin, each class selected two students to represent the class and submit a project pitch to me, the executive producer.  Students were excited to have a project that was to be their own creation from start to finish.  The instructional design began to fail to adhere to the student-centered learning characteristic.  This breakdown was evident when students did not have enough responsibilities/tasks to keep each student actively engaged about half way through the project.  Some students were off task and allowed their classmates to do the majority of the work.

The instructional design was goal oriented throughout the life of the project for those students who took pride and leadership in the project.  The objective of the project was to follow the production lifecycle: pre-production, production, and post-production to complete the short film.  Each class followed the production processes, drawing upon knowledge that had been taught and discussed throughout the year using a variety of online instructional media, lessons, and hands-on learning.  Meaningful performance began to break down and failed to be present throughout the project.  As mentioned earlier, all the students were excited and engaged when the project started but the performance level dropped as the project moved through the production lifecycle.  The authentic performance measures were easily identified with the complex skills needed to complete the project.  Although, each class did complete their short film, the meaningful performance was not evident for every student throughout and quality of the production suffered.

The outcomes of the instructional design adhered to the objectives of the project to create a short film using the production lifecycle.  The assessment technique was to observe how the short films followed the shot compositions, camera techniques, and editing principles learned throughout the year.  The validity and reliability of the project was easily measured as the final short films depicted many of the techniques and skills learned throughout the year.  Each class displayed iterative as they would have to find work arounds for absent students and other obstacles that presented themselves as the productions progressed.  The classes had to uncover self-correcting strategies to complete their objectives when faced with adversity.  It was encouraging to see students working as team just as a real-world production company would produce a short film from beginning to end.  

How would you redesign it to better adhere to the six characteristics? 

I knew it would be difficult to design and create a project that would involve each student during the production lifecycle.  In order to better adhere to the six characteristics, dividing the classes in half or thirds would be a process to keep the students more engaged throughout.  One other method to adhere to would be, bring more attention and focus to the grading rubric and provide intermediate feedback on the intermediate objectives.

3. In the 3^rd chapter, Reiser distinguishes instructional media from instructional design, excluding teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks from the definition of instructional media. 

Why?

Reiser distinguishes instructional media excluding teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks from the definition.  Instructional media are supplementary teaching tools to provide instruction and knowledge for a variety of learning styles.  These tools provide educators options from the traditional lecture and textbook help to direct learning as student-centered.

Would you consider teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks instructional media?

I have difficulty putting teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks in the category of instructional media.  Instructional media from the definition in the book moves the instruction to student-centered.  Chalkboards and textbooks are not a student-centered in the learning style.  When the teacher is providing the instruction, the student is passively learning.  Instructional media provides students with an active role and responsible for their own learning.  

Is the purpose of instructional design to incorporate media into instruction?

Instructional design allows for the awareness of instructional problems and the methods to develop solutions to solve these problems.  Instructional media is the not the fix but rather a resource used when designing and implementing instruction.  The purpose of instructional design is to uncover the methods students learn and what motivates them.  Research in instructional design has led to the theory that learning should be student focused and what instructional methodologies will stimulate and motivate student learning.