Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology
#1: Distributed Learning
Under the category of “Academic Distributed Learning,” several (5 examples) came to mind. First, there is this class itself and other classes like this that utilize ECollege, the web, blogs, and online training videos (as with Dr. Jam’s introduction video on how to use Blogger. Second, I thought of a program that we use here at Royse City HS, which is a program called A+. This is a computer/online program that allows students who have failed a six weeks to make up that grade for a 70. The program has links to websites, video, sound, etc., that relate back to the subject being studied. This allows the students, also, to hone in on the skills they are not “getting,” as the program reviews the objectives that the student is showing weakness in. They can then see their scores and how they did on each objective, take the time to study, and attempt the practice drills and tests again. The third example of distributed learning in an academic environment is the TELPAS training I had to complete a few weeks ago in order to be able to rate our ESL students and their speaking, listening, writing, and reading levels. This training uses a web based program which utilizes video clips, examples of sample writing in Adobe files, and sound files that allow you to evaluate the student(s)’ speaking skills. It also provides notes for the rater (me) if you are scoring too high or too low and you can go in and read tips to stay on track. Once you complete the training, the program allows you to print your results and any certificates you earn during the training. The fourth example (and I’m having trouble coming up with two more examples at this point) J is a training I attended on how to use my Promethean board in my classroom. The training included the utilization of handouts, video clips, and an abundance of website references to obtain teaching materials in different subjects that utilize the board. The instructor guided us through as we created our own “flipchart” for the Promethean program software. We were able to collaborate with other teachers in the training on different ideas for using the board in the English classroom specifically. The fifth example is a training I attended on how to use our testing data software called AWARE. During the training, the instructor used the projector and computer to display step by the step the ways in which you can retrieve the testing data of students you have in class, even back to their 3rd grade scores. During the training, we were guided through (using our own computer) how to view the testing data in different ways, seeing how certain subpopulations are doing compared to others, what objectives are most commonly being missed, and what areas are strengths.
#2: Reusability
When thinking about the concept of reusability in relation to the courses I have taken, the education courses immediately come to mind. I think, at least from what I’ve heard from others that the courses you take to become a secondary teacher (I can’t speak for elementary) are in all essence not realistic and not useful to one when they are actually in the classroom. I can see how studying Bloom’s taxonomy and Piage’s theory, etc., can enhance one’s understanding of how children learn best and how to best build lessons, but none of this information really prepares you for stepping into the high school classroom. It felt mostly like “busy work” and concepts that were outdated or often times just not valid in today’s classroom. The way I think these classes should be redesigned is to make them more realistic to the classroom environment. I think it would be useful to still study the educational theories, but to also bring in guest speakers who are both experienced and inexperienced teachers to share their thoughts and ideas with the class. I would encourage more sharing of lesson ideas, behavior management ideas, and different strategies when dealing with ESL and special education students, for example. When I started teaching, I had no clue what an IEP or modifications were, for example, so a lesson on how to view and implement these modifications would have been useful. It would also be useful to contemplate and discuss ways to deal with parents who may be disgruntled or overbearing or how to deal with students who show excessive amounts of apathy or disorganization. Having role playing exercises which allow future teachers to really practice things that may occur in their classrooms would also be useful. It would be nice for someone to be “real” with students who are going to become teachers, as many of these education courses just were not viable or useful at all when it really comes to teaching.
#3: Rich Media
I will be discussing a Web Quest I have used in the past with my 10th graders in their study of the novel Of Mice and Men. http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/csjh/hafey/page1.htm
The Web Quest is a scavenger hunt in which the students have to go through each category to answer questions about that category using links to other websites, videos, and sound clips. The categories include “People in History,” “Historic Events,” “We Made Do. . . Surviving the Great Depression,” “Buildings of the 1930s,” and “Hey, What did People Do for Fun?” In the section, “People in History,” for example, the student is given questions over President Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Hitler, and even Orson Wells and The War of the Worlds. On the surface, the students are learning about important historical events in the time of the depression, but more functionally, it allows them to gain a better insight into what life was like for the character in Of Mice and Men and in other Depression studies they do throughout their education.
#4: Nanotechnology
The electronic paper mentioned in chapter 31 sounds like nanotechnology I could definitely use in my classroom with my students, as this would give the technology aspect that they love, which would make them more interested, and would cut back on the use of paper immensely in our schools. As far as an idea of nanotechnology that would make a skill I do much easier is an ink pen that has a high storage amount available for voice recording. That way I could record my thoughts aloud while I’m writing at the same time. I could then play my recordings back when doing my notes and revisions.
#5: The Direction of the Field
I agree more with the “Broad and Inclusive Road” because it allows for more growth, change, and evolution of instructional design and technology. The author states that this road “could weaken the center and reduce any specific advantage to belonging,” but also points out that this road “would result in a more diverse array of research accomplishments and a similarly diverse set of tools and models useful in the field settings” (343 & 344). The area that really got me to go toward this road over the “straight and narrow” was in the area of “methods of sharing” when the chart points out that in the broad road “established refereed outlets” are used “plus: web-style self-publishing and sharing,” “conference-style forums online and face-to-face,” “water cooler meeting and communities of practice,” which are all methods that I see technology moving more toward and away from some listed under the straight and narrow road.
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