New Directions In Instructional Design and Technology

1. Section VIII addresses new directions and emerging technologies for IDT.

Select three of the following and reflect on how you might apply them in
your current or future position in the IDT field:

Networks or web 2.0 technologies

Web 2.0 tools potentially open learning beyond the closed doors
of the classroom. I have found ways to integrate new coming technologies
into our classroom.  I use Web 2.0 tools to help my students extend
their leaning and empower their creativity.  It also improves my
teaching skills as a teacher in designing lessons or creating new
projects with my kids. Sometimes the tools in kindergarten seem difficult
to implement by the results are worth the agony.  I will be using Goanimate
to animate my lessons.  Instead of searching to technology to suite my needs
I can create lessons tailored to my students needs. Middle school and high
school instruction will include wikis, blogs, facebook, and etc... These tools
allow the students to engage, create, and collaborate.

 Rich media improve learning 

Visuals offer the two brain two opportunities to build meaning-one from the words
and the second from corresponding images-and encourage learners to make connections
between them. When I read stories to my students, many comprehend, but few are
actively respond to what is read. However, when I incorporate videos or
incorporate stories using Tumble Books, my 4 year old students respond to the story.
My students appreciate the animation and narration that accompany the story. The
animations are colorful, bright, and the stories come alive.  It's as if the
students are watching their favorite movie or cartoon, except they are learning.

Digital Games or Simulation

Well designed games have the potential to support meaningful learning across a variety

of content areas and domains. Good well-designed games are a potentially powerful
vehicle to support learning.  Digital learning tools have the potential of being
customized to fit the abilities of individual and can engage them with
interactive tasks and simulate real-life situations. Games like Bob the Builder,
Legoland, and Freddi Fish are designed for young children and they allow them to
work on their social skills such as negotiations, planning, strategic thinking and
decision making.

What learning goals or objectives could the technologies you selected help learners foster?

Could the technology facilitate attainment of that learning goal better than traditional
instruction? Why or why not?

The web 2.0 technologies that I plan to use in my classroom will help my

students identify letters and letter-sounds, produce a rhyme, identify
numbers and quantities and many other objectives.  There are so many uses for
Web 2.0 tools and this is just an example of how I will use a particular tool.
Using rich media engages my students in reading activities. They comprehend and
respond to what is being read. The digital games that I have exposed my students
to has allowed them to work on social skills and strategic thinking and decision-making.
Web 2.0, digital games, and rich media will not make students learn better alone.  These
components must be used along with the traditional method of teaching.  We use different
forms of technology to enhance our lessons. We still need traditional methods of teaching
for students to be socially, emotionally, and academically successful.

2. Section IX focuses on issues related to instructional design, rather than new technologies:

professional ethics, diversity and accessibility, the nature of design, and providing
instructional guidance. For each of the technologies you selected above, discuss what
ethical issues using the technology might present. Does the technology enhance accessibility
and accommodate diverse learning needs? How and/or can you design instruction using that technology? How much guidance would instruction with that technology require? What kinds of guidance would be necessary?

Web 2.0 ethical issues may involve students obtaining other peoples work for their own. They must still ask for permission to borrow work and they must acknowledge the author.  Ethical issues involving rich media include whether it will promote learning, will it take away from the leaning objective, and does it add time, cost, and bandwidth to lesson development and delivery.  Ethical issues regarding digital games or simulation can stem from the media's portrayal of games as teaching the youth to kill.  Other issues related to digital games and simulations are issues of appropriateness, sufficiency of content knowledge, knowledge contextualization, and knowledge integration. The different forms of technology mentioned enhance lessons.  Although they cannot make students successful alone, they can be modified to fit the instruction.  I use various forms of technology daily in my classroom to accompany my instruction.  Technology is mandatory for a minimum of 90 minutes each week.  Because my students are 3 and 4 years old at the beginning of school, technology requires a great deal of guidance.  The guidance includes teaching the students the basic functions of a mouse.  However, exposing my students to multiple forms of technology equips them with the 21st century skills that they are going to need in the upper grades to be successful.

Trends and Issues in IDT

1. Chapters in Section V identify trends and issues in IDT in various contexts: business & industry; military; health care education; P-12 education; and post-secondary education. Select at least 3 of these 5 contexts and compare/contrast the IDT trends and issues. Then explain how they are similar or different from the IDT trends and issues in the context in which you work.

Instructional design in business and industry is used to increase productivity in employees.  It is not only used in producing a more knowledgeable workforce, but increasingly for improving employee on the job performance, and solving organizational problems. Instructional designers face challenges including Cross Cultural training issues as well as the need for improved, quick, and inexpensive results. Corporate training is taking full advantage of the benefits of Web-based instruction forcing instructional designers to master these new techniques. In small companies there may be only one designer who will oversee the project, implement, assess, or evaluate the project.  In large companies, there will be multiple designers each working in a different location.  Because they may be located in different parts of the country or various countries, they use technology as a form of communication. Outsourcing IDT is becoming a technique that the larger school districts are implementing. In June my school district began to outsource the custodial work, and they will begin outsourcing transportation and cafeteria work next. 

 A primary area of P-12 focus for instructional design is technology integration to support meaningful learning through the design and development of trainings for the teachers and administrators.  There is a need to equip teachers and administrators with adequate training, tools, and proficiency in 21st century skills. The staff development must be of high quality.  Instructional design develop teacher assessments although they vary from state they are created to evaluate teacher performance, students performance, and the administrators performances.  A lack of technology skills is what prohibit technology integration from successfully being integrated into the classroom. Because of the lack of technology integration, students are not performing successfully on achievement test.  An instructional design in my school district was integrating technology into every classroom.  Our classrooms are equipped with smartboards, presentation carts, Elmos, digitial cameras, etc… We have software that has been purchased by the district for mandatory use by K-5 students, and other software for middle school. 

Those involved in that training as an instructional designer muse produce training that meet the requirements of military as well as the needs of the individual.  Instructional designers for the military face challenges because they recognize that ineffective instruction can have terrible consequences.  They must create trainings that meet the needs of the military, but consider the interest of the individuals.  The role of the instructional designer requires knowledge of learning theories, and instructional strategies and how to use them effectively; understanding how to apply technology at the optimal level to meet the needs of the user in a wide variety of learning environments; ability to create a blend of learning solutions; ability to work within budget; understanding and appreciation of the military culture both at home and abroad as well as the culture of international forces; and the ability to communicate with clients.  The military is different from the business industry because it prides itself on the diversity and the mission scope of each of the independent services.  Instructional designers can provide training to the military through instructor-led classrooms, informal study, eLearning, or a blend of them all.  However issues for instructional designers working with the military are budget limitations, quickly evolving technologies, and time. 

All of the designs have similarities in one way or another.  The business and industry field and P-12 education both have instructional designers who design, develop, manage create assessments to determine levels of performance.  In companies their performance indicators may be increased sales or company profits, whereas in the P-12 education field, assessment indicate student achievement and successful integration of technology.  Instructional designers are entrusted to provide the military with the best recommendations for how and when to apply a theory or a technology in order to achieve optimal learning solutions and to help them stay within the financial and environmental constraints. 

2. Chapters in Section VI discuss global trends and issues in IDT. As the world’s population grows exponentially, we face unprecedented challenges that have implications for learning. How and can we prepare our youth to address the problems of living in a world with 9 billion people when the earth’s resources cannot sustain that many? Does our current education system, curriculum, and instructional practices help learners foster the complex problem-solving skills necessary to tackle these issues? Are there methods and practices used in European and Asian countries that we should use here in the US? Why or why not? 

Because we our education system is so grounded in teaching information to make our students successful on test, we have neglected to teach our students about the global problems that exist in our world.  Our students lack an understanding and knowledge of different people, places and cultures around the world.  There is a need for a more rounded, higher quality education for our students and a need for educators to understand the value and necessity of developing lessons based on global education.  We must introduce our students to these global issues at the elementary level so that they can ponder upon logical ideas of how to face challenges such as living in a world with limited resources.

I teach on an IB campus and we incorporate global issues into our lessons.  We raise money for organizations like Learning 4 Limbs.  We are doing a pretty good job of making our students socially aware of the issues that people face around the world.  I am still new in the program, but the more that I am informed the more I want my students to be informed.  Also, my daughter is in the GT program, and they participate in Model UN. I feel that Model UN should be offered to every student on campus and not just the GT students.  The students are introduced to global issues and must debate the best ways to alleviate, or aide a problem.  I became more aware of global issues through helping my daughter research global issues in various countries.   

In our country we are constantly researching to find the best practices to fit our needs.  In business, education, medical, and military, we seek out instructional designer to design, develop, implement, and evaluate improve human performance. Korea uses instructional design minimally, but is increasing.  In education they prefer face-to-face interaction.  Effective instructional design is greatly needed in Europe.  They face cross cultural challenges that instructional design could help.  Japan is slowly taking on instructional design.  They believe in using experience vs. an instructional design. 

Evaluating Programs and Human Performance

Chapters in Section III discuss evaluation in instructional design and provide you with three evaluation models: CIPP, Five-Domain, and Kirkpatrick’s Training Evaluation model. Search for at least two other models used for evaluation and summarize these models. Describe how you would use them to evaluate your instruction.

Merrill's First Principles of Instruction

Many current instructional design models suggest that the most effective learning environments are those that are problem-based and involve the student in four distinct phases of learning:
(1) activation of prior experience - Learning is facilitated when existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new knowledge.
(2) demonstration of skills - Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is demonstrated to the learner.
(3) application of skills - Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is applied by the learner
(4) integration or these skills into real world activities - Learning is facilitated when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is integrated into the learner's world.

I actually use Merrill’s first principle of instruction daily.  An example of using the design is when I teach my students about money.  Because my students are in pre-k we really keep the concept of money very simple.  I first begin by asking the students how do they get things that they need.  Eventually we will arrive at the answer that they buy things that they need at the store. Next I introduce the penny to the children.  We talk about the importance of money and a penny is money.  I begin by modeling how to count money by saying the amount of money that I have in cents, and what I can buy.  I allow the students to count the money also.  I have objects on the counter labeled with price tags.  When we finish the lesson, the students can pretend to buy the objects by counting the number of pennies that they have and compare that number to the items price tag.  If the amounts match they can tell me that they can buy the item.  The price tags do not exceed 0.4 cents.  In this lesson I have activated their prior knowledge by asking how do we obtain things that we need.  I model the skill, allow the students to practice the skill, and last we pretend to purchase items at the store.

Bloom's Learning Taxonomy

Benjamin Bloom developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning. Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain, from the simple recall or recognition of facts, as the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels, to the highest order which is classified as evaluation.
-Knowledge: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce state.
-Comprehension: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate,
-Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.
-Analysis: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.
-Synthesis: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up, write.
-Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose compare, defend estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate.

I would use Blooms Taxonomy to help my students acquire skills at all of the various levels.  By doing this I am laying the proper foundation for higher levels of thinking by first assuring mastery of lower-level objectives.  Blooms Taxonomy provides a basis for developing measurement strategies to assess student performance at all levels of learning.  I use a kit called Developing Talkers for pre-k and K students.  I begin a new story by asking the students to name, recall, or repeat the new words in the story.  This would apply to Blooms lower level of instruction.  We would continue throughout the week building upon the knowledge that the students have acquired.  Before the end of the week, the students can predict why something happened  or compare the actions of two characters based on what has happened in the story.

 Reflect on what other questions that instructional design evaluation should address besides whether the instructional design leads to comparable amounts of learning and learner satisfaction as traditional methods. Should return on investment and management of resources also be considered in evaluations of instructional programs? What other measures should/could be considered?

Other questions that instructional design evaluation should address are:
-Is there a need for this type of program in this context?
-Is the program conceptualized in a way that is should work?
-What factors helped produce the successful results?
-What environmental factors are helping support success, and what factors are getting in the way?

A return on investment and management of resources should be considered in evaluations of instructional program.  To ensure that monetary resources are put to best use, they must be allocated to programs, processes, and projects that yield the greatest return.  For example, if a program is designed to improve effectiveness and it does have that outcome, the assumption might be that the program was successful.  But if the program cost more than the effectiveness gains are worth, then no value has been added to the organization.  A less expensive program may have yielded the same results, possibly yielding a similar return.  Showing how a project or program is connected to the manager’s business goals and objectives can increase support. 

Other measures to be considered are enhanced budgets and building partnerships with key executes.  When a particular function is budgeted, the amount is often in direct proportion to the value that the function adds.  If little or no credible data supports the contribution, the budgets are often trimmed or they do not increase.  Bringing accountability to the return of investment level secures future funding.  Being able to communicate project results builds key partnerships with executes.  They only make an effort to build relationships with projects that help them succeed. 

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. Identify a performance problem in your area of work and identify non-instructional solutions that may help solve the problem. Would better performance support systems, knowledge management systems, or opportunities for informal learning solve the problem?

Each year, our district requires the employees to watch a video on bloodborne pathogens and sexual harassment.  Our district also requires each employee complete a specified number of technology proficiency hours to be in compliance with district policy.  We are emailed the directions on how to complete the assignment, but we do not receive any formal instructional support. Although many of the employees in my district are familiar with technology and can complete the assignment in a timely manner.  We must collaborate with those individuals who are not familiar with technology so that they can complete their task and submit their assignment before the deadline.  I feel that this is an opportunity for informal learning because someone from the technology department could provide an optional training for those individuals who struggle with technology.

Theories and Models of Learning and Instruction

1. Epistemology (the study of what and how we come to know) is discussed in multiple chapters in this section. Distinguish epistemology from instructional methods or theories. What are the differences between theories, methods, or models of learning and epistemologies or underlying beliefs about ways of knowing?

Epistemology is the study of what and how we come to know.  Further research states that it is our means for acquiring knowledge and how we can differentiate between truth and falsehood. Instructional methods or theories are a set of principles on which the practice of an activity is based.  What differs among particular theories on learning is how they describe the observed outcomes of learning and how they explain the learning process.  Most psychological theories define learning as a persisting change in human performance potential referring to the fact that what is learned may not always be exhibited immediately.  It is also defined by how it is thought to occur because it comes as a consequence. The author states that the underlying assumption about ways of learning is that instruction will bring about learning.

The different principles of learning include:

The behavioral learning theory focuses on instructional feedback.  The result of immediate feedback encourages correct responses and fewer incorrect responses. 
The information processing theory is simply processing information.  It is regarded as the three memory system sensory, short-term and long-term memory.
The schema theory organizes information.
The cognitive load theory calls for learning task in sequential ways to reduce overload.
The situated learning theory is knowledge accumulates in meaningful actions. The knowledge accrues form the learner’s participation in the practices of a community or organized by the members of the community.
Gagne’s theory focused on instruction and how what is known about learning can be systematically related to the design of instruction.  He believed that individuals learned through cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. 
Constructivism is a collection of views that states that learning is a matter of going from the inside out.  Individuals generate knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences and their ideas.

 2. Chapters in this section discuss three contrasting epistemic stances: positivist, relativist, and contextualist (or hermeneutical). Positivists believe that the only truth or knowledge is objective truth. Relativists don’t believe that objective truth is possible and that all knowledge is subjective to perception or relative to a particular frame of reference. Contextualists believe that truth or knowledge is relative to context rather than individual, subjective understanding. While designers and educators with a positivist stance generally apply behaviorist principles to the design and development of instruction, those with either a contextualist or relativist epistemological framework employ constructivist theories and methods. Reflect on whether your stance is primarily positivist, relativist, or contextualist. Then, identify an instance when your perspective or stance as a learner conflicted with that of your instructor. Describe the conflict that you experienced and analyze whether opposing epistemic stances may have been at the heart of the conflict.

I believe that I am a contextualist because of how I view situations at the time that they occur.  Contextualists believe that truth or knowledge is relative to context rather than individual, subjective understanding.  I don’t use the same structure to teach math as I do reading.  I also don’t teach each child in the same manner.  If I have a child who is struggling, I change my routine and I provide the struggling child with intervention.  I have not had a conflict with an instructor, but I have had conflicting views with the way administrators are steering our instruction.  I believe that teachers and students should be stress free in the learning process. I believe that children who are struggling should have many opportunities to practice many times before the behavior is observed.  For example, many administrators feel that students should just easily adapt to reading just because they have been introduced to words. Their is a process that young children must encounter before learning to read.  Learning is a process, and their in not just one way to acquire knowledge. An instructional approach may work for one individual, but may require something new for the other. 

3. Differing epistemic stances lead to differing approaches to learning and instruction, and ultimately to problem-solving. Explain differences in problem-solving when approached from behaviorist and constructivist perspectives. How do the approaches differ in both the nature of the problem to be solved and in facilitating the problem solving process? Finally, what effect might these differences have on learner motivation?

Behaviorists’ problem-solve by providing the opportunity for immediate feedback to increase the number of correct answers and reduce the amount of incorrect answers. They instruct learners while the behavior is fresh and can be redirected. They also provide opportunities for practice in instruction as they learn.

Constructivist problem-solve by engaging the learning in activities authentic to the discipline in which they are learning. They provide for collaboration and the opportunity to engage in multiple perspectives on what is being learned.  Constructivists support learners in setting their own goals and regulating their own learning.  Lastly, they encourage learners to reflect on what and how they are learning.
The two theories differ in their approaches to learning, however, they both have positive outcomes.  Students who have the opportunity to practice learning and receive immediate feedback ultimately reach their goal.  Students who are provided the opportunity to collaborate with peers, set their own goals, and express what they are learning and how are ultimately successful.  Either approach whether behaviorist or constructivism encourages learners to be successful and strive to attain their goals.

 

 

Defining The IDT Field

1. How do the definitions in the first chapter compare to your own definition of instructional or educational technology?  What experiences or other influences have shaped your definition? How has your definition changed from examining the definitions in the first chapter of this book?  

My definition of instructional or educational technology is using various forms of technology to facilitate a lesson.  I read that throughout the years, the definition for instructional technology has changed from pictures and films to different forms of audio. Incorporating many forms of media into my lessons has shaped my ideas of instructional technology.  However, I consider only media that is used to aid my lessons as instructional technology.  After reading the first chapter on the definition of instructional technology, my definition has changed because I understand that it uses systematic instructional design procedures and employs instructional media to improve learning and performances in a variety of settings.

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

There are six characteristics of instructional design:

Instructional design is student centered
Instructional design is goal oriented
Instructional design is focuses on meaningful performance
Instructional design assumes that outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way
Instructional design is empirical, iterative, and self-correcting
Instructional design typically is a team effort

I conducted a color mixing science experiment with my students.  The purpose of the activity was to explain the concept of how the 3 primary colors blue, yellow, and read can be mixed to create purple, green and orange. The students were each given 3 droppers of food coloring, 3 cups of water, and 3 transparent paddles to experiment with the colors.  The students also had a follow-up activity that required them to demonstrate their understanding of color mixing using a free website http://www.kidsgoflash.com/games/color_mixer.html.
I believe that my lesson incorporated 5 of the 6 characteristics of instructional design.  I cannot change or redesign my lesson to adhere to the six traits because my lessons do not require multiple individuals to collaborate on one lesson.

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? Would you consider teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks instructional media? Is the purpose of instructional design to incorporate media into instruction?
 
Teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks are considered primary means of presenting instructions, and are excluded from Reiser’s definition of instructional media.  He distinguishes instructional media from instructional design by explaining that instructional media as the physical means of how instruction is presented, and instructional design uses systematic procedures and employs instructional media to improve learning and performances in a variety of settings. I would consider teachers as instructional media because we determine how instruction is presented.  However, I teach in a Montessori setting and we do not teach from textbooks or classroom chalkboards, but we incorporate items that mimic real life objects.  Reiser stated that many instructional solutions arrived at through the use of instructional design processes require the employment of instructional media.