Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Week 14: Chapter 31/Favorite Tool

Emerging Instructional Technologies: The Near Future


WHY NOT? When I read about how researchers in neuroimaging are attempting to archive brain scan images from selected resources into a centralized database to answer questions related to brain function........I thought what great timing!! With all the soldiers coming back from the war with brain injuries and behavioral changes--this database of brain scan images could really help doctors determine how best to treat the injured soldiers brain. As the brain heals and cognitive processing becomes more prevalent, researchers can rely on visual, factual data to best treat those with brain injuries.

An intelligent tutoring system (ITS) would work very effectively with individuals with varying degrees of brain damage. An intelligent interface would provide suggestions on how to improve learning, taking into account each individual needs and varying functionality of the brain.

Another noteworthy vision for me is that ITS applications can determine the learner's current performance level. Back to the example of our soldiers with brain injuries--no brain injury is the same. Each individual will heal at their own rate and to have an application that will determine each learners individual performance at any given time is awesome.

An advanced performance tracking and feedback system could greatly benefit those in rehab with brain stem damage and can't remember certain muscle movement. I know of one particular person that loved to bowl, but after his brain injury he couldn't remember the motions. If a program such as this could help with muscle movement memory it would help out a tremendous amount of people.

It makes me so sad when I see and hear about soldiers (young people!!) who return after war with varying degrees of brain damage. What excited me most from this chapter is some of the emerging technologies that are going to greatly benefit so many individuals.

After pondering what activity was my favorite, I came to the conclusion that creating the website was my favorite. I believe part of why that was my favorite is because I was doing something for someone that I knew had wanted a website for a very long time. It was also great to see their response to the site and how excited they became when I showed them how easy it is to maintain. I must add that I really enjoyed all the activities so this was a really hard question.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Week 12

Chapter 30: Using Rich Media Wisely

After reading about rich media as an effective instructional method that promotes learning, I need to adjust my thinking on a new concept that is being introduced in our BUS 1750 Freshmen Business Enterprise class. For Spring 2009 semester the once 3 hour a week class is now only an hour long per week class with the rest of the time being spent watching videos. Due to lack of information provided to the advising office, we really don't know the content of the class. I am going to believe that it has been well planned and includes using rich media wisely. I will take away from this chapter a different view of this class. We have smart people and great faculty in the college of business, so I will trust that what appears to be a great way to educate a lot of students with limited professor contact will really be a trendy way of using rich media to help the student improve learning. I hope to see some evaluation data on how students are responding to this new set up. If the opportunity presented itself I would also like to be involved in future plans when incorporating rich media into instruction.

Another tangible I will take away from this chapter is how important visuals and pictures can be in improving the learning process. Based on Mayer (2001) research "students learn better from words and pictures than from words alone." Another important issue for me to remember is how the cognitive learning process works. We all have a working memory and a long-term memory. Part of the brain remembers images and another part of the brain remembers words, so if I give the student a little bit of both, they will store this information in separate channels and hopefully retain more of the information that has been provided to them. Another important factor to remember is that too much environmental sounds and background music will overload the capacity of the auditory/verbal channel, hurting the learning process.

I am more interested in the subject of using rich media to enable more effective instructional methods that promote learning than I was before reading this chapter!


Review of online applications:

When I first went to Google Documents I got excited because I thought it would be a great tool for keeping spreadsheets and word documents stored in one universal site in which I could share with the President of ISCSC, in which I am the "treasurer" and keeper of membership payments and membership lists. My first excel file uploaded fine, however my second pick was a data base file in Access and it would not upload and either would the most current versions of word and excel. This free application would be fine for the older version of Microsoft, however if one has already converted to the 2007 version of Microsoft this will not work. Another issue I found was that for the best version and all the options you had to pay $50.00. The version that is free is the "ad-supported" version, which is fine for being free, but has the before mentioned limitations. On the same page as the price quotes there is link to "see our solutions for schools" link. It gives an Education Edition that would be great for school districts to utilize it as it is free and there are several similarities between this and Microsoft word and excel.There are several reasons to use Google Docs and they advertise well with the Top 10 Reasons to Use Google Apps. However, I would only recommend this to schools, non profits, or other entities that do not have a budget for any other software purchases. It has limitations already with being outdated with the newest version of Microsoft and will it continue with that trend? A reason to not rely on it at this point for serious business dealings.

The Image Editing application I choose is Picnik. I would recommend Picnik as an effective photo editing tool to students, family and friends. It lets you do basic edits and fun to create different effects in your photos. It is free and that is one of it's greatest advantages. This could be used in an educational setting. However, my computer did tend to freeze up a bit more than usual while using Picnik, so that was a little unsettling. I did have fun playing around with the tools. I liked the tooth whitening and the red eye reduction features. Going to black and white really helped make some of my photos better looking, that is another neat feature. This application is very easy to use and I would recommend it to students, family or friends. But in a professional setting in which the business is of photography, not so much.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Week 11

A main competency that is a must in my current profession is to be able to communicate effectively. I also need to be a good listener and at times that is hard. Listening skills are important in communication and at times when my office is super busy with students having registration issues it's hard to take the time to effectively listen. I also have to communicate and produce visual materials for students to fully understand all the requirements in order to graduate. If this information is not communicated effectively it can cost someone time and money. At the same time I must comply with ethical and legal standards. I feel I do a fairly good job in establishing and maintaining professional credibility. I see hundreds of students every year and over time they gain your trust and credibility as long as you provide the correct information.

I feel a strength of mine is my strong work ethic. I am striving to learn how to update my skills and stay current in educational technology. I continue to update my knowledge base and stay current in my field by attending conferences and other professional development opportunities.

I would like to work towards doing some sort of needs assessment in my office. This would be a competency I would have to work hard to develop. Conducting a needs assessment in my office would be tough. For starters it is totally out of the norm. I don't think a needs assessment has ever been done. I am not sure senior staff members would agree to or cooperate with the idea. Selling the idea would be the first hurdle. I think developing and implementing a needs assessment in an academic office sends a strong message to all members of the college community that advising is an extremely important responsibility. Again, this would be a competency I would have to work VERY hard to develop.

Another competency I would like to continue to develop is to use technology to enhance the advising experience. This class has inspired me with great ideas and I plan on continuing this competency.

If I was in a position of power a competency I would really like to develop would be to plan and promote organizational change. In the last few years so much has changed technologically that if organizations are not willing to become more technology driven, they are not going to survive. I would like to see changes occurring with in the organization such as utilizing facebook and blackboard to get messages out to students. A few in the organization like the idea, but for the most part think email is fine. Students are instructed to read their school email everyday, but in reality most do not. However, most students check facebook 3-4 times daily. Many also check blackboard more than they do their school email. Another change would be to create more visuals and more tech related resources such as podcasts. I would also like to see more on understanding of the diversity of learners that come through the organization. This is a touchy subject, so it would be extremely difficult to achieve this change without some professional consultant on the issue of diversity.

The website I have created is for the Loy Norrix High School Band. The band director has talked about having a website, so I decided to base this assignment on creating a website for the band as a surprise to him and the students. I like the idea that they can also have access and add and delete information. Included is a calendar and a schedule of events that will have to be faithfully updated. Hopefully, the band students can incorporate this into the school day and make updates as needed. Here is the link:

http://sites.google.com/site/loynorrixhighschoolband/

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Week 10: Screencast

I found team approach to be a significant and recurring theme in all three different contexts--in business, higher ed and the P-12 educational system. Another is how important interpersonal skills are when facilitating change.

I did appreciate the information on the chapter from the Assistant Professor who states his students and colleagues appreciate him on a personal level, which he says he has never experienced in the corporate setting. I gather he works in an environment that supports the team approach that is why he feels appreciated. They probably have the same goals and vision toward the student body at the university where he works.

The Instructional Designer in the Distance and e-Learning Centre states "the ability to interact effectively with faculty and staff and sell ID theory, which often means more work to time-stressed staff, is key ID skill". TEAM APPROACH and interpersonal skills at work once again.

If you take a look at the organization structure on page 225 in the core of the structure is Multi-disciplinary Unit Team. There is that word again "team".

In education a professor is expected to provide leadership at the academic program, department, college, and university levels. In business a CEO is expected to provide leadership at all levels also. And in P-12 education the principal is expected to provide leadership at the school level and the superintendent is expected to provide leadership at the district level.

I enjoyed the last part of the chapter from Jack Dempsey, Full Professor. I do believe anyone that works in higher education loves it, just as everyone teaching children in P-12 systems love what they do--educating the youth of America. I do wonder if everyone in the other hemispheres love what they do everyday.

My screen cast is for transfer students who do not go through freshman orientation, but need assistance with navigating the GoWMU system at Western.


Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Week 9: Google Maps

The lesson I have in mind would be for an Art Appreciation class. I have chosen famous artists from around the world. I have pinpointed them on the map according to their native country and included information on each artist. On the Picasso one, I was also able to embedd a famous painting that he drew. I would continue and embed pictures for each artist along with their biographical information. I would hope that seeing a famous drawing along with a description and also seeing where in the world they are from would be an interesting art appreciation lesson.


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Reflections on Chapter 21: Trends and Issues in P-12 Educational Change

The first issue that particularly hit home with me was when the chapter talked about creating strategic alignment. One of the three things that strategic alignment accomplishes is it ensures that everyone is working toward the same goals and vision for the district. Secondly it “weaves a web of accountabilities that makes everyone who touches the educational experience of a child accountable for their own part in shaping that experience”. Thirdly, “it forms a social architecture that is free of bureaucratic hassles, dysfunctional policies, and obstructionist procedures that limit individual and team effectiveness”. Not only would school districts benefit from such a strategic alignment, Universities need to have the same goals and vision for its institution. Everyone from the superintendent (or president of a University) to the maintenance staff need to be accountable to every child they encounter in a learning environment. Everyone needs to have the same vision and be responsible to carry out that vision as part of their job description. If you’re not on board with the goals and vision of the district then you need to check out. If a person’s goals don’t align with the goals and vision of the district in which they are employed, then there is going to be hassles and dysfunction going on within the institution. It is not pleasant to work in an environment that is filled with dysfunctional policies and obstacles. Once strategic alignment is achieved evaluation must take place to measure everyone’s effort to educate children. It takes a strong and dedicated leader to sustain improvement and continuously manage the performance of the school district. I wholeheartedly agree with the statement that “achieving high performance is a lifelong journey for a school district.”
Another important issue in transformation would be involving the community. When the Decatur Township initiated a systemic change in their district one of its first steps was to involve as many stakeholders as possible. The widely held publicized meetings were to get as many students and community members on board with the change. Systemic transformation can also be very expensive and the district may have to seek financial support from outside sources. Once funded, it will still need a permanent budget in order to sustain the transformational process. In today’s economy and with so many school districts’ losing enrollment and therefore losing funding, systemic reform will just not take place….maybe piecemeal isn’t effective, but it may be the only affordable alternative available.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Week 8: Chapter 18 Reflection

I found it interesting that the nature of instructional design practice in business today included work environment. I never thought of the two (instructional design & work environment) going together until I read this chapter. Of all the different careers I have held and in my current position, I consider the work environment to be an important element to my success. I would not thrive in a position where I would have to be a "sole designer" and have the success or failure of the project all on my shoulders. I much prefer a team approach. I find myself leading on some projects, but I need my team members to work along with me for efficiency and success. All members bring something unique to the table and I value a team approach all the way.

Legal issues are something I think about daily in my current position, more so than any other job. In higher ed we are constantly being reviewed and updated about FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) rules. FERPA governs and protects students' rights to their individual education records. I am sure the training I have received and the written information and updates I receive almost weekly are something the Instructional Designers took very seriously and I bet the university employed consultants when designing, producing, analysing, and evaluating FERPA training sessions. What happens if we don't comply to FERPA? LAWSUITS--that cost money and time.

Chapter 18 states that over 70% of training in the US is still delivered classroom style, with nearly 20% of the training delivered via the computer (Industry Report 1999). Since that time I would guess that percentage is much higher. I am sure the author is correct in stating that on line delivery is likely to mushroom--it has tremendously in just the last 4 years. If one just goggles the words "on line training development" you will see an endless list (page after page) of websites that offer just about everything a business would need/want for technology-based training. Another thing I noticed when I went to a couple of these websites is that the designers have built in assessment and evaluation, proven effectiveness and continuous updates to keep pace with changes in the way people learn. It's the only way for business and industry to keep up with the trends and globalization of today's world.

My EDT 5410 Experience

On October 1-4 I went to a NACADA Convention in Chicago and I headed to all the "technology-related" sessions I could!! Over and over I thanked and blessed this class I was taking. Almost every session I attended they asked the audience to raise their hands if they had ever utilized wiki's, blogs, pod casts, social bookmarks, facebook, etc., and also asked if we knew how powerful Web 2.0 was. Not that many hands went up in the air. As I reflect over the last 8 weeks, I feel awesome about what I have already learned and the idea's I hope to incorporate into my profession. I have more vision's of creating pod casts for our students, having a facebook account for advising purposes, sharing bookmarks with my co workers, starting a freshmen blog. I would never be thinking and incorporating these awesome tools into my professional life if I wouldn't of enrolled for this course. The hands on learning is fun (scary at first) but a definite confidence builder as we continue to grow.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Week 7

The podcast I selected is one created by WMU's Arts and Sciences Department. This podcast is for college freshman who need to understand general education requirements. Every University has a general education curriculum and students will not graduate without fulfilling them. This would be an effective podcast during freshman orientation. The Arts and Sciences Advising Office has this podcast and other's available on their website. Students are usually confused on the rules of general education requirements. This podcast explains it very well and students will be more apt to watch this on their ipod then to sit and listen to a person. Students can download this podcast and when they need the information, it will be at their fingertips and in the most updated version. This would also be helpful to helicopter parents that want to follow their college student's education and help them pick out their general education courses (and this does happen).





Reflections for Week 7 (chapter 14)

Ideas from Chapter 14 that apply to my job as an academic advisor are:
Vision--to achieve through people successful accomplishments that are cost effective and efficient. We guide the students through the degrees offered.

Mission--To be recognized as a leader in high quality business education that meets the technological, innovative and ethical challenges of the global environment.

Desired end--to see our students graduate with a 4 year degree and have a fulfilling career and life.

The idea of being a lifelong learner really applied. I agree that life long learning is a necessity for both worker and organizational survival. With instructional technology we all learn more effectively and efficiently in today's workplace.

I also believe in incentives (monetary and non-monetary) along with career development opportunities to improve human performance. The human resources (HR) department is one of the most important departments in an organization. The field of HR has grown in recent years. I have seen the Human Resources Major in the College of Business become more popular and more and more students are going into the field. Many students who go into HR also earn psychology minors or double major in both. People's behaviors at work effect the work environment and it is important to understand how and why people react the way they do.

Not only does the USA want to achieve workplace success, many other countries also are looking for ways to achieve a happy and efficient place of employment.














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