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.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
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.
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/
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.
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.
View Larger Map
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.
View Larger Map
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.
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.
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.
r
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Week 6: Static Image
My kids: Brittany, Brooke and Forest at the Paragon in Martinsville, LA summer 2008. Awesome place to stay!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Week 6: A History of Instructional Design and Technology (Chapter 3)
I read chapter 3 first and then found this YouTube clip. The clip actually sums up the reading, but with better visuals and much better audio.
Week 6 Application Question 1a.
I believe that the Internet and Web has had and will continue to have a major impact in higher education.
Students attending college these days are using some sort of technology. They are plugged into an iPod, hooked up to a laptop, surfing the internet on an iPhone or text messaging on a cell phone. As an advisor in higher education I need to utilize this technology when communicating with the students or I’ll never reach them. It’s been reported that students will check their Facebook account numerous times per day and go several days or even weeks without checking their email account. We have come a long way in just the last 4 years.
Our Millennial-generation students use Facebook, Instant Messaging, YouTube, Podcasts, Blackboard, blogs, wikis, social bookmarking etc., the list goes on with the popular Web 2.0 applications in higher education. I believe all these applications have had a major impact in higher ed. In my career as an advisor for college students it is a must to learn strategies on how to blend traditional advising with collaborative, online tools--that is how I am going to reach many of these students. Podcasts are an innovative way of disseminating information and many universities use podcasts as an efficient and effective way to get the information in the hands of both current and prospective students.
The use of all this technology does impact higher education in a positive and efficient way. With more and more on-line courses being developed, it is possible to get a degree from home. I am so thankful I decided to take this class because it has taught me so much in such a short period of time. Most definitely the Internet and the Web has impacted higher education.
I was born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota. I remember growing up and Interstate 94 was out my back yard. My older brother would jump the fence and hitch a ride to Valley City where he attended college (about 150 miles away). Google map is another cool tool I enjoyed learning.
View Larger Map
Monday, September 29, 2008
Week 5
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How might you incorporate photo sharing in an educational activity or unit?
I am not a teacher but I can imagine all sorts of scenarios one can incorporate photo sharing into an educational unit. At the college level in one of the general education classes such as History of Art a professor could share photos from the Renaissance through the contemporary period. You can also utilize the tag feature so students can find the photos introduced in that period. One could drag-and-drop photos onto a map to show where the art pictures were taken. Or the student could browse a world map to see where pictures were taken. I can also see creating hyperlinks for more information about each period of art as another extension of learning.
Another scenario is in a photography class. Students can be super creative with the headings and descriptions and basically tell a story with their pictures. Students can also describe the type of picture dimensions in the description.
Of course there is always a concern when allowing students the freedom to post and create web pages, blogs, photo sharing, etc. Students can disrupt any learning environment whether it is in class or on-line. I would have students sign a “code of ethics” when using these tools. If they break the rules and post or download something inappropriate, then the privilege is taken away. I don’t think this would be a problem at the college level, however in middle and high school, you may encounter some immaturity.
I love the "how to greet people in various languages" feature when you log onto flickr.
Chapter 2 Reflection on What is Instructional Design?
The chapter started off sounding kind of techie and systematic to me, with all the mention of complex and systems theory, however, as I continued to read through it, it got better.
Instructional Design is not an exact science—like the author points out the “ADDIE activities are not completed in a linear step-by-step manner”. It is often necessary to go back and forth among analysis, design and evaluation when working on a project. That is the great strength of this process—being able to communicate with team members and clients and go back to the drawing board if needed.
In a prior job as a research associate my team utilized the same systematic process described in Chapter 2, I didn’t realize it at the time, but now that I am studying about Instructional Design I see the correlation. Our evaluation team used the same ADDIE phases in the following ways:
A=Analysis—we always conducted a needs assessment before the start of a project. We conducted surveys, completed site visits and completed interviews to identify the problems and the scope of the project. Data collection continued throughout the project.
D=Design—we came up with goals and objectives so that we could measure them in the end. We knew what the client wanted to accomplish at the end of the project through these objectives. We all shared the same vision.
D=Development—we then developed materials so that the objectives we wanted to measure and accomplish could be defined and could be evaluated with hopefully positive results.
I=Implementation—we implemented and delivered the instruction whether the projects involved students, teachers and/or administrators. It all depended on the project and the design and development of the materials.
E=Evaluation—we always conducted post surveys as well as pre surveys to compare and measure the results in a systemic process. We also conducted post interviews and other processes such as site visits to evaluate the end result.
I was pleasantly surprised to find many, many similarities in what I have done in the past and what I have read in this chapter about Instructional Design. A huge part of instructional design allows for communication among team members and with the clients and in my experience the client was a school district involving the students, the teachers, and the administration. I particularly enjoyed working on the Michigan Math and Science Centers Evaluation.
I find the characteristics of Instructional Design very useful and I agree wholeheartedly with the authors that Instructional Design is:
• Learner centered
• Goal oriented
• Meaningful performance
• Measurable outcomes (reliable and valid)
• Practical and self-correcting
• Team effort!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
My delicious website:
http://delicious.com/betsydrummer
WEEK 4
Social Bookmarking
The name “delicious” was intriguing. Who ever came up with that name is creative. The whole system of social bookmarking is a neat way to store and manage bookmarks. Many times I have been at a different computer and wanted to go to one of my bookmarks, I have to Google it in and many times, Google doesn’t bring the exact website to your fingertips.
I started tagging my favorite advising bookmarks and found it a great way to keep them in one spot. One step further, when I asked delicious to bring up all the tagged bookmarks with advising as the tag, I was pleasantly surprised to see many, many websites for advising all over the country. I could have spent a couple of hours just checking out each website to see what the buzz is about “advising”.
A scenario I can image social bookmarking would be helpful is in an organization that does evaluation work, such as the Evaluation Center at Western. Researchers working on the same project can easily share this list and also direct grad students to it. You could also find the list through keywords.
Another advantage would be if that particular site would periodically verify that bookmarks still work, and if not, alert users that the URL no longer functions.
I am thrilled to have learned about another “tech savvy” tool.
Trends and Issues (Chapter 1)
I agree first and foremost that there is no single definition to describe this field. I could relate to the first section of the chapter, I remember when the word audiovisual first became popular—as a student I looked forward to something different than just the teacher talking on and on. The field has taken huge leaps and bounds over the years. As I read the different definitions over the span of years I was in awe at how far we have come in this field.
It was refreshing to read that in 2006 the AECT committee included the word ethical. I agree that those in the profession must maintain a high level of professional conduct. Really, every profession should have a Code of Ethics. I wouldn’t want an accountant doing my taxes if he/she wasn’t ethical.
I agree that professionals in the field of instructional design and technology (IDT) must be concerned with human performance and focus on improving human performance in the workplace. I liked that the new definition included a new emphasis on improving performance in the workplace—“human performance technology or performance improvement movement.”
I was surprised to read so much about the human performance end. I have always agreed that the human element in the workplace is most important to job performance. Creating, using and managing are all part of human behavior. The AECT has included these words in their definition.
As the chapter concluded, I have to say I relate more with the authors of this book as to what I hope the field is all about.
WEEK 4
Social Bookmarking
The name “delicious” was intriguing. Who ever came up with that name is creative. The whole system of social bookmarking is a neat way to store and manage bookmarks. Many times I have been at a different computer and wanted to go to one of my bookmarks, I have to Google it in and many times, Google doesn’t bring the exact website to your fingertips.
I started tagging my favorite advising bookmarks and found it a great way to keep them in one spot. One step further, when I asked delicious to bring up all the tagged bookmarks with advising as the tag, I was pleasantly surprised to see many, many websites for advising all over the country. I could have spent a couple of hours just checking out each website to see what the buzz is about “advising”.
A scenario I can image social bookmarking would be helpful is in an organization that does evaluation work, such as the Evaluation Center at Western. Researchers working on the same project can easily share this list and also direct grad students to it. You could also find the list through keywords.
Another advantage would be if that particular site would periodically verify that bookmarks still work, and if not, alert users that the URL no longer functions.
I am thrilled to have learned about another “tech savvy” tool.
Trends and Issues (Chapter 1)
I agree first and foremost that there is no single definition to describe this field. I could relate to the first section of the chapter, I remember when the word audiovisual first became popular—as a student I looked forward to something different than just the teacher talking on and on. The field has taken huge leaps and bounds over the years. As I read the different definitions over the span of years I was in awe at how far we have come in this field.
It was refreshing to read that in 2006 the AECT committee included the word ethical. I agree that those in the profession must maintain a high level of professional conduct. Really, every profession should have a Code of Ethics. I wouldn’t want an accountant doing my taxes if he/she wasn’t ethical.
I agree that professionals in the field of instructional design and technology (IDT) must be concerned with human performance and focus on improving human performance in the workplace. I liked that the new definition included a new emphasis on improving performance in the workplace—“human performance technology or performance improvement movement.”
I was surprised to read so much about the human performance end. I have always agreed that the human element in the workplace is most important to job performance. Creating, using and managing are all part of human behavior. The AECT has included these words in their definition.
As the chapter concluded, I have to say I relate more with the authors of this book as to what I hope the field is all about.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Week 3: Reflections on using a wiki
Today is Sunday and I have logged on to the E-Learning system and have created a wiki account. However, I am very confused at this point and just wanted to make sure I document how I am feeling at this time. I am hoping my partners in this assignments will be familiar with a wiki and can get it "started".
About 5 hours later, I think I finally got it. Not that I have worked on it for that long. But I have logged on and off several times as time allowed today. I also watched the video and that helped. I am anxious to see if my partners can log on and also edit and collaborate.
Today, Monday, one of my partners logged on and added some text and we commented to each other on the wiki in the comment section, so I feel so much better. I believe we are collaborating on a project "on line" and I think its pretty neat.
How I might consider using a wiki in my career:
I am very curious if the the students I advised in the upper level business administration courses have ever used a wiki. I am going to start asking some junior and senior level students in the undergraduate programs if they have ever used a wiki. I can see where a wiki would be very, very convenient for group projects. I often hear of students being upset with their "group" because they never attend project meetings and never contribute to the project. Or I hear complaints that a member of the project brought down their overall grade because of not doing what was assigned to them. I believe that if the professors allowed the use of wiki's for group projects, it would make it easier to contribute when and where it is convenient for each individual. If I were a teacher I would like to set up a wiki for a group project. It is an awesome tool and I think every graduate of WMU should be exposed to it.
About 5 hours later, I think I finally got it. Not that I have worked on it for that long. But I have logged on and off several times as time allowed today. I also watched the video and that helped. I am anxious to see if my partners can log on and also edit and collaborate.
Today, Monday, one of my partners logged on and added some text and we commented to each other on the wiki in the comment section, so I feel so much better. I believe we are collaborating on a project "on line" and I think its pretty neat.
How I might consider using a wiki in my career:
I am very curious if the the students I advised in the upper level business administration courses have ever used a wiki. I am going to start asking some junior and senior level students in the undergraduate programs if they have ever used a wiki. I can see where a wiki would be very, very convenient for group projects. I often hear of students being upset with their "group" because they never attend project meetings and never contribute to the project. Or I hear complaints that a member of the project brought down their overall grade because of not doing what was assigned to them. I believe that if the professors allowed the use of wiki's for group projects, it would make it easier to contribute when and where it is convenient for each individual. If I were a teacher I would like to set up a wiki for a group project. It is an awesome tool and I think every graduate of WMU should be exposed to it.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Week 1 Reflections for EDT 5410
Assignment 1- Readings and Reflections
Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation and Of Luddites, Learning, and Life
The first article I read Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation has a recurring theme “quantum improvement”. I do agree our current educational system needs “quantum improvements”. And I also agree, only through transformation will our educational system provide students with a “customized and diverse” education leading to improvements. The question becomes how do we bring about such a transformation?
The author mentions sorting students in this article and again I agree with his theory. Sorting does not work, as early as preschool there are great differences in learning behavior among students. Children have different backgrounds and learn at different speeds. The AR (accelerated reading) program that many school districts have adopted is a wonderful example of software that will keep track of individual student’s progress in reading. Each student can read at their own level and speed and the computer generated reports inform parents of their child’s progress and standing.
The quantum improvements the author is talking about makes sense to me if they can be implemented. The schools have to be willing to invest in professional development for teachers to learn about the information age (Table 1) and learn all about “technology transformation”. The learning institutions will also have to have a budget for buying technology. Learning this technology will allow teachers to individualize education and achieve the concepts of the learning-focused paradigm of education needed for this transformation to take place.
This article for me was much better than the Of Luddites, Learning and Life. I think since this article was written our school districts and higher learning institutions have been transforming toward this paradigm. I know Western Michigan University continues to upgrade their E-Learning courses and add additional programs that help to deliver more technology based instruction to our students. In just the last couple of years, “quantum improvements” have been made at WMU and we are well known for our IT department.
The Of Luddites, Learning and Life article was extreme to me. I disagree with Postman when he states that technologies are a distraction. Maybe some students spend too much time on Facebook, but that can also serve as a networking tool. Students have to have the discipline to be able to distinguish if they have the time for distractions or if they need to get some homework done.
About the only thing I can relate to in Postman’s article is when he talks about the principle functions of school is to teach children how to behave in groups. Children do need to know how to participate in a disciplined way, but it is not entirely the schools responsibility. Parents also have the responsibility to train their children at home to be socially responsible, to help them think critically and to act right! Information is not the cause of crime; it is not the cause of marriages breaking up either. I don’t agree at all with Neil Postman’s article when he states that information has become a form of garbage.
The Charles Reigeluth article was much more enjoyable for me to read than Postman’s. Postman appears to be out of date with reality and maybe angry with the technological advancements that have been implemented in schools in the last 20 years. Reigeluth is more forward thinking and positive about what can transform schools to make quantum improvements in the way we teach and learn.
Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation and Of Luddites, Learning, and Life
The first article I read Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation has a recurring theme “quantum improvement”. I do agree our current educational system needs “quantum improvements”. And I also agree, only through transformation will our educational system provide students with a “customized and diverse” education leading to improvements. The question becomes how do we bring about such a transformation?
The author mentions sorting students in this article and again I agree with his theory. Sorting does not work, as early as preschool there are great differences in learning behavior among students. Children have different backgrounds and learn at different speeds. The AR (accelerated reading) program that many school districts have adopted is a wonderful example of software that will keep track of individual student’s progress in reading. Each student can read at their own level and speed and the computer generated reports inform parents of their child’s progress and standing.
The quantum improvements the author is talking about makes sense to me if they can be implemented. The schools have to be willing to invest in professional development for teachers to learn about the information age (Table 1) and learn all about “technology transformation”. The learning institutions will also have to have a budget for buying technology. Learning this technology will allow teachers to individualize education and achieve the concepts of the learning-focused paradigm of education needed for this transformation to take place.
This article for me was much better than the Of Luddites, Learning and Life. I think since this article was written our school districts and higher learning institutions have been transforming toward this paradigm. I know Western Michigan University continues to upgrade their E-Learning courses and add additional programs that help to deliver more technology based instruction to our students. In just the last couple of years, “quantum improvements” have been made at WMU and we are well known for our IT department.
The Of Luddites, Learning and Life article was extreme to me. I disagree with Postman when he states that technologies are a distraction. Maybe some students spend too much time on Facebook, but that can also serve as a networking tool. Students have to have the discipline to be able to distinguish if they have the time for distractions or if they need to get some homework done.
About the only thing I can relate to in Postman’s article is when he talks about the principle functions of school is to teach children how to behave in groups. Children do need to know how to participate in a disciplined way, but it is not entirely the schools responsibility. Parents also have the responsibility to train their children at home to be socially responsible, to help them think critically and to act right! Information is not the cause of crime; it is not the cause of marriages breaking up either. I don’t agree at all with Neil Postman’s article when he states that information has become a form of garbage.
The Charles Reigeluth article was much more enjoyable for me to read than Postman’s. Postman appears to be out of date with reality and maybe angry with the technological advancements that have been implemented in schools in the last 20 years. Reigeluth is more forward thinking and positive about what can transform schools to make quantum improvements in the way we teach and learn.
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