The Future of Teaching

Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology

Examples of Distributed Learning

Academic Distributed Learning:

www.tamu-commerce.edu
Distributed learning in academic environments includes established institutions that have branched out into online learning as well as virtual institutions that have never provided traditional classroom settings. I have loved the fact that I have been able to earn my Master's Degree from TAMU-Commerce online. At age 50, the thought of heading back to a college campus located 100 miles from home would have been prohibitive. I feel that I have learned as much or more than I would have if I had attended onsite classes. I have been able to form relationships with instructors and peers even though I may have never met them in person, and learning has been accomplished through numerous, flexible avenues.

Hybrid classes:

http://www.smc.edu/csis/hybrid/index.htm

Santa Monica College, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems

Hybrid courses are presented in a unique way designed to give the student an integrated and flexible learning environment using a combination of traditional on-campus classes and the Internet.

Skills-based training:

Existing and emerging technologies will help to provide flexible and adaptable training to the globally distributed United States Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Steve Jones, head of the Marine Corps Distance Learning Branch, points out that "The transition to a distributed online learning environment in the Marine Corps is as much a challenge to our conventional thinking on training and education as it is a technical challenge to implement. Therefore, my objectives during the early phase of the Distance Learning program are to deliver training solutions that add value, that our Marines can relate to, and that are easilty adaptable. The capabilities of instructional and information technologies today will enable us to meet those objectives." Moving forward, Lt. Col. Jones and the Distance Learning Branch staff will focus on delivering high-quality, interactive, online training to all Marines.

MarineNet Distributive Learning Infrastructure

Distributed Learning via virtual institutions:

http://www.mivhs.org/

The Michigan Virtual School is an online resource that enables Michigan high schools and middle schools to provide courses (all taught by certified teachers) and other learning tools that students wouldn't otherwise have access to. It was funded by the Michigan legislature in July 2000 to be operated by the Michigan Virtual University, a private, not-for-profit Michigan corporation. MVS works in cooperation with individual school districts to grant course credit and diplomas.

Virtual classes:

http://www.iconlogic.com/VirtualCourses.htm

Attend a live, online (virtual) training class from the comfort of your home or office. All you need is a high-speed internet connection, the software, a headset/microphone or speakerphone and one or two days to learn the essentials of Adobe Photo Shop CS5 Essentials.

Reusability

Reusability is defined as the ability to use the same resource multiple times in multiple ways and in multiple contexts. I believe that, for the most part, most of the courses I've taken throughout my educational career have been reusable. I guess the ones I don't consider to be reusable would be the ones that presented a huge amount of new technology in such a short amount of time that I was unable to "absorb" it to the point where I could reuse it. LIS 557 (mini-term) was my first technology class. This course presented a massive amount of information in a very short time, and since I'm not a digital native, I struggle with technology. I felt overwhelmed, and I'm sure I missed out on a lot of good information and resources that would be useful in my present job. Possible solutions would be for me to retake the course or to have taken this particular course over a longer period of time after I had learned the eCollege system better. The questions from the chapter in the text ask: "Can I find it?" "May I use it?" "Will it work?" "Can I use it in a way that works for me?" Since my answer to all four questions is "not easily", I would need to revisit most of the information presented in the course.

Rich Media

One example of rich media that is used at our elementary school is Study Island, a web-based product that presents students with academic content that is both fun and engaging. All programs are built from state standards and effectively support learning objectives through this "rich media". Reading Eggs, Study Island's early literacy program for learners ages 4-8, engages students with video, interactive animations, sound and simulation. Even though the authors site studies that have found that there is no significant difference between learning from a series of still visuals and learning with animation, I believe that when it comes to motivating and engaging young learners, rich media is a huge asset.

Nanotechnology

What do the libraries of the future look like? Is it possible that tomorrow's students will have instant access (possibly voice activated or implanted under the skin) to the world's vast knowledge anytime or anyplace? With ever smaller consumer technologies becoming available as a result of unique properties of nanomaterials, the face of information management is changing. In the future, I can invision miniscule "pocket libraries" available to all individuals. What will that mean for the role of librarians? Will we be needed? Will we simply serve as guides?

I tend to agree with Brent Wilson that we should encourage openness in ideology and method, or "The Broad and Inclusive Road" when it comes to the direction of the field. I believe that flexibility and openness to change brings about innovative ideas and creativity. With more informal methods of sharing, the opportunity to go beyond established rules and implement broader boundaries, open communciation and collaboration are more likely to occur. The benefit, as stated in the text, is finding innovations to adapt and move forward.

Section 6: Getting an IDT Position and Succeeding at It

I searched http://www.careerbuilder.com/ to locate the following position of interest:

VisionCor is a professional services firm specializing in Learning Devleopment Solutions and Facilitation: Content Management and Delivery and other Web-Based Solutions. The company is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Position of interest: Instructional Designer

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a leader of cross-functional (curriculum, video, multimedia, SME) teams to design, develop, and deliver training using multiple delivery methods
• Analyze existing products and e-learning language courses for issues in both usability and learning efficacy
• Liaison between SMEs and in-house or external design and development teams
• Determine the appropriate interactivity to meet learning objectives defined by the SMEs
• Develop design documents, course/lesson outlines and storyboards
• Create learning aids and interactive reference sections for courses and products
• Develop sound objectives, lessons, engaging activities, and valid assessments
• Conduct user testing to identify usability issues in current and future products
• Be actively involved and interested in online learning trends and be able to make decisions about future directions in regards to LMS and e-learning tool choices

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Instructional Systems Design, Instructional Technology, Adult Education or related discipline
• Five or more years experience (preferred) in curricular-based instrutional design; applying adult learning theories, assessment, and evaluation to course design, development in diverse content areas; applying different technologies to instructional activities.
• Demonstrated project management experience and experience working as member of a project team
• Competence working in online environments for communication and/or development
• Possesses strong interpersonal written, and oral communication skills , with the capacity to distill complex and/or technical information into concise, influential communications for technical and non-technical audiences

I believe that I possess many of the skills required to be successful in this position. With a background in Business Administration (Bachelor's Degree) and Education (20 years of experience) along with a Master's Degree in LIS/ETEC I have the experience and ability to work with subject matter experts and design teams to design and develop materials and academic courses grounded in sound educational theory and best practices in instructional design. I have knowledge of media technology; media development tools and course management systems; an ability to interact and effectively communicate; presentation skills; and the ability to work in a team environment.


I searched http://www.jobtarget.com/ to locate the following position of interest:

Position of Interest: Instructional Designer, Office of Distance Education
University of Nevada, Las Vegas - UNLV

The Instructional Designer is responsible for ongoing training and support of individual Distance Education faculty. In collaboration with the instructional design team, this position assists in the selection, design, production and implementation of distance education strategies.

Responsibilities:

• Teaching various distance education technologies to faculty including Blackboard/Vista 4
• Collaboration with the instructional design team to identify objectives and prescribe instrucitonal strategies based on analysis of client needs and goals
• Matching faculty abilities and objectives with appropriate technology and production methods
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective handling of multiple projects simultaneously

Qualifications:

Qualifications include a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology, Instructional Design, or related field from an accredited college or universtiy and three years experience in related work environment with distance education technologies and instructional required.

This job position is appealing to me for several reasons. I love the college atmosphere and feel that I possess the qualifications required for this job. After earning a Master's Degree through the distance education program at TAMU, I feel that I have seen evidence of what is entailed in a good distance education course. Instructors have used various methods and technology, some have been more effective than others, and I've been able to see first hand how important effective communication and course management is to distance education learners. I feel that I'm a good collaborator and with strong communication and interpersonal skills.

I searched www.astd.org to locate the following position of interest:

Position: Manager of Training and Education, S.D. Myers, Inc.

This position will oversee and be responsible for the overall operations - production and delivery - of SDMI's training and education to external customers. They will be responsible for organizational structure, product development, product delivery, student experience, strategic direction of offerings and department, establishing SDMI as the leader in training and education in the transformer marketplace.

Responsibilities:

• Overall strategic direction of the SDMI Training & Education business in alignment with Charter and strategy of SDMI
• Development, delivery, and enhancement of offerings in terms of technical training/education,overall curriculum, instructional mehtods, delivery media
• Part time instructor and curriculum/content developer

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Instructional Design, Program Development, Adult Education or related field
• Electronic and web-based education development and delivery
• Operational experience in technical field (developing curriculum, training, leadership, etc.)
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to form and maintain relationships at all levels within the company
• Ability to work independently and problem solve

I believe that I possess most of the skills that this job requires. With my business background in addition to the years I've spent in the field of education and curriculum, I feel that this would be a very exciting position. With a strong sense of commitment and a desire to work with a team, I believe I could be an effective leader with much to offer this company.

After completing "Your Career Positioning System", a self-assessment tool located in the ASTD Career Navigator website, some of my strengths and weaknesses were identified. The assessment that I took was aimed at entry-level manager positions. I wasn't really surprised by the results since I rated myself, and I am aware that my strengths are interpersonal relationships and management. My weaknesses, as evidenced by the self assessment, are analysis and evaluation of data. In the Business/Management category, my proficiency level met the Target Proficiency Level with the exception of Item #2 (Applies business acumen by building a business case for the organization's learning agenda). In the Interpersonal category, my proficiency level met or exceeded the Target Proficiency Level with the exception of Item #7 (communicates effectively, both orally and written). I realize more than ever that communication is an area I need to improve upon. The results for the Personal category revealed that one of my strengths is Item #12 (models personal development by building new knowledge and skills). In the Improving Human Performance category my proficiency level fell below the Target Proficiency Level in two areas (Item # 13 -analyzes systems related to the performance gap and Item #15- Conducts cause analysis to determine basis of performance gap). In the Measuring and Evaluating category results show that I am not proficient in analyzing and interpreting data. Coaching, Managing Organizational Knowledge, and Managing the Learning Function are my strengths while there is need for improving two areas in the Designing Learning category (Item 60-Designs a curriculum or program and Item 61 - Creates designs or specifications for instructional material). In the Delivering Training category, my proficiency level met or exceeded the Target Proficiency Level in all areas. Overall, I learned that my strengths are training and managing people. My weakness are analysis, evaluation, and curriculum design.

Professional Organizations:

Association for the Advancement of Computing In Education

Mission: To advance the knowledge, theory and quality of teaching and learning at all levels with information technology.

Cost of Membership: Professional Membership $115 Student Membership $35

Publications: Journal of Interactive Learning Research, Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, International Journal on e-Learning

Conferences & Meetings: ED-MEDIA - World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications; and E-Learn - World Conference on e-Learning in Corporate, Government, Health Care and Higher Education.

Opportunities for professional development: AACE Digital Library - thousands of journal articles and conference proceedings to assist members in their efforts to conduct scholarly research, keep current on the latest research and publications in their field, and maintain their academic interests in the area of information technology in education

Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)

Mission: To facilitate humane learning through systematic development, utilization, and management of learning resources, which include people, processes, and media in educational settings.

Cost of membership: Regular membership $125 (with ETR&D $170) Student membership $75

Publications: Educational Technology, Research & Development (bi-monthly journal), TechTrends (bi-monthly journal), Quarterly Review of Distance Education

Conferences and meetings: annual international convention, summer conference focused on specialized topics

Opportunities for professional development: international conventions, publications, job placement center, summer conferences focused on specialized topics

Professional Publications:

Educational Technology Magazine

Focus/goals: This publication is not a research journal. The editors' goal is to include articles which interpret research and/or practical applications of scientific knowledge in education and training environments.

Submission guidelines: State facts succinctly, explain implications of research, applications, suggestions. Style of writing should be informal. Identify opinions as such. No length restrictions (most are under 3000 words). Charts/photographs are permitted. Submit two copies with stamped/self-addressed envelope. All papers should be typed (double-spaced) on standard paper. May submit electonically as e-mail attachment. The author should be identified by his/her current job title.

Is this a peer reviewed journal? No

Is the journal online? No

TechTrends

Focus/goals: To provide a vehicle for the exchange of information among professional practitioners concerning the management of media and programs, the application of educational technology principles and techniques to instructional programs, corporate and military training, and any other kinds of information that can contribute to the advancement of knowledge of practice in the field.

Submission guidelines: APA format, 1000-4000 words, submit in Word or RTF, Times New Roman or Arial 12 pt. font. For detailed guidelines see "Instructions for Authors" on the website. Submit to TechTrends by email or paper mail.

Is this a peer reviewed journal? Yes

Is the journal online? Yes

I was vaguely familiar with the publications of these two organizations. In fact, I have read Information Power while working on my degree and was surprised to see that it was co-authored by AECT. I have begun to understand how important these organizations are to the field of educational technology, and I will make it one of my goals to be more informed and stay abreast of current issues in the field through these organizations and publications. Too many times when I've come across some of the publicatons mentioned in this chapter and in these websites, I've laid them to the side to read later when I have time...which usually never happens. The field of technology is constantly in a state of change and innovation, so I must take time to be aware of what is happening.

If I were responsible for identifying the domains, competencies and performance statements for a performance technologist they would include:

• Good communication skills since their job entails communicating with clients, employers, and other professionals. The performance technologist must be able to communicate well in order to help employers and organizations make decisions about training, job applicants, evaluating personnel, etc. This position requires the ability to share skills and knowledge with other professionals.
  
• Systematic approach to problem identification and problem solving. The performance technologist would need to clearly see the "big picture" in order to solve performance problems. Once problems were identified, the performance technologist should possess the skills necessary to address the needs, develop a plan and lead clients in working together to solve the problems.
• Ethical and honest behavior in reporting data and handling clients' personal information.
• Strong interpersonal relationships and willingness to form partnerships and collaborate with other professionals.

Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

• 
  
  This video showing footage of Objet's PolyJet helped me understand the concept of rapid prototyping better.
  
  Rapid Prototyping is an exciting, but costly, technology that allows students to bring their ideas to reality. It is a computer program that constructs three-dimensional models of work derived from a computer aided design (CAD) drawing. With the use of rapid prototyping, one can quickly and easily turn product designs into physical samples. The rapid prototyping process begins with a three-dimensional, virtual object in a computer. The next step is to slice this virtual object into layers using a specialized computer program. The computer sends the information about each layer, starting with the bottom layer, to a rapid prototyping machine. The machine then builds a plastic, wax, or paper prototype from the bottom layer up. Higher layers are then added on top of lower layers until the prototype is complete.
  
  
  The fifth graders at our school do an annual Medieval unit. Each student is responsible for creating a project, and many of them choose to create models of castles, weapons, or armor. This technology would present a way to turn their designs into 3-dimensional models. How cool would that be?
  
  If I were hired by the military as a consultant and electronic access was not always available for technology, I might suggest that in order to provide training anywhere and anytime they would need to utilize "Deployable Learning Resource Centers" that store and distribute training software and host the management tools to monitor, test, and record learner progress. These mobile units would consist of a server, network switch, printer, and laptop stations. The system could connect to external networks or could even be sent to field locations via wireless systems. this "solution on wheels" would provide valuable and continuous support to otherwise inaccessible locations.

To introduce The Guidance System for Transforming Education (GSTE) and Step-Up-To-Excellence (SUTE) in a staff development activity to my colleagues, I would have them brainstorm and come up with a plan to take a low-performing school system and transform it to a higher-performing school system using these whole-system methodologies.

In order to incorporate GSTE, we would:
1) Discuss the values of the troubled school system and compare these values with those
core values underlying GSTE
2) Outline a chronological series of activities or "discrete
events"for engaging in systemic change. This would call for a discussion of what is not working in the low-performing system and suggestions of revisions that would bring about change. The following phases would be included in this revision process:
Phase 1: Initiate systemic change effort
Phase 2: Develop a starter team
Phase 3: Develop a district-wide framework and capacity for change
Phase 4: Create ideal designs for a new educational system
3) Discuss "continuous events" that would need to be addressed continuously throughout the
change process such as sustaining motivation, building team spirit, building a community,
building and maintaining trust, etc.

In order to incorporate SUTE, we would:

• Discuss the attributes of good leaders who could effectively guide this mission and serve on the strategic leadership team
• Brainstorm some pre-launch activities that might be effective in preparing the district for whole-system change (such as building political support or documentation of the need for change)
• Discuss how the school district could be redesigned by improving the district's relationship with its external environment. Identify problems and offer possible solutions. How could the district's core and supporting work processes be improved? How can the district's internal social infrastructure be improved?
• Discuss how clusters of schools and supporting workers work together to bring about change
• Discuss the role of the Site Improvement Team
• Discuss ways Organization Learning Networks serve as learning communities to create and support opportunities for learning
• Discuss how On-Track Seminars examine what happened and "why" it happened by using formative and summative evaluation data
• Discuss qualities that would be required to successfully serve as a Transformation Coordinator.
• Discuss ways that IDT specialists can work to create improvements in the process that creates and sustains improvements.

Faculty Development Programs:

Michigan State Univeristy

The Office of Faculty and Organizational Development is part of Academic Human Resources in the Office of the Provost. It supports faculty, staff and administrators in teaching, research, outreach and leadership. It offers workshops and seminars for faculty leaders, cohort programs, consultation/services for instructors, community building programs such as faculty social gatherings and faculty development networks, orientations for new staff, information about grants and activities, and various resources for instructors. Some specific programs offered are Leadership and Administrator (LEAD) Seminar Series, Executive Leadership Academy, SoTL Symposium, and From Associate Professor to Professor: Productive Decision-Making at Mid Career.

University of Connecticut

The Institute for Teaching and Learning offers a full range of faculty development programs to all faculty. The formats range from individual consultation services to departmental workshops, from books groups and learning communities to campus-wide teaching institutes. All services are free and confidential. "Teaching to Go" is a program offered where faculty can choose from a variety of workshops to be delivered to department meetings. Additional services offered are Brown Bag Seminar, Departmental Support, New Faculty Orientaton, and Resources for Veterans.

Kent State Universtiy

The Faculty Professional Development Center at Kent State provides opportunities, leadership and support for faculty and is under the Office of the Provost. In addition to workshops and programs designed to support faculty and graduate students in their professional development, the FPDC offers free consultations, a faculty classroom equipped with smart board, laptops and meeting table for faculty who want to hold department meetings or need a space to collaborate or create projects, and a studio with technology resources including printing and scanning equipment. Some of the programs currently being offered are Service Learning designed to enrich the understanding of course content, broaden appreciation of the discipline, and enhance development of civic responsibility; Action Reads which entails taking action related to a common reading and sharing the results with colleagues; and the Moulton Scholars Program which provides faculty with resources to use technology in their scholarly work.

Session 4: Human Performance Technology

One of the main performance problems I face in my job as Librarian/Media Specialist at Atlanta
Elementary School is teachers' reluctance to use technology that is available and easily accessible to them. Many excellent resources are available for them to use, but even though the district has gone to the expense of training the teachers to use them, they fail to do so for a variety of reasons. Those reasons may be lack of time, lack of interest, feelings of inadequacy in using technology, or failure to see the value of the resource in helping them reach the desired outcomes through the performance of their students. One possible intervention to improve human performance in this situation might be to include an incentive system in which teachers would be rewarded for the use of these resources which include hardware, software, databases, online resources, etc. An example might be to offer a "reward" such as a flash drive, a surge protector, a FLIP camera, or the use of an iPad for a year to a teacher who wins a contest that exhibits his/her implementation of the "Technology of the Month". Hopefully this would be a step toward improving the quality of human performance and increasing success by transferring skills and knowledge to the classrooms.

According to the text, "the primary goal of an electronic performance support system is to enable people to perform their work more effectively by providing workers with whatever is needed, at the time it is needed to perform a task". Wikipedia defines EPSS as "any computer software program or component that improves user performance".
William Bezanxon's defines a performance support system as providing "just-in-time, just enough training, information, tools and help for users of a product or work environment to enable optimum performance by those users when and where needed, thereby also enhancing the performance of the overall business".

The definition I found that I tend to prefer is published by webbasedtraining.com in which EPSS is defined as applications designed to run simultaneously with other applications or embedded within applications that provide support for the user in accomplishing specific tasks. An EPSS may provide needed information, present job aids, and deliver just-in-time, context-sensitive training on demand. This definition clearly states that an EPSS provides training on demand and may be imbedded in the application. After reading this definition, it began to click with me that I am already using many forms of EPSS.

One EPSS that I use on a daily basis is Follett's Destiny software that integrates library circulation, inventory, cataloging, patron status, fines, due dates, etc. When a book is scanned at the circulation desk, the program adjusts the corresponding inventory records, pulls up the patron's status, checks for fines or overdue books, allows me to see how many copies we have and whether or not they are available for check out from another campus within our district. In addition the software allows me to create and print notices and reports and offers online help and technical support. At the touch of button, I have immediate access to accurate information which enables me to better manage the library or receive the help and training that I need to accomplish my goals.

I believe EPSS have not been widely used for several reasons. Employees are often resistant to change. Jobs are often redefined as EPSS are implemented and users are reluctant to adapt to a new way of doing things, so they fail to embrace new processes. These new systems are often expensive up front and require time for development and implementation. Training is often ineffective and does not transfer to the actual workplace. I believe that as the potential of EPSS is realized, however, they will be more readily accepted and more widely used.

Information overload and a rapidly changing electronic workplace is definitely a challenge for me everyday. The enormous quantity of information and data that has become available in the computer era has presented a new set of problems for organizations such as schools. Teachers are often bombarded with mounds of data that must be managed in an organized, meaningful manner. An example would be reading levels of students in grades 3-5. The levels are derived from the Star Reading Test and this data is then used to develop plans of action for the most effective instruction in reading for the particular student. A blended instructional approach would be formal training of teachers blended with daily on-the-job experience. This may entail formal training by a company representative or one-on-one training in the classroom setting. In addition, online help and troubleshooting which are continuously updated are available. Transfer of knowledge is always the goal and training simply supports the knowledge.

When our school librarian retired five years ago and I suddenly found myself taking on the responsibities of serving in that position, I had no experience and no idea of what the job required. I was fortunate, however, to have the district librarian as a mentor who was willing to spend time with me and show me the ropes. Even though I have had quite a bit of formal training, I have learned a great deal from the informal training I have received from her and the other librarians in the district. I was forced to take on the role of information seeker and my learning has been driven by the real life situation that I suddenly found myself in. The four librarians in our district occasionally meet for lunch to chat about issues and share wisdom. I have gained an incredible amount of helpful information in these informal situations. We have formed a special relationship as we have collaborated and learned from each other. I would say that my mentor's approach has been one of a "coach" who has encouraged, informed, and gently "nudged" me to embrace technology. I value this learning experience and consider it to be a valuable resource.

Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

Evaluation in Instructional Design

CIRO Model

The CIRO Model is an evaluation approach that is described in the work of P. Warr, M. Bird and N. Rackham. It is based on four measurement categories but differs from the Kirkpatrick Model in several respects. The four categories are:

Context evaluation - measures the context within which a program takes place. It takes into account the way performance needs were identified, learning objectives were established, and the way the objectives link to and support the necessary competencies.

Input evaluation - measures a number of inputs and focuses on the resources needed to meet performance needs (e.g. staff, facilities, equipment, budget)

Reaction evaluation - measures how the participants reacted to the program. Draws on the participants' opinions of the program and how it might be improved.

Outcome evaluation - measures the training and development outcomes against the objectives.

By using this model I would first take into consideration the context within which the instruction takes place (in my case it would be a library setting). I would ask myself if the needs had been identified, if the objectives had been clearly stated, and whether the objectives supported the competencies. Next, I would need to determine if the resources were adequate to meet the needs. Were the staff, facilities, equipment, budget adequate to get the job done? Then I would reflect upon how the partipants had responded to the program. What did they think about the instruction? Were they actively engaged? What would they change? Finally, I would measure outcome of the instruction? Were the objectives effectively taught? Was there growth? Did the outcome meet the objectives?

Connoisseurship Model

Eisner's Connoisseurship Model involves a connoisseur or expert in a field of study estimating the worth of a new innovation. According to Eisner (1998), connoisseurship is the "art of appreciation" and educational connoisseurs are those who have a distintive awareness of qualitites in different settings. He thinks connoisseurs evaluate the issues by looking at their qualities and illuminate a situation so that it can be seen or appreciated by others as well. The connoisseurship model has two major implications: holistic approach to the anlysis and interpretation of data and multiple perspectives in the evaluative tasks.

I would employ this method to evaluate my instruction by taking into account the entire process of instruction, the reaction of learners, data collection, and outcomes of the instruction in order to determine qualities to be highlighted. I would then need to be able to reflect on action, engage with feelings, and be able to make informed judgements.

Technological Innovation

Rather than going to the expense of buying Smartboards, our elementary campus recently purchased Mimio Interactive devices for all teachers. The compact Mimio bar attaches to any standard whiteboard converting it into an interactive teaching medium that can manipulate anything on a computer screen right from the whiteboard. I was excited to see that most of our teachers, especially the younger digital natives, embraced this new technical innovation with enthusiasm and curiosity. There were those teachers, however, that were more hesitant to try anything new. They felt overwhelmed by all of their responsibilities and by their fear of new technology. After they had been trained on this new technology and after they realized it was relatively easy to use (complexity) most of the teachers on our campus were using the Mimio on a daily basis. The relative advantage of this new technology is that it offers an innovative way for teachers to create engaging, student-centered, interactive lessons to encourage active learning. Mimio technology is compatible with the needs of teachers and learners. It offers teachers ready-to-use lesson content, enlivens lessons with audio and video, records lessons to be reused whenever needed, or enables them to import existing lessons from Powerpoint or Adobe Acrobat. Mimio offers a range of training resources to fit the needs of users. It is easy to use right out of the box but they offer a flexible range of training programs if help is needed. As far as I know there is no free trial. The way I handled trialability on our campus was to purchase one and allow teachers the opportunity to come for onsight training and "try it out". Observable benefits of this new technology on our campus have been rapid adoption, widespread use, and active envolvement from learners.

Situational Leadership

As educators, we all understand the term "scarcity" when it comes to resources. With budgets being cut, staff being reduced and demands on our time stretched to the limit, these chapters hit home for me. Due to a reduction in staff, I no longer have a full-time library aide; however, my job requirements are increasing, and I often feel overwhemed by the responsibilities of my job. Personally, it would terrify me to find that I was responsible for professional development for technology use. When I stop and think about it, though, I am already responsible for some of it. I am responsible for the purchase of equipment which often includes training. I am proud to say that we have significantly increased the amount of technology being implemented in our classrooms since I assumed my position as librarian/media specialist almost 5 years ago. The phases involved in Situational Leadership are employed as follows:

Phase 1: When we first acquire new technology, the program must be supervised closely. Users must be trained with detailed information on how to use the equipment or program.

Phase 2: As the users gain confidence, my role as leader is to continue to explain and clarify use of the technology by answering questions and monitoring in order to help the learning process flow smoothly.

Phase 3: Now is the time to make sure that positive results are being produced and users are rewarded for their effort. These rewards might be intrinsic (feeling of pride at their accomplishments) or extrinsic (opportunity to share what they've accomplished with cohorts). The objective here is to make certain users feel informed and successful in using the new technology.

Phase 4: Once the learning has taken place, my role is to monitor the program and give users the opportunity to work on their own to produce a product.

Section 2: Theories and Models of Learning and Instruction

TEKS for Technology Applications

Grades 3-5

Learning goal: (8)C The student is expected to participate with electronic communities as a

learner, initiator, contributor, or mentor.

I would incorporate Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction by having students generate a blog in which they reflect on books they are reading throughout the year. These reflections are to be shared with their classmates in an online book club.

Gaining attention - Read a short picture book and allow students to discuss the book orally.

Informing the learner of the objective - State the objective and explain to students

what is expected. Make sure they understand what should be included in the blog

reflections.Post the learning objective in the classroom.

Stimulating recall of prior learning - Ask students to briefly reflect orally on their

favorite book.

Presenting the stimulus - Demonstrate to students via Jing presentation how to create a

blog using Blogger.com. Explain how they are to post reflections and follow other blogs.

Providing learning guidance - Provide an example of a blog that exhibits all of the

qualities to be included in the blog.

Eliciting performance - Students will generate a blog and reflect on their favorite book by

posting a written reflection in their blog.

Providing feedback - Instructor will comment in the blog offering feedback about the

initial posting.

Assessing performance - After students have posted a book reflection, instructor will

assess students' performance using a rubric with a 5 pt. scale that rates the following criteria:

participation, content, grammar, and creativity.

Enhancing retention and transfer - Students will work together to create a classroom

blog that gives information about classroom activities, upcoming events, favorite books,

assignments, etc.

Schema Theory - Since students in grades 3-5 have experience in reading books and reflecting on them in oral and written reports, this would be considered schemata. I would incorporate this schema into the lesson encouraging them to use what they already knew to develop new and more complex schemata through experience and learning in the form of electronic blogs.

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

Click to enlarge image

How do they compare?

Click to enlarge image

Merrill's First Principles

1. Problem centered - Let me do the task!

Provide students with clear and complete instruction on "how-to" generate a blog and discuss different uses for an electronic blog. Make certain that students understand the instructional goals and are able to see the "big picture" or the "whole task."

2. Activation - Where do I start?

Ask students to consider their favorite book and give a brief oral book talk. Direct students to recall important information to be included in a book report (prior knowledge). Question students about why they recommend the book and invite them to publish an electronic "book talk". To create interest in reading and book discussions, students will publish their personal reflections about books in their own blog that can be shared with classmates.

3. Demonstration - Don't just tell me, show me!

Provide students with a range of examples of blogs that include the criteria that is to be included in the assignment. Use a Jing presentation to guide students through the process of setting up an account, creating a blog, and posting a reflection. A clear, narrative description along with this visual model of the sequence of events that characterize the process enable students to think about and recall prior knowledge.

4. Application -- Let me do it!

Provide learners with the opportunity to practice and apply their new knowledge and skills by generating a blog and posting their first personal reflection about their favorite book. Check for student understanding and offer corrective feedback and redirect if necessary.

5. Integration - Watch me!

Provide learners with the opportunity to use their new knowledge and skills by joining the class book club, generating a blog in which they post personal reflections about books, share favorite authors, and recommend books to classmates.

Whole-task approach refers to the shift in instructional design to a holistic approach in which objectives are not taught one-by-one or in isolation. Instead, instruction integrates skills in an effort to teach the "whole task." Creating a blog would be taught as a whole task consisting of the following subskills: Create an account using Blogger, post a reflection, edit post, insert a picture, embed a video, and publish the blog.

Scaffolding refers to the idea that specialized instructional supports need to be in place in order to facilitate learning. Some scaffolding techniques might include using a Jing presentation to model the subskills, activating prior knowledge by reflecting on what information would be included in a written book report, and conducting book talks on popular new books to pique interest.

Mathemagenic methods, like other holistic design approaches, aim at learning goals that go beyond a limited list of specific examples, and teach for transfer in order to foster learning. By asking leading questions throughout the learning task, the instructor may help students to transfer information and reach a more general understanding. By asking the students to read and analyze other blogs and give constructive feedback or by asking students to generate blogs for a variety of purposes, transfer of knowledge has taken place.

ARCS Model

Click to enlarge

Students often have difficulties integrating the things they learn into a knowledge base and transfering this knowledge in their work and daily lives. A well-designed, holistic approach helps learners to coordinate integrated objectives and allows for transfer that goes beyond the classroom into the real world. The development of holistic instructional design models based on sound research have made a real difference in educational practices. As a result of this evidence-based instructional design, learners are learning to see the whole picture rather than learning in fragmented objectives that don't transfer to real and useful knowledge.

Section 1 - Defining the Field

Click to enlarge

I must admit that until recently I was one of those people who considered instructional technology to be any media (hardware or software) used for instructional purposes. I gave little thought to what was actually involved in instructionaol technology and usually thought only of the physical components used to present the instruction such as computers, software, and audio/visual equipment. I have come to realize, however, that instructional technology is much more than instructional media.

I would agree with the authors of the text that the field should be termed Instructional design and technology. I would define it as a systematic process that includes the design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of instruction that uses technology to facilitate learning and improve performance. The process should be based on research findings, goals should be specified at the outset, and the user should be the focus of the instruction.

After studying the Dick, Carey and Carey Model, it all begins to make sense to me. I wouldn't change anything in the model as I consider every facet to be an integral part effective instruction. In fact, as I begin to think about how we are using technology at out elementary school, I realize that much of what we do with technology follows this model. The model supports all six characteristics of instructional design. According to Dick, Carey, & Carey, the first step in the process is to assess needs of the learners and identify the goal(s) of the instruction. If the goals are specified at the outset, then learners will know exactly what is to be the desired outcome of the instruction. In addition, if the learner's needs are assessed and the learners are analyzed early in the process, the instruction can be designed to accommodate the needs and goals of the learners. Therefore, the instruction learner centered and goal oriented. As stated in the text, "learners may be given opportunities to select their own objectives and/or learning methods in some circumstances". The power to learn is then placed in the user's court resulting in meaningful performance that is relevant for the learner.

One of the characteristics of instructional design is that outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way. This is a major component of the Dick, Carey, and Carey model. Performance measures must be clearly identified and reliable and valid assessment instruments developed. Instructional design should be research-based and as the model indicates, instruction should be revised as needed according to data collected throughout the process. This process often requires a combined effort of a team.

I felt a little nostalgic after reading the history of instructional design and technology in Chapter 3. As a young elementary student in the early 1960's I remember watching science films and viewing slides in school. When I compare the films of that era with the amazing multimedia presentations of today, I realize how far audiovisual instruction has come. The first interaction I had with a computer was in high school, and no one that I knew was very knowledgeable when it came to using one. Even as a college student and a beginning teacher, I had not been exposed to the modern technology of today. In my early years of teaching we were still using overhead projectors and cassette recordings, and the few computers that we had access to were used for word processing, record keeping, and AR quizzes. It was not until recently that I began to use technology as an instructional resource. After beginning my quest to become a certified librarian/media specialist, I became more interested in how to use technology to enhance learning. I now consider myself to be a facilitator of learning and instruction for students and teachers.

Technology has opened many avenues to education at all levels. In rural communities or small school districts, students are offered opportunities to enroll in online courses and distance education classes that would otherwise be unavailable to them. High school students can take courses through distance education . When I decided to further my education, the graduate degree plan that I was interested in was not offered in my area. I would not be able to travel the distance required to physically attend classes at TAMU. The perfect solution has been the online coursework that I have taken through TAMU-Commerce. I have come to realize after taking many online courses that the best teachers are often the students' themselves and that online learning is not impersonal...rather that it can more effectively meet the needs of the learner.

With the increased presence of technology and the introduction of the Internet into schools, the uses of technology in the field of education are endless. However, we must be careful not to use technology for technology's sake, but we must keep the needs of the learners as the focus of instruction. One way I anticipate using technology as an elementary librarian is to allow my young students to create a blog in which they share their thoughts and reflections about what they are reading with their classmates. The blog that we are using for this class has given me insight into how blogs allow students to express their thoughts and opinions in a very non-threatening way.

Hi! Welcome to my blog! Stay tuned for more!