Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Started New Semester
Wow, I can't believe that I have started a new semester already. I am taking two courses this semester, but neither teacher is requiring that I blog on a daily basis. However, since I liked doing it, I thought I would continue to blog anyway. So I will continue to post until the homework in my two Masters' classes gets to hard. :)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Oh where, oh where will I be????????????
EDTC 6010 question: What setting or settings are you interested in working in when you receive your respective degree in Instructional Technology? Explain how you will fit in this particular setting. What questions (if any) do you have about working in this particular work setting?
The setting that I can see myself in after I receive my degree would have to be an educational one. For the last 19 years I have worked in this setting and enjoy the interaction I have with students and parents. Although I understand that if I would move into an IT position, the type of interaction would be different. However, the ultimate goal of improving learning and performance would still be the same. For me to be in any other setting, such as in business or industry would leave me feeling like a fish out of water. Although a majority of instructional design opportunities are in the business and industry setting, I don't think that would be for me. If I wasn't sure of that before, it certainly was made clearer to me after reading my business classmates blogs and discussion posts.
Since I have experience being on the SIT (School Improvement Team) committee at my school, I was able to make connections between it and the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) mentioned in Chapter 21. It is just the next circle out in the big picture, which I see with the small circle being the individual child, then the individual classroom, then the individual school and then the school district, and eventually extending out to the state level and then ending at the national level. I can see myself being a teacher representative on the SLT team initiating and implementing the Step-Up-To-Excellence process to create and sustain whole-district improvement. I think I have a good amount of insight from being a classroom teacher in various private, public and government classrooms and would be able to add valuable understanding to the process. I have watched many administrators try to piecemeal change, and have not found it to be very effective.
One question that I have about working in this setting would be about how to get on the SLT team. In chapter 21, it stated that principals and teachers are appointed by their peers. I thought this to be a very interesting way to become a team member. I have noticed all too often that from a very young age on, any group that is appointed or elected by their peers becomes a popularity contest. This will not necessarily put the best applicants on the team. However, when I tried to come up with a better way to select candidates, I was unable to think of one.
The setting that I can see myself in after I receive my degree would have to be an educational one. For the last 19 years I have worked in this setting and enjoy the interaction I have with students and parents. Although I understand that if I would move into an IT position, the type of interaction would be different. However, the ultimate goal of improving learning and performance would still be the same. For me to be in any other setting, such as in business or industry would leave me feeling like a fish out of water. Although a majority of instructional design opportunities are in the business and industry setting, I don't think that would be for me. If I wasn't sure of that before, it certainly was made clearer to me after reading my business classmates blogs and discussion posts.
Since I have experience being on the SIT (School Improvement Team) committee at my school, I was able to make connections between it and the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) mentioned in Chapter 21. It is just the next circle out in the big picture, which I see with the small circle being the individual child, then the individual classroom, then the individual school and then the school district, and eventually extending out to the state level and then ending at the national level. I can see myself being a teacher representative on the SLT team initiating and implementing the Step-Up-To-Excellence process to create and sustain whole-district improvement. I think I have a good amount of insight from being a classroom teacher in various private, public and government classrooms and would be able to add valuable understanding to the process. I have watched many administrators try to piecemeal change, and have not found it to be very effective.
One question that I have about working in this setting would be about how to get on the SLT team. In chapter 21, it stated that principals and teachers are appointed by their peers. I thought this to be a very interesting way to become a team member. I have noticed all too often that from a very young age on, any group that is appointed or elected by their peers becomes a popularity contest. This will not necessarily put the best applicants on the team. However, when I tried to come up with a better way to select candidates, I was unable to think of one.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
M & M's Media and Methods
Based upon your own teaching experiences (if any) and the contents of this lesson, what instructional media formats interest you? What instructional methods do you currently use this instructional media within an instructional setting? How do you anticipate using this instructional media within an instructional setting in the future? Make sure that you describe specific instructional methods.
One instructional media device that I would love to give my students the opportunity to work with is a Smartboard. I was lucky enough to have one at my old school and I really enjoyed using it during large group instruction. Unfortunately, we don’t have even ONE at the school where I currently teach, although the rumor is that we are supposed to be getting one for the whole school to share soon.
So for the time being, I use the 6 computers that I have in my classroom and the computer lab to enhance my lessons. I would have to say that I use the World Wide Web frequently when addressing the standards that I am teaching. Whether it is in social studies and the students are logging on in small groups or individually to become the historian and see how the First Thanksgiving went http://www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html or using virtual manipulatives at http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_322_g_2_t_1.html to get a better understanding of the math concept that they might happen to be studying. The instructional methods that I use when doing this could be individual inquiry, peer-buddy learning, small group assistance or whole group lecture. I really try to vary my methods, based on what the students might need at the time, depending on the subject or the difficulty level.
Another media that you might see used in my classroom if you would happen to stop by would be videos. Whether it is a video that is being played via the telecenter or a clip that I pulled up on Discovery Education, it is just another way to get the information across to students. If students have read about an event in history, and then watch a video clip about it, and then act it out in class, you certainly have a better chance of remembering that event. I would have to admit that these are used in conjunction with a class lecture, for the most part.
One media that I hope to start using more in the future is Gaggle blogs. The students in my class all have gaggle accounts in which I can email them information and they can email me assignments and keep in touch with their classmates. For the last two years I have noticed that students can also have a blog connected with that account. Since I have never had time to get a good understanding of what blogs are and what I can do with them in the classroom, I just always keep that component of the program turned off. Now that I am maintaining a blog for this class, I can see how I can use it in my classroom as well. I think that explicit teaching would be the method that I would use to introduce the concepts of blogs to the students.
By taking the class Introduction to Instructional Technology 6010, I hope to become familiar with other medias and become comfortable enough with them to use them in my classroom, using a variety of methods.
One instructional media device that I would love to give my students the opportunity to work with is a Smartboard. I was lucky enough to have one at my old school and I really enjoyed using it during large group instruction. Unfortunately, we don’t have even ONE at the school where I currently teach, although the rumor is that we are supposed to be getting one for the whole school to share soon.
So for the time being, I use the 6 computers that I have in my classroom and the computer lab to enhance my lessons. I would have to say that I use the World Wide Web frequently when addressing the standards that I am teaching. Whether it is in social studies and the students are logging on in small groups or individually to become the historian and see how the First Thanksgiving went http://www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html or using virtual manipulatives at http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_322_g_2_t_1.html to get a better understanding of the math concept that they might happen to be studying. The instructional methods that I use when doing this could be individual inquiry, peer-buddy learning, small group assistance or whole group lecture. I really try to vary my methods, based on what the students might need at the time, depending on the subject or the difficulty level.
Another media that you might see used in my classroom if you would happen to stop by would be videos. Whether it is a video that is being played via the telecenter or a clip that I pulled up on Discovery Education, it is just another way to get the information across to students. If students have read about an event in history, and then watch a video clip about it, and then act it out in class, you certainly have a better chance of remembering that event. I would have to admit that these are used in conjunction with a class lecture, for the most part.
One media that I hope to start using more in the future is Gaggle blogs. The students in my class all have gaggle accounts in which I can email them information and they can email me assignments and keep in touch with their classmates. For the last two years I have noticed that students can also have a blog connected with that account. Since I have never had time to get a good understanding of what blogs are and what I can do with them in the classroom, I just always keep that component of the program turned off. Now that I am maintaining a blog for this class, I can see how I can use it in my classroom as well. I think that explicit teaching would be the method that I would use to introduce the concepts of blogs to the students.
By taking the class Introduction to Instructional Technology 6010, I hope to become familiar with other medias and become comfortable enough with them to use them in my classroom, using a variety of methods.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Strengths and Weaknesses of the ISD
What is your personal assessment of the ISD model? Describe the strengths and weaknesses of this model? What activities of this model have you used in your experience as an instructor?
Personally, I think the Instructional System Design model is a fairly efficient way to plan and produce effective instructional materials. When I first started EDUC 602, I had never heard of the acronym ADDIE. Now through the various readings of the class, I have a much better understanding of ISD or ID. I think the S or system is important in there because it clarifies that there are a set number of steps to follow in it. I like the organization of that. Once I read that Debora Adler compared it to writing lesson plans, except that the lesson plans were less detailed and elaborate, then I was able to tie it to past experiences that I have had, which helped my understanding of it.
One of the strengths that I perceive of ISD is that it gives the visual (or illustration) to help understand the theory. Several of the examples from the lesson that I clicked on, I would not have been able to understand, had it not been for the illustration. If it was just written in a list form, I would have had a much harder time understanding it.
The ideas that it is learner centered, goal oriented, and focuses on meaningful performance would also be considered as a plus for me. These were all ideas that I try to make sure that I model for my student intern so that she can make sure to remember them in her lessons as well.
The one weakness that I could possibly see is that it is a team approach. This isn't always a weakness, depending on the team that is working on it. However, I have worked on some teams that would never have designed effective instruction. Each member not giving the same level of effort is also another weakness.
I am sure that at one time or another I have used every aspect of the ISD model. Unfortunately, I do not think that I have used it systematically every time I have written a lesson plan. I know at the beginning of the school year I do several needs assessments on my students to find out where they are in various subjects. After that, I think I assume that I know where they are in their needs, when I should probably evaluate them and make sure.
I also know that when I teach various concepts, I often start with a K-W-L chart, which I believe is a content analysis. Once I find out what the students know about a concept, then I can figure out what I still need to teach them, and where else they can go with that information. I try not to do the chart every time we start a new concept though, because I don't want the students to become bored with it.
Task analysis is something that I believe many teachers of the younger grades are good at. It is so very important to break down important or complex tasks into several smaller ones.
The analysis that I have the least "FORMAL" experience with is the contextual analysis. Although often in the planning stage I might think of something that I have to set up in the room or sign up for a different room that has a certain piece of equipment, I do not stop and think separately about it. I think as an elementary teacher that this analysis happens most often in conjunction with another analysis.
The design phase definitely happens all the time with me. There isn't a lesson taught in my room that I don't know what standards or objectives are being taught. Instructional strategies and methods are also second nature, as there are many different ways to teach the objectives or standards. I find the best way is to change it up, so that the kids don't get bored.
Formative evaluations happen often in my classroom, not so much in the development aspect of the lesson, but in the improvement of the lesson. If the students know something or don't understand something, that is the time to modify and adjust, not three weeks later when the unit is complete. When the unit is complete, I often do use a summative evaluation to determine how well the students master the standards.
All of these parts of an ISD lesson is what I am trying to help my intern see. I do think it makes for good effective lessons, and she will get the hang of it soon.
Personally, I think the Instructional System Design model is a fairly efficient way to plan and produce effective instructional materials. When I first started EDUC 602, I had never heard of the acronym ADDIE. Now through the various readings of the class, I have a much better understanding of ISD or ID. I think the S or system is important in there because it clarifies that there are a set number of steps to follow in it. I like the organization of that. Once I read that Debora Adler compared it to writing lesson plans, except that the lesson plans were less detailed and elaborate, then I was able to tie it to past experiences that I have had, which helped my understanding of it.
One of the strengths that I perceive of ISD is that it gives the visual (or illustration) to help understand the theory. Several of the examples from the lesson that I clicked on, I would not have been able to understand, had it not been for the illustration. If it was just written in a list form, I would have had a much harder time understanding it.
The ideas that it is learner centered, goal oriented, and focuses on meaningful performance would also be considered as a plus for me. These were all ideas that I try to make sure that I model for my student intern so that she can make sure to remember them in her lessons as well.
The one weakness that I could possibly see is that it is a team approach. This isn't always a weakness, depending on the team that is working on it. However, I have worked on some teams that would never have designed effective instruction. Each member not giving the same level of effort is also another weakness.
I am sure that at one time or another I have used every aspect of the ISD model. Unfortunately, I do not think that I have used it systematically every time I have written a lesson plan. I know at the beginning of the school year I do several needs assessments on my students to find out where they are in various subjects. After that, I think I assume that I know where they are in their needs, when I should probably evaluate them and make sure.
I also know that when I teach various concepts, I often start with a K-W-L chart, which I believe is a content analysis. Once I find out what the students know about a concept, then I can figure out what I still need to teach them, and where else they can go with that information. I try not to do the chart every time we start a new concept though, because I don't want the students to become bored with it.
Task analysis is something that I believe many teachers of the younger grades are good at. It is so very important to break down important or complex tasks into several smaller ones.
The analysis that I have the least "FORMAL" experience with is the contextual analysis. Although often in the planning stage I might think of something that I have to set up in the room or sign up for a different room that has a certain piece of equipment, I do not stop and think separately about it. I think as an elementary teacher that this analysis happens most often in conjunction with another analysis.
The design phase definitely happens all the time with me. There isn't a lesson taught in my room that I don't know what standards or objectives are being taught. Instructional strategies and methods are also second nature, as there are many different ways to teach the objectives or standards. I find the best way is to change it up, so that the kids don't get bored.
Formative evaluations happen often in my classroom, not so much in the development aspect of the lesson, but in the improvement of the lesson. If the students know something or don't understand something, that is the time to modify and adjust, not three weeks later when the unit is complete. When the unit is complete, I often do use a summative evaluation to determine how well the students master the standards.
All of these parts of an ISD lesson is what I am trying to help my intern see. I do think it makes for good effective lessons, and she will get the hang of it soon.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
How People Learn
If there was one set way that people learned and I figured that out and marketed it, I would be richer than Bill Gates. However, I am a firm believer that how people learn is a very individual thing, although there are large clumps of people that learn in similar ways. Before I logged on to write this blog, I reread a teaching philosophy that I had written two years ago when I was nominated for a teaching award. In part, I wrote
In order to understand my teaching of history, you have to understand my personal teaching philosophy. I believe that all children are entitled to an education of their mind, body, and soul. In my opinion, once a person goes into the field of education, he takes on the responsibility of supporting cognitive, physical, and affective growth of all children that he encounters. I agree with Bandura when he says “Learning can be done through observation as well as through experience”.
For me, experience is just as, if not more important than modeling. According to John Dewey “Existence is experience”; I completely agree with this idea. We learn many things through experience, even things that we are not aware of. This works well with most of the subjects taught in an elementary school, however, when applied to history, it is hard to have them experience what has already happened in the past. Hard, but not impossible with the technology we have today.I found it very interesting that I had quoted Dewey in that write up, and didn't even remember it when I was working on the top ten list and researching Dewey and the lab school. As our school is very big on Project-based learning, I think I really do connect best with Constructivism, even if it isn't a "Theory of Learning". When I wrote up my philosophy of teaching, I reflected that I felt most of my students learned best when they were able to experience the concept. I also thought it was interesting that I mentioned technology when talking about the different ways we can give students the experiences (especially for history, until the invent a time machine).
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Instructional Design Job Opportunity
When I was perusing the various employment websites, I happened across a job that I thought sounded very interesting. The job was listed on the ASTD Job Bank website. The job field is Instructional Design with the company eHigherEducation. Many of the jobs that I read about stated that the applicant needs to be able to work with many different people. The thing that is different about this job is that you have to be able to work with different team members in different locations and time zones. This requires anyone that wants to apply for this job to be flexible in the hours that they can work. The IT would work with clients to understand their business goals and learning objectives in order to develop cost-effective solutions that enhances their existing training methods and systems. eHigherEducation provides a full set of integrated eLearning solutions.
Other requirements are:
Other requirements are:
- Skilled in Instructional Design
- Be able to supervise work of an "offshore" partner
- Communicate with clients.
To be qualified for this job, the company requests that the applicant:
- Have a Bachelors Degree in Instructional Design (Masters preferred)
- 3-5 years experience in the field; especially with e-learning projects
- Have experience with Storyboard
- Be able to work with distributed team.
Although I think this job sounds very interesting, especially with the challenge of working with different people in different time zones, I do not think I would apply for it. When I went into education nineteen years ago, it was because I thoroughly enjoy working with children. Since that hasn't changed yet, I believe I would apply for a job that keeps me in the school setting.
If you are interested in this job, please click the link below to go directly to the site.
http://jobs.astd.org/jobdetail.cfm?job=2970307&keywords=e%2Dlearning
Monday, August 25, 2008
Just what is Instructional Technology
I believe that the concept instructional technology is any equipment that is used to enhance the day to day delivery of knowledge to students. This encompasses many of the web sites that are utilized on the world wide web, such as www.readwritethink.org which is used in many of my writing lessons and www.socialstudiesforkids.com which gives another source for various history lessons as well as current events topics. These websites are actually used by the students on individual computers.
Another component of instructional technology is used behind the scene while teaching. This is being able to use various software tools such as gradebook, Discovery streaming education and even Outlook to contact parents via email.
The last piece of instructional technology deals with the hardware or the physical devices. One should be able to set up items found in a typical classroom, from the CPU and monitor to a Smartboard, digital camera or even scanner. Together the hardware and software come together to envelope the idea of instructional technology.
Another component of instructional technology is used behind the scene while teaching. This is being able to use various software tools such as gradebook, Discovery streaming education and even Outlook to contact parents via email.
The last piece of instructional technology deals with the hardware or the physical devices. One should be able to set up items found in a typical classroom, from the CPU and monitor to a Smartboard, digital camera or even scanner. Together the hardware and software come together to envelope the idea of instructional technology.
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