I feel that I will be best suited to staying in the P-12 school setting once I have graduated. I truly want to remain at the elementary level, but I would be ok with working with the higher grade levels if that is where the jobs are! I really feel that I could do the most good working in a school with teachers and students. I think that many elementary school teachers are so open to trying new things, and I hope that I could "convert" some of those teachers who might not believe in the power of well-planned instruction using new and interesting media. I previously thought I wanted OUT of the classroom, but after deciding to take this year off, I have to say that I really miss being a teacher. I am not sure that I could be stuck in an office with no chance to work with students. I am hopeful that there will be a great need for Instructional Technologists in school settings in a few years. However, I do think that even as a classroom teacher, my new knowledge gained from this program will so valuable!
I think my biggest question is....will I be able to get a job in an elementary setting? When we did the job search early in this course, I did not see many positions that were located in schools, and those that were seemed to be the high school level. I think that is one of my biggest concerns. I also don't want to be taken advantage of....I see it very often when a teacher is really good at something. They are often given extra duties without receiving any extra compensation. I wonder if that would be a problem if I remained in the classroom, but word got out that I have a degree in Instructional Technology? I mean, I do not mind providing my colleagues with information and assistance or even serving on a technology committee or something as a regular classroom teacher, but I do worry that I might be expected to provide "free" IT services, and that scares me.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Methods, Media, and me, OH MY!
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.
I definitely agree that it was the MEDIA that first drew me to the field of Instructional Technology. As I progressed in my teaching career, I started to see the value of media, especially computers and "gadgets" like the Smartboard. I realized that my students would get REALLY excited to play a game using the computer, but if we tried the same game (say a Jeopardy-type game) on the regular chalkboard, they would get bored quickly. I noticed that I had many students who knew as much, if not more, about computers than I did! I really worked to make it a valuable learning tool in my classroom.
I find that many instructional methods lend themselves to using the computer and Smartboard. In those rare instances when I felt it necessary to lecture (I taught 4th grade, so we did a lot more "active" learning), I found that something like the Smartboard or even just the laptop and projector provided me with a way to share photos, maps, primary sources, websites, etc. It added so much to the lecture, and really paved the way for wonderful discussions (another method). I worked closely with the Instructional Technologist at my school and we often had the students pair up and do research on various topics. They would become experts on one aspect of our lesson and would then "teach" the class. For example, when we did our unit on the Jamestown Settlement, one pair would study John Smith, another pair would study Powhatan, another would research the reasons for settling in that area, etc. They would use the internet to find additional information and would share that with the class. This allowed them to use their internet research skills (something that we spent a good bit of time on, because I realized they had no idea how to find accurate, quality information), discuss the findings with their partners, and then, further cement the learning by developing a short lesson or activity to teach the information to their classmates. Of course, they always wanted to present in the computer lab so they could use the Smartboard!
I am definitely interested in utilizing things like blogs in the future. I know that the school where I taught in Virginia now has blogging capabilities on the school's website. Teachers can blog and students can respond and share their own ideas/questions. I really enjoy reading the blogs for this course and I find that I am learning even more through others in the class. Not only am I learning valuable Instuctional Technology information, but I am getting great ideas for my classroom when I teach again! I like that blogging is a form of discussion, but it allows for thoughtful responses. In a classroom, you have to respond quickly....on a blog, you can think things out and respond, ask questions, etc.
I definitely agree that it was the MEDIA that first drew me to the field of Instructional Technology. As I progressed in my teaching career, I started to see the value of media, especially computers and "gadgets" like the Smartboard. I realized that my students would get REALLY excited to play a game using the computer, but if we tried the same game (say a Jeopardy-type game) on the regular chalkboard, they would get bored quickly. I noticed that I had many students who knew as much, if not more, about computers than I did! I really worked to make it a valuable learning tool in my classroom.
I find that many instructional methods lend themselves to using the computer and Smartboard. In those rare instances when I felt it necessary to lecture (I taught 4th grade, so we did a lot more "active" learning), I found that something like the Smartboard or even just the laptop and projector provided me with a way to share photos, maps, primary sources, websites, etc. It added so much to the lecture, and really paved the way for wonderful discussions (another method). I worked closely with the Instructional Technologist at my school and we often had the students pair up and do research on various topics. They would become experts on one aspect of our lesson and would then "teach" the class. For example, when we did our unit on the Jamestown Settlement, one pair would study John Smith, another pair would study Powhatan, another would research the reasons for settling in that area, etc. They would use the internet to find additional information and would share that with the class. This allowed them to use their internet research skills (something that we spent a good bit of time on, because I realized they had no idea how to find accurate, quality information), discuss the findings with their partners, and then, further cement the learning by developing a short lesson or activity to teach the information to their classmates. Of course, they always wanted to present in the computer lab so they could use the Smartboard!
I am definitely interested in utilizing things like blogs in the future. I know that the school where I taught in Virginia now has blogging capabilities on the school's website. Teachers can blog and students can respond and share their own ideas/questions. I really enjoy reading the blogs for this course and I find that I am learning even more through others in the class. Not only am I learning valuable Instuctional Technology information, but I am getting great ideas for my classroom when I teach again! I like that blogging is a form of discussion, but it allows for thoughtful responses. In a classroom, you have to respond quickly....on a blog, you can think things out and respond, ask questions, etc.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The ISD Model
For this lesson, you will respond to the following initial EDTC 6010 blog question: What is your personal assessment of the ISD model? Critique it. Describe the strengths (if any) and weaknesses (if any) of this model? What activities of this model have you used in your experience as an instructor?
The ISD Model, to me, is an extremely strong one. I honestly cannot find any areas in which it is lacking, so I will focus on the strengths. One strength is all of the parts of the analysis phase. It is so very important to take into account WHO is being taught and what the students' needs are. Also, one must know exactly WHAT is being taught. What aspects of the concept are important, what content is not needed, what might the students already know? I love that the ISD model also looks at WHERE the instruction will take place. Obviously the setting makes a huge impact on the instruction. I once took a "distance learning" course that was in an audio tape format. It was very obvious to me that the instructor did not do much analysis, especially when it came to the setting of the course. He spoke too fast, in the most monotonous voice one could imagine, and the tape quality was horrible. There could be absolutely no background noise, or one could forget about understanding the tapes. I had hoped to listen on my commutes to work, but that was not possible. I ended up dropping the course. With just a little thought (and knowledge of the ISD model), that instructor could have provided us with a better "setting" for learning.
I really like that in the design phase, attention is paid to not only the methods of instruction, but also the strategies that will help students achieve the goals set forth. I have encountered older curriculum materials that seemed to have a "one-size fits all" approach, and did not provide for remediation or enrichment. That can be very difficult for instructors, as we often need suggestions or help in meeting the needs of so many diverse learners. Without careful consideration of each part during the design phase, a lesson or unit could be lacking in effectiveness. In working with an intern in my classroom a few years ago, her first lessons were wonderful, engaging, fun for the students, but a few seemed to lose sight of the performance objectives, and how we could help ALL students meet those objectives. Once she was able to focus her attention on those objectives...she was able to create lessons that were engaging and VERY effective. I think as educators, at the beginning of our careers we worry so much about how effective we will be when we are actually IMPLEMENTING the lesson, instead of how effective the lessons we develop will be for our students. At least that was the case for me and some other teachers I have discussed this model with.
Finally, probably one of the biggest pieces in creating instruction is the evaluation phase. Everyone is familiar with that big SUMMATIVE piece, that final exam, the essay, the project. Yes, those are very important, but I like that ISD model shows us that the formative evaluation is just as important, if not more so. I mean, what is the point in giving a high school history class an exam on the Civil War if most of the students still have not grasped WHY the war happened? How can one move on to long division, if 1/2 of a 4th grade class still cannot understand what division is? An instructor would be well aware of any issues in the students learning and mastery if they include formative evaluation in their instruction. I can still remember an incident when I was doing my student teaching. I was teaching a whole science unit on the ocean. The kids were LOVING every activity. We had great discussions. They were turning in their experiment logs and doing the homework. I was required to give a basic test from the science curriculum materials (although the teacher and I felt it was lacking). I though for sure the students would ace that test. I didn't bother to assess whether or not they were getting those bits of information during the unit, and I had about a 50% failure rate. That was from a class of students who were performing very well on the experiments and participating like crazy in in-depth discussions about the various topics we covered. Even though the exam was truly NOT a great summative evaluation, the students should have been able to pass it. Had I been evaluating and adapting the uni as necessary throughout, I firmly believe 90% of the students would have achieved As on that test. I think that all instructors and all people who design instruction should follow the ISD model at all times. It could mean the difference between a lesson that just goes through the paces, and a lesson that results in true learning or mastery.
The ISD Model, to me, is an extremely strong one. I honestly cannot find any areas in which it is lacking, so I will focus on the strengths. One strength is all of the parts of the analysis phase. It is so very important to take into account WHO is being taught and what the students' needs are. Also, one must know exactly WHAT is being taught. What aspects of the concept are important, what content is not needed, what might the students already know? I love that the ISD model also looks at WHERE the instruction will take place. Obviously the setting makes a huge impact on the instruction. I once took a "distance learning" course that was in an audio tape format. It was very obvious to me that the instructor did not do much analysis, especially when it came to the setting of the course. He spoke too fast, in the most monotonous voice one could imagine, and the tape quality was horrible. There could be absolutely no background noise, or one could forget about understanding the tapes. I had hoped to listen on my commutes to work, but that was not possible. I ended up dropping the course. With just a little thought (and knowledge of the ISD model), that instructor could have provided us with a better "setting" for learning.
I really like that in the design phase, attention is paid to not only the methods of instruction, but also the strategies that will help students achieve the goals set forth. I have encountered older curriculum materials that seemed to have a "one-size fits all" approach, and did not provide for remediation or enrichment. That can be very difficult for instructors, as we often need suggestions or help in meeting the needs of so many diverse learners. Without careful consideration of each part during the design phase, a lesson or unit could be lacking in effectiveness. In working with an intern in my classroom a few years ago, her first lessons were wonderful, engaging, fun for the students, but a few seemed to lose sight of the performance objectives, and how we could help ALL students meet those objectives. Once she was able to focus her attention on those objectives...she was able to create lessons that were engaging and VERY effective. I think as educators, at the beginning of our careers we worry so much about how effective we will be when we are actually IMPLEMENTING the lesson, instead of how effective the lessons we develop will be for our students. At least that was the case for me and some other teachers I have discussed this model with.
Finally, probably one of the biggest pieces in creating instruction is the evaluation phase. Everyone is familiar with that big SUMMATIVE piece, that final exam, the essay, the project. Yes, those are very important, but I like that ISD model shows us that the formative evaluation is just as important, if not more so. I mean, what is the point in giving a high school history class an exam on the Civil War if most of the students still have not grasped WHY the war happened? How can one move on to long division, if 1/2 of a 4th grade class still cannot understand what division is? An instructor would be well aware of any issues in the students learning and mastery if they include formative evaluation in their instruction. I can still remember an incident when I was doing my student teaching. I was teaching a whole science unit on the ocean. The kids were LOVING every activity. We had great discussions. They were turning in their experiment logs and doing the homework. I was required to give a basic test from the science curriculum materials (although the teacher and I felt it was lacking). I though for sure the students would ace that test. I didn't bother to assess whether or not they were getting those bits of information during the unit, and I had about a 50% failure rate. That was from a class of students who were performing very well on the experiments and participating like crazy in in-depth discussions about the various topics we covered. Even though the exam was truly NOT a great summative evaluation, the students should have been able to pass it. Had I been evaluating and adapting the uni as necessary throughout, I firmly believe 90% of the students would have achieved As on that test. I think that all instructors and all people who design instruction should follow the ISD model at all times. It could mean the difference between a lesson that just goes through the paces, and a lesson that results in true learning or mastery.
Monday, October 6, 2008
People learn by....
From your own perspective and experiences, how do people learn? What are the best ways to accommodate your students’ learning and understanding? What learning theory or theories do you feel most comfortable with? Consider the “other” theories and concepts, as well. Explain your preference.
In my experience, people learn best by "doing". Of course, in order to "do" something, one must know the underlying concepts, and sometimes those need to be presented in a more traditional manner. However, I don't feel that simply lecture or reading is enough to make the learning permanent. In order to have a complete understanding, one must show that they can apply the knowledge in authentic ways. I will admit that there have been times when I received a wonderful grade on an assignment or test, but had I been asked to perform a task based on the information, I would have failed. I never had an adequate understanding to be able to apply what I learned.
I feel that Constructivism is probably the theory that best fits my ideas about how people learn. I believe that when students are given "real world" problems to solve or tasks to complete that are meaningful to them, they will have a much better understanding and will retain the information. I love that the teacher is supposed to be a facilitator in a Constructivist classroom, using guiding questions and discussions to help students arrive at the answers. In looking for additional information about Constructivism, I found this list of traits of a Constructivist teacher:
I also feel it is necessary to remember Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory. We all know people that "get it" just by hearing a lecture. Sometimes people are great at remembering things they see, while others need to get "hands-on" experience in order to master a concept. Some people learn through debate and discussion. I believe, that in the field of Instructional Design and Technology, it is so important to allow for ALL modes of learning.
Finally, while creating our "top ten" list, I did some research on Behaviorism as it is used in IDT. I found information that explained that one can use the theories of Behaviorism to be sure that we do instill bias or bad feelings. I think this is an important concept to keep in mind, as students can unconsciously end up learning things that we do not plan for them to learn.
In my experience, people learn best by "doing". Of course, in order to "do" something, one must know the underlying concepts, and sometimes those need to be presented in a more traditional manner. However, I don't feel that simply lecture or reading is enough to make the learning permanent. In order to have a complete understanding, one must show that they can apply the knowledge in authentic ways. I will admit that there have been times when I received a wonderful grade on an assignment or test, but had I been asked to perform a task based on the information, I would have failed. I never had an adequate understanding to be able to apply what I learned.
I feel that Constructivism is probably the theory that best fits my ideas about how people learn. I believe that when students are given "real world" problems to solve or tasks to complete that are meaningful to them, they will have a much better understanding and will retain the information. I love that the teacher is supposed to be a facilitator in a Constructivist classroom, using guiding questions and discussions to help students arrive at the answers. In looking for additional information about Constructivism, I found this list of traits of a Constructivist teacher:
- Constructivist teachers encourage and accept student autonomy and initiative.
- Constructivist teachers use raw data and primary sources along with manipulative, interactive, and physical materials.
- Constructivist teachers use cognitive terminology such as "classify," "analyze," "predict," and "create" when framing tasks.
- Constructivist teachers allow student responses to drive lessons, shift instructional strategies, and alter content.
- Constructivist teachers inquire about students' understandings of concepts before sharing their own understandings of those concepts.
- Constructivist teachers encourage students to engage in dialogue both with the teacher and with one another.
- Constructivist teachers encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and encouraging students to ask questions of each other.
- Constructivist teachers seek elaboration of students' initial responses.
- Constructivist teachers engage students in experiences that might engender contradictions to their initial hypotheses and then encourage discussion.
- Constructivist teachers allow a waiting time after posing questions.
- Constructivist teachers provide time for students to construct relationships and create metaphors.
- Constructivist teachers nurture students' natural curiosity through frequent use of the learning cycle model (Brooks & Brooks, 1993).
I also feel it is necessary to remember Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory. We all know people that "get it" just by hearing a lecture. Sometimes people are great at remembering things they see, while others need to get "hands-on" experience in order to master a concept. Some people learn through debate and discussion. I believe, that in the field of Instructional Design and Technology, it is so important to allow for ALL modes of learning.
Finally, while creating our "top ten" list, I did some research on Behaviorism as it is used in IDT. I found information that explained that one can use the theories of Behaviorism to be sure that we do instill bias or bad feelings. I think this is an important concept to keep in mind, as students can unconsciously end up learning things that we do not plan for them to learn.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Job Listing
This job listing just jumped out at me. It is DEFINITELY something I would be interested in pursuing someday. The job is Director of Instructional Technology and Media for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. This is a leadership position with MANY responsibilities. Some of the main ones are:
-Lead and supervise all instructional technology and media programs in the system.
-Acts as supervisor of the districts media specialists and instructional technologists.
-Works as a technical consultant.
-Develops curriculum for K-12 technology education.
-Evaluates and recommends hardware, software, and other technology equipment for purchase
-Provides staff development in instructional technology
The qualifications for this job are:
-Master's Degree required; Master's in Instructional Technology or Library Science preferred
-Must have worked successfully as a classroom teacher.
-Experience working in the leadership aspect of Instructional Technology.
I would definitely apply for this position upon completion of my degree and a few years of experience in the field. My plan, at this point, is to remain in K-12 Education, and this could be the dream position in that area. Although this job is definitely NOT an easy position, I do think that it would allow the person who fills the position to have a huge impact on technology in the schools. Although this position is not at the top of the "chain of command", it is obviously one with a great deal of power and responsibility. I think it would be an awesome, and sometimes overwhelming, job to take on.
More information can be found here:
http://www.jobtarget.com/c/job.cfm?site_id=136&t735=153&jb=4729312
-Lead and supervise all instructional technology and media programs in the system.
-Acts as supervisor of the districts media specialists and instructional technologists.
-Works as a technical consultant.
-Develops curriculum for K-12 technology education.
-Evaluates and recommends hardware, software, and other technology equipment for purchase
-Provides staff development in instructional technology
The qualifications for this job are:
-Master's Degree required; Master's in Instructional Technology or Library Science preferred
-Must have worked successfully as a classroom teacher.
-Experience working in the leadership aspect of Instructional Technology.
I would definitely apply for this position upon completion of my degree and a few years of experience in the field. My plan, at this point, is to remain in K-12 Education, and this could be the dream position in that area. Although this job is definitely NOT an easy position, I do think that it would allow the person who fills the position to have a huge impact on technology in the schools. Although this position is not at the top of the "chain of command", it is obviously one with a great deal of power and responsibility. I think it would be an awesome, and sometimes overwhelming, job to take on.
More information can be found here:
http://www.jobtarget.com/c/job.cfm?site_id=136&t735=153&jb=4729312
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Definition of Instructional Technology
To me, the definition of Instructional Technology is the use of technology in a "formal" education setting. That setting could be in a school, university, corporation, hospital, and most recently, in one's home. Teachers use technology to enable their students to create detailed, attractive graphic organizers to show what they have learned, computer programs to create "virtual models" of things such a molecules, animals, etc. At the university level, students may be asked to create a webpage to share their knowledge with others, and instructors expect that students will be proficient in using technology. Now, with the increase of distance education, technology is used to allow people to access courses and school programs that may have been out of their reach previously. The instructional technology field also encompasses the creation of the programs and materials that can be used in an instructional setting. I see this field as being one that will allow people to experience things that might be impossible without technology. It links us to far-away people and places and ideas, which can enrich our educational experiences.
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