FYI

Rally For Texas School Funding

Save Texas Schools Rally at the Capitol - March 12th, 12pm

http://www.savetxschools.org

Education Austin Rally at the Capitol - March 14th, 12pm

This Library E-Book Will Self-Destruct After 26 Check Outs

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/this_library_e-book_will_self-destruct_after_26_ch.php

You are what you read...http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.com

Week 4 – Chapters 14 through 17

1.  Chapter 14 discusses the concept of the evolution of human performance improvement. Several sections of chapter 14 present a variety of non-instructional solutions to performance problems. Identify a performance problem in your area of work and provide a non-instructional solution to solve the problem.

Problem:  The students don’t follow the taught protocol for re-shelving or not re-shelving books.

Root cause analysis: Ishikawa diagram

Non-instructional solutions:

• Buy more shelf markers to facilitate re-shelving
• Clarify protocol and state concisely in appropriately placed signage
• Mark shelves for where to place books to be re-shelved

2.  Chapter 15 presents several definitions of electronic performance support systems. In addition to these definitions, locate a few more and indicate your preference explaining why you prefer it. Additionally, describe why you believe EPSS have not been widely used and if they are more likely be become more prevalent in the future. 

Electronic Performance Support Systems

Book definition:  “Electronic  systems that provided integrated access to (1) information, (2) advice, (3) learning experiences, and (4) tools to help someone perform a task with minimal support from others.

http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2008/01/epss-and-eperformance.html definition: EPSS is most often used referring to “online job aids or a modified front-end to software systems.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_performance_support_systems Bezanson’s definiton: “A performance support system provides 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.”

My definition: An electronic resource (such as the pillowelementary.pbworks.com wiki) that will provide needed information, as needed.

It’s difficult to have one comprehensive thing that will be able to manage all the aspects of what a company does.  Then you have to have someone with comprehensive knowledge of the company to maintain the thing.  I believe wikis make it easier for individuals to collaboratively manage and contribute to the knowledge pool of a company and may increase the use of EPPS.  One drawback would be controlling information that is proprietary to a department or sub-group of a company and not supposed to be accessible to others.

3.  Knowledge management is the way we manage information, share that information, and use it. Organizations, such as schools, are full of information/data and we must organize that data in a way that we can make sense of it. We use data to make decisions and good data=good decision making. Identify a real or hypothetical problem in your line of work. How might a blended learning approach, including the use of a knowledge management system, be use to solve the problem? 

We use benchmark tests to identify gaps in individual student learning.  It would be wonderful if the benchmark data would feed directly into a set of tutorials on what the student needs.  At TCEA I saw some vendors who claimed they had software that would do this, but it was all pretty pricey.  It was also geared toward district licensing and unavailable for individual classroom/instructor purchase.  If I had several classrooms with a computer for every student, it would be nice to pilot each company’s software to be able to quantify and compare the results.

4.  Describe the types of informal learning you have been exposed to in your adult life. What was the purpose? What was the experience like? Was it engaging? Social? What role did you play? What role did the instructor play? 

Personal informal learning

Amateur PI course – I took a community colleges course on becoming an amateur private investigator just because it looked like a cool course.  It was set up like a traditional lecture course.  I learned a ton and have used the knowledge from that course often. 

Toastmasters – I hate public speaking.  Toastmasters is a non-profit organization that provides a “work at your own pace” curriculum for becoming a better speaking in a social setting.  Everyone is an instructor and everyone is a learner in these meetings.  Those who are farther along help those of us who aren’t very far along in the manuals.

Professional informal learning

Making an Ethernet cable – I needed an Ethernet cable long enough to go across the cafeteria for literacy night.  When I was on the Fry’s website looking for a cable long enough, I saw that they had a kit with all the stuff (except the cable itself) to make custom Ethernet cables.  I bought the kit and a spool of cable and read the directions.  I’ve had to make a ton of cables since then and this has proven to be a valuable skill.

Library stuff – AISD has a library procedures wiki and an acquisitions wiki (Shannon’s Acquisiki) that I am always using when I need to know something.  They’re great because most of the time I can find out what I need to know without bothering anyone.  If there’s something that I need to know that’s not on the wiki, I can ask and then it will be on the wiki for others when they need the information.

Week 3 - Chapters 10 through 13

1.  Chapter 10 discusses evaluation in instructional design and provides you with two evaluation models, the CIPP and Kirkpatrick models for evaluation. Search for at least two other models used for evaluation and summarize these models. Describe how you would use them to evaluate your instruction.

CIPP

• Context evaluation - what are the needs and objectives for the innovation (needs assessment) 
• Input evaluation - what resources will be used to develop and conduct the innovation
• Process evaluation - examine the ways in which an innovation is developed, implemented, and revised 
• Product evaluation - examine the success of the innovation and whether revisions should be made

Kirkpatrick

• Reaction - assess learners' attitudes toward their learning experience
• Learning - determine what has been learned
• Behavior - how has the learners' behavior changed based on the new knowledge
• Results - what are the results, including financial such as ROI

Flashlight Triad Model (http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/eval/eval_models.html)

• Overview and confronting the blob - brainstorm all elements of a lesson
• From blob to issue - based on the purpose of the evaluation, what parts of the blob are an issue to be resolved
• From issue to triad - for each issue what technology is available, what is the activity of the student, and the outcome
• From triad to data - what can be evaluated to generate data on the issue
• From data to next steps - based pm tje evaluation data, what needs to be done

Connoisseurship Evaluation (mentioned briefly on http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/eval/eval_models.html)

• Consult experts about issues and for feedback on innovations

The type of evaluation I use most often is connoisseurship evaluation.  When I have an instructional design issue, I ask other teachers around me what they believe I should do to improve my instruction.  I think I would only use CIPP, Kirkpatrick, and the Flashlight Triad Model if I had a ton of time on my hands or an instructional issue that could not be resolved in a quicker way.


2.  Think about a technological innovation within your social system that was recently introduced (social system = place of work, home, etc.). Any innovation has what is known as perceived attributes - relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. Describe these attributes of the innovation and which of the attributes assisted and/or hindered adoption of the innovation. For example, was it not compatible with the existing beliefs of the system or was it overly complex to use or understand?

Technological innovation - iPhone


Relative advantage - Cool (but pricey) phone with new capabilities such as apps, surfing the web, mapping, etc.


Compatibility - Since this was the first truly smart phone that pushed the envelope beyond the database-ness of a Blackberry, it did not
need to be compatible with much else.  Eveyone else was trying to catch up to it (the iPhone).  One physical incompatability is the tiny finger-pad keyboard that isn't compatible with my fingernails (I generally preferr stylus phones because I can use my nail as a stylus).


Complexity - The iPhone is much like a lot of other Apple stuff, either very intuitive or super easy once you are shown for the first time what to do.


Trialability  - You can go to a retail phone store that carries the iPhone and try it.  Otherwise it's pretty much impossible to try before you buy unless you have a friend with one.

Observability - Chances are you do have a friend with one.  iPhones are now everywhere, and it seems like everyone is developing their own app if they haven't already.


It seems to me that all the attributes are in the iPhone's corner except price, both for the phone and the data plan.  It is lightning fast compared to the other smart phones I've tried and has a ton more apps than the phones running Windows Mobile, and that will probably help the iPhone stay popular even after the initial coolness wears off.  I have not had the opportunity to compare the iPhone OS to the Android OS.

3.  Chapter's 12 & 13 focus on project management and how to manage projects when resources are scarce. You have been assigned to develop a series of professional development sessions focusing on technology use in the classroom for teachers. How will you use Situational Leadership to facilitate this project?

"Situational Leadership" deals with changing your leadership style to adapt to various situations and people being lead.  If I were creating professional development sessions, I would need to make sure there was somthing that would benefit everyone.  On our campus, there are 12 teachers with Innovation Stations, another 12 with ELMOs and projectors, and many with just an overhead projector. 


For the teachers with Innovation Stations, I would set up a series of discussions among the teachers where they can share how they use their Innovation Stations in every subject area. 


For teachers with ELMOs, I would have the teachers who use their ELMOs and feel they have information to share with other teachers to present their information.  Some of the teachers with ELMOs have only had them for a few months and may not realize their full potential. 


For the teachers with just overheads, I would organize professional development on how to set up computer centers in your classroom. 


All teachers would get a refresher on best practices when using the computer lab and how to use the shared network folders.  All teachers would also need a training on the wiki that is replacing the hardcopy teacher handbook. 

Week 2 - Chapters 4 through 9

Identify a specific learning goal and how you would incorporate two learning theories highlighted in Chapter 4 to achieve this goal.

Learning Goal:  Ordering “Everyone” call numbers

2 learning theories to achieve this goal:  

• Cognitive learning theory – explain to students why they would want to be able to order “Everyone” call numbers 
• Behavioral learning theory – praise students as they correctly order “Everyone” call numbers

Find a reference (other than the book) that describes Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. Then create a table or chart that compares and contrasts those events with the first principles described in chapter 7 and describe how you would apply each of the first principles to the goal you've developed from the first activity in this reflection.

Other reference:  http://kcdevry.wikidot.com/theories-of-learning

This was a cool site for not only Gagné's Nine Events of Instruciton, but also a summary of other theories that I refer to often when talking to others about student needs, such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Comparison of Gagné and First Principles:

Gagné	First Principles
Gain Attention	Activation - Question
Share Session Objectives	Created by learner?
Stimulate Recall of Prior Learning	Instigated by learner?
Deliver Content	Demonstration - See
Provide Guidance	No guidance?
Elicit Performance	Application - Do
Provide Feedback	Results of application are feedback?
Assess Performance	Self-assessment?
Enhance Retention and Transfer	Integration – Apply to life

  

“First principles” seems to be something that can be done more independently.  No teacher is assumed.  This does not necessarily negate Gagné’s steps, but does not explicitly require them.

Develop a new goal or using the one you've already developed, briefly describe how you might use the whole-task approach, scaffolding, and mathemagenic methods to help students learn to perform a task.

New Goal:  The students will be able to find books on the shelves that they want to check out. 

This is a whole-task goal, that I would teach in a scaffolded design.  First students learn to order books by call number.  Then they learn to look up a book in the online catalog, giving them a call number to find the book.  Then students learn to go to the shelves and find the book.  To make this learning task more mathemagenic, I could start out by teaching alphabetization used in a variety of situations such as class lists, then applying it to the author’s names in call numbers in the first step.

You have been hired to design a course for a topic in your area of specialization. Using Table 9.2 as a template, what would you incorporate into each subcategory to motivate learners?

Attention

Perceptual Arousal:  Have students write their names on sentence strips

Inquiry Arousal:  Students will wonder what the sentence strips are for.

Variability:  Try reverse alphabetical order or putting other things in order such as last names or favorite animals.

Relevance

Goal Orientation:  Students want to find specific books they request.

Motive Matching:  When students ask me to find books for them, I can provide this method up front for them to help themselves.

Familiarity:  Students want to find books every week in the library.

Confidence

Learning Requirements:  Scaffold in small steps so students don’t feel overwhelmed by the task of finding a book on the shelf.

Success Opportunities:  Once the student is able to find books on their own, they will have the opportunity to experience success every time they come to the library. 

Personal Control:  The learners will be going to the shelves themselves and finding the books, first with help, but then independently.

Satisfaction

Intrinsic Reinforcement:  Students will practice every week on their own when they come to the library.

Extrinsic Rewards:  Tangible book student wants to check out and read.

Equity:  I think the question in the book was misleading for this word.  Equity deals with helping all the students.  Will all the students feel that this accomplishment benefits them?  Yes.  All the students come to the library, and while they have different interests, each student will be helped in gaining the knowledge to find the books that interest each of them.  This skill is equally valuable to all students.

Finally, after completing these activities, discuss the benefits of engaging in design research.

Lesson design research helps us create better learning experiences for our students.  As instructors, our goal is the best prepared, best educated students possible.  This includes teaching them to help themselves and teach themselves.  If they can find their own information, they can better educate themselves.  If we can find better ways to educate, we better achieve our goal.  Every student is different, and we have to find a way to reach each one.

Week 1 - Chapters 1 through 3

Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology

Chapter 1 - What Field Did You Say You Were In?

Notes

• Most frequently called "instructional technology."
• Instructional technology was viewed as media, later viewed as process.
• Instructional Technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.  Instructional Technology: The Definitions and Domains of the Field (Seels & Rickey, 1994). 
• Theory Practice - Development, Design, Evaluation, Management, Utilization
• Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. (Januszewski's unpublished AECT work. n. p.)

Response

I really liked Januszewski's definition, but prefer to leave the technology part out because my business is education, with or without technology.  Sometimes the most appropriate process and resource is technology, sometimes it's role-playing with other students, and sometimes it's the students using hands-on manipulatives.  While there are ways to role play or handle manipulatives involving technology, when you have a teachable moment, you don't always have the ability to find the perfect tech resource before the moment passes.

My take on the definition would be:  Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.

"Study" above involves the "analysis of learning and performance problems" as stated in the text's definition on page 7.  This seems to be the largest part of what we are doing these days.  We teach, assess, re-teach or expand.

Chapter 2 - What is Instructional Design?

Notes

• Instructional design is consistent and reliable development of education and training programs.
• ADDIE - Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate (revise between all steps)
• Instructional design should be: learner centered (don't assume a teacher is even needed), goal oriented, focused on meaningful performance, assume outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way, empirical, iterative, and self-correcting, typically a team effort.

Dick, Carey, and Carey model of instructional design from:  http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/v10_issue2/koksal/koksal5.htm

Response

 How the characteristics of instructional design fit in my work environment:

• Learner centered - The only focuses are the 20 or so learners.
• Goal oriented - Focused on students becoming educated and well rounded citizens (who can fulfill the student expectations based on the TEKS)
• Focused on meaningful performance - Problem solving applicable to real life emphasized.
• Assume outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way - Continual assessment, BOY, MOY, TAKS, EOY benchmarks.
• Empirical, iterative, and self-correcting - Continual assessment feeds small group interventions.  MOY feeds additional tutoring interventions.
• Typically a team effort - Grade levels plan and problem solve together.

My version of the Dick, Carey, and Carey model of instructional design:

 

When I was certified as a teacher, my classes taught that teaching is an art and a science.  The art seems to be disappearing.  As we are given precise curriculum, instructional strategies, and instructional materials, and written up when we deviate, the art is disappearing.  Are the students getting a better quality of education?  Is the product we're creating better? quicker? cheaper?  As much as I love statistical process control, I have to wonder what the mass production of cookie-cutter graduates and loss of the art of teaching is going to cost us.

Chapter 3 - A History of Instructional Design and Technology

Notes

• Potential of radio, films, and television "as common as the book and powerful in their effect on learning and teaching." 
• Instructional television of the 50's was short lived due to "mediocre instructional quality" (I read this as "not entertaining enough").
• Computers began to appear in schools in the 80's. 
• Cycles of new tech and impact seem to show that the tech never impacts instruction as significantly as it is hyped.
• 60's - formative evaluation with Skinner's articles
• 70's - boom in instructional design models
• 80's - instructional design seemed to have little impact on schools
• 90's - job-performance education

Response

In the "real world" technology is used for current events, communication, and entertainment.  In education, technology is generally used to supplement book or teacher led instruction.  In the future I would like to see K-12 education include more self-directed research and time for children to explore what they are interested in learning.  In Higher Education and Adult Education, I would like to see teaching methods more tailored to the student needs.  For example, as a person working on an MLIS, I believe it would be more beneficial for me to be able to take a grant-writing course than HIED 595.

Certain segments of the K-12 education population would be receptive to blogging.  It could be the equivalent of a science notebook or reading response log, just in a digital format that is more easily accessible to peers.  Kindergarten teachers could create digital portfolios of their students' writing and students could use a stylus on an iPad instead of crayons and paper.  E-books could replace textbooks, library books, and the chaos of the locker.  For the middle grades, assignments, submission of completed homework, assessments, and parent conferences could all be done digitally, if the digital divide can be overcome.  It all comes down to resources.