Week 2

I am an overall a calm, easy-going person which I believe goes along with being an educator.  However, when tackling my blog assignments, I still feel threatened in some ways.  I know I can figure it out… eventually but doing that without a little frustration seems almost impossible.  Do I think I am alone?  Not hardly, in fact far from it.  So let’s take a deep breath & continue the journey.

Section 1:  Defining the Field

1.    When considering the definition of Instructional Design and Technology for interpretation within my own meanings, I must first focus on the text’s definition.  With this, consideration must be given to the “warp-speed” with which technology evolves.  I don’t see this slowing down in the future.  In fact it seems to be a “snowball rolling downhill” and growing progressively larger/faster as it ascends.  Just as the book clarifies the timeline of instructional design and technology and its changes, I expect my definition to be outdated within the following years. 

Our text defines instructional design as a “systematic process that is employed to develop education and training programs in a consistent and reliable fashion”.  It goes on to say, “Instructional design is a complex process that is creative, active, and iterative.”  As an educator I currently consider the definition of instructional design and technology in my own words to be:  the all-encompassing systematic approach to utilize available technology effectively within an educational setting that will in effect allow for increased individual performance as it pertains to learning experiences that will carry over into developing the eager, inclusive learner.

Over the last ten years of my elementary teaching career, I can how technology has taken a strong-hold on learning as well as found it vital placement within the process.  Lesson plans today are expected to include technological experiences for learners.  More and more technology has been made available to educators in an effort to facilitate knowledge.  In the same sense, my observations of the children of today (as opposed to ten years ago) include a keen flexibility in relation to embracing technology.  These students have more experience with technology when they begin school.  Perhaps they have computers at home or they go to the library.  Regardless, technology is reaching out to them.  In the words of my three-year- old daughter who has never used a computer as of yet, “Come on Momma, it’s exciting to go to http://www.pbskids.org/!”

2.

  (Flow chart and table from Sherri Braxton's site on Instructional Design Models)

This model adheres to the six characteristics of instructional design in the following ways:

1. Instruction design is learner centered. 

By identifying instructional goals from the beginning allows focus to be on the learner.  This model allows for analyzing learners and contexts continually throughout and also includes the important element of revising instruction which directly relates to learner centered instruction.

2. Instructional design is goal oriented.

This model originates with identifying instructional goals.

3. Instructional design focuses on meaningful performance.

Aside from goal identification, performance objectives are outlined within the model and it also allows for revisiting all the way through the process.

4. Instructional design assumes outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way.

Dick, Carey, and Carey created an all-inclusive model that rightfully incorporates developing assessment tools, instructional strategy, and conducting formative evaluation of instruction. 

5. Instructional design is empirical, iterative, and self-correcting.

This model is empirical in that it allows free flow amongst it’s systematic design from area to area with a underlying knowledge that the process is observational and experiential.  The iterative nature lies in the repetitive process within this model which, in itself, allows for prolific self-correcting.

6. Instructional design typically is a team effort.

Most instructional design projects can be done individually.  However, as the saying goes, “two is better than one”.  This model is devised to allocate the efforts on one or many with it fluid transition from one aspect to another with allowable retracing if necessary.

3. Utilization of technology within the field of education and the foreseeable future:

K-12 Education:  Regardless of the learning theory an educator favors, technology of the future will have manner of conforming in such a way that learning will be facilitated and enhanced because of it.  Already, new topics within the k-12 classrooms are introduced with technological assistance whether it be through a curriculum clip, Brainpop  video, or etc.  Administrators are rating educators through PDAS and technology has made itself vital.  At one point last year, I was due for my summative evaluation.  My administrator showed up on the same day my computer crashed.  When I informed her of this she said, “I should come another time then when you can use your technology.” Wow! 

Higher Education:  Technology within the realm of higher education relates directly to me in that when I sought to pursue my master’s degree online classes were my primary requirement.  I needed the flexibility to work at my own “reasonable” pace and the structure of  Texas A&M-Commerce allowed for it.  Currently I am more than halfway to my degree and have yet to step onto the actual university campus for instruction.  With that, I am learning that teaching myself is no longer an avenue worth avoiding.  What a convenience this is.  In the foreseeable future, I expect this convenience to be more accessible and prominent. 

Adult Education:  With consideration to adult education, I have found that technology is becoming the more distinguished route to superior accessibility of increased knowledge.  School districts are quickly jumping on the technology bandwagon.  Teachers are increasing their education through online workshops, PDAS activities, and structured educational advancements to meet the elevated technological requirements of today’s instructional world.