I think what most makes me say “that’s neat” is the fact that technology can and is attempting to do so much. Because before, it took so much longer to find out that something either did or didn’t work. It took a long time (years and often decades) to collect data about things. However, because of the strides that are being made in technology, patterns may be detected earlier.
I no longer have to try to find every study that was done on something. I will soon be able to go to a database for example and get the latest information on brain scans as the information is coming in and being compiled with other studies of its kind. That means that I can keep up with the media and information I need to ensure that I am using the most effective resources for my students. Perhaps the most important thing is that the information has been proven to be effective.
Everything else aside, my favorite activity of the semester was embedding the youtube clip into my blog. It was hard to find, but I was able to find one of the simplest and funniest clips (I thought). I felt that it added a little comic relief to my otherwise serious blog. I also thought that it captured a side of me that most people don’t see (the funny side).
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
What Works Best When Using Media (D/12)
I don’t know that I can find words to describe what it was that I felt. As I read chapter 30. I felt as though it all made sense. This is the information that I have been waiting to find my entire educational technology career (all two classes :) ).
I can apply the ideas that I’ve learned in this chapter in a number of ways. The two ways that are most important to me are in: creating differentiated instruction and for reinforcement/reconnecting/ reteaching. I never knew that low knowledge learners do better with visual and audio narrative than high knowledge learners per se. Nor did I realize that background sounds and images that add to the atmosphere but not to understanding may be more of a distraction than anything. But now that I do, I can use this information when deciding which media and technology resources to use for students; according to their needs.
I can also develop a media library for students so that if they need to be retaught a concept for example, they can access that piece of media/technology to review. In doing this, I can assess where the student is and what concepts the students needs to work on more. I can customize learning for that student better and faster than without the technology.
Using the information from this chapter will allow me to know what types of media and technology will best help both my students and me; to reach the goals we have set. And to help us know what our next goals should be.
I can apply the ideas that I’ve learned in this chapter in a number of ways. The two ways that are most important to me are in: creating differentiated instruction and for reinforcement/reconnecting/ reteaching. I never knew that low knowledge learners do better with visual and audio narrative than high knowledge learners per se. Nor did I realize that background sounds and images that add to the atmosphere but not to understanding may be more of a distraction than anything. But now that I do, I can use this information when deciding which media and technology resources to use for students; according to their needs.
I can also develop a media library for students so that if they need to be retaught a concept for example, they can access that piece of media/technology to review. In doing this, I can assess where the student is and what concepts the students needs to work on more. I can customize learning for that student better and faster than without the technology.
Using the information from this chapter will allow me to know what types of media and technology will best help both my students and me; to reach the goals we have set. And to help us know what our next goals should be.
Being Competent (D/11)
Out of all of the competencies that I reviewed in Chapter 27, the three that I would like to develop are: Use of media and technology to enhance learning and performance, assess learning and performance and evaluate instructional effectiveness. These three areas have always been the hardest for me.
One of the reasons that I took this technology class was because I really need help. When I went through my undergraduate program, there was no educational technology component; save the general university requirement. Therefore, I really had no knowledge of how to use technology to assist me in the classroom. This was and is one of the first questions that you are asked when you go to seek employment (along with questions about classroom management if you are a teacher). But for me, it was more than that.
I wanted to be able to make sure that my students had the exposure to technology to help them be successful. But I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t exposing them for the sake of it. I wanted make sure that that exposure was meaningful and that it was actually helping them learn valuable lessons. Students learn in so many different ways and I felt that technology may be the thing to help me to adapt my instruction the way it needs to be for those students that need and deserve it; but due to class load, may not be getting it (as much as they should).
Because of this, it is important for me to be able to assess whether or not my use of media and technology to help my students learn, is working. It would make no sense to use something that may not be working the way that you hope; and that may actually be creating the adverse effect. I have seen instances where students are given a test before they begin a course to see where they are and then given the same test at the end of the course. More often than not, the students score worse after the course. I have always wondered how that was possible and I feel that the situation is a result of not assessing the learning so that one knows if the techniques they are using work.
Nevertheless, it all seems to come back to evaluating instructional effectiveness. If the instruction isn’t effective, then the use of media and technology won’t enhance learning and performance because the students won’t understand what to do, what they are supposed to get out of using the media and technology and if they learn more effectively with the media and technology.
One of the reasons that I took this technology class was because I really need help. When I went through my undergraduate program, there was no educational technology component; save the general university requirement. Therefore, I really had no knowledge of how to use technology to assist me in the classroom. This was and is one of the first questions that you are asked when you go to seek employment (along with questions about classroom management if you are a teacher). But for me, it was more than that.
I wanted to be able to make sure that my students had the exposure to technology to help them be successful. But I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t exposing them for the sake of it. I wanted make sure that that exposure was meaningful and that it was actually helping them learn valuable lessons. Students learn in so many different ways and I felt that technology may be the thing to help me to adapt my instruction the way it needs to be for those students that need and deserve it; but due to class load, may not be getting it (as much as they should).
Because of this, it is important for me to be able to assess whether or not my use of media and technology to help my students learn, is working. It would make no sense to use something that may not be working the way that you hope; and that may actually be creating the adverse effect. I have seen instances where students are given a test before they begin a course to see where they are and then given the same test at the end of the course. More often than not, the students score worse after the course. I have always wondered how that was possible and I feel that the situation is a result of not assessing the learning so that one knows if the techniques they are using work.
Nevertheless, it all seems to come back to evaluating instructional effectiveness. If the instruction isn’t effective, then the use of media and technology won’t enhance learning and performance because the students won’t understand what to do, what they are supposed to get out of using the media and technology and if they learn more effectively with the media and technology.
Instructional Design/Technology in Different Contexts (D/10)
As I think about the different contexts in which we have looked at the role of instructional design/technology, the themes that seem to register with me are 1) the instructional designer as an individual and 2) the instructional designer as part of a team. In all of the areas (business, p-12 and higher education), there are instances where the instructional designer is solely responsible for everything and there are instances where they are part of a team. The role of the designer seems to depend on the purpose and the task for which the designer was hired.
One vivid example that I recall, came from the higher education area. In the example, the ID was an associate professor. He was responsible for not only his professorial duties, but in addition, he was expected to advise undergraduate students, mentor graduate students, sit on committees for his department and publish and do studies in his area of ID. He needed to publish and do studies in his area to do like his colleagues before him and contribute to the field.
Things were different in the business field. Here it seems that publishing and studies were not as much of a concern and that it was preferred to have the ID take care of the designing. Then the business could employ the design in the context that they needed to. For example, once the ID had created the design, the employees could access it for themselves and complete the tasks at times convenient for themselves and the company.
I admit that this material was rather hard for me. There were so many examples and it was so hard to remember which parts of the text were supposed to be about the role of the ID. However, I do believe that my current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters by assessing which ways of instruction seem to be most beneficial for the goal(s) trying to be achieved.
One vivid example that I recall, came from the higher education area. In the example, the ID was an associate professor. He was responsible for not only his professorial duties, but in addition, he was expected to advise undergraduate students, mentor graduate students, sit on committees for his department and publish and do studies in his area of ID. He needed to publish and do studies in his area to do like his colleagues before him and contribute to the field.
Things were different in the business field. Here it seems that publishing and studies were not as much of a concern and that it was preferred to have the ID take care of the designing. Then the business could employ the design in the context that they needed to. For example, once the ID had created the design, the employees could access it for themselves and complete the tasks at times convenient for themselves and the company.
I admit that this material was rather hard for me. There were so many examples and it was so hard to remember which parts of the text were supposed to be about the role of the ID. However, I do believe that my current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters by assessing which ways of instruction seem to be most beneficial for the goal(s) trying to be achieved.
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