eJournal 6: Selecting Instructional Media

         Instructional designers have a duty to understand what aspect of mediated instruction facilitates learning. This brings me to our current journal entry; how can we understand the role of media in instruction? I like how our textbook mentions that media selection is a process of matching media and their attributes to the needs of the situation at hand. Learning occurs as technology permeates instruction at all levels.

Richey, R. C., Klein, J. D., & Tracey, M. W. (2011). The instructional design knowledge base: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Routledge.

Instructional Media Tools

            I am doing my project on researching articles in the higher education online classroom. I have discovered a couple of insightful media tools that can help students make researching fun and exciting. These sources will help free up time, free up the mind and keep students focused on their projects. By utilizing these sources students will be able to change their thinking habits.

            The first is called MatchWare MindView which is Educational Mind Mapping software. It is a cognitive map that is an ideal way to create an outline for written documents such as research papers and essays. With this tool the students can brainstorm ideas for chapters and sub-chapters in a free and non-linear way. It is also an excellent tool to help students stay focused, organized, and on task for any deadlines they will be responsible for. What are the advantages of this site?

·         This format provides the use of a text edition (the note card) to associate comments and ideas with each chapter.

·         The students can site sources by linking websites, text files, and etc.

·         There is the capacity to visually reorganize your chapters in the right order by having the ability to drag and drop things.

·         This MatchWare MindView software even allows one to export to Microsoft Word as a linear outline  

·         This software is perfect for improving reading, creativity, clarifying thinking and improving reading.

  

http://www.matchware.com/education/mindview.htm

Secondly, there is a website from LibGuides utilized with California State University in Chico that has an excellent list of media formats to help anyone with researching articles. There are guides to help with annotated bibliographies, book reviews, changes to MLA and APA citations, help with literature reviews and many more. I encourage everyone to utilize this resource because it covers almost every core subject and beyond.

http://libguides.csuchico.edu/indexnew

eJournal 5 Identifying Instructional Strategies

”The first objective of any act of learning, over and beyond the pleasure it may give, is that it should serve us in the future. Learning should not only take us somewhere; it should allow us later to go further more easily”. (Jerome Bruner)

What is my Instructional Strategy?

 To incorporate “Active learning instructional strategies”. This includes a wide range of activities that share the common element of ―involving students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing (Bonwell & Eison 1991).

 Active learning instructional strategies can be created and used to engage students in (a) thinking critically or creatively, (b) collaborating with a partner, in a small group, or with the entire class, (c) expressing ideas through effective writing, (d) exploring personal attitudes and values, (e) giving and receiving feedback, and (f) reflecting upon the learning process.

When an instructor employs active learning strategies, he or she will typically will (a) spend greater proportion of time helping students develop their understanding and skills (promoting deep learning) and a lesser amount of time transmitting information (i.e., supporting surface learning). In addition, the instructor will provide opportunities for students to (a) apply and demonstrate what they are learning and to (b) receive immediate feedback from peers and/or the instructor.

How will I engage and motivate my learners to learn?

Once a module is opened, the module will remain open then close as indicated. This is done to help the entire class stay on track. The course is very rigorous. In higher education, the responsibility to learn falls squarely on the student, as an adult. I want you to be successful. I want each of you to fully master this material.

What is it that the students will learn and in what order?

In Week 6-Week 8: Literature Review (Journal Articles/Abstract Critiques)

Students will conduct research of THREE (3) peer reviewed journal articles related to technology integration in the K-12 classroom by using the library databases and providing a critique of each article via the CRAAP Test. The Journal Article Critiques are to be part of student’s final ePortfolio.

Research and prepare a position-- Each student develops the position assigned, learns relevant information about it, and plans how to present the best case possible.

·         Apply the CRAAP Test, based on an acronym for the following criteria to evaluate every source of information: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. (a link is provided as an example of how to utilize this test. Source used is from Dr. Mary Joanne Dondlinger's Prezi she developed for a previous class).

http://prezi.com/nxhwd1tvcvzi/craap-test/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

·         The learner will identify and select research articles.

·         The learner will collect and analyze relevant empirically based research and write three Journal Articles /Abstract Critiques as an Emerging Technologies Project.

·         The learner will develop the purpose and research questions to address the projects.

·         The learner will properly format and cite research via the APA 6^th edition publication style.

·         The learner will participate in discussions with group members providing constructive and thoughtful feedback to the construction and development of their projects.

How will I know that the students have learned the material? And how will I let learners know whether they've learned?

¡  Provide students with clear assessments (feedback) of their progress on each goal.

¡  Have student assess themselves and compare with the teacher’s assessment

¡  Ask them to articulate what they have learned through peer reviews and final articles.

eJournal 4: Analyzing Instructional Goals

"Here we use the Socratic method: I call on you; I ask you a question; you answer it.  Why don't I just give you a lecture? Because through my questions you learn to teach yourselves. By this method of questioning-answering, questioning-answering, we seek to develop in you the ability to analyze that vast complex of facts that constitutes the relationships of members within a given society.”    

                                                                                                                    Professor Kingsfield (in the Paper Chase)

            I want my students to use critical thinking in their approach to information. In turn, they will be able to decide in a reasonable manner what to do and believe about that information. As Hale noted (Whitehead 1967, 1-14; Paul and Elder 2012), I want my students to be informed about a conceptual framework that’s useful for thinking about the nature of understanding content and its application in the eLearning classroom. In this framework of acquiring knowledge there are three types:

                1. Inert Knowledge

·         Information students can recall but cannot form connections to prove their point. This information simply clutters the mind, is not helpful in identifying or problem-solving.

·         David Perkins concludes that if students are able to recall information, it does not necessarily follow that they can interpret that information meaningfully and apply it appropriately to real life issues and problems.

2. Activated Knowledge

·         Information that is cognitively understood and acted upon routinely when relevant to do so. This knowledge is based in logical, valid and justifiable beliefs in which bring about confidence in the process of reasoning. Paul and Elder argue, helping students construct activated knowledge “is one of the most important keys to making lifelong learning an essential ingredient in one’s life” (2012, 70-71).

3. Activated Ignorance

·         Having the tendency to believe we are right even when our views are tainted and biased. In other words, it is holding false beliefs that influence our actions and construction of future beliefs.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS

Undergraduate Online Course

                1. Relevance

                                a. Develop the skills needed for lifelong learning and broaden experiences

                                b. Promote “active learning”

                                c. Increase effective researching skills

                2. Creativity and Innovation

                                a. Use prior knowledge to generate new ideas

                                b. demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop processes using   technology

                3. Communication and Collaboration

                                a. use digital media to communicate and work collaborately

                4. Research and Information Fluency

                                a. Use digital tools to gather, use, and evaluate information

                                b. Plan strategies to guide inquiry

                                c. Organize, evaluate, locate, analyze, synthesize and ethically use information from a variety of sources

                                d. Select and evaluate sources based on appropriateness to specific tasks

                5. Critical Thinking, Problem-solving, and Decision Making

                                a. Use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve-problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources

                6. Digital Citizenship

                                a. Understand societal, human, and cultural issues related to technology and practice ethical and legal behavior

                7. Technology Operations and Concepts

                                a. Use a sound understanding of technology systems, operations and concepts  

References

Hale, Enoch. “Conceptualizing a Personal Intellectual History/Narrative: The Importance of Strong-Sense Metacognition to

Thinking Critically.” Critical Thinking and Higher Order Thinking: A Current Perspective. Ed. Michael Shaughnessy. NewYork: Nova, 2012. 139-64.

http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-s-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Paul, Richard, and Linda Elder. Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life. 3rd ed. San Francisco:        Pearson, 2012.

Perkins, David. “Knowledge as Design: Teaching Thinking through Content.” Teaching Thinking Skills: Theory and Practice. Ed. Joan    B. Baron and Robert J. Sternberg. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Co., 1987. 62-85.---. Making Learning Whole: How Seven  Principles of Teaching can Transform Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2009.

Whitehead, Alfred. The Aims of Education and Other Essays. 1929. New York: Free Press, 1967.

eJournal 3 Analyzing Learners

This week’s journal entry will focus on analyzing learner characteristics. My instructional design project will cover a 2 to 3 week period of an online course so my learners will be described by their demographic characteristics and individual differences that may guide my selection of teaching methods and strategies, along with their beliefs and attitudes that may have an impact on their learning, motivation, and transfer, (Ch. 2, Richey, Klein & Tracey textbook).

Learner Analysis:

1.    Educational and ability levels / Reading level

2.    Previous experience / prior knowledge of topic

3.    Academic motivation level (ARCS)

4.    Attitudes towards school/work/organization

5.    Attitudes towards content and potential delivery system-- expectations

6.    Previous performance level

7.    Entry behaviors

8.    Group characteristics

Site utilized…http://www.nadasisland.com/isd/index.blog?topic_id=1112761

My Questionnaire for the above Analysis:

1. What are the achievements and general ability levels of the learners?

2.  What must learners already know about the topic?

3. How motivated are learners to learn the topic, and how much is it likely to interest them?

·        How relevant is the instructional goal to you?

·        What aspects of the goal interest you most?

·        How confident are you that you could successfully perform the goal?

·        How satisfying would it be to you to be able to perform the goal?

4.  How do the learners feel about the organization providing the training? 

5. What are the learners' impressions and attitudes about a topic and how it might be delivered? 

6. (See question 2)

7. What should learners already know how to do in order to be successful with the new instruction? 

8. What are the different ages and maturity levels?

• ·         self-concept (adults are self-directing and children are more dependent on adults to indicate what is important),
• ·         experience (adults have a richer source of previous experience),
• ·         readiness to learn (adults are more developmentally ready because their learning needs relate to fulfilling their social roles), and
• ·         orientation to learning (adults typically wish to use the information immediately while children are oriented toward learning for future needs) (Knowles, 1970, p.39).

Site utilized…http://www.itma.vt.edu/modules/spring11/efund/lesson3/learneranalysis.pdf

            The demographic factors that would be covered in this course would be age ranges from 19 to 60 years of age. Their enrollment status would be part-time to full-time. The working status of these students would range from 0 to >/=40 hours weekly. Their grade point average would be in the range of 2.1 to 4.0. The # of their past degrees would be 0 to 4 degrees. The time since they were last enrolled in an Higher Ed course would be last semester to 4 or more years ago.

Site utilized… http://academic.emporia.edu/esrs/vol46/colorado.pdf

eJournal 2 _Analyzing Problems & Analyzing Context

Backwards Planning Model for Performance Analysis Needs

A. What will motivate them to learn and perform?

·         Once a module is opened, the module will remain open then close as indicated. This is done to help the entire class stay on track. 

·         To stimulate your cultural enrichment, some of the modules will include material to examine some aspect of cultural enrichment. 

·        The course is very rigorous. In higher education, the responsibility to learn falls squarely on the student, as an adult. I want you to be successful. I want each of you to fully master this material.

B. What activities or experiences will help them learn?

1. Participation in Discussions

·         Discussion questions and student interaction are the means for staying engaged in the course and for building the online community. Proper grammar, punctuation, and full words and sentences are expected. To earn points for the discussion the posts must be thoughtful, fully answer the question(s), respectful of the class, and posted within the current module. Late posts are not accepted. For full points, students are expected to respond with substance and to respond to at least three learners. Those responses should be with substance (‘I agree’ will not work) and adhere to the other rules for discussions noted above.

2. Reflection

·         Reflection can be a valuable tool in teaching and study. An article will be available in Doc Sharing for your consideration. The article details the value of becoming a critically reflective learner and teacher. The reflection part is private and individual to the student and will not be read by the teacher unless the student chooses to share the reflection.

·         There will be some quizzes and time-management articles to help the learner. The additional skills and concepts will aid in planning, developing, and completing a ePortfolio.

C. What do performers need to do to reach objective?

·         The best way to learn about research is to fully engage in the process. Well planned research shows in the final product just as poorly planned research is reflected.  Students will actively participate in their own research and contribute with quality, thoughtful feedback to their peers. A wide variety of instructional methods will be utilized to provide meaningful learning experiences, including group problem-solving activities, self-assessments, independent research, and projects. The final result will be artifacts placed in your ePortfolio.

D. What is my objective in this performance analysis?

•  The problem I want to address is the lack of training in researching skills that will carry over into technology integration.
• Knowing the names of this technology and where to find it on the web is not enough.
• One of our biggest needs in Higher Ed is effective researching skills.

          Student Learning Outcomes:

Learning outcomes are what you are able to do as a result of the activities, readings, instruction, etc. that have taken place in this course - these are my expectations of you!

1. The learner will be an active and engaged team member within his/her learning community by analyzing, constructing/creating, and evaluating information presented within the textbook, external readings/resources, student research, and class activities in order to contribute to and develop a research proposal.

2. The learner will compare and contrast different research designs and distinguish quantitative and qualitative methods.

3. The learner will prepare and execute steps in the process of research in the form of  2 projects.

_The learner will identify and select research articles.

·        _The learner will collect and analyze relevant empirically based research and write a Journal Article /      Abstract Critique and an Emerging Technologies Project.

·        _The learner will develop the purpose and research questions to address the projects.

·        _The learner will properly format and cite research via the APA 6^th edition publication style.

4. The learner will participate in discussions with group members providing constructive and thoughtful feedback to the construction and development of their projects.

    

      Below is a link that has information about the organization being targeted in this analysis:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_A&M_University-Commerce

Analysis of Performance Context

·         _The designer must be concerned about the characteristics of the setting in which the skills and knowledge will be used.

·        _ Know the environment in which our learners will be using their new skills.
    
   Aspects of the Context Analysis are:

   1) Support of Manager or Supervisor

·        The Department of Educational Leadership at Texas A & M University-Commerce graduates more than 400 students each year and produces more than 15,000 semester credit hours (SCH). Faculty utilizes a variety of innovative teaching processes to reach a diversified student population across the state

.

   2) Organizations Physical Aspects

·         Texas A&M University-Commerce provides a personal educational experience for a diverse community of life-long learners. Our purpose is to discover and disseminate knowledge for leadership and service in an interconnected and dynamic world. Our challenge is to nurture partnerships for the intellectual, cultural, social and economic vitality of the Northeast Texas region and beyond.

    3) Social Aspects of the Organization

·        Upon completion of this Master's program, students will have developed important skills sought in a variety of settings and an electronic portfolio to market their knowledge, skills, and abilities to potential employers. Specifically, graduates of the Educational Technology-Leadership program will:

  Ø  Develop a philosophy of educational technology that shapes their visions reflected in a variety of areas from the role of technology in current and future personal and professional settings.

  Ø  Utilize best research practices in order to make informed decisions regarding the effectiveness/impact of technology integration.

  Ø  Demonstrate effective communication, media, information, and technological literacy skills applicable within current and future personal and professional settings.

  Ø  Effectively design, develop and integrate a variety of technological applications that are appropriate within current and future personal and professional settings.

   4) Skills to Workplace Relevance

     I. Use technology-related terms, concepts, data, input strategies, and ethical practices to make informed decisions of current technologies and their applications.

     II. Identify task requirements, apply search strategies, and use current technology to efficiently acquire, analyze, and evaluate a variety of electronic information.

     III. Use task-appropriate tools to synthesize knowledge, create and modify solutions, and evaluate. results in a way that supports the work of individuals and groups in problem solving situations

     IV. Communicate information in different formats for diverse audiences.

     V. Plan, organize, deliver, and evaluate instruction for all students that incorporate the effective use of current technology for teaching. Students will be able to integrate the technology applications of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) into the curriculum. 

Context Analysis process format adapted from site link:

http://www.othmanismail.com/classes/ALS480/ALS480_StudentsWork/Chap5_Grp2A.pdf

eJournal 1_Systematic Process of the 5 Why's

"The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge."-Thomas Berger

My Instructional Project (at least for now) will be a developing of a course I want to teach here called ETEC 424 “Integrating Technology into Curriculum”. Since this is a working course here I desire to put my own spin to it. In developing this course, I will focus on one unit rather than the whole course that will cover a 2 to 3 week period.

My project will address the importance of using web 2.0 in the classroom. Tools such as Teacher Tube, wiki’s, blogs, and etc., will be covered. The problem I want to address is since most students know what these tools are I feel that they are lacking in how this emerging technology is best utilized in the classroom.

This problem occurs because there is a lack of training in the use of technology integration and too much training in the area of technology discovery. Knowing the names of this technology and where it’s at on the web isn't enough.

I want established teachers, new teachers, and student teachers to be able to properly research, and implement emerging technology into their curriculum, so that the students will be able to research effectively for themselves, problem-solve, think critically, think deeper, collaborate with their peers, and be successful in any endeavor they choose as they move in their future in the 21^st century with 21st century educational skills.