Steidl: Instructional Design Student

Week 6: Analyzing Scope Creep

2010-12-09T15:18:00.001-07:00

There have really only been a few professional projects that I’ve been associated with, but I think scope creep and rear its ugly head in just about any activity that involves even a modicum of planning. I think of when I plan for a trip to Minnesota for a visit and it seems that whenever I begin the planning for said trip, scope creep shows up.

I live a long distance away from my home state, and whenever I get the chance to go back, there are dozens of activities I want to participate in, dozens of faces I’d like to see again, and dozens of places I’d like to visit that it’s literally impossible to do everything in the traditional week I normally have to spend. Every trip I take is an auto-negotiation process, often ending in disappointment for not only me, but for others in the state that wanted to see me as well. One can only accomplish so much in one trip, or one project if you’ll allow me the stab at relevancy, so it’s important for the trip planning/project manager to recognize the limitations and try to maximize the use of the resources at hand. It’s a “natural tendency of the client, as well as project team members, to try to improve the project’s output as the project progresses (Portney et al., pg 346, 2007),” so in my case of planning for a trip, it’s obvious I want to see everyone at do it all. It’s also extremely important for me to control that natural tendency and recognize limitations, no matter how difficult the decision may be to forgo a desired element of the plan. The role of the project manager is rarely an easy one, offering loads of responsibility for little recognition (Portney et al., 2007), but someone has to make the difficult decisions, and this ultimately falls to the project manager.

Inherent within the importance I’ve been prattling on about is the need for effective communication between project team members, project manager, and all important stakeholders. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (Laureate Education, 2010),” so tactful yet firm “no’s” are essential, so long as the stakeholders, team members, and all involved are informed. I can’t see everyone I want to see when I’m back in Minnesota, and I realize that; it’s important for me to, however painfully, explain to some that it’s impossible for me to meet the demands requested of me with a firm yet friendly no. I’ll make a point to see these people next time, but in order to resist scope creep, I need to limit the activity of each trip/project, and be as up-front and forthcoming as possible. If I don’t, I’ll never make it back to my life in Arizona in time to resume my life there, although, would that really be much of a loss??

References:

Laureate Education. (2010). Video media presentation retrieved December 9, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4603377&Survey=1&47=5918289&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Week 3: Communicating Effectively

2010-11-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

The same, exact message in three distinct forms. It’s pretty amazing how the exact same words can be delivered in three different tones through three different mediums. I reacted completely differently from one modality to the next, and it’s strange to feel such different sensations about the same message in different formats in such a short period of time. Here’s what I thought:

• Email: I personally preferred the email modality of the request, and email is really the form of communication I use most in my job. The formality of the email, being in written form, seems to drive home the urgency of the request more effectively. The email is very well written, which I also prefer, and gives a couple of suggestions as to how Jane’s request can be fulfilled. The written email is respectful of Mark’s time (“I know you’ve been busy;” “I really appreciate your help.”), and explains exactly what is needed and why. Plus, the request is documented and a communication stream can be preserved, in writing, between Mark and Jane. If Mark emails back stating that Jane will have the report by 3pm, a written record of that promise is created and Jane has something to hold Mark to, or show management as explanation for her late report if Mark backs out on his promise.

• Voicemail: I found this the worst modality of the three. The tone of voice on the recording was flippant and whiney, and, depending on office size, if Jane wants to talk to Mark regarding the ETA of the report, why call and not just stop by his cube? Also, speaking from personal experience, it’s very easy to ignore voicemails. Just a quick delete of the message and it’s out of mind.

• Face-to-face: I appreciated this modality as well; not quite as much as email, but pretty close. Jane shows commitment to the request by physically stopping by Mark’s cube. The face-to-face method also gives a chance for instant feedback to be given by Mark: “Sure Jane, I’ll have that report to you by 3pm.” By having the face-to-face, Jane puts Mark on the spot a little bit, but is able to get a quick answer. After the face-to-face, to further cement the request, Jane can follow up with Mark with a quick email to confirm the delivery time. As stated several times in this week’s video media, always document the information communications (Laureate Education, 2010)!

When working with team members in the future on projects, I really will keep phone communication to a last resort. With so much opportunity for distance face-to-face with Skype and other video conferencing technologies, phone calls/conference calls are becoming obsolete. The video media this week also classified which communication methods should be used as an reflection of the importance of the information being shared: “Important communication is best delivered with all team members present (Laureate Education, 2010),” so in-person or video conferencing is best in these situations. For follow-ups, informal communications, or clarifications, email works best to detail conversations and document these conversations in writing.

Reference:

Laureate Education. (2010). Video media presentation retrieved November 17, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4603377&Survey=1&47=5918289&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

Project Autopsy - What Killed "im, Doc?

2010-11-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

I created a financial aid tutorial for my team of enrollment advisors once about a year ago, and for the most part, it was a modest success. Basically, I created a PowerPoint taking them through the process a student goes through to accept his financial aid award through the myWalden page so that the team could better assist students through the process itself should they need it. The idea was to increase student support and customer service, and at the same time benefit the enrollment advisor by increasing total Talk Time, a metric used for review purposes on a quarterly basis. The tutorial was about twenty-five slides long, included screenshots of my own student financial aid account, and navigated the user through all aspects of the financial aid acceptance process, from locating the documents to exactly what those documents looked like (i.e. Master Promissory Note, Entrance Counseling, etc). There were elements that were successful and others that were not so successful, and with a firmer grasp of project management concepts, I think I could’ve did a little better job.

First, the good news. My team was able to see the financial aid process through the eyes of a student, and got some very useful insight into the documents needed for completion of the process as well as some topics of conversation to bring up with students on the phone to guide them through. The PowerPoint wasn’t too long, and included enough screenshots of an actual student financial aid account to graphically tell the story as opposed to an endless sea of bullet points. I also included back and forward buttons in the presentation so the user could navigate backward as well as forward in order to access earlier slides for review. I heard good things from my team initially; they stated that the presentation looked good, took a smooth and steady course through the brass tacks of the acceptance process, and allowed for an acceptable freedom in navigation without stranding the user. From the feedback I did acquire, the team was able to glean useful information from the presentation, and for that reason, I can be confident of some level of success with it.

While the team found value in the presentation, there could have been improvements made. From a project management stand-point, I think the organization of the project itself could’ve been better defined. I was the only one working on the project, but that shouldn’t mean that a well defined Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and/or Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC) was/were unnecessary. A WBS would’ve detailed a “hierarchical representation of all work to be performed in [the] project (Portney et al., pg. 86, 2007),” and would’ve have given me a concrete plan to approve or revise. With a well defined WBS, an LRC may be superfluous in this instance, especially considering all work would be assigned to me, but the LRC might have helped to schedule the work and prioritize the elements of the project. The LRC could have also helped to organize my duties as I assumed different roles: As the project manager, a task would have been to approve the WBS, and an LRC could’ve helped me to track that approval; as a task leader, a duty would be to approve completion of an element of the presentation, and the LRC would allow for this approval to be concretely represented. The whole idea behind these documents is to create a sense of organization and accountability, so even though I was the only employee on the project, value can still be found in the process of creating and utilizing the documents themselves.

So, while the project wasn’t a total bust, more organization from a PM perspective could’ve brought the financial aid tutorial project to new levels of utility. Now that the concepts of project management have been revealed to me (and as they continue to be revealed), I can only imagine how useful they will become on future projects, solo or otherwise.

Reference:

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Week 8: Reflection on the Future of Distance Learning

2010-10-31T17:44:00.002-07:00

Distance learning is the future of education at not only a higher education level, but at a K-12 level as well. In this day and age of advanced communications systems, global economies of scale, and multi-national corporations, the world as we know it gets smaller and smaller by the day. Corporate operations teams are spread across nations, but miss little in the way of communicability. Synchronous communications technologies are at levels previously unimagined, able to reach across vast distances with efficiency and practicality. Education is in a similar place with regard to delivery. No longer is education confined to ivy-covered buildings and hallowed halls, but is accessible to virtually anyone with an Internet connection. Flexibility, accessibility, and convenience are at an all-time high in education, with the only perceivable restrictions residing in the court of public opinion. Distance learning is on the rise, and has been proven to be as effective, if not more effective, than traditional education; but, opinion varies as greatly as the various forms distance learning can take. The future and potential of distance learning resides in this public opinion, and it will be the job of the instructional designer to design, develop, implement, and evaluate effective distance learning, thereby eliciting the buy-in of academia and helping to bring distance education to its full fruition.

Perceptions of distance learning in the near future will change dramatically, and this will be due to the graduation and employment of distance learners. The only way to truly prove that distance learning is just as good, if not better, than traditional education is to show what distance learning graduates can do in the workplace. I think that what society will find is a distance learner that is very well adjusted to operating within a technology-driven environment. Distance learners will be quite accustomed to communicating with coworkers and facilitators across vast differences, and this will prove valuable in wide-spread, multi-national business. Gone are the days of deals being consummated by way of a hand-shake. Corporate America must operate in virtual environments, and who better to do so than folks who have done their learning in these same environments. Once these distance learners have proven what they can do professionally, perceptions of distance learning as a whole will improve.

But what of distance education itself? How can the overall quality be maintained and improved in the short term to produce these new-age wunderkinds? This is the job, now and in the future, of the instructional designer. By adhering to sound instructional design practice, creating student-centered learning environments, and fostering collaborative and informative opportunities for not only students but instructors alike, the instructional designer will guarantee the successful and accepted future of distance learning. Instructional designers must work closely with SMEs, educational facilitators, and communications infrastructure professionals alike to ensure that the instructional message is applicable and practical to conventional professional practice, that facilitators and instructors understand the new role they play in distance learning, and that distance learning is supported by the strongest and most fail-safe systems. At the nexus of these players lies the future of distance education: A well conceived, practical, learner-focused environment that produces savvy, collaborative, and motivated professionals. An instructional designer does not have all the answers, but is well served to act as a project manager and facilitator in her own right of the multiple personalities and opinions in the instructional design process. A healthy, collaborative, and comfortable environment is not just important to learning environments, but in the design environments of these learning systems.

At the end of the day, the successful instructional designer will always first ask the question, “is a learning intervention necessary?” The second question, if the answer to the first question is yes, is “what does the environment that will best serve the learner look like?” If the situation is right for a distance learning initiative, then the instructional designer will further explore the climate and, keeping in mind the needs of the learner, create the best-fitting environment possible. Maybe that environment is asynchronous? If it is, the instructional designer must make sure to communicate the responsibilities of the learner and facilitator alike: That the learner must take responsibility for his own learning, and the facilitator must take a more active role in collaborations (Simonson et al., 2009). If a synchronous environment proves to be the best fit, then the instructional designer must make sure all technological ingredients are available, and if advanced technologies are at the disposal of the instructional designer, that her designs allow for the training of its users, if need be. As long as the end user is considered in all design decisions, then effective distance learning environments will be created. When effective distance learning environments are created, then those learning environments will produce well-trained and confident professionals. When these well-trained and confident professionals hit the workplace and show what they can do, then the perception of distance education will improve dramatically as a result. With this improvement in public perception in place, the sky is the limit for the continued future of distance education as a whole.

Reference:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Week 7: Converting to a Distance Learning Environment

2010-10-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Application assignment for the week was an interesting one, and one I chose to create in a newsletter style. I felt that short, succinct articles highlighting and describing to essential parts of the assignment would be beneficial to a facilitator looking to convert a face-to-face learning environment. The articles describe best practices, and the newsletter is short, only three pages in length. The size is intentional as to not overwhelm the facilitator and to make a handy guide that can be consulted at any time of the design, development, and/or implementation phase. But, why explain when the document can explain itself? Enjoy.

Week 5 - The Impact of Open Source

2010-10-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

http://oyc.yale.edu/

The idea of free education provided by a prestigious institution like Yale University seems almost too good to be true. In an effort to “make an important contribution to expanding access to educational resources through the use of internet technology (http://oyc.yale.edu/about ),” Yale has made available course content and lectures from an array of undergraduate course offerings. While these materials are provided free of charge online, it is here that the similarities to true distance learning end. Instead of providing an online learning opportunity, Yale is simply distributing course materials for use in other, in-class, synchronous classrooms. Consumers of this material are given a syllabus, links to recorded lectures, and downloadable resources, much of which is incomplete due to licensing difficulties. Learners within Yale’s open course environment are essentially on their own if “auditing” an available class; a better format would be to implement the available syllabus and materials into a traditional classroom. This, however, has nothing to do with distance education; instead, Yale has dumped face-to-face course information online with no structure to learning, and certainly no pre-planning or intentional design for distance education.

Simonson et al. (2009) warn against this dumping practice. “The term shovelware has evolved to describe this practice: Shovel the course onto the Web and say you are teaching online, but don’t think about it much (pg. 248).” This really is precisely what has happened here; a bunch of learning material has been plopped onto an open source site and left to be used in whatever way seems good to an instructor. There is no structure to the learning events, other than a chronological order of topics as described in the syllabus; there is no grading criteria or point structure; nor are there any timeframes within which the course is to be completed in. Is it a semester-based course? A quarter-based course? Can the course be extended over multiple terms, or is it better served to be completed within one term? Suffice it to say that the open courses provided by Yale are not finished products; there is much work to be done once the decision to use the material has been made.

There is no online component to the courses at all. In order to construct distance learning opportunities around the provided materials, an instructor would have to work with an instructional designer extensively to build, from scratch, the entirety of the online learning environment. There are discussion topics described in the learning materials (for example: http://oyc.yale.edu/classics/introduction-to-ancient-greek-history/content/resources/02darkages ) but no platform upon which to conduct the discussions themselves. This requires the incorporation of a threaded discussion forum which will have to be contracted from another source, or built on-site for substantial cost. Regardless, this is a process in and of itself to be undertaken without any suggestions from Yale. Let’s take a look at a few recommendations from Simonson et al. (2009) regarding online learning to illustrate how far away the Yale open courses are from true distance education:

 “Students can work at their own pace.”

 “Online course materials, once developed, are easy to update, providing students access to current information.”

 “The Internet can provide a student-centered learning environment, if the materials and methods are designed to take advantage of the interactivity and resources the Internet provides.”

 The Internet promotes active learning and facilitates student’s intellectual involvement with the course content.”

 A well-conceived online course provides a variety of learning experiences and accommodates different learning styles.” (pg. 234-5)

The Yale open courses as they stand now offer none of these advantages typically afforded by effective online learning. The structure of the materials is ambiguous and mundane, as well as old-fashioned and teacher-centered. The courses do actually do a good job of offering access to materials anywhere, anytime by allowing for lectures to be downloaded via iTunes to mobile devices, but this is the only interaction the student has with the material; there is no inherent active learning opportunities for “small-group discussions, hands-on experiences with materials available in advance of the class period, or similar types of classroom strategies (Simonson et al., pg. 192, 2009).” While a great idea, the Yale open courses are quite obviously not designed for distance learning. To be transformed into a format viable for distance education, much work will need to be done by instructional designers and course instructors; so much so that a decision needs to be made whether or not to adopt the learning materials in the first place.

Reference:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Week 3: Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

2010-09-26T16:14:00.001-07:00

First and foremost, here is the example I chose to discuss in this posting:

Example 1: Collaborative Training Environment

A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.

It's a fairly well known fact that I am not only a student at Walden but an employee as well. Walden's structure is much like the structure of the example above, in that there are multiple sites scattered all across the country. There are enrollment advisors in all sites, in all time zones, and we often need to learn similar material at different times. While the collaboration of our trainings doesn't match well to the example, I think the Walden model, properly modified, would serve well to act as a template for the development of the training workshop for the hypothetical company.

Since the staff of the hypothetical company cannot meet at the same time at the same location, it would seem that an asynchronous training platform would be a good fit for this workshop. That way, staff can come and go to and from the workshop on their schedules. However, the corporation has also made very clear to me as the instructional designer that collaboration between staff members is essential, that information sharing is crucial, and that this collaboration be on-going. These requirements, to me, scream Web 2.0, and the employment of such technologies would serve the corporation well. "In the early 2000s, a new generation of web applications emerged, tools that are highly participatory and promote collaboration, networking, sharing, and the widespread generation of content (Simonson et al., pg. 244, 2009)." According to that definition, Web 2.0 technologies provide everything I need. But which technology would be the best fit? For my initial design, I will choose the wiki.

"A wiki is an online writing space designed to be created and edited by groups of persons" and "can be an excellent tool for collaborative online writing assignments and group activities compiling information in a single online source (Simonson et al., pg. 245, 2009)." I've had previous experience with wikis in the program here at Walden, and I've found them to be terrifically valuable platforms for document sharing and collaborative document editing. Many people can work with the same documents, edit them, and then post the edited documents to the wiki for further review. This type of platform should be a great fit for a staff information system. As staff rosters change, posted listings can be easily edited to reflect the new staff rosters. If new information needs to be shared with all staff, the documents can be posted to the wiki to be accessed by all. There are also many free wiki sites available, so the wiki would seem to be a cheap way to ensure staff collaboration across all sites.

In addition to the wiki itself, training would need to be designed and implemented to teach the staff of the corporation how to use a wiki. A simple interactive wiki presentation could be built using Adobe Captivate (or MS PowerPoint) defining a wiki, explaining the beneficial uses of a wiki, and allowing learners to experience a wiki first-hand. Then, assuming there are trainers located at each corporate site (like Walden has), an in-class session can be scheduled for the sites, allowing for staff to work with a wiki in the presence of co-workers and a trainer. Once this practical application knowledge is acquired, staff should have no trouble using the corporate staff information wiki.

Wikis have been shown to be effective in this capacity before, and will show more effectiveness in the future. A couple of examples to prove my point:

"At Universitas 21 Global, selected faculty potentials undergo a mandatory three-week online faculty training programme (FTP), which they must successfully complete before they received their official appointment to teach an online class for U21Global (Gullett & Bedi, pg. 358, 2007)." It was noted that due to the length of time of the FTP and the length of time to official appointment, it was easy for faculty to forget the information presented in the FTP. The university implemented a collaborative wiki as a continuing part of its training and development program, allowing for faculty to access previous FTP materials, edit the materials for future use, and build social networks within the school. This example shows well how a wiki can continue a training and development process, allow for staff collaboration, and enhance social networks.
Innovative Learning Group in Michigan has a five-part series on YouTube extolling the virtues of interactive wikis in corporate training and learning environments. Innovative Learning Group specializes in custom trainings, and for them to focus so much time and energy producing a five-part YouTube series extolling said virtues of wikis in training, says a lot for the increased use of wikis in training environments. Tom Werner linked to this series on his site, workplace learning today; says Werner: "Wikis are probably the most relevant Web 2.0 tool for training because they are all about group contribution to content (http://www.brandon-hall.com/workplacelearningtoday/?p=4342)."

References:

Gullett, E. & Bedi, K. (2007). Wiki: A new paradigm for online training and development of faculty. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/gullett.pdf.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Week 1: Distance Learning Defined

2010-09-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Walden University wasn't my first rodeo when it came to distance learning. I had taken several online classes in my bachelor's program at Metro State University in St. Paul, MN, and even had the pleasure of completing a summer independent study class. I will say, however, that in the years since I completed my bachelor's (I graduated in 2006), distance learning, especially in online learning, has come a long way. With the way Walden integrates media into its online classes, I feel that a richer experience is felt by students. Asynchronicity is a constant between my Metro State online classes and Walden, but to be able to take every class online in an asynchronous format has been realized by me to be very important and crucial to my success at Walden. While my definition of distance learning hasn't changed much since my Metro State days, I will say that the delivery, efficiency, and consistency has improved tremendously.
As technology improves, the world gets smaller and it should then follow that distance learning delivery methods and efficiency increases at a proportional rate. "Advances in electronic communications technology help[s] to determine the dominant medium of distance education (Simonson et al., pg. 38, 2009)." Where the postal system first served as a delivery method for distance education, now the Internet serves as the primary delivery system. Online education allows for learners and instructors to simulate a geographical closeness that is only trumped by in-class learning. What happens to distance education when video conferencing software such as Skype becomes more prevalent? At that point, is there any difference between in-class and online learning? In terms of synchronous learning, I don't think there is much of a difference; the true differences will occur and be seen in synchronous vs. asynchronous learning.

This synchronous vs. asynchronous learning comparison is underscored in Michael Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance. Moore describes transactional distance as being "composed of two elements, each of which can be measured. First is the provision for two-way communication. Some systems or programs offer grater amounts of two way communication than others. Second is the extent to which a program is responsive to the needs of the individual learner. Some programs are very structured, while others are very responsive to the needs and goals of the individual student (Simonson et al., pg. 43, 2009)." Each system of learning has benefits and drawbacks; personally, I find asynchronous learning much more conducive to my particular learning style. The ability to learn at my convenience and when I am ready to learn is the biggest reason for my success thus far in my program. I never liked synchronous learning. I was too depended on the hi-or-miss teaching talents of professors, and I hated sitting in class through discussions dominated by one or two students. These programs were not very responsive to my needs as a learner. Asynchronous learning has fit me like a glove. I can come and go as I please, participate when ready and inspired, and get more out of instructional topics than I ever had before in synchronous environments. Asynchronous learning environments allow me to participate more in class, so the two-way communication I have with my classmates and instructors have greatly increased since my in-class days. According to Moore's Transactional Distance Theory, asynchronous distance learning is positively measured for me in both areas.

I think that technology will be the major driver in the development of distance learning; like I said, it seems that the more technology advances, the smaller the world gets. It is crucial, however, that technology is not employed in distance learning simply because it can be, but that it is employed as a result of sound instructional design practice. For example, Skype is an available technology that could greatly impact distance learning. In the context of Moore's theory, Skype can greatly improve two-way communication in distance learning, and it serves the needs of learners who need face-to-face interaction with instructors and students. However, if Skype were to be integrated in earnest into the Walden experience, these same improvements may not be realized; I know they wouldn't be by me. First, the two-way communication provided by Skype eliminates the asynchronous element of the Walden experience. If I have to sit in front of a computer screen for two hours to attend a lecture, how is that any different that sitting in a classroom? Also, two-way communication is served very well on the threaded discussion boards. Who says that two-way communication must be synchronous and face-to-face? In this example, employment of this available technology would not be rooted in sound instructional design practice. The idea of Walden's asynchronous education is to make education available to busy, working professionals. Introduction of a synchronous communication medium would violate the core design strategy of Walden's programs.

Consult the following Mind Map for a look at my personal take on the structure of distance learning:

Reference:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Blog Dedux: Back To The Ol' Stompin' Grounds

2010-09-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

When I created this blog in EDUC 6115, I had a hard time imagining ever using it again once the class ended. So, upon looking at the first week's assignments in EDUC 6135 today, I was surprised to see that we'd be working with blogs again, and that use of a previously created blog was encouraged. It's always nice to revisit the old neighborhood, so to speak, and it makes it even more enjoyable when that visit is for a purpose. Welcome to my blog! I look forward to engaging in future learning experiences here with all of you in the near future.

Trouble With Accepting Financial Aid?

2010-03-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

Try out this tutorial I created for a group project in EIDT6100:

Accepting Financial Aid

If you do take a look at it, let me know what you think!

So much for Howard Gardner-ville...

2010-02-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

I got stuck in a classic Stephen King novel (It; if you haven't read it, do.) and haven't been able to crack Frames of Mind yet...so sue me. Seriously though, I do plan to delve into the works of the man as soon as my love for the works of King are sated (for the time being). However, I did want to talk about a neat experience in EIDT6100. My group project has been revolving around learning modules for applicants to Walden University, and supplemental materials that can be used by Walden enrollment advisors. The work has been hard, especially we are at least one group member short, so the rest of us have expended a lot of energy shouldering the load of the missing member. But the work has a certain rewarding quality to it, and I think that has a lot to do with the practical nature. It really feels like we're "doing" instructional design right now, from all angles within the ADDIE model, and if this is what ID really is, I think I can handle doing this for the rest of my life. I know the ADDIE model has been deemed by some to be rigid, cumbersome, and out-dated, but the process is essential, and if the process works then use it.

I, as you may well know, am, in addition to a student at Walden, also and enrollment advisor at Walden. The foundation for our group project is sound, and I can say that as not only an ID'er, but also as an SME, which I essentially served as throughout the process. I can see myself using these modules in my everyday workings at Walden, and I honestly look forward to doing so. Not because I made the stuff, but because I see true value in it. I think this speaks for the efforts of my entire group, and I can honestly say we've done a tremendous job; not to toot my horn, but to laud the accomplishments of all involved. I think that a well-designed instructional module is one that has practical application, and ours is that; the enrollment advisor in me has seen this. And while our design has yet to receive any outside feedback, I'm confident it will be positive, if not constructive.

Kudos to Mind Design Collaborations!

Foray into Howard Gardner-ville

2010-01-14T12:38:00.003-07:00

I've recently come to the conclusion that anyone giving me Barnes & Noble gift cards for Christmas is essentially filling a meth addict's stocking with paint thinner and Sudafed; I'm hopelessly addicted to buying books. Outside of the malignant connection I just made, some good can actually come of a book addiction. I recently got a shipment that contained three books by Howard Gardner, including his groudbreaking work, Frames of Mind, which introduced the world to the Seven Intelligences (since expanded to Eight Intelligences). I've made no secret of my recent infatuation with the works of Gardner, so to be able to get to the source is exciting. I haven't started any of the books yet, but when I do, I have a feeling I'll be posting here fairly frequently regarding new inspiration I've received.

Stay tuned.

Reflections on a Wealth of New Knowledge

2009-12-23T15:35:00.003-07:00

As the course comes to a close, the Christmas season begins, and thoughts turn to the new year and new possibilities, I can’t help but feel a sense of optimism, both for opportunities in the new year, and for the future of my Instructional Design program. At no point in my scholastic career can I remember a class that has taught me more on a subject I found so fascinating. I’ve always harbored a certain curiosity on the subject of learning, mostly because, to be perfectly honest, it has come so naturally and easily for me. I was always the student in class that grasped the idea or lesson right away, and was often deployed to the class to help tutor others. I’ve always wondered what made me so different in this sense. What is it about my brain or my technique that allows me to grasp concepts so quickly and fully? I feel that the material presented in this class allowed me to crawl inside my own head and to understand that question more deeply. While I believe several lifetimes can be devoted to the subject of learning styles, learning theories, and motivation, and still not be able to unveil all the mysteries therein, the concepts I’ve learned in this class will be very applicable in my future career as an Instructional Designer.

What struck me most about the concepts presented is the vastness and diversity of the subject matter. I found myself exploring one theory or style, grasping the concept of it, then being introduced to another concept that was completely different. While all of the theories presented different angles and sought different explanations, they all shared a common bond of a sincere quest for the understanding of the inner workings and processes of the human mind. This quest was not for personal gain, but for the advancement of human kind in an attempt to streamline and strategize the learning process. If efficiency in learning can be established, then learners can advance themselves to their full potential, helping all of human kind in the process. This altruistic vision is one that I hope to contribute to in my life as a designer of instructional environments.

Fortunately, I find myself more confident in my ability to achieve my contributive goal, because of the depth of knowledge I’ve gain in how people learn, and what approaches to take to best serve the learners I’m to communicate with. The largest lesson that I’ve learned is that no two people learn in the exact same way, so for me to design effective learning environments, I must incorporate as many strategies, styles, and stimuli as I can, to reach as many different learners as I can. I most associated with the Multiple Intelligences Theory of Howard Gardner. As I said in several discussion postings, it’s the idea that intelligence moves beyond the conventional logical/mathematical and linguistic categorizations, and considers the artistic and personal intelligences as well. All eight intelligences are given equal weight, and the ability and opportunity to develop and grow these intelligences is granted to all. I am inspired by this theory and plan to utilize it to its fullest potential in every learning environment I conceive, from the smallest training module, to the grandest of online educational institution. I have several of Gardner’s books on the way, and I can’t wait to delve deeper into his world.

The knowledge I’ve gained in the class will go a long way in the development of my future learning environments. There is no correct way to learn, so my challenge will be to incorporate as many techniques and styles as I can in my designs, for the benefit of a greater cross-section of humanity. I look forward to my continued studies, especially to the exploration of the Adobe design software. It is encouraging, however, to know that the foundation that has been built in the program is a strong one, and will serve me well in my future endeavors.

Reflections on Personal Learning Style

2009-12-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of this course, I described myself as a visual learner, but gave concessions to an ability in auditory learning as well. My understanding of my learning abilities and intelligences has expanded tremendously. I used intelligences in that last sentence on purpose, because my exposure to Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences really opened my eyes to how I learn.

I was always dissatisfied with the visual/auditory classifications, as I felt it was missing something. What that something was I couldn't put my finger on, but it just seemed too basic. Reading Gardner's theory really resonated with me, as it filled in the gaps I perceived but was unable to fill myself. I particularly like the inclusion of the arts and personalities in the Multiple Intelligences Theory. Audio/Visual at least broaches the subject of Musical and Spatial Intelligence, but doesn't go all the way. I know many people who like music, but can't carry a tune. I know people who are color blind, but can truly appreciate a sunset for all its majesty. Simply classifying these people as audio or visual people doesn't describe the complexity of their unique situations. Gardner's theory says that it's possible to love music without being able to create it. The theory says my color-blind friend can rely on his spatial intelligence to appreciate the sunset for what it's worth, even if he can appreciate the full spectrum of color. I related to the theory so much, that I bought three Howard Gardner books, to learn more deeply on the subject.

Knowing about and believing in the eight intelligences will help me utilize technology in myriad ways. Adding ambient music to learning environments to stimulate those with a high musical intelligence; employing artistic style to learning environments to appeal to the spatially strong; and, try to bring people together to incorporate interpersonal intelligence. I also plan to make learning as asynchronous as possible, touching on a person's intrapersonal intelligence, and appealing to the adult learning tenant of self-direction. This is just the beginning.

Mind Map - Reflection

2009-12-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

Upon reflection of the material presented in my Mind Map, I can truly say that my learning has become much more 21st century. I’ve had experience with online classes in the past, but not with a degree program that is 100% online. I’m not going to lie and say that it was an effortless transition, but I think my previous experience with online learning, and the fact that I work for Walden and had an idea of what the learning environment was like before I started, definitely eased the adaptation. I think the online format of this program very much suits me, as can be reinforced by the discussion this week on adult learning and the characteristic preference for self-direction. I’ll also say that the asynchronous nature facilitated my learning more than anything, as I can do my homework whenever I want. In my bachelor’s program, my favorite classes were the online classes. Not because they were easy, but because they were flexible. I hated going to class and sitting through lecture. This concept of learning really is antiquated and I always thought there had to be a better way (especially in Minnesota winters. It was very easy to skip class when there was two feet of snow on the ground and the temperature was negative-ten degrees). Online learning lets me work from home, which is perfect for me (even though I live in Arizona now, and weather isn’t an issue).

I’ve never been much of a question asker, relying instead on finding the answer for myself, but I’m very comfortable asking questions in the online environment. The professors thus far have been very prompt in responses to any questions I’ve had. This only reinforces the support I feel from my friends and family (as shown in the Mind Map), and the experience I’ve been having so far in the online program. It helps also that I have a classmate, in the same program, on my team at work. We talk about the program nearly every day, answering each others’ questions and providing another layer of support (not seen on the Mind Map). All of this support is invaluable to say the least.

As shown by my mind map, I think the central tenets of Connectivism are well represented. Essentially, connectivism can be interpreted to convey a message of, “no one learning theory is 100% correct.” Instead, connectivism implores the individual to use as many methods as possible to learn in the most effective manner. My Mind Map shows that I learn through several different methods. Cognitivistically speaking, learning in my current online environment is heavily influenced by my previous experience in my bachelor’s program. I can access the schema built from that program and apply it to my current program when it comes to time management, online ethics, and so on. Constructively speaking, the social environment of not only the classroom, but my job at Walden comes into play. It’s a blessing to work for a school you attend, because the culture of learning is strongly ingrained in everyone. While employees are not necessarily encouraged to do homework at work, it is tolerated, which allows me to do a lot in my down time at work. Without that sociocultural structure, there would be a little more adaptation needed on my part to establish a routine at home. As it stands, I can be surrounded by a pro-education environment and tap into that energy while doing my homework.

My Mind Map

2009-12-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Week 2: Belated

2009-11-18T11:36:00.001-07:00

First and foremost, an apology is owed in regard to the lateness of this post. I recently have been fighting tooth-and-nail with the H1N1 virus (as is the duty of every American these days, it seems), and was bedridden until today. But, now that I’m functional again, I can contribute to my infant blog.

I was able to find several sources in my search of the web that deal directly with the brain and learning, information processing theory, and problem-solving methods in the learning process. I focused primarily on the study of the brain, and the subsequent impact on educational strategies, and information processing theory. I guess the reason for this comes down to personal preference (I am fascinated by the structure of the brain, and really how little is known about it), as well as a sense that this is the cutting-edge of instructional design. As more and more is discovered about how people learn, the biology of learning, and how instructional designers can tap into this science, learning environments and modules will be enhanced greatly, and be able to be customized to individual learning like never before.

One site I found particularly engaging was http://www.funderstanding.org/, a site devoted to the concept of “brain-based learning.” I found it particularly applicable to the readings and lessons learned last week, in that there are several suggested readings pertaining to Left Brain vs. Right Brain Learning. The text implies that there is no such thing as specifically right-brained or left-brained learners, and the article linked by the site basically agrees. Both sources encourage a “whole-brained” approach to learning, and that engaging as many areas of the brain as possible when learning increases the chances of moving this new information into Long-Term Memory.

Another site I found acts as an online research database, which can supplement the databases we have access to as students through the Walden Library site. The website is called Questia.com, and gives access to numerous books on various learning-theory subjects. I conducted a search on “cognitive information processing,” and was given a list of ten, full-length books, all on the subject of cognitive information processing. This site would be extremely valuable to an student conducting research for a thesis on information processing theory, as long as that student is willing to do a little reading (to say the least).

Initial Post: New Blogs I'm Subscribing To (And Why)

2009-11-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of great information in cyberspace concerning Instructional Design theory and the latest strategies. But, I've also noticed that, through conventional searches (i.e. using Google), not many active bloggers can be found on the subject. I found a few sites devoted to blogging about ID, but the majority hadn't been actively blogging for several years. In terms of a technologically-sensitive industry like ID, these blogs may as well have been published back in the bronze age.

Here are several sites I found particularly useful, not only for their freshness and consistent activity, but for their utilitarianism as well:

Making Change - I thought this blog by Cathy Moore was particularly applicable in that it seems to piggy back on the first class in the Walden IDT program, concerning Organizational Development and Change Leadership. Good ideas on instituting change within organizations from a professional ID point of view.

Learning Journal - I liked the consistency of this blog (a post every two weeks or so), and the topics discussed. Looks like the ADDIE model is under a lot of scrutiny these days, which is definitely news to me. Not only am I a student in Walden's MS-IDT program, but I'm also an enrollment advisor for the program, so information like this helps me describe the program and the field to potential students (when being trained on the program when it was new, the ADDIE model was the concept we spent the most time on; seems to be out-dated now).

eLearningLearning - I think this site is great! More of a newsletter/compilation site than a strict blogging site, but it has a collection of the latest and greatest news and information on all things eLearning and ID related. I have a feeling I'll be visiting this site often, and will be staying in the loop as a result!