Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology

The last section of your textbook discusses the concepts of distributed learning, reusability, rich media and the future of instructional design. Focus on the following for your post:

• From Chapter 28 locate 5 examples of distributed learning.
• Academic distributed learning
• A Spanish class in North Texas cooperating with an ESL class in a Texas/Mexico border town to help each other reach their respective learning goals
• Distributed learning based at physical locations
• Wal-Mart Associate training – mainly computerized, but also some hands-on, some videos, and some hard-copy text; though from corporate headquarters, all information is downloaded saved to local servers from which learners access the courses as needed
• Skills-based training
• The Biology Project: Biochemistry, Bill Grimes and Rick Hallick, University of Arizona
  Offers tutorials and interactive quizzes covering basic chemistry, metabolism, enzymes, and molecular structure (part of The Biology Project)
• The Work Ethic Site, Professor Hill, The University of Georgia
  Designed for educators and human resource professionals, this Web site provides a central resource for materials related to the work ethic, work competencies, and employability skills.
• Leisure time distributed learning
• Online gaming, especially multiplayer games and virtual reality worlds like Second Life

• Chapter 29 discusses the concept of reusability. Think back over the courses you've had over your educational career and identify one with poor reusability characteristics. Explain how the course could be redesigned to improve reusability without changing the underlying content.
• There was a “research” class that I took many years ago. It was billed as the perfect research design class for liberal arts and fine arts majors. However, once I was in the class, it turned out to be focused only on researching Mexican and South American literature in Spanish. This did not bother me because that was what I wanted to study, anyway. But, there were several students in the class who were looking for research theory and research design techniques. Because that was what the course was supposed to have been, and was the basis of what we were doing, it seems to me it would have been a lot better to have used the research design curriculum with emphasis on the designing of research projects and just had the literature as one option for a research choice. If the course had been set up with such a design, nearly all the materials and resources that would have been used could have been re-used by other professors teaching similar courses in other departments or even at other universities without having to make major changes to those materials and resources. As it was set up, this particular professor could not even re-use the materials and resources for a different semester without having to make major revisions and changes to nearly all materials and finding different resources.

• Chapter 30 takes a look at using rich media. Find or create a visual for instruction describing its surface and functional features.

 

• This visual from Florida’s Driver Handbook use simplified images, and basic colors to represent vehicles in the process of parallel parking. Functionally, the arrows and the directions of the wheels of the parking vehicle at various stages in the parallel parking process demonstrate very well the things that a driver needs to do at different points in the process.
• Chapter 31 discusses the future of instructional technologies in the near future from metadata to nanotechnology. Describe how nanotechnology could be used to improve a specific job or task you are familiar with.  
• One thing I think is not far in the future and would be a great improvement over several current options is a wrist-worn computer/video player. I was recently reading about a prototype of just such a device that is planned to be the equivalent or superior of current smart phones. If this device becomes a viable, marketed product, it would be a very great benefit in helping to make many everyday activities more convenient, and easier to accomplish. One example: this device was touted as having the ability to connect to any email system and display messages in a 3-D projected display above your wrist, or read messages to the user. Because this device can be voice-controlled and is locked and unlocked via fingerprint recognition, it would make it possible to “read” emails while commuting because the user could have the device read the subject lines and senders, then give voice commands to tell the device to read desired messages aloud so that there would be no need to remove attention from driving.

• And finally! Chapter 32 provides two points of view on the direction of the field - the straight and narrow road and the broad and inclusive road. Which point of view do you agree with and why?

Broad and Inclusive: While the tried and true might sound like a sure-bet, being open to new ideas and new directions is what allows for real innovation. Like the old adage says, “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.” So, I lean more toward the “Broad and Inclusive” view of the direction of technology and instructional development. After all, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did not follow established and tested methods in creating their empires, yet they have each produced some of the most definitive and iconic advances in computer technology and software within the last 30 years.

For the Future

 

Section 6: Getting an IDT Position and Succeeding at It

I. Take a look at a few of the sources provided for job openings from lesson 1 and search for at least 3 positions that are of interest to you. Describe the general nature of the positions and list the skills required for the job. Do you have these skills?  I have almost all required skills, but not necessarily the years of experience, for each of these jobs.

 

1.    Professional Development Trainer – Ingersoll Rand – Tyler, TX
    § Major responsibilities:

• Schedule and deliver “classroom-style”, “in-field”, and mobile (web-based or conference call) training sessions
• Effective delivery of business courses, sales courses, product courses, and other branded training programs
• Exceptional facilitation skills and effective presentation skills focusing on interactive learning through a variety of exercises, discussion groups and role-plays
• Routine summarization of course evaluation data on all programs delivered and address the feedback/comments from participants to enhance, redirect, or revamp programs if necessary
• Ensure high quality training through ongoing evaluation and maintenance of training materials 

§   Key competencies:

• Proven experience facilitating training workshops and meetings
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong understanding of Adult Learning Principles and Instructional Design
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills - able to understand and effectively communicate complex subjects

2.    Learning Resources Training Manager – Ingersoll Rand – Tyler, TX
§ Major responsibilities:

• Manage a team of Trainers
• Respond to training requests, schedule and oversee the implementation of training programs.
• Provide leadership, support to team members including assess skills and develop trainers
• Market Learning Resources capabilities to internal audiences, distribution and dealers.
• Provide administration and reporting on training functions
• Manage relationships with Training Allies
• Must be able to facilitate training, meetings and events.

§ Key competencies:

• Excellent relationship management skills required
• Ability to influence others is critical to the success of this position
• Proven experience facilitating training workshops and meetings
• Excellent communication skills including strong presentation skills, the ability to understand and effectively communicate complex subjects; strong presentation and writing skills
• Strong understanding of Adult Learning Principles, Learning Metrics and Instructional Design
• Outstanding organizational skills and ability to focus on details and excellent time management skills
• Ability to effectively handle resistance and conflict, both individually and within a group
• Effective at delivering and receiving feedback, both positive and for improvement

3.    Learning Resources Leadership Development Trainer – Ingersoll Rand – Tyler, TX

§ Major Responsibilities:

• Work location is flexible - Telecommuting is allowed*
• Key project manager who will plan and implement Leadership Development and business training initiatives and programs.
• Contributes to the design of programs and processes and works with Learning Resources teams to translate business needs into high-impact learning that builds leadership and management capability.
• Strong consulting and interpersonal skills to evaluate learning needs and recommend appropriate solutions
• Proficient in variety of training mediums included web-based and blended approaches.
• Project planning including learning needs analysis, communication strategy, training plans, and measurement of results.
• Identify gaps in existing curriculum and develop strategies to address the gaps
• Facilitates instructor led learning (an pilot, train-the-trainer sessions)and to build bench strength
• Strong knowledge of learning metrics

§ Key competencies:

• Strong leadership development background
• Excellent relationship management skills, business acumen and analytical skills. Ability to influence others is critical to the success of this position
• Proven experience facilitating leadership workshops and meetings
• Excellent communication skills including strong presentation skills, the ability to understand and effectively communicate complex subjects; strong presentation and writing skills
• Strong understanding of Adult Learning Principles, Learning Metrics and Instructional Design
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills
• Must be able to work effectively as a team member
• Ability to meet deadlines with a high degree of accuracy. Will be required to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Regular user of MS Word, MS Outlook, MS PowerPoint, and LMS system(s)

II. Remember that the field of instructional/educational technology is not just focused on education, but on business and industry as well. Look at the resources provided on page 258 in chapter 25 and select one of these links and complete the self assessment. What did you learn about yourself from the assessment?

I took the Skills Profiler self-assessment at Career OneStop. What I learned is that I am sorely underutilized and underpaid. I underrated my skills in taking this assessment and found that I am Above Average in nearly every skill area. I also discovered that if it were not for so many employers being afraid to hire someone that they see as overqualified, I should be able to have any career I desire.

III. Chapter 26 lists several websites for professional organizations and websites for professional publications. Visit 2-3 websites for professional organizations and 2-3 websites for the professional publications and address the following:

Professional Organizations:
1. ISTE.org
Mission: advancing learning and teaching through innovative and effective uses of technology in PK-12 and teacher education
Cost of Membership: Premium Membership: $215; Standard Membership: $95; Retired Educator Membership: $59; Student Membership: $39
Publications: books, Learning & Leading with Technology, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education
Conferences & Meetings: annual conference and exposition, formerly the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), is the world's premier educational technology event
Opportunities for Professional Development: Cutting-edge professional development services, grounded in the NETS, and dedicated to improving teaching and learning in today’s PK–12 and higher education classrooms.

2. ASTD.org
Mission: Empower professionals to develop knowledge and skills successfully.
Cost of Membership: 12-month individual $199; 12-month Student $59Publications: T&D Magazine; books; research reports; InfolineConferences & Meetings: ASTD 2011 International Conference & Exposition; Telling Ain't Training Conference; Telling Ain't Training Conference; The Learning Transfer ConferenceOpportunities for Professional Development: With over 30 Education Programs to attend at locations across the US, bring on-site to your organization, or access online from the convenience of your computer, let ASTD be your resource for world-class professional development.
Professional publications:Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education
Focus/Goals of the journal: latest issues and trends in education
Submission guidelines: http://site.aace.org/publish/?fuseaction=Authors.BeginSubmissionCITE  

Is this a peer reviewed journal? Yes
Is the journal online? Yes

eLearn Magazine
Focus/Goals of the journal: We strive to be the leading source of high-quality information on technology for corporate training and higher education.
Submission guidelines: http://www.elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?page=writers_guidelines  Is this a peer reviewed journal? Not peer reviewed, but welcomes commentary from readers
Is the journal online? Yes

IV.    How is the journal and organization useful to you and your career? Were you aware of the organizations/journals that you researched?

I had heard of many of these but was not actually aware of what their goals and purposes are. I would think that most of these organizations and publications would be highly useful to a professional in the Instructional Design and Technology field. It is highly unlikely that we would ever be able to attend all, or even most of the professional developments and conferences available. However, we would be able to read the publications and attend some of the available conferences. It would also provide us with resources for training others.  The advocacy that these organizations provide can be invaluable in promoting the growth and development of our industry.

V.    Chapter 27 looks at competencies for instructional design and technology professionals. If you were responsible for identifying the domains, competencies, and performance statements for a performance technologist, what would they include and why?

I would include all of the competencies discussed, but also add: 1) flexibility: because this is a business of constant change and frequent last-minute adjustments; 

2) ability to relax and de-stress successfully: because it does not matter how successful you are as a professional, if you cannot find time for yourself as a human being, you will inevitably burn out and not be able to function well, at all in any capacity.

Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings.

1) Chapter 18 discusses instructional design in business and industry. Give an example of rapid prototyping and discuss how this could be used in education.

Example of Rapid Prototyping (RP) in Instructional Design (ID): http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jmargeru/prototyping/#mydl

   As of 6/19/2008 - in 4th Generation
    Quickly progressed from basic design to more detailed, complex, graphic and interactive elements based on the feedback from successive prototype designs.

The RP in ID seems to me like a much more effective model for creating instructional protocols and systems. It can even be applied to individual classes and lessons. For example, we tend to run through a lesson with each of our classes for a year, taking notes as we go along and making changes that we feel would improve the lesson for the following year, unless we forget about those notes tucked away in a notebook somewhere. Instead, why not: 1) use the lesson as is with the first class , taking feedback from the consumers of the lesson (the students) and making note of what worked and what needs tweaking; 2) with the next class implement the lesson with the noted changes, starting the process over and taking feedback from this new group, and then implementing those suggestions with the third class, etc. until we feel that we have made the lesson the best that it can be for the time being. In this way, we could manage one to three years worth of  work in the space of a day or two, in terms of lesson design and improvement. I try to do something similar to this, but often find that in a school the size of the one at which I work, the students already know what was done in the previous class and it would take more time to try to explain that I am working to improve the lesson as I go along than it would to simply re-teach the parts of the lesson that don't get through to them on the first go-round. When I was in a larger school where word did not get around so quickly, or sometimes at all, I would sometimes make changes from one class period to the next, but not to the most efficient degree possible.

2) Pretend you are hired as a consultant for the military. They want to use technology in its training, but electronic access is not always available. Using the Full Spectrum diagram, what alternatives could you suggest for a successful program?

    Use the technology (computer-based learning modules, etc.) where it is available. Be sure that the higher-level personnel are trained first in the most important aspects of what most/all personnel under their command need to know. Then, also be sure that those higher-level personnel are trained in training techniques so that they will have the knowledge and tools to train personnel on the ground as needed and to give refresher and update training during breaks in activity and during "down-time." Include, as part of the available technolgy, some for the Marines' Deployable Learning Resource Centers (DLRCs) which are mobily deployable networks that can operate in the field and, when connections are available, can connect back to the "home" network to update databases and training materials.

3) Chapter 21 looks at radical educational change in P-12 settings. I visited the Chugach School District in Alaska and know Richard DeLorenzo very well. I can assure you that this change can occur in our schools. Review the Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology and the GSTE. Outline a staff development activity that will introduce both methodologies to your colleagues.

     Because many of our teachers see themselves as troubleshooters/problem solvers, I would recommend a role-play development acitivity wherein the teachers/staff become part of a community in which there are so many little problems/issues affecting the health/stability of the community that there is no truly effective choice other than a systemic restructuring. But, we would not simply tell them that these problems exist. Rather, we would set up different groups to be responsible for creating or perpetuating one or more of the problems. One of the biggest problems that would exist with nearly every group is that the individuals in each group will be completely comfortable with the way things are because things have been this way for so long that they cannot imagine anything different. And, since they are "comfortable in their madness," they will also be unwilling to work with each other to find any common solution until they have reached a crisis-point. The crisis-point will come into play through the medium of the young people of the community beginning to leave in large numbers because there is a community just down the road that is working to make the changes necessary to survive.
 

    At this point, the staff will realize or be informed that if they do not choose to make changes to improve, their community will gradually dissipate. Each group will have to make suggestions to improve. The likelihood is that each group will choose to focus on one issue rather than global change. When it is clear that the individual issue solution will not work because all issues affect and magnify each other, the trainer will present the idea of systemic change which is embodied in the concepts of "Guidance System for Transforming Education" (GSTE) and "Step-Up-To-Excellence" (SUTE). The presenter will explain that each system is a different way of approaching what is needed in this situation, global change throughout the community. 

 

Since the changes that are needed in education are drastic rather than simple adjustments to what is already in place, the role-play scenario would also be one in which drastic changes are required from all members in order for any changes to be truly effective rather than temporary fixes that will need readjustment very soon.

4) Research three different university offices for faculty development. Answer the following questions:
          o What are the different names used for faculty development?

        As best as I can figure it, this subject comes in under "Faculty Development", "Research", "Workshops and Conferences" and probably a variety of other headings that will differ on the subject/focus of the particular department in which it is housed.

          o What division is it under?

        In the departments where I was able to find anything that I thought was related to Faculty Development, I usually found it under either the Faculty page or mainly through the "Provost & Vice-President for Academic Affairs" "Faculty Development Committee."

          o What services does it offer?

        "The range of activities extends from informal social functions and topical luncheons to book discussion groups, retreats, teleconferences, teaching workshops, visiting lectures, new faculty orientation and international student experiences."

          o How often are programs given and what specifically are they?

        It would appear that there are programs of one type or another available at least once a month during the regular Fall and Spring semesters. I found workshops that from the Fall semester that were directed at creating and growing collaborative learning communities and instructional/course design.

Section 4: Human Performance Technology

Not all solutions to learning and/or performance require an instructional one. Many times a non-instructional approach is the better solution. This week's posting concentrates on human performance, electronic performance support systems, the use of knowledge management systems, and the concept of informal learning.

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

I have noticed in my school, and in education generally, a severe lack of effective communication. I have heard many reasons/excuses as to why this situation exists. But, none of them have directly addressed any solid solution to the problem. However, a few years ago, I was involved in a three-year training program for Customer Care. Two of the goals of that training were to 1) improve professional communication, and 2) to increase professional communication. We had discussed several ways to try to get more teachers and administrators to use the communication tools at their disposal in order to better improve student performance and school-community relations. Finally, we settled on an incentive program that would award the three best users of professional communication with a free lunch at a very popular restaurant in our area, the three biggest users of professional communication with that free lunch during the school day, and the most-improved communicator with a free lunch and a full-day leave of absence that would not count against leave counts. For that school-year that the elementary school implemented this program, it was a raging success. There was a marked increase in both the quantity and the quality of professional communications within the school and between the school and the community. But, because it was only a one-year program, it did not make any long-term changes. What is needed is to operate such a program for several years so that the use and quality of professional communications becomes a habit rather than just a temporary change of habits to try to win a competition.

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

James Laffey – University of Missouri “Dynamism in Electronic Performance Support Systems”  http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.100.7607&rep=rep1&type=pdf

This model is the one I prefer, and actually what I think of when I see or hear the term “Electronic Performance Support System.” Laffey’s model is based on Gery’s model, but extends the system to be adaptable and customizable for individual users and different situations.  For example, a school could establish a basic educator performance support system that integrates several tools that most teachers use regularly, such as word processors, interactive whiteboard software, and lesson planning software. Then, build in the option for individual teachers to add other software to the suite that they use in their own classroom, and other resources that they may need that others may or may not have need to access regularly. A first year teacher might include an interactive database of student behaviors and appropriate responses to redirect that behavior which sits on the teacher’s computer desktop for quick reference as needed. A more experienced teacher has already developed that knowledge and has available in their own brain for even more immediate access, and therefore, would not need that same database quickly accessible on their desktop.

Why have EPSS not been more widely accepted and implemented in education?

I believe that EPSS are less than ubiquitous in education because most of them are not customizable. And, most of the systems that are available are designed by textbook publishers rather than educators. As a result, these systems are typically designed for one particular subject and are of only limited use as they do not include other resources that are used by a wider variety of educators. Additionally, these systems are very static, often not even capable of being upgraded on the components that they do include, but instead requiring users to buy new software or adopt new textbooks in order to get newer versions of the system.

In the future, as more educators become more technologically literate and more technologists become more educationally aware, we will likely see more systems become more frequently adopted and put to real use. But, until the systems become more adaptable and more readily updated, EPSS are likely not going to become widely popular in education because most schools do not have access to programmers/technology development experts to design and build systems for their own needs.

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

I frequently find that students do not manage to complete homework assignments in Spanish classes, not because they don’t want to do so, but because they gets stumped and have no one to help them out. Unlike other subjects, most parents do not have any knowledge of formal foreign languages or the types of objectives that students are expected to meet in the studies of those languages.

Using blended learning, with the online component of that system being a form of knowledge management could help to eliminate this problem. I would like to set up an online KM that would contain notes used in class, audio files that help students to understand/practice vocabulary and dialogues, video files that allow students to see visual components of lessons including performance of sample items related to the homework they are supposed to be doing. I have considered many times setting up such a system to help with just such a problem as well as helping students who have missed class for one reason or another. The main reasons that I haven’t already set up this system are: 1) time constraints, 2) our current teacher websites do not allow such file-sharing capabilities. I have started to setup the files on an outside server many times, but have found the system that I set up from home was blocked on our internal servers. This tends to cause me more work because I have to record and upload all files from home instead of being able to upload the files from our servers at work where I could also have those files available on our public share folder.

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

The main thing that comes to mind in terms of informal learning as an adult is working with our district technologist. Every time I am around him, I learn something new. But, he is not a teacher and does not attempt to formally teach anyone anything. Instead, he allows others to watch him and ask questions as needed. He will sometimes explain what he is doing, but not in a pedantic way. Instead, it is more like we are having a friendly, social chat but the content just happens to be our network and the way it functions. In these situations, our tech is like an older brother (even though he is about 10 years younger than me) helping the younger brother (me) to understand the process/activity that we are talking about. 

              

Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

Evaluation Models

Flashlight Triad Model – primarily concerned with evaluating technology and new uses of technology  find a full description at: http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/eval/eval_models.html
    

The Flashlight Model covers five distinct steps:

1. Overview and Confronting the Blob - Brainstorming and examining all aspects of a program/project/etc, including finances, resources and needs; Narrowing entire project and all aspects down to the main areas of concern (blob)
2. From Blob to Issue - Narrowing blob to specific elements of concern to be evaluated; Examples: What 3 things do you most fear will happen in the use of the technology? & What 3 things do you most want to achieve with the use of the new technology
3. From Issue to Triad - From each issue develop several “Triads”; Triads consist of:  type of technology you might employ, a specific activity that the technology enables, and outcomes expected from that type of activity
4. From Triad to Data - For the triads you have selected, generate questions to gather data; Questions can be delivered as surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc;Independent of method; At least five types of questions may be generated
5. From Data to Next Steps - Based on the evaluation data; Make decisions about your unit or course; modify how you use technology, scrap an instructional strategy, improve support networks of training/scaffolding

How would I use the “Flashlight Triad Model” in evaluating my lessons?

This model is overly complex for a single lesson or even a simple unit plan. Therefore, I would use it for whole course/semester evaluation of student success or lack thereof. Because I am going to be working as an administrator soon, I would also be able to use this model as a way to evaluate the efficacy of the lessons and methods of any given department within a school.

 

Judicial/Adversary Model – Put your lessons/projects/programs on trial 

        Find discussion at:  http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198004_worthen.pdf
 

All information is presented in favor of and against the issue under evaluation and is reviewed by a group of peers responsible for the decisions of whether to continue the program, etc. or discontinue, whether to keep everything as is or make minor or major changes. The group then comes to a consensus on what to do next. It is a system very much like putting the program, lesson, etc. on trial to determine its worth and productivity.

 

How would I use the “Judicial/Adversary Model” in evaluating my lessons?

One possible way to use this model in evaluating lessons would be to have an entire department cooperatively design and implement a lesson and then come together and review the outcome and methods of the lesson. In this case, it would not be entirely true to the model because the people who design and implement the lesson would also be the ones who would be evaluating it.

Recent Technological Innovation Within my Social System
 

In September of this year, my family switched to using smart phones with internet capabilities. While we have had internet access at home and at work, we have not previously had that access available away from those locations. At first, we expected the mobile internet to be very much just a smaller version of what we had been using on our laptops at home and work. After all, that was what we were told by the cell phone service representative. But, because the mobile internet has a bit different format, it was a bit more difficult to adapt to than we expected, but not overly difficult. Having lousy phones hasn’t helped anything, either. We are supposed to be getting better phones shortly. That will help a lot. This idea of being always connected was not something that we had really ever felt we needed. In fact, the only reason we decided to get it was because all the phones that we thought we wanted required either a data plan or a messaging plan. Since we don’t text, except just rarely, we decided to go with the data plan. This is not a technology that is incompatible with our beliefs or values, but was just an adaptation that we had not felt ready to make previously.
 

Using Situational Leadership:
Situational Leadership is the practice of adapting your style to the level of the team being led. Because this particular assignment involves the use of technology in the classroom by the teachers, the first thing I need to do is to determine the teachers’ levels of experience and current use of technology. Then, I will need to determine the technology available for the use of our teachers. Finding that our teachers are at a very low level of expertise in both technology and the implementation thereof, I realize that I must work through all 4 phases of the Situational Leadership process. With this in mind, I will design the professional development courses as a progressive series that start with direct instruction, hands-on training sessions in how to operate the different technologies available. This part (Phase 1) will necessarily be a direct management, directive role for myself, in which I will tell the learners (our teachers) exactly what is expected and guide them through step-by-step practice sessions. When that part of the training program is completed, we will be ready for Phase 2 in which the teachers will work more independently, but will be rewarded for their performance by having newer or more powerful forms of their preferred technologies available as they progress through their required training. Phase 3 is where the teachers will have reached a level of buy-in that allows the PD training sessions to be more self-directed with general goals and objectives outlined. Phase 4 is where the teachers will be so involved in the program and the implementation of technology that they will be simply need to be monitored for progress and compliance. At this stage, the training will be much easier, but the design will be more difficult because the teachers will be requesting training to specifically meet their own perceived needs.

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

Goal:
Students will learn about the custom of "Running of the Bulls" in Spain - what is it, how it started, why it is significant in the culture, what is there that is comparative in the culture of the United States

Information processing:
    The students will be provided with a brief description of "Running of the Bulls", then will do their own research to further their understanding of the subject. In doing their research, the students will be expected to process the information into their own words to demonstrate that they are not simply regurgitating what they have read in their research.

Constructivism:
    Once the students have completed and synthesized their research on "Running of the Bulls," they will use their prior knowledge of festivals, holidays and customs along with what they learned about this custom to develop their understanding of the meanings and importance of this Spanish custom, and to demonstrate their conclusions by comparing this custom to a practice in the United States that shows similar purposes, practices, and/or history.


2) Find a reference (other than the book) that describes Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. Then create a table or chart that compares and contrasts those events with the first principles described in chapter 7 and describe how you would apply each of the first principles to the goal you've developed from the first activity in this reflection.
Reference:
    http://ide.ed.psu.edu/idde/9events.htm

3) Develop a new goal or using the one you've already developed, briefly describe how you might use the whole-task approach, scaffolding, and mathemagenic methods to help students learn to perform a task.
Goal:
To be able to communicate effectively in Spanish, at a basic survival level.

This goal is the ultimate end of a beginning Spanish class. Traditionally, we would focus on vocabulary and verb conjugations, working our way up to basic sentence structure, primarily in the present tense. But, in a scaffolding/holistic design approach, it would make more sense to focus on practicing reading, speaking and listening skills with semi-random vocabulary and topics. This goal would best be attained by starting with simple dialogues and discussions that require minimal input from the learners and gradually increasing the complexity of the tasks which the learners must perform in order to create the transfer of skills from one medium (listening) to another (speaking).

4) You have been hired to design a course for a topic in your area of specialization. Using Table 9.2 as a template, what would you incorporate into each subcategory to motivate learners?
Attention    Perceptual Arousal: I have several friends who are non-native speakers of Spanish who have offered several times to allow me to use videos of them to help my students learn Spanish. I could use some of their videos of themselves in authentic situations to get students excited about the possibility of making actual use of the language they are learning.

    Inquiry Arousal: I would allow the students to choose some of the topics of discussion, thereby making the topics more interesting to them. This is a technique I currently use, to some degree, in designing my lessons.

    Variability: In addition to using authentic videos and topics of student interest, I would also bring in experts in the topic of current discussion who can maintain a basic level of discussion of the topic in Spanish. Also, there are areas of research and discussion that would interest most students by their very nature of being out-of-the-ordinary to our students.


Relevance    Goal Orientation: These students need to be able to communicate for the purposes of future jobs and travel to areas where Spanish is the native language. So, we will focus the majority of our discussions/projects around those two purposes, with some casual chat units.

    Motive Matching: The entire course is about making choices: which words/phrases to use, who to speak to, when to speak and when to listen. The students need to start making these choices from the beginning and increasing their frequency of responsibility for their choices more as the course progresses.

    Familiartiy: Using reflection and videos of experiences from around our area, we will see just how commonly they could be using Spanish to either communicate or to understand those around them.

Confidence    Learning Requirements: As students become more and more familiar with speaking in Spanish, we will increase the frequency of and percentage of Spanish communication. By the end of the first-year course, the students and I will be communicating at least 90% of the time in Spanish.

    Success Opportunities: The more the students use their language skills in class, the more often they will find opportunities to use them outside of class. As they increase their use of their new language they will also increase the frequency of successful use of the language. The more successes they experience, the more their confidence will build.

    Personal Control: All students will be expected to seek opportunities to practice their language acquisition outside of the classroom and school. As they do so, they will realize that they are the ones who are growing in their abilities and that it is their own efforts which are producing that growth.

Satisfaction    Intrinsic Reinforcement: Guest speakers/lecturers who speak Spanish to the students and hold conversations with them in Spanish, as well as outside opportunities to put their skills to use will motivate students to want to continue their growth and development.

    Extrinsic Reinforcement: Besides grades, there will be opportunities for the top performing students to take field trips to multi-cultural festivals and restaurants where they will not only be able to enjoy themselves, but also will have further opportunities to further expand their language skills.

    Equity: Because speakers of Spanish are overwhelmingly enthusiastic about non-natives attempting to learn and speak their language, it will be easy to help the students foster a positive attitude about their learning. Every speaker who visits and every guest who sits in on the class will automatically want to praise the students for their efforts and their achievements.


5) Finally, after completing these activities, discuss the benefits of engaging in design research.
    In engaging in research on education design, we expand our understanding of not only the ideas and beliefs of those who have come before us, but also how people learn and what we still have to learn about education, learning and the process of designing instruction and learning programs. The more we learn about how we learn and how we can best teach, the better we will get at our jobs/professions.