EPIT6100jk

“No Cliché Left Behind: Why Education Policy is NOT Like the Movies

2004-11-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

This truly appears like the tail of two articles as the author first gives the problems associated with government mandates then provides strong arguments in their defense. The strange thing about this is I agree with him in almost every aspect!

I see it as utterly reticules that a government that has funded thousands of research studies to better understand how people learn would put forth legislation that forces teaching to a test to measure success. It seems highly counterproductive to invest in new and improved teaching strategies only to measure success by the same tired old methods. The author calls the government mandates the "Star Trek" approach and explains it like this: " (1) set a goal; (2) tell subordinates in this case, state and local education agencies to make it so; (3) watch as they use powerful technologies (NCLB's educational interventions from scientifically-based research) to accomplish this goal; and (4) repeat as needed. This is essentially the plot of every Star Trek movie. " The problem as explained seems to be that there is little direction given and even less funding provided to accomplish the goals set forth. On top of that, if teachers try and include any of the improved teaching methods they find that time doesn't allow it as most new methods require more class time than lecturing and hoping the students understand. At some point the two sides are going to have to come to some sort of agreement and move forward.

After making these strong and valid arguments the author then went on to describe "the silver linings on this particular cloud? First, even without federal resources targeted to emerging tools, media, and environments for learning, recent policies such as the E-rate have placed powerful technological infrastructures in many schools, offering enhanced capabilities for sophisticated pedagogy. Second, the Star Trek policy approach has an advantage that gives us as subordinates a lot of flexibility in determining how mandates are accomplished. Third, declaring that schools must succeed with learners who routinely fail under the present educational system forces those educators resistant to change to face innovating or else." This I also agree with but realize that their are still many schools left behind in the technology infrastructure. The point I see as the strongest in this argument is that educators resistant to change must innovate or else. Innovation I feel is as important to teaching as anything we do since we now know that conventional methods don't reach every child. Innovations, I think, would not only benefit the learners but provide challenges to educators that often seem to become stagnant in their approach and loose interest in their jobs. Hopefully this will end up as a win-win situation for all.

A Model to Guide the Integration of the WWW as a Cognitive Tool in K-12 Education

2004-10-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

This article addresses an issue that can mean the success or failure of the WWW as an educational tool in our classrooms. Dr. Reeves has elaborated on ideas that should be addressed and used as guidelines for integrating the web into our curriculum. Reeves has proposed a methodology that educators can follow to make web use an effective tool. The problem without using a method for incorporating the web in education is that comparisons for determining the effectiveness of web use on learning are not valid. By establishing standards or methods of use, measuring and comparing results will give a true indication if the web is living up to it's hype and not just a distraction from learning. In my opinion having a set of guidelines for use would also benefit the teachers that need or want to use the web but do not have any idea of how to start.

E-Trainer Evolution

2004-10-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

E-Trainer Evolution discusses the changing role of the trainer and how they will need to adapt in the future. E-Trainers, in order to survive, must view their role as changing and begin accepting their expanding roles. The author provides these examples:
Expanding Roles of Training Professionals
Conventional roles and skills Future roles and skills
Design and develop / Develop and purchase
Develop individual brain power / Manage organizational brain power
Develop content knowledge / Develop individual learning power, establish
associations, find relevant materials, and make
meaning
Deliver or coordinate classes / Focus on organizational readiness and
management of knowledge resources
Develop and produce events and products / Create and nurture place-bound and online
environments that continuously support and
develop people
Coordinate short-term events and interactions / Broker systems to be used before and after
classes
Deliver from content inventory / Perform analysis to customize and tailor
content
Share skills and knowledge / Manage knowledge resources
Focus on employees as learners / Develop programs for managers and students
as learners
Measure "butts in seats" and Web hits / Measure contribution to strategic goals
Reactive problem solving / Proactive problem solving

From this list it is easy to see that the E-Trainer continues to have a place and in fact an expanding role as long as they are willing to change with the time and accept their new roles.

The World Wide Web: A Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning?

2004-10-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

This article is an attempt by the author to answer the questions about the validity of incorporating the World Wide Web in to our educational framework. In his view if the technology can meet his criteria of:

Does it make learning more accessible?
Does it promote improved learning?
Does it accomplish the above while containing, if not reducing, the per unit costs of education?

then the incorporation should move ahead. By the end of this article each criteria had been addressed and supporting evidence provided. I have to say I agree with the author and believe that the classroom use of the web will revolutionize education as we now know it. This statement my seem bold but I look to my own educational experiences for my support. When I completed High School there wasn't a computer being used outside of a computer lab anywhere on the campus. The experience was almost identical while attending the University of Georgia for my undergraduate degrees. Upon my return to the university, technology and web use is occurring in every classroom and improving the quality of the educational experience. Because of my own experience, I can only believe that as the instructional material is improved and becomes readily available more school systems will take advantage it and bring the web into the classroom. On a separate note, I believe the biggest draw back to the use of technology in the classroom is most educator's lack of understanding of technology and their unwillingness to acquire the skills needed use it.

Evaluating Online Educational Materials for Use in Instruction

2004-10-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

This article is brief, concise and informative. Something that few of us realize is that there is not a system that regulates or reviews information posted on the web. Because we have been used to information in books and journals being scrutinized for accuracy we take it for granted that the web is the same. By pointing out the fact that anyone can post anything on the web, the author has brought to our attention a matter that is very important to consider when using the web for research. Fortunately the author also gives both sites that can be trusted and methods of evaluating other sites to assist us in using the internet and validating the content we find there.

Distance Learning, the Internet, and the World Wide Web.

2004-10-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

Distance Learning, the Internet, and the World Wide Web is an article designed to define, describe and help develop an understanding of distance learning. My first exposure to distance learning came when I delivered video tapes weekly for a class a customer was taking from the University of Colorado. Unlike my experiences with distance learning via the web this customer had weekly class presentations and assignments delivered by video. Because I only spoke with them a few times about their class and didn't have the opportunity to ask how they received feedback or just communicated with either their instructor or other students I cannot elaborate much on the experience but feel that real time interactions have helped my learning in distance education.
My personal experience with distance learning has been at UGA and conducted via WebCT, Horizon or another on-line service. These services allow students to hear a lecture and respond from home by either sending a text message or voice audio. This real time interaction allows the learner receive feedback and have questions answered as if they were present with the instructor. These courses have been successful because the instructor has followed many of the ideas put forth in this article about establishing guidelines, fostering relationships and group activities. My biggest complaints regarding these classes has been technical difficulties and dealing with the distractions that are present outside a classroom setting. Over all my own experience has been positive but I'm still undecided on if learning is enhanced or inhibited in the distance setting.

Technology to Support Learning

2004-10-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Technology to Support Learning is a very informative article on the different ways technology is being used both in the classroom and as support for teachers. Most of us have seen or used software similar to that described which allows the student to experience and explore in a safe environment and hopefully being able to expand their understanding of the material, but the information provided on teacher support and teacher training was new to me. I agree with the author that teachers often feel isolated and having other professionals available they can discuss ideas and strategies with sounds like a tremendous resource. I also thought the use of video both to provide scenarios a teacher may encounter and to review their own methods can be powerful learning tools. Overall I believe that the implementation or use of technology is virtually untapped and like the author states we won't truly see it's impact until designers focus on learning over gaming. As with everything money seems to dictate focus.

Reasons For Bringing Technology Into Schools

2004-10-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

This article deals with the different ideas people have for the need to bring technology into our schools. These ideas are:

Support thinking process
Stimulate motivation and self esteem
Promote equity
Prepare students for the future
Support changes in school structure
Explore technology capabilities

What this list shows us is that regardless of the reason technology has a place in our educational system and needs to be available to all our students. I agree with all these issues but especially believe that technology levels he playing field as far as equity is concerned more than any other single factor.

Anchored Instruction

2004-09-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Anchored Instruction encourages students to view knowledge as tools that can be applied to new situations rather than knowledge as facts to be learned. It's basis is the use of real world examples to teach students how to analyze situations with hands-on experiences. Most if not all anchored instructional lessons are taught in a shared or collaborative environment. This approach has been shown effective in both general education and special education classes but has received little exposure with above average or accelerated students. Anchored instruction has improved student motivation and attitudes when applied.

I think Anchored Instruction is a very useful approach for teaching all students even though it has rarely been used with above average learners. I feel this lack of use is more the fact that above average students achieve with traditional methods of instruction and teachers try multiple methods for those that need the extra effort to grasp abstract curriculum. Personally I think that students who learn in real world situations will have a better understanding and be better prepared when they need to apply their knowledge.

Media Comparison Research

2004-09-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

Joseph McCall has written a brief article summarizing view points on the value of Media in education and the need for further research on the subject. I read this article after reading the extensive paper by Dr. Reeves. McCall work is vastly different from Reeves in that he presents very little information and leaves everything up to the reader to decide. I found Reeves article much more informative and most of all relevant in terms of information sited to back up claims. Most of McCall's information came from before 1990 and doesn't seem to reflect a current view point. I would hope that Richard Clark the author sited by McCall would have a drastically different opinion of the media of today in education and the need to continue research.

My position in the Great Media Debate is strongly opposed to Richard Clark's position that media is a mere vehicle of instruction. I believe that media creates an adaptable, motivational environment that can be far more beneficial to students than conventional instruction methods. The use of a constructivist environment created with media as sited by Reeves showed that students learning this way had better retention, understanding and developed critical thinking skills over those taught conventionally. I also believe that media will not develop into it's potential until classroom teachers have the skills and understanding to use it.

The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools

2004-09-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

Dr. Reeves has written a paper on the value of media in education. His research shows "that students learn both from and with media and technology. Instructional television, computer-based instruction, and integrated learning systems have all been demonstrated to be effective and efficient tutors. There is considerable evidence that learners develop critical thinking skills as authors, designers, and constructors of multimedia or as active participants in constructivist learning environments. Further research on whether media and technology are as effective as teachers and other methods is no longer needed." In addition to this Dr. Reeves calls for extensive research on improving teaching and learning through media and technology.

I read this article and found that it confirmed many of my own beliefs in medias importance in education. While reading I also wanted to ask the question of whether classroom teachers have the skills necessary to use computers effectively and if this maybe the inherent week link in the chain. From working in classrooms and taking classes with practicing teachers I am under the impression that before technology can make the impact we all feel it is capable of the educators must develop better skills and understandings of it's uses. This I believe is important due to Dr. Reeves statement "In the final analysis, the esoteric and complex nature of human learning may mean that there may be no generalizable best approach to using media and technology in schools. The best we may be able to hope for is creative application and informed practice." This statement says to me that methods of integration for technology must fit the circumstances and my feeling is that without the educators understanding the technology they won't be able to adapt it for their needs and in turn their students benefit.

Computers Make Kids Smarter—Right?

2004-09-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Computers Make Kids SmarterRight? Is a critical review of research related to computers in the classroom. In the article, the difficulty in study comparisons due to the ambiguity with which most are conducted makes it very difficult to truly assess the value of computers in the classroom. The authors use various methods to attempt valid comparisons but can't really make any conclusions. If you advocate computer use in the classroom you can find evidence to support your view and like-wise if you believe computers have no place in classroom there are studies that support your views.

My perspective on this debate is that with all the money being invested in software development for classrooms, it would seem important to design studies that will test the validity of its worth. The only way to do this is to have test groups large enough and with variables controlled so the results are meaningful. These studies should be conducted by independent researchers so bias is also removed from the equation.

Another point with this article is the dates of the work. This article is written in 1998 and all of the cited studies obviously occurred prior to this. Much like everything else in technology, tremendous improvements have been made in both the hardware and the software related to education. This means that even if computers didn't have the desired results eight years ago, new studies are needed to assess their current value.

Finally I thought the defined differences between computer use methods was important for study comparisons as well as software recommendations from the developer. These methods are:

CAI (computer-assisted instruction) refers to computer programs that provide students with drill-and-practice exercises or tutorial programs.
CMI (computer-managed instruction) refers to programs that evaluate and diagnose students' needs, guide them through the next step in their learning, and record their progress for teacher use. Both CAI and CMI de-emphasize the role of the teacher in tending to student learning.
CEI (computer-enhanced instruction) differs from CAI and CMI most noticeably in that its programs provide less structured, more open-ended opportunities that support a particular lesson or unit plan. Use of the Internet, word processing, and graphing and drawing programs are examples of CEI. Teachers in CEI are viewed as essential to the learning process, because simply seating students in front of their computers to surf the Net will not result in the same learning curve as when teachers assign well-designed projects in which students use the Net to gather information.

By understanding these terms a classroom teacher will know their role and responsibilities when using different software that is labeled with the abbreviations above. This understanding could be the difference between positive and negative results with many programs. Although this article is dated, it shows the difficulty with assessing computers in the classroom. It also provides important information on defining the role or use of computers as related to the teacher.

Survey of Instructional Development Models by Eric Plotnick

2004-09-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

This article is a brief description of what instructional design (ID) models are and how they are divided into three sub-groups depending on their intended use. It includes a definition that spells out these parts:

-Analysis of the setting and learner needs
-Design of a set of specifications for an effective, efficient, and relevant learner environment
-Development of all learner and management materials
-Evaluation of the results of the development both formatively and summatively.

The author goes on to break down a list of ID models by their most common uses. These are:

Classroom orientation
Product orientation
System orientation

The differences that divide these models seem to be related to the structure and rigidity as well as the depth each models uses to develop it's product. From reading the authors descriptions that divided these models I would think that any model that didn't determine if it was indeed developing instruction for an instructional problem and also incorporating allot of user feedback could be wasting valuable time and money. My point here is that the author describes the classroom models as just a guide and has the developer making allot of assumptions in the product models that potentially could turn out costly. "Instructional solutions can only solve instructional problems" is a saying we need to be aware of when working with any of these models.

Learning Theory

2004-09-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

The learning theories presentations in class showed just a fraction of all the work that has been done to try to understand the differences in how we learn and how we have attempted to design better instruction to address these differences. My question after hearing these presentations and seeing the list of other theories that weren't mentioned is why aren't they used in mainstream education on a wider scale?

Scientist's, psychologist's and teachers have spent countless hours and years researching learning styles and attempting to incorporate these ideas into educational practices. For the most part this incorporation has failed. As I see it the main theory employed in education remains the behavorist's view. We still educate or "train" our students with a system of rewards designed to shape their views to reflect current beliefs. I can only attribute this resistance to the higher cost of change. Listening to the presentations on learning theories other than behaviorist's, I heard most of them included limitations of increased time which increases cost or increased cost due to different materials needed for the instruction. It's a shame that so many have spent so much time and effort researching learning only to have it neglected when incorporation of these ideas could greatly improve students understanding and experiences in schools.

In Instructional Design, we have the opportunity to explore and utilize many of the learning theories we've studied. In media development we are able to accommodate different learning styles without a dramatic increases in costs. As instructional designers it is important that we realize our opportunities and use them to build educational material that will benefit the greatest number of people!

EDIT 6100/ Constructivist Theory

2004-09-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

EDIT 6100/ Constructivist Theory

Summary and Brief Bibliography

General characteristics of Constructivist Theory

Constructivist Theory: Is, in a sense, using what you have and building on it. J.Bruner suggests that learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. The learner selects and transforms information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e. schema, mental models) provides meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to ?go beyond information given.? Because of this, curriculum should be organized in a spiral manner so that the student continually builds upon what they have already learned. According to arts in ed. com What is meant by constructivism? The term refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves---each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning---as he or she learns. Constructing meaning is learning; there is no other kind. The dramatic consequences of this view are twofold;

We have to focus on the learner in thinking about learning (not on the subject/lesson to be taught):
There is no knowledge independent of the meaning attributed to experience (constructed) by the learner, or community of learners.

Uses of Constructivism

We must provide learners with the opportunity to: a) interact with sensory data, and b) construct their own world.In the ClassroomThe constructivist teacher sets up problems and monitors student exploration, guides the direction of student inquiry and promotes new patterns of thinking. Classes can take unexpected turns as students are given the autonomy to direct their own explorations.The classroom should provide a neutral zone where students exchange their personal views and test them against the ideas of others; each student can continue to build understanding based on empirical evidence.Examples:Higher Education

Courses:

Studio: (given some resources, you manage and construct an independent project)
Independent studies (rather than read about the census, students examine and interpret census data. Or better yet, they plan a mini-census, gather their own data, and interpret the results)

Grade School Courses:Establish a framework for the combination of software and pedagogical principles to create a constructivist learning environment (math, science, social sciences, etc.)Other areasHands-on learning/interaction with opportunities to manipulate objects that involves that not only involves motor skills but also intellectual skill such as developing personal learning strategies.Learning portfolio (Since the idea is to build upon current knowledge and define principles through exploration, this seems to be utilizing constructivism).

Limitations of Constructivist Theory

Limitations of Constructivists:
The methods are very time consuming
Research indicates that constructivist methods work best for learners with well-developed metacognitive skills.
Strict constructivists techniques are good in some types of learning, some situations and for some learners, but not all.

Research also says micro-level instruction is recommended:

Constructivists lessons
Labs
Activities
Interaction types

We have to focus on the learner in thinking about learning (not on the subject/lesson to be taught)
There is no knowledge independent of the meaningattributed to experience (constructed) by the learner, or community of learners.

If we accept the constructivist position we are inevitably required to follow a pedagogy which argues that we must provide learners with the opportunity to:

interact with sensory data
construct their own world.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bruner (Constructivism),http://tip.psychology.org/bruner.html

Constructing Knowledge in the Classroom, http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n03/1.html

ConstructivistLearningTheory,http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/constructivistlearning.html Constructivist Learning Theory, http://www.artsined.com/teachingarts/Pedag/Dewey.html

Instructional Design, Patricia L. Smith and TIllman J. Ragan, Merrill, 1999.

Multimedia for Learning - methods and developments, By Stephen M. Alessi & Stanley R. Trollip

Theory Into Practice Database (TIP), http://tip.psychology.org

Haley Grizzle, John Kriemeyer, Ericka Mayweather, and Robin Fay.

"Learning Architect"

2004-08-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

Saying one can design learning is like a gardener saying "I'm going to design growing". Sorry, can't be done. The gardener can plan a nice garden and provide seeds and nutrients, but the gardener is not designing growing. The plant grows. The diner digests. The learner learns.
--TM
Although Trey Martindale is probably correct with his point that you cannot design learning I believe that he has missed the point. Maybe I should first qualify this by saying that interpretation is relative and that each person views words or combinations there of as a reflection of their own experiences. In the case of "Learning Architect" I interpret this to mean some one that constructs a plan for building learning just like an architect constructs plans to build a house from. With this in mind I view "Learning Architect" as an appropriate title for what an instructional technologist does.

The Proper Way to Become an Instructional Technologist

2004-08-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

The Proper Way to Become an Instructional Technologist by Lloyd Rieber is both informative and insightful for those interested in a career in IT. After reading the article I feel better about my own choice and less anxious that I'm out of place, since I haven't followed a traditional path to get here. For me it always helps when someone more accomplished in the field takes the time to trace their history and convey their thoughts showing me that much of what I'm going through is not unusual and may prove beneficial in providing help to others. When reading Dr. Rieber's article I extracted the thoughts below as things I hope to remember as I progress through my education. I included number three because I am part of this study and I too believe that the best way to teach this field is to put someone in as close to a "real world" situation and let them learn with the safety net of the classroom prior to entering the work place.

This idea that instructional design is largely contextual and relies so heavily on creative people working with unique problems resonates with me
Work with end users to such an extent that you feel you owe them co-ownership of what you design.
In my opinion, universities are not supposed to prepare technicians to perform a specific job, but rather should prepare people for a life's study. It is fair to ask how well we, at the University of Georgia, are doing. To our credit, I will tell you that our faculty has openly discussed among ourselves and with students what we are doing and whether there is a better way. I am proud to report that we will be trying a new approach at the Master's level that we are referring to as a "studio-based approach." We are also quite nervous about it because it represents an approach with which none of us have much experience. However, we all seem to agree that it will be an approach more closely (and honestly) aligned with our beliefs about how people learn and what people need.

A Dozen Frequently Asked Questions

2004-08-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Field of Educational Technology: Update 2000 (A Dozen Frequently Asked Questions) by Donald P. Ely. Is an informative yet oddly structured article in that it is strictly informational and not intended to actually answer the dozen questions (as there may not be one right answer) but seemingly to direct the reader to places where answers can found. I can definitely see where the authors approach is probably both the best and least confrontational as he doesn't proclaim himself as the authority only as a source. I believe that anyone interested in Instructional Technologies would benefit from review the material contained in Ely's work which will help in understanding the field and learning some history.

What I know about IT

2004-08-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

Instructional Technologies is simply the use of media or tools in instruction. Because of the wide array of ways to use media and of media itself there is no right way that has been proven best to develop instruction with technology. The advantages of using media as opposed to the conventional lecture style of instruction are that it is often more exciting, engaging and can accommodate various learning styles.