Week 7 Reflection: New Directions for Instructional Design & Technology

From Chapter 28 locate 5 examples of distributed learning. You may pick and choose from the following list.   

• Hybrid classes:  

                                          

                    

• Virtual classes:

• For-profit distributed learning

                                      

• Free distributed learning:

                                               

• Skills-based training:  

                 In the past I went through training at H& R Block to become a tax preparer. During that time I  
                 learned how to file tax returns on the computer and by hand. The instructor taught the 
                 students line for line what each item on the tax return meant, which exemptions/credits the 
                 taxpayer would no longer be able to carry the following year, and what we needed to know in
                order to pass our exams that we had to take during the training period.
                      

                                       

• 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.

           This has had me racking my brain for days and I must admit that I have not had a course that had
           poor reusability. I think the reason for this has always been my approach to learning in general. I have
           always prided myself on going into each learning environment with the mentality that I am excited to
           learn. So far this way of thinking hasn't let me down. Also as the text indicated it is about posing the
           question: Can I use it in a way that works for me?(Reiser p.302 )Being open-minded about how you
           can use information is the key. Do we always use what we learn right away? No Do we always use
           what we have learned in our current fields? No A good example of this would be that I went to
           school to be a Psychologist but ended up being a Teacher. Some would think that what you learn as
           a Psychologist is would help you in the classroom but it did. Daily I would put to good use skills and
           techniques for difusing behavioral situations. On the other hand I was able to put to use my Science
           skills by teaching students the Scientific Method and doing experimentation in the classroom.
           At the end of the day how reusability course materials and content are depends on how valuable one
           deems the content to have been and being creative enough to find a immediate use for it. 

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

                                          

           The visual that I found was from Fort Worth ISD's EnVision Math program. Each day students in 
           grades K-6 watch the Visual Learning Bridge at the start of the lesson to help them focus on one
           idea at a time as well as see connections within a sequence of ideas presented for Math instruction.
           It has recently been modified into a new App for the Apple iPhone so that parents can help
           their children with homework or review concepts while on the go.
          It's surface features include animations that will appeal to student age viewers. It's functional features

          include: a user initiated streaming video that can be paused at any time, a clock to track the length of
          play time of the video.Also it has audio narration to help the audience follow along and learn
          the method to solving the problem. As far as the communication of the graphics in the VLB it was both
          relational and representational. It was relational because the fruit bars that were discussed in the
          video are broken down into parts that initially made up a whole. It was representational because
          students should be able to relate to seeing food in a pan.
         

• Chapter 31 discusses the future of instructional technologies in the near future from metadata to nanotechnology. Describe how nanotechnology coul d be used to improve a specific job or task you are familiar with.  

                                                  

          The specific task that I feel that nanotechnology could improve would be activating prior knowledge 

           for learning to take place. It would be neat if there was some kind of way for others to view 
           what you are visualizing. A lot of times students have trouble verbalizing what they are thinking.
           Any misconceptions about a concept can be immediately dispelled. This would cut down the
           amount of time used for scaffolding and maximize the frequency of positive transfers.         

          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?

           The point of view that I agree with is broad and inclusive because it seems as if the possiblities are  
           endless for the field. This point of view embraces the approach of the designer having various outlets
           for expansion and growth which is important in a field that is constantly evolving.