601 Final Presentation

Here is my final presentation for using Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Presentation with Tutorial

Handout for presentation

E-Learning... You've Come a Long Way Baby!

E-Learning… You’ve Come a Long Way Baby…..

While reading chapters nine and ten, I was thinking of blog topics and how I use technology in my classroom as a teacher for the most part.  It wasn’t until I happened upon the part discussing distance learning versus e-learning that I began thinking of my own experiences as a student with using technology. I was intrigued by the debate over whether or not the term  “e-learning” applies to both instruction delivered over the Internet and content delivered via CDs and DVDs, audio and video recordings, and via satellite broadcast, and interactive television and cable” (Larson and Lockee, 2014, p.193).  If, indeed, we include cable and interactive television, my first e-learning course was many years ago when I  first started my college career in a community college.  Home computers were a rarity, most of my papers were typed on a word processor, and my e-learning class consisted of recorded (via VCR) lectures from the local public television station that I would watch after reading the text and then complete selected classwork to be turned in periodically on campus.  We would visit campus a set number of times during the quarter to turn in work and complete tests and that was my first experience with “e-learning.”  Basically, the lecture portion of the class was recorded for viewing outside the classroom.  Thinking back on this experience, I was surprised when considering the technology at the time, how well it fit the iterative process illustrated by Larson and Lockee (2014, p.194).  

Larson and Lockee 2014 p. 194 

The instructional need (#1) at the time (early 90’s) was to make the class schedule more flexible and accessible, so the video lecture did that. The instructional strategy (#2) was exactly the same as the classroom setting would have been, primarily lecture.  Consideration of media affordances (#3) there were very little to choose from at the time so the televised lectures to be recorded and watched at the student’s leisure (asynchronous format) was as flexible a format as was available at the time, so this was the selected technology (#4). While it was not as engaging as an actual classroom lecture setting might have been and there was no accompanying thoughts, remarks or group discussions, it did provide flexibility, which, I assume was the main goal. This was my only reference for e-learning which explains my hesitance when taking on an entire degree program based primarily in an online format.  Being almost at the halfway point now though, I can truly say, times have changed!  I can honestly say the technology being incorporated is “being used to meet a specific need” (Larson and Lockee, 2014, p.184).  We have the synchronous chats to create the sense of group familiarity we would have in a face to face environment, we have the asynchronous blog communications to read and reflect on each other’s views and opinions at our convenience.  The technology is used a little differently each time as well, so that it doesn’t become monotonous or repetitive.  So, for me, in my experience instructional design in e-learning, “you’ve come a long way baby!”

How education has changed in past years?? Teaching and learning at Qpage www.qpagep.com. (2013, June 6). Retrieved July 29, 2015.

History of E-Learning: E is for Evolutionary. (2012, October 11). Retrieved July 28, 2015, from http://www.idealearninggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/TimelineBlogLarge-ILG.png

Larson, M., & Lockee, B. (2014). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design. New York, New York: Routledge.

Cost, Access, and Engagement

Cost, Access, and Engagement…..

When starting the reading for this module, we were asked to come up with three considerations for technology selection, mine were cost, access, and engagement.  Having been on more than one technology committee, and written more than my share of grants, cost had to be my number one, money is always an issue in education, but certainly when it comes to technology. “When possible, select technologies and media that can be used by other efforts in your organization and factor in the expected lifespan of the instruction when considering costly technology choices (Larson and Lockee, 2014, p.200) Secondly, I came up with access.  All the technology in the world is great, but if you don’t have the infrastructure in place or equipment necessary to access it then it is useless.  And finally, engagement, the one that is sometimes the most elusive.  We have all planned that wonderful (or so we thought) lesson that would have the students hanging on our every word from bell to bell only to see it flop within the first five minutes.  Luckily, while reading, I was reminded of some of the more inexpensive, easily accessed, and interesting technology based activities I use with my students and that is what I want to talk about.

First of all, I am a science person, through and through.  I love science, completely, even outside the classroom, ask my husband.  All things science hook my interest, so naturally a problem for me from day one in my science classroom has been the information in the textbooks.  Due to the nature of textbook publication, by the time the books hit the classroom, the information is old.

I have always tried to integrate current science through magazine articles, video clips, and news stories as I see them, but this is very time consuming.  I also love technology, so I have always tried to integrate videos, animations, and short clips to introduce, wrap up, and even reinforce or reteach lessons to my students. I have recently started using science magazines to integrate and address all of the above.  The cost is minimal, usually covered by a classroom donation, instructional supply money, or my principal’s generosity, or a combination of all of these, and I use one classroom set for all my classes.  

These magazines reinforce core science concepts through current science articles that kids are seeing in the news already.  I have started converting many of the questions and data tables into google forms or socrative for the students to fill out so that I can grade them easily or compiling their data into google sheets and the students love working with the technology.

This actually raises the skill level the students are using, to using “technology as a partner, or mindtool” (Larson and Lockee, 2014, p. 185)  I also like that with these magazines, I have the option of the online version or the print version as a backup if necessary, this addresses the access issue.  Alternately, the online version is easily enlarged for students with visual disabilities, or students who have trouble navigating the online environment, can go to the print, so it works both ways.  I can also have the students read the material and work and discuss in groups and enter data on only one computer if I am short on technology or I have students who need extra support. According to Larson and Lockee it is important to “consider producing a version of the main content via a low-tech medium, both to provide a backup in case of technology failure and to accommodate learners with special needs” (2014, p. 200).  Lastly, engagement is something that these magazines do a really good job with, they start with some short videos to introduce some of the stories for the magazine to get the student interested, they also have some online games related that we play after the assignments are complete.  Most of the students really like that the information is tying concepts we talk about in the classroom to things that are happening in the world right now, not 10-15 years ago.  They like hearing about bedbug infestations and flesh eating bacteria and why these things are becoming more common and the science behind it.  Overall, my experience with integrating technology in my classroom is that it has helped me bring my content to life and helped my students realize that science is not something that happens in a book or a classroom.  It is something that is happening everyday, everywhere, we just have to look with our “science goggles” and know what to ask so we understand it.  

 

Glasbergen, R. (2007). Randy Glasbergen – Today's Cartoon. Retrieved July 23, 2015, from http://www.glasbergen.com/?count=13&s=education

Larson, M., & Lockee, B. (2014). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design. New York, New York: Routledge.

Science World Magazine Online Resources. (2011, December 8). Retrieved July 23, 2015, from https://youtu.be/tslcvzh4HxY?list=PL95385C6482FE3B21

Show what you know...

Show What You Know

In the reading assignment for this module, the chapter about assessment really stood out to me.  As teachers or administrators so much of our decisions are based on data from assessments whether formal or informal.  While reading the chapters discussing aligning your instruction with your outcomes and assessing your instruction accordingly, I was reminded of the cartoon I started with here.  We have all seen this at some time or another used in some context.  But it is so true of assessment if it is not aligned to our learning.  If our assessment does not match our outcomes or objectives, it is useless.  We cannot expect our students or participants to do something we have not prepared them for.  This brought me back to the earlier principal Larson and Lockee (2014) pointed out regarding “beginning with the end in mind” when designing instruction.  This simple concept will make sure that our assessment is appropriate as well.  I also found myself nodding my head during the marshmallow illustration from chapter 6 when the instructor demonstrated that “it was necessary to have a target, that the target should remain constant and not move, and that the task required opportunities to practice prior to assessment” (Larson and Lockee, 2014, p.116) As a science teacher, I find students definitely tend to perform better on assessments when they have had the opportunity to interact with the material in some way. The following infographic I found called "the cone of learning" includes data that supports just that. 

Cone of Learning

Interactions can be as simple as discussing with their group or partner, or as complex as a full lab experience, but it does seem to help them to comprehend the material.  We also know there are different types of assessment, formative and summative, just to name a few and they all have their appropriate time and place. So, what makes for effective assessment?  According to Larson and Lockee (2014) effective instruction must: “Align with the learning outcomes, be a learning experience for both the learner and the designer, and be known in advance by the learners” (p.139).  I find that these three principles while simple, give us exactly what we need.  We have to know what we want from our students before we start (begin with the end in mind, align with the outcomes),  it has to be ongoing and guide our instruction (we have to reteach or support the learner if necessary), and we must let our students know what we are going to expect from them up front.  So, the instructor who used the marshmallow demonstration was right “on target” with her “assessment of assessment.”

Larson, M., & Lockee, B. (2014). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design. New York, New York: Routledge.

Lim, J. (2012, May 1). Finance and Listening to Nature. Retrieved July 16, 2015, from http://joycelim.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cone_of_learning.png

Rao, S. (2014, June 26). Top 10 Traits of a Good Tester. Retrieved July 16, 2015, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140616032541-3446415-top-10-traits-of-a-good-tester

Zody, O. (2015, April 1). Summative VS. Formative Assessments. Retrieved July 16, 2015, from https://youtu.be/-DrFt_tqMSU

Good vs. Bad......Instructional Design that is....

"Inservice" by Doug Johnson

Good Instructional Design vs. Bad Instructional Design……

While reading the chapters for Module 1, I was reminded of this image I found a while back on Pinterest. It always makes me laugh.  Most of us have at one time or another sat through an inservice presentation that made us feel exactly like that picture, like we are about to die. I can remember times like that as a student as well.  I had an early morning geology class that would have been difficult at any time of day, even for a science lover but early morning class completely about rocks for a college student was nearly impossible.  My favorite classes usually were science though, because there was a natural element to the content, I was usually learning about something I had experienced or was at least familiar with (plants, animals,).  I also always enjoyed the fact that there was usually a lab component, a place that we could explore or extend our learning about the current topic.  As educators, we present instruction to our students daily and we sit through more professional development and instruction than most other professionals with a unique perspective.  When we are asked, we can definitely point out bad instructional design when we see it or experience it, and easily give examples of great instructional design. When looking at these examples though, what exactly must we do to ensure our professional development and presentations model good instructional design?  Defining exactly what that entails is sometimes much more difficult than just giving examples.  One of the first things Larson and Lockee (2014) insist on for planning is “beginning with the end in mind.”  Most of us find this easy to do with our students, as we have clear cut objectives and standards to guide us. With professional development, just like with our students, we must know what we our outcome needs to be before we can plan our route to get there.  We have all been the victim of professional development that seemed to have no clear purpose or goal, and just like our students, adult learners also want to know what the purpose for their learning is.  While researching good instructional design, I found this infographic and I really liked the simplicity of it.

It also connects well with the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) model we are working with.  Starting similarly with “begin with the end in mind” just as Larson and Lockee (2014) recommend, it also gives four other simple guidelines to follow.  It must be student-centered, which for professional development that could be any learner.  I think we would all agree that all learning must be centered around the learner.  The third point “it is perfected by improvement” ties directly into the evaluation/revision part of the ADDIE model.  “Continuous evaluation produces feedback that facilitates continuous improvement of the instruction” (Larson and Lockee, 2014).  The fourth point, “follows a well-defined system” ties in perfectly with the systematic ADDIE model of instructional design we are using in this course.  Lastly, it points out “considers the big picture”.  I realized when completing my ADDIE outline for this first module that this model does a great job of looking at the entire picture.  When planning for successful instructional design, its very easy to go about it from our own comfort zone, learning style or viewpoint.  We must always consider the goals, expectations, and needs of our learners, as well as the limitations that we may encounter. "Learners mus have a will to learn as well as the skill" (Larson and Lockee, 2014). Once again, bad instructional design may be very easy to point out and identify, but after reading and starting to research it is becoming more clear exactly what makes good instructional design as well.

5 Golden Rules of High-Quality Instructional Design Infographic - e-Learning Infographics. (2014, May 19). Retrieved July 10, 2015, from http://elearninginfographics.com/5-golden-rules-of-high-quality-instructional-design-infographic/

"Inservice" by Doug Johnson. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kjarrett/4138613146/

Instructional Design Series Introduction. (2013, December 26). Retrieved July 10, 2015, from https://youtu.be/_WGcS6lxqME

Larson, M., & Lockee, B. (2014). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design. New York, New York.