Discussion #2

 Constructivist believe that each individual constructs their own meanings and understandings of new knowledge based on individual experiences and evolved beliefs. Instructional design is based on allowing students to construct meanings and knowledge by engaging in design and invention tasks. Environments are defined and redesigned continually to accommodate an indiviuals' evolving needs. Collaborate and cooperative groups are encouraged to problem-solve situations. Instructors are merely facilitators that can offer the necessary support for the learner to manage their own learning needs. 


Objectivist believe that the external world is independent of the mind. The instruction involves developing methods to transmit meaning consistently and efficiently across learners. The environments are usually designed where a specialist in that area facilitate the acquisition of knowledge with emphasis placed on specific knowledge or skills with activities and tasks focused on the creation of a product. Programs are designed around the analysis of the content to be taught, the instructional setting itself, and the learners' prior knowledge. Instructional objectives are are identified, broken down in sequences, and criterion set for assessments that are necessary to measure acquisition of knowledge.


Contextualism maintains that whether one knows is somehow relative to context. It evolved primarily as a response to views that maintain that we have no knowledge of the world around us. Vygotsky (1978) called this the child-in-activity-in-context. This developmental stance also asserts that culture influences what people think about, what skills they obtain, when they can participate in certain activities, and who is allowed to do which activities. In this theory, teachers and students become active participants in the learning process. Learning environments utilize observation, collaboration, and scaffolding. Teachers also recognize the importance of increasing the students' culture awareness and adjust the instructional level based on the learners' response. 

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Behaviorists look at learning as an aspect of conditioning and will advocate a system of rewards and targets in education where as in the cognitive learning theory sees motivation as largely intrinsic.

Section 7: New Direction in Instructional Design and Technology

 New Direction in Instructional Design and Technology )

How you might apply each of the following in your current or future position in the IDT field:

• distributed or e-learning environments-
• reusable design or learning objects
• rich media
• emerging instructional technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cybernetics, Web 2.0, virtual worlds, electronic games, etc.
  
  
  I am currently a 5^th and 6^th grade science and social studies teacher at a small school district where all teachers wear many “hats” and spend lots of time trying to find ways to reach all of our students without having to spend financial resources allocated to other necessary purchases in the district. Many times we are meeting on our lunches discussing new ideas we want to try and getting feedback from our peers on how to improve the ideas. I have taken the interest in technology integration for our district. Many of the courses I am taking is for pure knowledge and do not apply to my curriculum and instruction degree. I earned my Master's almost totally though distributed or e-learning environments and hope that many middle and high schools start offering options for students through these types of instructional designs. My future plans for e-learning environments are to add a section to my current class website that includes reference websites, simulations, threaded discussions, and web videos that students and parents can access at anytime at school or at home. I started this year by sending a summer science program that gives students a short activity to complete at home each day to get ready for 5^th grade science this year. The students who completed the optional program received homework passes when they arrived for the new year. This next year I would like to include some of the e-learning activities to the summer program.

In my current position reusable design has become another goal I have set to accomplish before the next school year. In the past three years, we have changed curriculum’s for science twice and each time I have to start fresh developing lessons for both 5^th and 6^th grades. This summer I purchased a center based program that allows me to make small changes to materials in each center each week for students to compete at their own pace. There is a vocabulary exercise, literature connection, graphic organizer, hands-on activity, and a quiz that is placed at each station for the students to complete. This will be used along with the kits that I prepare that will be used for each unit taught. These kits include a master copy of all handouts and teacher directions, group lab materials, and assessments for each unit. In teaching science, re-usability is extremely important since majority of the time is spent setting up lab activities and cleaning it up to store for the next use.

As far as rich media goes, I plan on using simulations when lab activities are not feasible due to time or lack of materials and animations that are included with new digital textbooks we are receiving for the next year. Students also have access to digital audio lessons that I will assign and require students to take notes on before I teach the lesson in the class for activating prior knowledge. I will use rich media to enable effective instructional methods to promote learning.

It is important to note that the introduction of new technologies is not to distract from the learning process but to enhance the learning environment. Web 2.0 tools such as Prezi presentations, podcasts, and blogs are only a couple of tools that I will use in my classroom. Our students are entering our rooms already knowing much about many of the social media uses for entertainment purposes but they are clueless to how to use these same tools as educational tools. It is our responsibility as educators to understand how to reach our “new” age students and teach them how to use all of the tools available to their benefit. Students must be taught how to responsibly use social media to problem solve and collaborate with others. Technology is here to stay and we need to try and keep up with the trend as much as possible or at least give our students to basic knowledge to find the correct tools to use when needed.  

Discussion 6

Section 6: Getting an IDT Position and Succeeding at It

Begin your post for this week with some background: what is your current job, what program are you enrolled in, what brings you to that program, and what do you expect when you graduate (change jobs? obtain a promotion?).

Currently I am employed at Boles Independent School District at the middle school as a 5^th and 6^th grade science and social studies teacher and 7^th & 8^th grade art teacher. I also will take on any other odd job at the district because I absolutely love where I work. I work concession stands, work the gates at volleyball games, and this year have taken the special interest in teaching anyone who is willing to listen and want to learn more about technology and how it can make your life easier on a daily basis both at home and at work. We only have one computer technician who only works part-time so many urgent issues take some time to get fixed. As a person who cannot stand down-time, I have learned how to solve many of my own problems and now more of my co-teachers are turning to me for help. Already this year I have taught 5^th through 8^th graders how to send and receive email using district Google accounts, how to create and share documents using Google Docs, how to set-up and use blogs, and have started helping students start their own e-portfolio. I am fortunate enough to have a principal who got me a substitute for several days and cleared my schedule to teach these classes all day long during a hour and a half sessions. I am currently enrolled in curriculum and instruction waiting for an opening in the doctoral program so I have decided to receive more training on technologies that may be of use with my students while I wait. I am not expecting to change positions when I finish either the educational technology program or curriculum and instruction program since I love where I am. Learning to me is a passion and I strive to seek out more knowledge for self-satisfaction. Eventually one day I may change my mind and I will have the necessary training to pursue whatever I choose.

Next, describe the kind of work that you want to do and the type at of organization or institution in which you want to work. Use the WorkMatrix^TM in the chapter titled “Getting a Job in Business and Industry” to help organize your thoughts. Do you most desire first, second, third, or fourth level service? Or would you rather design or develop instruction? What features of work are important to you? What economic sector do you want to work in?

After completing the WorkMatrixTM my scores show that I desire first-level service or teaching and delivering training the most. My next highest score was on developing instruction since having to design instruction is not a high importance to me. The features that are the highest to me are high income growth and high promotion growth but no one feature was rated very high with high travel being almost none. I believe that I have found the educational sector to be the best fit for myself with public service being a close runner-up.

Based on these intentions, explain what you need to learn. What skills and qualifications do you need? Will you obtain the skills you need in the required courses in your program? What electives might you need to take to help you develop skills specific to your aspirations?

Based on my results on the WorkMatrixTM, my learning for the career I want to be in will be never ending. I must continue to learn how to reach learners from all backgrounds and all learning types. I am always looking for new technology courses both at the institutional level and ones offered by local teachers' organizations and groups. Moving from traditional teaching methods to more authentic and hands-on learning have become my biggest concern at the present time. As a Texas teacher I am required to continue my training to renew my state certification every five years but personally I continue my learning not to satisfy my certification requirements but as a necessity to provide the best teaching skills as possible. I find myself not only taking those courses necessary to complete my program, but also ones that I am just interested in knowing more about. I have taken several elective courses in gifted and talented education, literacy, and classroom management that will help me reach my goal of understanding how to reach multiple populations.

Finally, what organizations would best support your continued learning after you graduate? Do you think you would benefit from joining those organizations before graduating? Explain why or why not?

I believe that by joining teacher organizations now before I graduate is the best way to continue developing my skills as a teacher. I belong to several specialty groups in science and art, technology groups, and a master teachers' group that concentrates on teaching other educators how to build more authentic lessons that mirror the real-world in their classrooms or school communities. This is extremely beneficial not only to my career but also to making sure I have the most up to date information and training. I often seek the suggestions from more seasoned teachers and teachers from different content areas to see how I can bring variation into my classes. I know that I myself am unable to know everything myself, so seeking the expertise from others who are willing to share their knowledge and skills is the best way to gain necessary skills needed to ensure my students are receiving the best that I have to offer. Professional organizations tend to pool the knowledge and share strategies that have been proven to work in real-world settings. This is also the best option for getting a wealth of information in the most economical way.