Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology:

Wow! Were already at the end.. I learned a lot and i really enjoyed this class!!

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. You may pick and choose from the following list.  

ü  Academic distributed learning- Is when educators use different technologies to improve student learning. Examples of academic distributed learning are using videos, PowerPoint’s, Web 2.0, etc.   

ü  Hybrid classes- These classes are a combination of face-to-face and online learning. Here is the link to an example hybrid class. http://www.d.umn.edu/~mharvey/th1001index.html

ü  Virtual classes- This type of class is what I prefer which a class is offered through the internet. These classes save you from sitting in class rooms for hours during the day. ETEC 561 is an example of a virtual class.

ü  Skills-based training- This training is offered to employees to help them learn more about their position needs and responsibilities. Trainings benefit the employees by helping them be better at what they do. An example of skills based trainings is like sending the IT Department to training on how to use new software.

Ex: 

ü  Knowledge based learning- This learning style is when learning is based on the knowledge that a student already has. To understand what students have already learned teachers can assign evaluations, assignments, quizzes, etc. An example of a knowledge based learning activity could be a hands on activity like a art project. 


Link to a "Knowledge based learning" activity example:
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http://www.mrsoshouse.com/pbl/civilrights.html

• 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.

The courses that I have taken all had reusable characteristics. All information can be reusable rather it’s from books, PowerPoint that are used for lectures, class activities, or even homework assignment. “Online or offline” If I had to pick a course that wasn’t as reusable as other courses I would choose any face-to-face course that I have taken. These courses aren’t as reusable because information is more difficult to edit and add. Online courses use discussion forums, blogs, wikis, etc. that makes information easier to be reused.  One example would be the psychology course I took here at A&M Commerce my sophomore year. This course was strictly lecture, test, and essays. I would redesign this course adding a Web 2.0 tools like blogger. In blogger I would have students discuss topics that we covered in class telling me what new information they learned from the lecture and what was the most interesting to them. The discussion is reusable because with other classes there will be lecture and students will be able to reflect on what they learned. I would assign the discussion forum on Tuesdays & Thursdays. To make this course more interesting I would also have a test or quiz review on Fridays. I would design a jeopardy game using PowerPoint asking students relevant questions over the chapters. This game would be reusable for courses in the future because I could play the game I designed with other classes in the future. Mondays and Wednesdays would be lecture day but instead of reading the book out loud I would use PowerPoint’s slides so that I can save the information in the slides and reuse for later. PowerPoint’s are less boring and makes it a lot easier for students to take notes. Last but not least instead of students writing several essays I would have students work in groups of three to present information from assigned chapters. After all presentations are presented I would assign the class to write a essay over one of the presentations that they did not present. This outline can easily be reused and it also gives student more experience in public speaking, working in a team, and listening skills. This is how I would redesign this course to improve reusability without changing the underlying content.

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

Peels, Peels, & More Peels! The Page Peel is another way to add a premium position to your page. Page Peel can expand on page load and be frequency capped to do that only once per user per day/session/ week, etc. Incorporate video and email submission forms into the ad or simply use images or flash files. Track the time the ad was expanded, videos played, and average rate expanded per user. Click here to see demos: Video Peel with email submission |Flash Peel | Image Peel

Link to site and information: http://www.checkm8.com/demo/peel_video.html

Live Site Launcher  Incorporate your advertiser's existing web sites or micro sites directly into the ad! Drive registrations or commerce without having the user ever leave your site. Click on the Cheerios banner to see it. Click here to see demo

Link to site and Information: http://www.checkm8.com/demo/livesite.html

This rich media type can be used in instruction and in corporate world. In my case I would use this rich media working for an educational company. I could put useful advertisements on company sites from other schools and companies that we have partnerships with. This could make sales go up and make our sites more useful.

• 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.  

I read a interesting article called Nano World: New cell phones from nanotech that discussed how nanotechnology could be used to enhance cell phones in the future. Nanotechnology could improve cell phones by using carbon nanotube thread. Nanotechnology has the ability to improve cell phone reception, microphone clarity, and longer battery life. I see nanotechnology being big in cell phones companies in the near future. The material is cheaper than what they use now for cell phones, gives a much better signals, and a much longer battery life. This just seems too good to be true and that’s why I’m a firm believer in nanotech for cell phones in the future. It has been said that leading mobile phone companies are looking into nanotechnology to improve their cell phones.

Link to article: http://www.nanotechnologist.com/misc/phones.html 

• 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?

I see advantages in both points of view although Im leaning more toward the “Broad and Inclusive road.” The broad road seems to have all of the straight and narrow road views plus it very on views. I guess this goes back to my way of thinking which is “It’s better to have too much than not enough.” The “Broad and inclusive road” looks at IDT in all aspect instead of putting a limit on IDT, in my opinion.