(R/D10) For your reading reflection, since you have now read for the past few weeks about instructional design/technology in three different contexts (business, P -12 & higher ed), identify 2 or 3 significant themes or differences you have noticed across these contexts and describe them. Is there a particular area or way that you believe your current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters?
There were 3 main themes involving ID that I think were brought up across the board and that are important to point out . The first is the point of research. Byron Havard made that point in chapter 22, but it made me think about its importance in all 3 areas. It is important not only to know what uses particular ID and technology have, but also to research what else is new and useful. I look at some of the applications that we have learned in this class. We have done a bit of research into each application, and have a small idea of how to use it. It would be helpful to dig in deeper and to research them more in depth if it is our desire to use them and to use them to their fullest. If I then settle with what I have learned so far, I would surely miss other opportunities for improvement. In all three areas, especially in the business and higher education realm, if the technology designer stops research, then improvement will discontinue.
The second point is advising. When a designer discovers an application that can be useful, then they need to share it and advise others how it can be used. Fellow teachers can work together and advise each other of how to use some of these advances in technology. ID specialists in the business world advise corporate managers what they need to use to better facilitate what they are managing. Part of that advising is selling the theory or the product. That happens in all 3 areas, and quite frankly, the more that the seller knows about the product, the better chance that it will not only be tried, but given full effort to succeed.
The third point is evaluation. When any new product is tried, it is important to evaluate. Often, the consumer (the students in cases of education) will make it clear as to how it is working. However, the ID needs to evaluate the processes and the product itself to see if it is being used properly, and to see if it improved efficiency, and in some cases to determine if it is cost effective.
In all 3 areas, it is essential for a team of people to work together, to develop consistantcy, and to look to make things better. In my profession, I can look at that and hopefully apply it. It would be nice if over the next couple of years in my studing to develop the necessary skills needed to be someone that can advise and or facilitate the development of an improved technology program. I can see ways for myself to use many of these, but it would be a much better learning experience for students if there was more than one person on board. Given my limited conversations with other people I teach with, I believe that there is interest in getting new ideas rolling.
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Karel, I was impressed with the way in which you seemed to simplify the connections between technology across business, p-12 and higher education. I think that your summation helped me to understand these chapters a bit more. It is not that I didn't understand what was going on, but there were so many examples and I just wanted it all plain and simple.
I agree with your analysis about the need for research, training (not the exact word you used) and evaluation. I think that too often, where technology is concerned, there are pieces missing. For example, there may be a push to use a piece of technology but the research and evaluation have not been done; therefore it becomes a case of using technology for the sake of using it.
If we want the use of technology to be meaningful and to get more people on board with using it, then the research, training and evaluation must be there.
I know that for me, training is a big issue. It is scary when you feel like you don't know anything and everyone else does. And I feel that the more training people get, the more comfortable they will be with the programs and as you say, be able to use them to their fullest potential; thus benefiting teacher and student learning.
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