Module 1 Readings and Resources

This week's readings have already been very instructive: Anderson (2008) and Ally (2008) both advocate for good instructional design principles as well as instructional strategies that may be above and beyond those used in a traditional classroom format. I find myself in violent agreement with both authors.

As I read through the Moller, Foshay, and Huyett articles in particular, I kept wishing that my team from work were there so I could make some very strong arguments about the current state of affairs of our e-learning classes. The first article in particular, which addressed assessment and evaluation of learning was particularly relevant to my place of employment, because we are a principally knowledge-based organization, where one's intellectual capital is valued and prized to the degree that our corporate culture has become one of "information hoarding". This attitude makes the sharing of information and the practice of knowledge management more or less irrelevant in some organizations.

However, there is hope: we have a huge number of new hires from the past few years, and they were educated and have grown up in a more collaborative environment. Consequently, teaming, working in groups, sharing information with other groups, and thinking beyond the "me" universe is more natural for them.

Our organization's focus on volatile mission concerns makes the use of e-learning vital to our continued success, but it would seem that we have a hard time defining the true meaning of successful training. We subscribe to the Kirkpatrick/Phillips model of evaluation, and although we are a government organization, we have insisted on trying to conduct ROI evaluations in the past with minimal success.

I keep thinking to myself that I definitely have job security as I face these issues as a change agent. It will truly be an adventure!

Dr. Simonson's (2000) article on making decisions about the use of electronic technology in teaching and learning should be mandated reading by every person in my training organization. Otherwise we tend to subscribe to the self-fulfilling prophesy of "let's use "x" because we already own it". This does not mean that "x" is the best option for this topic, nor does it mean that it is the best delivery system...we have it so we should be using it (for better or worse). Sigh.

As I viewed Simonson's (2008) video clips, I found myself again nodding in violent agreement, especially regarding equivalency theory--I have long argued that viewing a videotape of a lesson being taught to a class is not the same as actually being in the class. I have often lost this argument, but the next time I have to engage over this topic, I will have Simonson on my side. That may not give me the winning edge but it will make me feel better in any case!


So....until next week or the next burst of inspiration, happy learning and may we all practice good instructional design!

Anne






Resources

Anderson, T. (Ed.) (2008). The Theory And Practice Of Online Learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Moller, L Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The Evolution Of Distance Education: Implications For Instructional Design On The Potential Of The Web (Part 1: Training And Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70-75. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's Accession Number: 33281719.

Moller, L Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The Evolution Of Distance Education: Implications For Instructional Design On The Potential Of The Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66-70. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's Accession Number: 33991516.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The Evolution Of Distance Education: Implications For Instructional Design On The Potential Of The Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5). 63-67.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making Decisions: The Use Of Electronic Technology In Online Classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29-34.

Simonson, M. (2008). (Video podcast) Distance education: The next generation. Accessed December 4, 2008 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=3206859&Survey=1&47=4683208&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Simonson, M. (2008). (Video podcast) Equivalency theory. Accessed December 4, 2008 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=3206859&Survey=1&47=4683208&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

EDUC 8842

This is my first ever blog post in the real world (internal posts on my organization's intranet do not count). I will be adding to this as the academic quarter continues, and this overall blog will be continued throughout my PhD program.