video

Click HERE to view my video
http://screencast.com/t/MGY3M2Q3Mm

I changed my topic, so now I'm scrambling to gather the research. I spent the bulk of my time creating this Articulate presentation, Interactive Faculty Checklist. I look forward to your thoughts.

Bergquist, W.H., Robertson, D.L., Gillespie, K.H. (2010). A guide to faculty development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Craig, J.L. (1998). Teacher training for medical faculty and residents. Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol 139, Issue 10, 949-952.

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2006). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

No, no don't make me learn something new!

If I were to share only a handful of stories where faculty and staff have shied away from new technology, I'd surely overload the site.

New faculty go through a certification course where detailed directions are found in the learning content, but heck, who reads? After noticable lack of institutional compliance, I decided to create a new tool to help bridge the information gap. I used a project for a Walden course and put together an interactive faculty checklist using Articulate presenter. Some of the issues I'm hoping to amend include returning faculty noting institutional policy changes and new faculty following given guidelines.

Using the Keller (2006) ARC model of

Attention

Relevance

Confidence

Satisfaction

I assess the new tool that I've offered faculty. I believe it will get their attention, though it's delivered in an email that directs them to a faculty site within our LMS - just getting them there is a challenging exercise. Due to the complexity of the material it needs to be seen withing the LMS and cannot simply be delivered via email or a link. Its relevance is unquestionable, it step by step walks them through setup of their courses for the new term. Due to the private interaction that offers video and a screenshot layout, both of which can be paused, success should be easily attainable and therefore reinforcing faculty confidence. Satisfaction of compliance, isn't that enough? I'll report back when the verdict is in.

Keller, J. M. (2006). Motivation design. Retrieved from http://www.arcsmodel.com/Mot%20dsgn%20A%20cate.htm

Connectivity Takes Time

This week I need to integrate a large dose of honesty... I love technology, but there are so many wonderful tools, who has the time? The time to thoroughly investigate, integrate, and efficiently use them? As I look at my Mind Map I think of all of the other great tools that I haven't included, like MSOutlook (how did I ever manage anything before?), Jing (the best free tool I've found yet), what about the email groups I belong to (thanks to Magnapubs for keeping me updated on all the latest buzz and research in higher/online/distance education), of course Twitter (pointing me to great resources and news updates) and Zotero (keeping me organized where I work). Also, iGoogle to organize my RSS feeds and SlideShare for updates in my area of interest. I barely have time to post substantive threads to our classroom discussion board, let alone maintain all these relationships. I'd love to use this week to have others share how they manage their numerous relationships.

In response to this week's questions, how does this connectivity change how I learn? I'm in a constant state of learning, constantly absorbing, acquiring, and applying new information. I cannot say how this has changed as I grew up in the middle of this technology boom and have incorporated new tools as they've become available and as I've have an interest and time. I love my networks, but how do you effectively use them? How do you avoid getting lost? I've accomplished this by having specific goals when I access these resources. If I can stay focused, I can emerge with the information I need and time left to accomplish my task. When I have a question I access the appropriate tool, but at some point I worry that I won't be able to manage it all and won't know where to go. While searching Google or another search engine may get you started, library resources will serve you better in obtaining scholarly information, but once again it's easy to get lost in the databases without a clear objective. At this time, I use library and above noted networks to glean the information I need, but at some point I worry that it may all become too much to manage. How do you do it?

Resources

delicious.com
diigo.com
facebook.com
jingproject.com
igoogle.com
linkedin.com
lists.asu.edu
magnapubs.com
slideshare.net
sloan-c.org
twitter.com
wave.google.com
zotero.org

Mod3 Need for Interaction

We're human, therefore we're social. It's part of our composition. Does that mean that we naturally seek out others for collaboration? Based on EDUC8440 we'd reminisce about hunting and gathering, agriculture, and industrial ages. It seems that as a species we were much more collaborative earlier on than once we hit the industrial age. Interesting that the assembly line, where one's role was intricately dependent on the person standing before them, was the beginning of an independent streak that we're now trying to undo in our attempt to fight the bigger, nastier problems of today. Rheingold (2005) followed this thought process and acknowledged the importance of collective action in his talk, "Howard Rheingold on collaboration". I agree with Rheingold that we need collaboration, that we need human interaction, but I disagree that evolution has sped up. In our short time in this life, who are we make such an assumptions? Maybe the rapid development of a tool upon its discovery is the evolutionary norm, it's difficult to tell. With technological development, my greatest concern is that we develop and implement without a plan, without consideration of consequence, without thinking about the next step. I hope at some point we slow down upon development of a tool and think through consequences before implementation.

Rheingold (2005). Howard Rheingold on collaboration. Ted. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html

ISMS

Learning theories are abundant. With each new idea, new ism, new following, I hope that learners are positively affected. Each of my three children learned to read differently. One with phonics, one with whole language, and the other with a combination of the two methods. They all read. They all had their unique challenges. The pure phonics reader could read upper level texts without understanding their meaning, his ability to pronounce and decipher words in first grade trumped the skills of his older sisters. The whole language learner seemed to struggle with everything; skipping unfamiliar words hoping their meaning would be revealed in familiar words and pictures, and finding the whole process frustrating. The combination reader stumbled early on, but once she caught on she fell in love with reading. Does this say as much about the theory behind the lessons as it does my children? How are we to know?

Educational technology has opened education to a new generation, but doesn't it also cutoff others? Without access, you're left behind. The faster it moves forward, the more behind developing nations become. They invest all of their resources into education, while the US takes them for granted.

I've digressed...isms. Cognitivism, behaviorism, constructivism... which is best? I agree with Karl Kapp, a combination offers the best of all worlds. To assume that the latest technology, discovery, idea trumps those that came before them seems arrogant and ignorant. Many want to throw behaviorism out now that we understand the intricate details of cognitivism, but cognitivism doesn't negate behaviorism. Rather it opens a new understanding, an additional tool.

Malcolm Knowles offered andragogy as an alternative to pedagogy. Understanding the uniqueness of adult learners is crucial for continuing education, but I think with a good understanding of learning styles, behavioral processes, and experience, the atmosphere for learning would be lacking.

Stanley Frielick adds enactivism to the isms and shares his insight to the ism discussion, I recommend you take a look: http://www.flexilearn.com/?p=52

Module 1: Educator Metaphors

As an adult educator, I've always considered myself a facilitator. In this role, I see myself as an experienced peer, sharing in the learning experience alongside the student. Every time I facilitate a class, I learn as much from the students and their collaboration as I expect they learn directly from me. Given this, the Curator model proposed by Siemens (2008) seems the most aligned with my style and beliefs.

Adult students come to the classroom with life experience, knowledge and personal expertise that should be explored, shared and connected to the course content. In this, their learning is enhanced and other students are exposed to the diverse knowledge of their peer learners. An instructor who can facilitate a collaborative, thoughtful, respectful, engaging environment that incorporates informative resources and collaborative tools will go far in curating personal and professional growth for his/her students.



Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper105/siemens.pdf

Introduction

Welcome to my blog on Educational Technology. I will use this blog in conjunction with my Walden University courses.