Last Blog

1. “Distributed learning is any educational or training experience that uses a variety of means, including technology to enable learning.” As technology evolves, distributed learning is becoming an everyday possibility in the classroom. There are many examples of distributed learning, one being corporate distributed learning. Corporations are using distributed learning in online training courses. Using these types of trainings bring the cost way down, since traveling and substitutes to replace employees while they train are no longer necessary. Web-based training can track who has taken what, and how long they spent on each objective.
Another example is academic distributed learning. More and more classes are going online in the higher education sector. With the economy lagging, many people are choosing to return to school to improve their job attainability. Online courses are so convenient, especially for older students with families.
On that same note, virtual institutions are cropping up all over America. These universities are completely online. Registration, classes, student support, and even libraries and bookstores make up the “campus”. This makes it even more convenient for students; they never have to leave their home!
Not all classes in the universities must be completely online. Some are hybrids, requiring some onsite meetings to supplement their online coursework. This would be necessary in courses requiring hands-on training, such as nursing.
Finally virtual classes are being offered at the secondary level for students who need to make up missing credits.
2. Reusability is the ability to use the same resource multiple times in multiple ways and contexts. I couldn’t think of any of my coursework that didn’t teach me many things useful in the classroom. However, I have been to many trainings and professional developments that have poor reusability characteristics. The issues are mainly that the presentors have a power point, they hand out a copy of the slides, then proceed to spend hours upon hours reading the slides aloud. The power point includes no ideas for use in the classroom setting, or do not relate to my class. For a training to be successful, I need real examples that can be used in my curriculum.

3.
This was created with Voki and is the prologue to Romeo and Juliet. I thought the heart was a good representation of the story and wanted something to grab my students’ attention. It allows them to hear the prologue read aloud, and gives them an interesting preview of the play. My students really enjoyed this.
4. Nanotechnology is based on the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules to build structures to complex, atomic specifications. The example in the book explains “smart paper”. I think this could be used in lieu of regular paper in a classroom setting that is virtual.
5. The goals of both the strait and narrow and the broad and inclusive are the same: designing and using technology/resources to improve learning and performance. However, when it comes to the characteristics of each, I tend to follow the broad and inclusive road. The main reason is that this road allows for change, much more than the strait and narrow. This makes it easier to adapt when the technology being used is not working in the way it was expected. I think being open to change is extremely important. Also, using a full range of reasoned inquiry make it easier to search for options needed.

Last Blog!

1. “Distributed learning is any educational or training experience that uses a variety of means, including technology to enable learning.” As technology evolves, distributed learning is becoming an everyday possibility in the classroom. There are many examples of distributed learning, one being corporate distributed learning. Corporations are using distributed learning in online training courses. Using these types of trainings bring the cost way down, since traveling and substitutes to replace employees while they train are no longer necessary. Web-based training can track who has taken what, and how long they spent on each objective.
Another example is academic distributed learning. More and more classes are going online in the higher education sector. With the economy lagging, many people are choosing to return to school to improve their job attainability. Online courses are so convenient, especially for older students with families.
On that same note, virtual institutions are cropping up all over America. These universities are completely online. Registration, classes, student support, and even libraries and bookstores make up the “campus”. This makes it even more convenient for students; they never have to leave their home!
Not all classes in the universities must be completely online. Some are hybrids, requiring some onsite meetings to supplement their online coursework. This would be necessary in courses requiring hands-on training, such as nursing.
Finally virtual classes are being offered at the secondary level for students who need to make up missing credits.
2. Reusability is the ability to use the same resource multiple times in multiple ways and contexts. I couldn’t think of any of my coursework that didn’t teach me many things useful in the classroom. However, I have been to many trainings and professional developments that have poor reusability characteristics. The issues are mainly that the presentors have a power point, they hand out a copy of the slides, then proceed to spend hours upon hours reading the slides aloud. The power point includes no ideas for use in the classroom setting, or do not relate to my class. For a training to be successful, I need real examples that can be used in my curriculum.

3.
This was created with Voki and is the prologue to Romeo and Juliet. I thought the heart was a good representation of the story and wanted something to grab my students’ attention. It allows them to hear the prologue read aloud, and gives them an interesting preview of the play. My students really enjoyed this.
4. Nanotechnology is based on the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules to build structures to complex, atomic specifications. The example in the book explains “smart paper”. I think this could be used in lieu of regular paper in a classroom setting that is virtual.
5. The goals of both the strait and narrow and the broad and inclusive are the same: designing and using technology/resources to improve learning and performance. However, when it comes to the characteristics of each, I tend to follow the broad and inclusive road. The main reason is that this road allows for change, much more than the strait and narrow. This makes it easier to adapt when the technology being used is not working in the way it was expected. I think being open to change is extremely important. Also, using a full range of reasoned inquiry make it easier to search for options needed.

Blog 6

The University of New Haven seeks a talented and experienced Instructional Designer to provide effective pedagogical consulting and design assistance to faculty developing and revising online courses. The Instructional Designer will work in a team and project based environment with faculty as subject matter experts providing pedagogical, instructional design and development consultation and assistance related to courses, modules and whole curriculum activities for eLearning projects. The candidate selected will have a demonstrated progression of challenging instructional design assignments and expertise in designing and producing effective online learning environments and instructional materials and will have a strong commitment to quality standards and service.

Required Qualifications and Skills:
• Master’s degree in, or related to, instructional design, curriculum and instruction, learning systems, adult learning or related field
• Three years of experience with eLearning/online pedagogy and application of instructional design theory, adult learning theory principles and practices for the development of eLearning courses and programs in higher education
• Demonstrated experience assisting faculty with design and redesign of courses for online and hybrid delivery modes, including the incorporation of Web 2.0 tools for instruction and communication
• Demonstrated progression of challenging instructional design assignments and expertise in designing and producing effective online learning environments and instructional materials
• Awareness of accessibility issues and use of assistive technologies in course design
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written and teaming skills
• Strong commitment to quality customer service
• Proven ability to work as a contributing and collegial member of a team and to communicate proactively within the team environment
• Ability to work with multiple deadlines and multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Ability to adapt and to solve problems proactively and creatively
• Experience conducting training sessions for both small and large groups
• Demonstrated commitment to quality and innovation in course design
• Experience with Blackboard or similar learning management systems
• Knowledge of best practices and innovations in instructional design and instructional technology



INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER
Rivier College, Nashua, NH, seeks an Instructional Designer who will be the primary support for faculty in creating high-quality online and hybrid courses.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES/QUALIFICATIONS
• Knowledge: Work with web-based course management systems (specifically Blackboard)
• Knowledge: Produce and implement streaming audio and video tools
• Knowledge: Employ current instructional practices for collaborative learning with web-based tools Skill: Interpret faculty and student needs and produce instructional materials accordingly
• Skill: Communicate proactively, collaboratively, and professionally
• Skill: Work comfortably in a fast-pace, changing environment
• Skill: Analyze problems, identify solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations
• Ability: Work on multiple projects simultaneously and adjust priorities as needed
• Ability: Train and support faculty and students in the use of learning technologies
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
• Education: Bachelor's degree (preferably in instructional design or related field)
• Experience: Three years in instructional technology support
• Experience: Higher education, online teaching, and the Blackboard Learning Management System
• Experience: Design and development of faculty development programs, including evaluation of instructional technologies
Job Description:
The Graduate School of Education at the American University in Cairo welcomes applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor in Curriculum Design and Instruction, with particular emphasis in one of the following areas: action research, educational measurement, cognition, mathematics education, science education, social studies education, literacy education, or arts education. Regardless of emphasis, candidates should have enough flexibility to teach courses that may be applicable to students in a variety of subject areas. Responsibilities for this position include teaching graduate level coursework, advising master’s theses, advising students, and conducting/publishing research that is relevant to educational reform in the Middle East, as well as relevant to the educational literature on a global level. Additionally, a core responsibility for this position is to work with a small team of faculty members in the continued development of the relatively new Graduate School of Education.

Requirements:
Candidates must have a completed, earned doctorate and should have a strong teaching and research record in accordance with prior experience. Ideally, candidates should have teaching experience also at the K-12 level, preferably in diverse environments. A successful candidate will have a strong related or cognate interest in pedagogical content knowledge, curriculum theory, and/or instructional research methods, applied to the subject area emphases previously described.


1. These jobs are waaaay out of my league! All three are at a higher education level, with two requiring doctorate degrees. I have only taught in secondary schools, so I do not have the experience required. Also, my desire is to stay in public education K-12. I do not, at this time, seek an administrative type position. All three of these jobs were located on the jobtarget website.
2. I researched many of these websites, but was unable to find an assessment that was useful. The Work Matrix did not calculate the jobs for me. The O*NET assessments seemed interesting, but were only available at a cost.

3. Professional Organization: American Educational Research Organization (AERA)
Mission: The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.
Cost: Regular $150, Graduate Student $40.00

Publications: American Educational Research Journal, Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Researcher, Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, Review of Education Research, Review of Research in Education

Conferences: The 2011 AERA Annual Meeting will take place Friday, April 8 – Tuesday, April 12, 2011 in New Orleans, LA.
The Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research is designed to feature the important role of research in advancing understanding of equality and equity in education. The Lectureship was inaugurated in 2004 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in which the U.S. Supreme Court took into account scientific research in issuing this landmark ruling. Each year a distinguished scholar notable for producing significant research related to equality in education is invited to give a public lecture in Washington, D.C.

Opportunities for professional development: AERA invites fellowship applications for an Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop to be held at the 2012 Annual Meeting in Vancouver (April 13-15).

Professional Organization: Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)

Mission: The Educational Communications and Technology (ect) Foundation is a non-profit organization for charitable and educational purposes that has made a substantial commitment in support of AECT. These purposes reflect the belief that instruction can be improved with new systems for learning and with assessment of techniques for the communication of information. In addition to awarding scholarships, internships, and fellowships, the Foundation funds leadership-training programs for AECT.

Cost: Corporate membership $400, New regular membership $125, New student membership $75

Publications: ETR&D (Educational Technology Research and Development), TechTrends, The International Journal of Designs for Learning, and Journal of Applied Instructional Design

Conferences: 2012 Research Symposia will the held in Louisville, Kentucky, July 18-20 in conjunction with the AECT Leadership Meetings.

Opportunities for professional development: AECT holds webinars for its members. A conversation with the Eminent Scholar about the Secrets of Designing Games for Learning is available Thursday December 8, 2011.

Professional Publication: The International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET) is an international refereed journal in the field of educational technology, sponsored by faculty, staff, and students at The Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia and the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Focus/Goals: IJET is committed to providing access to quality research articles in the area of educational technology for all interested readers.
Submission guidelines: The International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET) currently is not accepting new article submissions. We are attempting to process and publish those articles currently in our possession. Once this is completed, we intend to accept additional articles once again.
Is this a peer reviewed journal: IJET is a refereed online journal.
Is the journal online: Yes

Professional Publication: Educational Technology and Society
Focus/Goals: Educational Technology & Society seeks academic articles on the issues affecting the developers of educational systems and educators who implement and manage such systems. The articles should discuss the perspectives of both communities and their relation to each other:
• Educators aim to use technology to enhance individual learning as well as to achieve widespread education and expect the technology to blend with their individual approach to instruction. However, most educators are not fully aware of the benefits that may be obtained by proactively harnessing the available technologies and how they might be able to influence further developments through systematic feedback and suggestions.
• Educational system developers and artificial intelligence (AI) researchers are sometimes unaware of the needs and requirements of typical teachers, with a possible exception of those in the computer science domain. In transferring the notion of a 'user' from the human-computer interaction studies and assigning it to the 'student', the educator's role as the 'implementer/ manager/ user' of the technology has been forgotten.
Submission guidelines: Authors, submitting articles for a particular special issue, should send their submissions directly to the appropriate Guest Editor. Guest Editors will advise the authors regarding submission procedure for the final version. All submissions should be in electronic form. The editors will acknowledge the receipt of submission as soon as possible. Submission must be in editable format. Preferred formats are Word document and RTF, but editors will try their best for other formats too. Submissions in PDF and other non-editable formats are not acceptable.
Is this a peer reviewed journal: Yes
Is the journal online: Yes

4. Reading publications in educational technology is very important for a teacher. Staying up-to-date with the newest technology gives teachers an advantage on using new ways of teaching students. I had not heard of these organization, nor journals before, but found them very interesting. I am always looking for the latest information, and these sites provided ways to help me find it.

5. A performance technologist is an important position because they can improve performance through training. The standards necessary for this position are a set of principles that focus on outcomes, add value, and facilitate partnership perspectives. A performance technologist would focus on results and help clients focus on results. Figuring out the problem, and then designing a solution.

Blog 6

The University of New Haven seeks a talented and experienced Instructional Designer to provide effective pedagogical consulting and design assistance to faculty developing and revising online courses. The Instructional Designer will work in a team and project based environment with faculty as subject matter experts providing pedagogical, instructional design and development consultation and assistance related to courses, modules and whole curriculum activities for eLearning projects. The candidate selected will have a demonstrated progression of challenging instructional design assignments and expertise in designing and producing effective online learning environments and instructional materials and will have a strong commitment to quality standards and service.

Required Qualifications and Skills:
• Master’s degree in, or related to, instructional design, curriculum and instruction, learning systems, adult learning or related field
• Three years of experience with eLearning/online pedagogy and application of instructional design theory, adult learning theory principles and practices for the development of eLearning courses and programs in higher education
• Demonstrated experience assisting faculty with design and redesign of courses for online and hybrid delivery modes, including the incorporation of Web 2.0 tools for instruction and communication
• Demonstrated progression of challenging instructional design assignments and expertise in designing and producing effective online learning environments and instructional materials
• Awareness of accessibility issues and use of assistive technologies in course design
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written and teaming skills
• Strong commitment to quality customer service
• Proven ability to work as a contributing and collegial member of a team and to communicate proactively within the team environment
• Ability to work with multiple deadlines and multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Ability to adapt and to solve problems proactively and creatively
• Experience conducting training sessions for both small and large groups
• Demonstrated commitment to quality and innovation in course design
• Experience with Blackboard or similar learning management systems
• Knowledge of best practices and innovations in instructional design and instructional technology



INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER
Rivier College, Nashua, NH, seeks an Instructional Designer who will be the primary support for faculty in creating high-quality online and hybrid courses.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES/QUALIFICATIONS
• Knowledge: Work with web-based course management systems (specifically Blackboard)
• Knowledge: Produce and implement streaming audio and video tools
• Knowledge: Employ current instructional practices for collaborative learning with web-based tools Skill: Interpret faculty and student needs and produce instructional materials accordingly
• Skill: Communicate proactively, collaboratively, and professionally
• Skill: Work comfortably in a fast-pace, changing environment
• Skill: Analyze problems, identify solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations
• Ability: Work on multiple projects simultaneously and adjust priorities as needed
• Ability: Train and support faculty and students in the use of learning technologies
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
• Education: Bachelor's degree (preferably in instructional design or related field)
• Experience: Three years in instructional technology support
• Experience: Higher education, online teaching, and the Blackboard Learning Management System
• Experience: Design and development of faculty development programs, including evaluation of instructional technologies
Job Description:
The Graduate School of Education at the American University in Cairo welcomes applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor in Curriculum Design and Instruction, with particular emphasis in one of the following areas: action research, educational measurement, cognition, mathematics education, science education, social studies education, literacy education, or arts education. Regardless of emphasis, candidates should have enough flexibility to teach courses that may be applicable to students in a variety of subject areas. Responsibilities for this position include teaching graduate level coursework, advising master’s theses, advising students, and conducting/publishing research that is relevant to educational reform in the Middle East, as well as relevant to the educational literature on a global level. Additionally, a core responsibility for this position is to work with a small team of faculty members in the continued development of the relatively new Graduate School of Education.

Requirements:
Candidates must have a completed, earned doctorate and should have a strong teaching and research record in accordance with prior experience. Ideally, candidates should have teaching experience also at the K-12 level, preferably in diverse environments. A successful candidate will have a strong related or cognate interest in pedagogical content knowledge, curriculum theory, and/or instructional research methods, applied to the subject area emphases previously described.


1. These jobs are waaaay out of my league! All three are at a higher education level, with two requiring doctorate degrees. I have only taught in secondary schools, so I do not have the experience required. Also, my desire is to stay in public education K-12. I do not, at this time, seek an administrative type position. All three of these jobs were located on the jobtarget website.
2. I researched many of these websites, but was unable to find an assessment that was useful. The Work Matrix did not calculate the jobs for me. The O*NET assessments seemed interesting, but were only available at a cost.

3. Professional Organization: American Educational Research Organization (AERA)
Mission: The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.
Cost: Regular $150, Graduate Student $40.00

Publications: American Educational Research Journal, Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Researcher, Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, Review of Education Research, Review of Research in Education

Conferences: The 2011 AERA Annual Meeting will take place Friday, April 8 – Tuesday, April 12, 2011 in New Orleans, LA.
The Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research is designed to feature the important role of research in advancing understanding of equality and equity in education. The Lectureship was inaugurated in 2004 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, in which the U.S. Supreme Court took into account scientific research in issuing this landmark ruling. Each year a distinguished scholar notable for producing significant research related to equality in education is invited to give a public lecture in Washington, D.C.

Opportunities for professional development: AERA invites fellowship applications for an Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop to be held at the 2012 Annual Meeting in Vancouver (April 13-15).

Professional Organization: Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)

Mission: The Educational Communications and Technology (ect) Foundation is a non-profit organization for charitable and educational purposes that has made a substantial commitment in support of AECT. These purposes reflect the belief that instruction can be improved with new systems for learning and with assessment of techniques for the communication of information. In addition to awarding scholarships, internships, and fellowships, the Foundation funds leadership-training programs for AECT.

Cost: Corporate membership $400, New regular membership $125, New student membership $75

Publications: ETR&D (Educational Technology Research and Development), TechTrends, The International Journal of Designs for Learning, and Journal of Applied Instructional Design

Conferences: 2012 Research Symposia will the held in Louisville, Kentucky, July 18-20 in conjunction with the AECT Leadership Meetings.

Opportunities for professional development: AECT holds webinars for its members. A conversation with the Eminent Scholar about the Secrets of Designing Games for Learning is available Thursday December 8, 2011.

Professional Publication: The International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET) is an international refereed journal in the field of educational technology, sponsored by faculty, staff, and students at The Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia and the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Focus/Goals: IJET is committed to providing access to quality research articles in the area of educational technology for all interested readers.
Submission guidelines: The International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET) currently is not accepting new article submissions. We are attempting to process and publish those articles currently in our possession. Once this is completed, we intend to accept additional articles once again.
Is this a peer reviewed journal: IJET is a refereed online journal.
Is the journal online: Yes

Professional Publication: Educational Technology and Society
Focus/Goals: Educational Technology & Society seeks academic articles on the issues affecting the developers of educational systems and educators who implement and manage such systems. The articles should discuss the perspectives of both communities and their relation to each other:
• Educators aim to use technology to enhance individual learning as well as to achieve widespread education and expect the technology to blend with their individual approach to instruction. However, most educators are not fully aware of the benefits that may be obtained by proactively harnessing the available technologies and how they might be able to influence further developments through systematic feedback and suggestions.
• Educational system developers and artificial intelligence (AI) researchers are sometimes unaware of the needs and requirements of typical teachers, with a possible exception of those in the computer science domain. In transferring the notion of a 'user' from the human-computer interaction studies and assigning it to the 'student', the educator's role as the 'implementer/ manager/ user' of the technology has been forgotten.
Submission guidelines: Authors, submitting articles for a particular special issue, should send their submissions directly to the appropriate Guest Editor. Guest Editors will advise the authors regarding submission procedure for the final version. All submissions should be in electronic form. The editors will acknowledge the receipt of submission as soon as possible. Submission must be in editable format. Preferred formats are Word document and RTF, but editors will try their best for other formats too. Submissions in PDF and other non-editable formats are not acceptable.
Is this a peer reviewed journal: Yes
Is the journal online: Yes

4. Reading publications in educational technology is very important for a teacher. Staying up-to-date with the newest technology gives teachers an advantage on using new ways of teaching students. I had not heard of these organization, nor journals before, but found them very interesting. I am always looking for the latest information, and these sites provided ways to help me find it.

5. A performance technologist is an important position because they can improve performance through training. The standards necessary for this position are a set of principles that focus on outcomes, add value, and facilitate partnership perspectives. A performance technologist would focus on results and help clients focus on results. Figuring out the problem, and then designing a solution.

What I feel like today...

1. Rapid prototyping allows students to create a virtual model from a digital design. Using rapid prototyping, students can bring ideas into reality. However, the computer systems needed for rapid prototyping are not always available at the high school level. One idea I had for using this in my classroom, was to have students create a 3-D model of the neighborhood from The House on Mango Street. Students would put the neighborhood together, using the descriptions from the book.
2. The biggest alternative I would suggest is to keep everything in one location. The book suggests a mobile unit with a server, network switch, printer, and twenty laptops. I would make sure to include activities that are not dependent on network activity. Many programs can be installed on the laptops, which would allow them to be used at any time. Being prepared for these circumstances would make the program successful.
3. The Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology is a complete transformation of an entire school district. Since SUTE is a three-step process, with a Pre-Launch Preparation phase, I would divide the staff into 4 groups. Each group would be assigned a step in the cycle to explain to the entire group. Broken down, it would be easier for each group to understand. The explanations would be in a language everyone would be able to grasp.





The Guidance System for Transforming Education is a process model for facilitating systematic change. To help my staff understand this methodology, I would have them list problems that need to be addressed within the school. Groups would then work with the GSTE to find solutions to these problems.
4. The University of North Texas, located in Denton, Texas has a Training and Development department for faculty. It is under the human resources division. The Training and Development staff focuses on working with department leaders to predict and develop strategies/approaches that continue to build a workforce capable of accomplishing UNT’s strategic goals. The BSC Training Catalog provides a list and description of all the courses offered by the Business Service Center Staff. The UNT Training Curriculum includes Certification Programs representing different training needs on campus. The first of these certification programs developed are the Supervisory Skills Certification and the Manager Skills Certification. These programs have a curriculum designed to provide a blueprint for a supervisory position. In order to receive the certification, fill out the participation form below and send it to Human Resources. Once all the necessary trainings have been completed, the tracking form should be sent to Human Resources for verification and to receive a certificate of completion. The Human Resources staff has compiled and archived the training videos for sessions facilitated via videoconference for the convenience of staff and faculty members.

Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches has a Teaching Excellence Center. The Teaching Excellence Center of Stephen F. Austin State University's mission is to support the faculty, teaching assistants and instructional units in their dedicated efforts to enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning. Through its services and programs, the Teaching Excellence Center works collaboratively to create a campus community that values and recognizes teaching excellence and innovation. One interesting program offered through SFA is teaching circles. Teaching Circles help instructors (and other interested parties) share ideas about teaching. They are groups of 5-10 individuals who meet regularly (once a month for one hour) to discuss topics related to teaching. The individuals do not need to be from the same area. In fact, a broader range of ideas can be generated when members come from a variety of backgrounds. Teaching Circles allow more extended discussion than do traditional workshops. These meetings can incorporate recent articles or books on a topic, or solely reflect the individuals' knowledge and experience. They should not be a gripe session. The object is to share ideas and strategies to improve teaching effectiveness. The Teaching Excellence Award recognizes faculty for their excellence in classroom teaching. Each year, six faculty receive college awards, one faculty member per college, and recognition from the university.

Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas has an Office of Organizational and Staff Development which is committed to improving and providing quality learning opportunities to employee to meet the changing needs of Eastfield.

Blog 4

1. As teachers, we are preparing students for life beyond the classroom. We are hopeful that our students will become productive members of society. HPI is a movement that focuses on valued accomplishments through people. A teacher is always looking for ways to have students achieve goals, and this is an outside of the box path. I was interested in the findings of Gilbert (1978, 1996). He focused on variables that affect the workplace performance. These can easOnily be translated to a classroom. For example, it is important that students know what is expected. Effective communication is so important in a classroom, with a clear statement of purpose and expectations. Appropriate feedback is also necessary for students, feedback in a consistent and immediate manner.
I think it is always important for a teacher to assess their classroom and look for ways to improve. The concept of human performance improvement has lots of ideas on running a successful classroom, with only a few adaptations needed.
2. One definition I located from Dictionary.com: “A system that provides electronic task guidance and support to the user at the moment of need. EPSS can provide application　help, reference information, guided instructions and/or tutorials, subject matter expert advice and hints on how to perform a task more efficiently. An EPSS can combine various technologies to present the desired information. The information can be in the form of text, graphical displays, sound, and video　presentations.”
Another, Electronic Performance Support Systems (Gery, 1991)"an integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualized on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others." An electronic performance support system can also be described as any computer software program or component that improves employee performance by:
1. reducing the complexity or number of steps required to perform a task,
2. providing the performance information an employee needs to perform a task, or
3. providing a decision support system that enables an employee to identify the action that is appropriate for a particular set of conditions.
The first definition is easy to understand. The second give more details.
I think the biggest reason EPSS is not utilized more in schools is the cost. Even though the benefit outweighs the cost, it is still expensive to start a program such as this. Training would need to take place and trainers would need to stay on hand to help with problems that might arise. There is a big risk in purchasing these tools, with many teachers not willing to use them.
4. The first thing that came to mind when reading about knowledge management was standardized tests. Looking at the results and analyzing the scores is important in understanding how to raise those scores. Codification is important so the data is easily accessible to teachers. Collaboration with others is the best way to figure out how to help students in their area of need.
“The learning needs of people only increase as they apply to their jobs what they’ve been taught in a formal training session.” Application is an extremely important part of the learning process. Having students create something with their new knowledge is the only way we can know for certain they understood.
5. My favorite type of informal learning comes from inside my classroom, but is beyond my control. When students offer up ideas, thoughts, and answers to my questions that I had never thought of, I learn something new. English literature is a subjective class. Many answers can be correct, as long as students prove what they have to say. This often happens in class discussions and I am always amazed that my students grasp a concept I had missed.
Using my Iphone has also been another great way of informal learning. Answers to questions are now available at my fingertips. Whenever I am curious about a topic, I pull out my phone and look it up. Playing Words With Friends has helped my spelling and vocabulary. Runkeeper has helped my track my runs and figure out minutes per mile. My daughter practices her ABCs. The learning is endless!

Blog 3

1. One very interesting evaluation model that I discovered was the Goals-Free Model created by Michael Scriven. This model is just like it sounds, the evaluator does not set prior outcomes, goals, or achievements. According to Scriven, “Evaluators who do not know what the program is supposed to be doing look more thoroughly for what it is doing.” The goals free evaluation has the “purpose of finding out what the program is actually DOING without being cued to what it is TRYING to do. That is, the evaluator doesn’t know the purpose of the program.” If the program is doing what it is supposed to be doing, according to Scriven, “then these achievements should show up. Scriven says, “That evaluators who do not know what the program is supposed to be doing look more thoroughly for what it is doing.” The goals free evaluator avoids learning the stated purpose of the program prior to or during the evaluation. Instead, the evaluator observes actual outcomes. This prevents looking so hard at the outcomes and goals that you overlook side effects, whether they are positive or negative. Of course, this sounds crazy to most educators. Without goals set, then how will you know what outcomes you want your students to achieve? However, teachers stay focused on ONE goal, they might miss the opportunity for their students to grow in a way they never imagined. We want to teach our students to think for themselves, set their own goals, and try to reach them. One way that I thought the goals free model would work in the classroom is by having students choose a topic of interest to research. They would write a research paper over this topic. The knowledge they would gain from this assignment would be different for every student, and the outcomes would also vary.

Another model is the Responsive Evaluation created by Bob Stake. In explaining responsive evaluation, Stake says, “An educational evaluation is responsive evaluation if it orients more directly to program activities than to program intents; responds to audience requirements for information; and if the different value-perspectives present are referred to in reporting the success and failure of the program.” An evaluation is responsive if the evaluator makes a plan of observations and negotiations. Others should observe the program, and the evaluator should find out what is valuable to the audience. Much of this is done informally, with a record being kept of action and reaction. Responsive evaluation procedures allow the evaluator to respond to emerging issues as well as to preconceived issues. The key to this model is flexibility, with the evaluator willing to observe outcomes and react to change. I believe any educator must be responsive while teaching. Activities must be changed to meet the needs of students. Teachers should work with other teachers and administrators to make sure the way the classroom is being run is best for students.

2. Two years ago, I received a class set of ITouches to use in my English 1 classroom. The attributes of the technological innovations were increase in student motivation, test scores would go up, and interest in classroom instruction would go up. The program was designed for at-risk freshmen. These students were identified as those students who needed the biggest push in the areas of need. Training was received over the summer and lesson plans were prepared. There were many obstacles to overcome the first year of use. Mainly, connectivity issues. This arose very quickly and made the ITouches almost useless for about six months. Once that problem was corrected, the ITouches became much more useful. There are many apps that are great for reference, citations, and information. However, it was found to be difficult to include projects to use with the ITouch in the fast paced curriculum of my district. The ITouches are very hard to create something to showcase in class. Since I only have a class set, students cannot use them outside the room. There are some activities that work great; the ITouches are great for response presentations. They use the ITouch to answer questions, and the answers are displayed. This has been great for reviews. However, more training is needed, and the curriculum should be altered to allow for more time with the ITouches.

In this 2 minute video, a teacher explains how he uses his IPod touches in his class.



3. The hardest thing about creating a series of professional development series for teachers based on technology is gauging the current ability of teachers. Many will be inexperienced and unsure, but others will know about the technology, and even possibly be using it in class. I would pair the inexperienced with the experienced in order to help them gain a base knowledge of the project. As the inexperienced teacher gains confidence, I would have them work on their own. I will give teachers direct instruction on a project to complete, one they would be able to use in a lesson. This will give teachers something they can actually use in class. I think this is a very important aspect of technology training, often left out. Teachers need something tangible to use in their classroom. Show me how I can use this, added on to something already in place, and the training will be a success. Communication is vitally important throughout this process. Teachers must be able to feel that they can discuss problems and ideas with me and others. This will make the training run more smoothly. With the proper goals set, and support provided, I think technology training can be successful to help bring teachers into the 21st century classroom.

Blog 2

Laurillard's diagram of 12 activities for teaching and learning.

1. My learning goal is for my students to understand literary elements such as plot, conflict, characters, and setting.
The first learning theory I would use to achieve this goal is constructivism. Students will choose a fiction book from the library. They will read the book and create either a prezi or glogster to explain the literary elements as they relate to their book. Through this activity, students are engaging in authentic activities, regulating their learning and reflecting on what and how they are learning.
The second learning theory is situated learning theory. Students will choose a children’s fiction book and read it to elementary students. Students would point out the literary elements through a creative poster. This activity would engage students in the practices of a community. Students would understand the interconnectedness of our community, and how they can give back.
2.
Student Activity: Show students YouTube clip of Little Red Riding Hood. Gain attention
Teacher will explain the goals of the lesson- to understand literary elements. Inform learner of objective
Students will get out notes previously taken on literary elements. Stimulate recall of prior learning Activate
Teacher will show students a poster created with the literary elements of Little Red Riding Hood. Present stimulus material Demonstrate
Students will choose a children’s book and create their own poster. Provide learner guidance Apply
Students will read the story, and present the poster, to elementary children. Elicit performance Integrate
Teacher will approve of poster before it is presented. Provide feedback
Teacher will grade performance based on a rubric previously given to students. Assess performance
Students will be quizzed on literary elements. Enhance retention and transfer

3. My goal for students is to understand the characters in a novel.
Whole-Task Approach: This approach states that learners must be confronted with learning activities that encourage them to develop an integrated knowledge base. Those meaningful tasks must be based on real-life tasks. My idea for my goal is to have create a resume for one of the characters from the novel. Students will be preparing for real-life with this task, and it will help them understand the character they choose.
Scaffolding: This learning method is based on the results of task analysis. The learner should start their training with the simplest version of the task. The resume project would begin with a few examples of proper resumes. This would give students an idea on what their resume should look like in the finished stage. The next step would be to brainstorm key details that describe their character. What types of jobs would this character be interested in? Do they have previous work experience? Education? Finally, students would create an outline for their resume.
Mathemagenic: For this learning method, student’s actions should be relevant to the achievement of specified instructional objectives. I believe this can be achieved through the constant monitoring of students as they complete the learning tasks.

4. Attention: To grab students’ attention, starting with a song related to the topic is a great motivator.
Relevance: Using technology throughout the lesson and having students apply their new knowledge through technology. Teachers must constantly monitor students while they are using their new technology.
Confidence: It is important for teachers to facilitate learning and encourage their students to create their own learning experiences.
Satisfaction: Students should create real world examples and teachers need to create assessments that support their learning.
5. Teachers must understand there are many different ways students learn. It is important for teacher to understand their students and create lessons that touch on the different learning methods. Teachers should rotate the learning methods so students receive many different types. Keeping the learning environment different each time will motivate and encourage students. This will also increase performance.

Blog 1

1. While reading the many versions of the definition of educational technology, I was very interested in the way the definition was shaped throughout the years. As technology has advanced, it is so very important for this definition to continue to evolve. I believe education technology should be “viewed as a way of looking at instructional problems and examining solutions.” Our “digital native” students have grown up with technology being a way of life. Teachers should view technology as a tool to help students understand what they are learning. The book stated that it should be “used alongside the teacher” to help facilitate learning. Teachers should be looking at ways for students to create something using technology to show their skills. Another important aspect of my definition is the use of technology should be appropriate and professional. There are many great ways to incorporate technology, but there are also many dangerous sites. Teachers must be aware of the way their students are using technology by constantly monitoring their use.

2. As a teacher, it is extremely important to plan a unit thoughtfully with the end goals in mind from the beginning. It is necessary to think about what you want your students to learn, and the best way they will learn it. The way your students learn best must also be considered. What types of technology can be included? The Dick, Carey, and Carey model has all the elements of the instructional design process. However, the order is somewhat confusing to me. I think an assessment should be developed last, not first. Many times, my best laid plans are not followed and I am not able to cover everything intended, or students do not grasp a concept as well as I had hoped. For this reason, I create assessments at the end.

3. It is surprising at how fast technology has evolved in the past 10 years. When I graduated from high school in 1997 I wrote my research paper the “old-fashioned” way- books that I found in the library. In the past 14 years, the Internet has completely taken over. In fact, I cannot imagine my life without it. That goes for my teaching as well. I am always using the Internet for lesson plan ideas, appropriate YouTube clips, and projects for my students. Blogging is a great way for students to journal. When we read Romeo and Juliet, students will take on the persona of a favorite character and create a blog from their viewpoint. As a graduate student, I have completed my degree completely online. This has made it possible for me to work toward my master’s and maintain my responsibilities to my family. In K12, technology has made it possible for students to work at their pace, and recover credit they are missing. This is just one possibility, it seems they are endless!