Module #2 Reflection: Instructional Technology Overview

 

Old School Classroom Film Projector (Courtesy Turbosquid)

For my reflection, I chose the three chapters from Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary. I was both fascinated and terrified at the same time. Since becoming an educator nearly 19 years ago, I’ve always been fascinated with the ways which technology can be used in the classroom. In all honesty, I have used it haphazardly at times, not truly understanding whether it would have a positive impact or not. There was definitely a lot of reflective journal writing based on my, often times, experimental use of technology with my learners. Since I had a background in engineering, I would notice a perceived problem and attempt to rectify it…with limited experience, mind you. Even before I had education in language education, it seemed my experience in science had given me the tools for the “cyclical” process of reflection in the classroom, a vital characteristic of improvement. As stated in Chapter 1 of Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary, “Reflective practitioners consider the problems in their environments (e.g., a learning problem of their students) and attempt to resolve the problems by changes in practice, based upon both research results and professional experience. Reflection on this process leads to changes in the considered solution and further attempts to identify and solve problems in the environment, a cyclical process of practice/ reflection that can lead to improved practice (Schön, 1990).” Januszewski & Molenda (2008)

The Struggle of Pushing A/V equipment (Courtesy Good Housekeeping)

After reading these three chapters, reflective practice appears to be an underlying theme in the field of IT. From the very beginning of the field, there has been constant change and improvement in the field, in the definition of IT, but also in ISD. It’s fascinating how the use of technology in the field has morphed through what I had experienced in my early school years. My has A/V changed! While reading, I recalled my days in elementary school watching reel-to-reel instructional films on the classroom film projector, and in middle school when the teacher would send a friend and me to go to the A/V Center and bring back the TV and VCR she had reserved. I also remember crashing into the walls a couple of times rolling that equipment through the halls…those TV carts were heavy! Little did I realize then the behind-the-scenes efforts to get to that point where we were using these instructional videos in the classroom supplementing the lessons the teacher had spent hours, perhaps days, preparing. 

It was also fascinating reading about how the educational technology has evolved from the silent films of the early 1900s to the huge paradigm shift after World War II when, in my opinion, the concept of IT and “instructional films” really began to take shape as stated in Chapter 4, “…the US army commissioned a series of psychological studies, later published as Experiments on Mass Communication which rigorously tested hypothesis about various filmic techniques and their instructional effectiveness. The hypothesis mainly revolved around issues prominent in the Gestalt and cognitive psychology of the time: providing an introduction to provide a mental set for comprehending and remembering the films message; pacing the presentation to suit the audiences cognitive ability; choosing words and images to illustrate points as clearly as possible; controlling the density of visual and aural messages for comprehension; avoiding distracting cues; and using repetition and summaries to enhance retention. Because of the concentration of time, money, effort, and research expended on these productions, a genre of instructional film came into its own.” Molenda & Boling (2008) It was certainly interesting to learn of the efforts and research to determine what makes an instructional film…well…educational.

Clown by Richard Balducci 1968, Presented by Learning Corporation of America

Though fascinating as it was to learn of the evolution of IT, at least, through the complex process involved in the creation and systems design, I was terrified at the prospect of the working through the process. Initially, I was overwhelmed and am still left with the thoughts of how to begin such an endeavor. It terrifies me that the rapid advancement of technology and digital tools will only make our designs much more difficult and complex as was stated in Chapter 4, “Advances in technology have not made planning and producing easier, but more difficult and more labor intensive, with each hour of interactive multimedia instruction requiring 300 person hours of development time.” Molenda and Boling (2008) 

However, though terrifying and flawed as it may seem to some due to being “too slow and clumsy”, according to Zemke and Rossett, 2002, there is no alternative to ISD at present. Molenda and Boling (2008) Needless to say, I’m all in!

References

Januszewski, A., & Molenda, M. (2008). Chapter 1: Definition. In Educational Technology: A         Definition with Commentary (pp. 1-14). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Molenda, M., & Boling, E. (2008). Chapter 4: Creating. In Educational Technology: A                     Definition with Commentary (pp. 81-139). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Reflection #1: A Deeper Look at Dewey's: My Pedagogic Creed

We are not a school of fish.

Let me be forthcoming in stating that it's been a while since I've been a learner myself, at least in an academic sense. It does take a little time to shake of the rust and get into the right state of mind to read something like Dewey's "My Pedagogic Creed". Though after a second reading, and possibly a third...wink, wink...I've come to the opinion that his beliefs in the tail end of the 18th Century are not to far different than what I consider the current beliefs. Or let me state that those beliefs are not far from my own. I would be foolish to place my values as an educator on others in the field of education; however, I'm sure there are others who agree that many of Dewey's beliefs are sound. Below are just a few beliefs that resonated with me.

"I believe that this educational process has two sides - one psychological and one sociological; and that neither can be subordinated to the other or neglected without evil results following." Dewey, 1897

I believe that it's difficult to separate the two sides as Dewey had stated. Just as difficult is to decide which has the advantage in the development of an individual, nature or nurture. Whether the learners are children or adults, all new knowledge to be learned should be built upon what they have brought psychologically or sociologically. With this attachment, knowledge can be acquired through scaffolding, and learning can become more meaningful.

"I believe that it should exhibit these activities to the child, and reproduce them in such ways that the child will gradually learn the meaning of them, and be capable of playing his own part in relation to them." Dewey, 1897

As mentioned previously, scaffolding knowledge is such a vital part of learning. I strongly believe that if learning is to be successful, learners must find meaning in the knowledge to be learned. Expecting learners to acquire knowledge on a subject or topic in which they have no connection or which has no meaning will undoubtedly be problematic.

"I believe, finally, that the teacher is engaged, not simply in the training of individuals, but in the formation of the proper social life.

I believe that every teacher should realize the dignity of his calling; that he is a social servant set apart for the maintenance of proper social order and the securing of the right social growth." Dewey, 1897

I had to put these two beliefs together as they resonated equally with me. I feel an educator has the ethical duty to provide learners not only with the proper knowledge or training, but to also help them form and develop the proper skills to survive in our social and ever more complex lives. Educators are not here to only serve the learners, but to also assist in the development and management of an adaptive and higher order society. Social growth comes from the continual development of both learners and educators. Thus, the dignity of the educator is to grow, develop and nurture diversity.

References

Dewey, John (1897, January). My pedagogic creed. School Journal, 54, pp. 77-80. Retrieved     from http://dewey.pragmatism.org/creed.htm

Module #1 Course Introductions: Who am I and What Gives?

Well, it's good to get the ball rolling finally. It’s taken awhile to get here as I've been pondering what to do for the last year and a half. Thanks to, or perhaps, no thanks to the pandemic, things have been put in a holding pattern. I was originally in the LCLE EdD program here at IU. However, after my first semester, I was left with a sort of empty feeling. Since I had a master’s degree in LCLE, I felt that I was simply rehashing things that I had done before. After careful thought, I decided to step back for a moment and contemplate what I really wanted to do in my career. However, let me digress and briefly introduce myself as the person I am.

I came to South Korea in 2002. After living in the cornfields of Indiana for most of my life to that point, I felt compelled to go! To where? To the furthest place I could find, and SK was as good as place as any. After jumping the pond, I found myself teaching EFL to young Korean children…and it changed everything. I never thought I would be an educator; it had never crossed my mind. In all honesty, I never really liked school, from elementary to high school; I was a wanderer. But I was in and was 100% involved in the education of my learners. After a few years, I wanted to make changes using my own ideas and beliefs about what should and should not be included in my learner's education. So, I opened my own language institute. I wanted to bring the wonder of technology to my learners. It just felt right to give my learners all the tools necessary for allowing them to express themselves. I believed that and still do. However, it was difficult to convince the most important shareholders on how vital it was to provide my young learners with an outlet to express themselves; those shareholders being the parents. Having my own language institute was a very exhilarating, but exhausting experience. It had its ups and downs. Yet, I continued my quest to be a better educator as I felt I had gaps in my knowledge and had more to learn. After considerable thought, I decided to go for my master’s degree in LCLE, feeling my learners deserved that. I worked full-time running the institute as a full-time student, eventually earning my master’s degree. The master’s program opened my mind and introduced me to the potential of using technology in the classroom. After time, I closed the school and found employment at a university teaching ESOL and Multimedia English Language Learning; I suppose one may consider that similar to CALL. Anyway, I have bounced around different educational settings teaching English, juggling my career and a young family, biding my time until I could get back to my own education and fill in those gaps in my knowledge that I feel I still have.

That brings me back to the present as I’m beginning my IST certificate program. It’s a new page, and a new direction. I’ve been at the university teaching English for many years; however, I need a new environment...I need new skills and more diversity. If I may pull something from Dewey this week which I believe adds to the idea of diversity. He stated, “I believe that the teacher's place and work in the school is to be interpreted from this same basis. The teacher is not in the school to impose certain ideas or to form certain habits in the child, but is there as a member of the community to select the influences which shall affect the child and to assist him in properly responding to these influences.”

I can’t agree more that the teachers place is to not control or not to impose beliefs and ideas onto the learners, but their job is to open the learners mind and give them a better opportunity to make their own decisions based on the current circumstances. This will allow the learners to bring their own diverse ideas into the community or organization, if thinking in corporate terms. As we've learned not only in science but also in humanities, diversity is best for improving the chances of survival. I believe the same could be applied to educators or trainers…the more diverse the skills they can apply, the greater the opportunities that can be opened to them. I feel the pull of the corporate world and believe delving deeper into IST and adding diversity to my skills can get me further to my goals as a corporate trainer or as a learning and development specialist or director. I simply need to connect the thread and diversify my portfolio.

I strongly believe that IST can make this happen and have already noted thoughts from Module 1’s readings which have luminated the gaps in my knowledge I had mentioned. With my goal of entering the corporate realm in mind, I thought the concepts of efficiency, effectiveness and facilitated learning were especially intriguing and enlightening….and undoubtedly something I should have learned and considered before. As Dr. Molenda stated in his interview, “Facilitative learning…information/message design, how to craft messages that attract attention, hold interest, reduce distraction and focus attention on important things…amateurs don’t how to do that. Amateurs don’t know facilitated learning and information design. Professionals have (work-processes) systematic approaches to problem-solving…thought out work processes. We include processes that value efficiency, effectiveness and humaneness….faster, better and cheaper if we use efficient and effective work processes. We need those who understand how to create learning environments efficiently, effectively and humanely.” I believe my gaps reside in those processes and those concepts. To me, effectiveness and efficiency, faster, better and cheaper bring to mind a corporate environment, however, play a role in any environment in which learning takes place.