As I reflection on Instructional Design as a course, instructional design has been a reflection. Not since my first or second year teaching have I thought so much about what I do everyday. I don't really thing about why I do the things I do. I don't really but that much thought into why the practices that work well for me work. I have never really thought about the fact that I design instruction.
Instructional design has also made me reflect on myself as a learner. It put me very in tune with my students' day to day experiences. How fustrating and rewarding it can be. Learning and instruction should be carefully planned. I think sometimes the hard part is the learner. Trying to ensure that every learners is considered when the instruction is being planned. All the other bells and whistles can fall into place, but with no learner, it's all pointless!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Formative Summative
Formative evaluation is an assessment of efforts prior to their completion for the purpose of improving the efforts. It is a technique that has become well developed in the education and training evaluation literature. So formative evaluation the cook tasting the cookies prior to serving them to patrons in a restaurant. Formative evaluation would be having your brother try the spaghetti sauce prior to dinner guest coming over to see if it needs some sugar. So we are using this for development purposes.
So, the NC Science End of Grade Field Test that was adminstered to 8th grades last year was a formative evaluation of sorts. 8th graders are a major stakeholder in this, so they were allowed to be, or made to be, testers of the test. Interesting. So you get their results, look for trends, disagradate the data. I've got it. But do you tell kids that they are taking a test that "doesn't count". Will they give it their all?
Or is that why we do this Formative Summative evaluation? We throw field test question into the regular EOG and EOC. As I adminstered the Algebra I EOC recently, I remember thinking wow, field test questions imbeded in the EOC?!?!? Is that fair? Is that normal? Well, my answer is still the same I don't know. But, I guess as an educator I kind of understand why it was done, but for those students that freak out and have major test anxiety, they don't need anything "extra".
So, the NC Science End of Grade Field Test that was adminstered to 8th grades last year was a formative evaluation of sorts. 8th graders are a major stakeholder in this, so they were allowed to be, or made to be, testers of the test. Interesting. So you get their results, look for trends, disagradate the data. I've got it. But do you tell kids that they are taking a test that "doesn't count". Will they give it their all?
Or is that why we do this Formative Summative evaluation? We throw field test question into the regular EOG and EOC. As I adminstered the Algebra I EOC recently, I remember thinking wow, field test questions imbeded in the EOC?!?!? Is that fair? Is that normal? Well, my answer is still the same I don't know. But, I guess as an educator I kind of understand why it was done, but for those students that freak out and have major test anxiety, they don't need anything "extra".
Being Tested
After I wrote this title, it sounded like I was writing a blog about a middle school teacher with a difficult student. I've been there as well, but this time I mean really being tested. Taking a test. Show me what you know.
The test that comes to mind right now is the Praxis II test. First, I must say I'm pretty cool under pressure as a learner( and in life in general). Now, once you get me down or overwhelmed, I'm done, but that's a whole other story. So, I generally try hard not to get myself in that situation, as long as I feel I have the upper hand I'm good.
So, as a college student I'm told I need to take this TEST that will in essence determine if I'm fit to teach in about a year and a half. No passing praxis scores, no license. No passing praxis scores, no scholarship endorsement. No passing praxis scores, no job. Wait a minute, so clearly put Kim as to pass this test. I can do that...I think.
I didn't put too much more thought into it. I new that on early Saturday morning in March I'd take a test that I had to pass. So like any good college student would I stayed up very late that Friday night.... out with friends.
Got 3 hours of sleep, drove one hour to take the tests. I breezed through the first one that was non-content specific. Started the next test and did good for about first 30 minutes of the 2 hour test. The next thing I remember was seeing my watch that said I had 30 minutes left to finish the entire test..... I'd fallen asleep! Oh snap, I've got to finish this test. I'm doomed.
Long story short, my mom got the scores and opened them against my wishes and desires. I'D PASSED! I filled in just enough right answers to pass.
Now because I blundered through and filled in just enough right stuff I was okay. I'd get all those things I knew were at stake. Okay for the 21 year old Kim.
As I think about it now. I know plenty of good teachers who took the Praxis 2, 3, and 4 times to pass it. I took the Science content test. I was dually certified in math and science taught science only one year of seven. That one mess of test is why I'm highly qualified to teach math.
FAIR?...... NO! Pretty representative of how standardized testing goes..... yes!
The test that comes to mind right now is the Praxis II test. First, I must say I'm pretty cool under pressure as a learner( and in life in general). Now, once you get me down or overwhelmed, I'm done, but that's a whole other story. So, I generally try hard not to get myself in that situation, as long as I feel I have the upper hand I'm good.
So, as a college student I'm told I need to take this TEST that will in essence determine if I'm fit to teach in about a year and a half. No passing praxis scores, no license. No passing praxis scores, no scholarship endorsement. No passing praxis scores, no job. Wait a minute, so clearly put Kim as to pass this test. I can do that...I think.
I didn't put too much more thought into it. I new that on early Saturday morning in March I'd take a test that I had to pass. So like any good college student would I stayed up very late that Friday night.... out with friends.
Got 3 hours of sleep, drove one hour to take the tests. I breezed through the first one that was non-content specific. Started the next test and did good for about first 30 minutes of the 2 hour test. The next thing I remember was seeing my watch that said I had 30 minutes left to finish the entire test..... I'd fallen asleep! Oh snap, I've got to finish this test. I'm doomed.
Long story short, my mom got the scores and opened them against my wishes and desires. I'D PASSED! I filled in just enough right answers to pass.
Now because I blundered through and filled in just enough right stuff I was okay. I'd get all those things I knew were at stake. Okay for the 21 year old Kim.
As I think about it now. I know plenty of good teachers who took the Praxis 2, 3, and 4 times to pass it. I took the Science content test. I was dually certified in math and science taught science only one year of seven. That one mess of test is why I'm highly qualified to teach math.
FAIR?...... NO! Pretty representative of how standardized testing goes..... yes!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Motivation...magic...interesting....
I really enjoyed reading anything dealing with motivation, considering I'm teaching summer school. The article talked about e-learning, and I was thinking the entire time about summer learning.
The fact the article title included the word magic was actually intersting or rather funny.
Despite "leaving the classroom" as teacher in December, I have returned to teaching math for the summer. I had a class of 31 9th graders for 12 days who had failed their Algebra course as well as the NC EOC twice many of them.
On the first day were they motivated to be at school during the summer? Most of them no! Motivated to do math from 8am -2pm with only a 20 minute lunch break? The answer again is NO! So, I knew I had an uphill battle before me, since I knew they would retake the test on day 12.
I didn't see a classroom full of motivated students on day 12 so I began to compare what I've done for the past 12 days to what this author suggests....
Maintaining their attention was a key. If they were bored, I knew they weren't motivated to re-try the same math they hadn't been succesful at during the school year. If they weren't motivated to do it, just like the writer said, they wouldn't be successful this time. That one made sense.
Relevance.... I think this one was right on it. Numerous goals from the NCSCOS is what I taught. The EOC is a test of the NCSCOS. There was no room to not meet this one.
Maybe conifence and satisfation is where they missed out. Since most of them had failed the EOC twice AND their Algebra class they weren't confident that they could be successful this time. For a few of them they gained some confidence over the 12 days as they mastered different topics. Satisfied.... well if they passed this time I guess they will be satisfied with their experience. I can't say they were at all satisfied to be at summer school otherwise.....
So, I have another group of 20 starting on Tuesday. Maybe I'll have these factors in the back of my mind as I deal with them! And we'll see how much magic I have!
The fact the article title included the word magic was actually intersting or rather funny.
Despite "leaving the classroom" as teacher in December, I have returned to teaching math for the summer. I had a class of 31 9th graders for 12 days who had failed their Algebra course as well as the NC EOC twice many of them.
On the first day were they motivated to be at school during the summer? Most of them no! Motivated to do math from 8am -2pm with only a 20 minute lunch break? The answer again is NO! So, I knew I had an uphill battle before me, since I knew they would retake the test on day 12.
I didn't see a classroom full of motivated students on day 12 so I began to compare what I've done for the past 12 days to what this author suggests....
Maintaining their attention was a key. If they were bored, I knew they weren't motivated to re-try the same math they hadn't been succesful at during the school year. If they weren't motivated to do it, just like the writer said, they wouldn't be successful this time. That one made sense.
Relevance.... I think this one was right on it. Numerous goals from the NCSCOS is what I taught. The EOC is a test of the NCSCOS. There was no room to not meet this one.
Maybe conifence and satisfation is where they missed out. Since most of them had failed the EOC twice AND their Algebra class they weren't confident that they could be successful this time. For a few of them they gained some confidence over the 12 days as they mastered different topics. Satisfied.... well if they passed this time I guess they will be satisfied with their experience. I can't say they were at all satisfied to be at summer school otherwise.....
So, I have another group of 20 starting on Tuesday. Maybe I'll have these factors in the back of my mind as I deal with them! And we'll see how much magic I have!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Designing Instruction is like....
A ROLLER COASTER! Designing instruction is like a roller coaster, and there are several reasons why. All of those interesting reasons are listed below for you to ponder…
1. First designing a roller coaster is a well thought out process just like designing instruction should be.
2. The process of the designing instruction can be a scary ride for a first timer, just like the roller coaster.
3. There will be ups and downs in both!
4. You start and begin in the same place. On the roller coaster, you start and the loading dock, enjoy the “ride”, and return to the loading dock which in now the unloading dock. For instruction, you start with an analysis of what needs to happen and an evaluation of did it really happen. For the learner this could be the pre-test of information and a post-assessment to see if the desired learning took place.
5. The middle part of the ride is where the real work takes place. There are a variety of things in the middle that make each rollercoaster or instruction designed different, but there is a lot of thought/energy that needs to take place to ensure that it is just right for the participant. Nobody rides a rollercoaster or designs instruction for the beginning/end. It is all about happens in the middle that determines how good the rollercoaster ride will be, or how effective the instruction designed will be.
6. There could be loops in each. In there roller coaster the loops literally turn the rider upside down momentarily. While designing instruction it may be necessary to re-loop various aspects of the topic to ensure that it the goals are achieved and information learned. In neither cause are loops required, but they do appear sometimes!
7. And finally, for both the instruction and the roller coaster, if done well, it will LOTS of fun for the participant /“rider” or “learner”.
Designing Instruction is a lot like a rollercoaster. Ups, downs, loops, and lots of fun!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Toothbrushes and Martini Glasses
Who knew there were that many definable steps to brushing your teeth? I sure didn’t. Or, maybe I had never thought about it before. Brushing my teeth is something that I’ve done without direction for years. It almost comes second nature as was mention in the reading. So many of the day to day things we do on a daily basis we do without thinking about them.
I have often joked that my car could make it work without me. Most people who have worked at the same place for any amount of time. However, giving someone else directions to your job just might come with some difficulty. Because it comes second nature, you don’t think about the slight left you make on to Heckenbleckner St. you just know there’s a patch of flowers there that you enjoy every morning, well the morning when you pay attention.
The same is true of the academic content we attempt to relay to students. Adding two mixed numbers comes without thinking to me. It’s when I have to write down a list of steps for that child that learns best from written order list that I realize “how much” work I’ve actually done in less than a minute. However, to that child that finds math hard and fractions terrifying they see the ENTIRE list, and all the heartache that goes with it.
Now, those 11 ingredients and 11 steps to a martini, that might be well worth the wait and work. :o)
I have often joked that my car could make it work without me. Most people who have worked at the same place for any amount of time. However, giving someone else directions to your job just might come with some difficulty. Because it comes second nature, you don’t think about the slight left you make on to Heckenbleckner St. you just know there’s a patch of flowers there that you enjoy every morning, well the morning when you pay attention.
The same is true of the academic content we attempt to relay to students. Adding two mixed numbers comes without thinking to me. It’s when I have to write down a list of steps for that child that learns best from written order list that I realize “how much” work I’ve actually done in less than a minute. However, to that child that finds math hard and fractions terrifying they see the ENTIRE list, and all the heartache that goes with it.
Now, those 11 ingredients and 11 steps to a martini, that might be well worth the wait and work. :o)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
An Interesting Learner I've known....
An interesting learner I've known.... is Jordan. Funny thing is I ran into Jordan today at the Sonic drive through. And other than asking how he was these days, I asked one other question. A question about how Jordan learns. Well, I guess it's a question about how Jordan thinks and lives. I asked, "So, how's basketball?".
Jordan was in my 8th grade Algebra I class. He was also the star player for our middle school basketball team. Jordan was the epitome of what a student athlete should be, he was student and then an athlete, and he was good at both.
Naturally intelligent with a solid mathematical foundation, most topics we covered he already had a strong grasp of. So, I didn't realize how warped his thinking/ learning was for a while. Simply showing Jordan how to do the problems didn't work for him. Verbally explaining to Jordan, how to do the problems didn't work. Letting Jordan manipulate tiles didn't work. It was during this section of coursework (the part that Jordan didn't already know) that I realized I had to figure out what WOULD work for Jordan. I was despirate to get to Jordan. It wasn't until was attempting to explain something that had NOTHING to do with academics, that I made some leadway with Jordan learning something. I compared it to basketball. Then the next time I had to attempt to explain something to Jordan I tried it again. So when it came time for Jordan to learn about factoring, for Jordan it was factoring basteball style. Order of Operations wasn't the normal Please Excues My Dear Aunt Sally. It was Passes Eventually Make Dunks And Scores. I had to show him how I did the problem. Let him tell me what he saw me do. And then we had a convo about how it could relate to basketball. And when it started to happen, we started discuss his English Language Arts work. And if his ELA teacher let him re-explain it to her or she explain it to him basketball style, he got!
So, maybe for some it visual, musical, spacial, or auditory. For Jordan, it's basketball (sportial).
Jordan was in my 8th grade Algebra I class. He was also the star player for our middle school basketball team. Jordan was the epitome of what a student athlete should be, he was student and then an athlete, and he was good at both.
Naturally intelligent with a solid mathematical foundation, most topics we covered he already had a strong grasp of. So, I didn't realize how warped his thinking/ learning was for a while. Simply showing Jordan how to do the problems didn't work for him. Verbally explaining to Jordan, how to do the problems didn't work. Letting Jordan manipulate tiles didn't work. It was during this section of coursework (the part that Jordan didn't already know) that I realized I had to figure out what WOULD work for Jordan. I was despirate to get to Jordan. It wasn't until was attempting to explain something that had NOTHING to do with academics, that I made some leadway with Jordan learning something. I compared it to basketball. Then the next time I had to attempt to explain something to Jordan I tried it again. So when it came time for Jordan to learn about factoring, for Jordan it was factoring basteball style. Order of Operations wasn't the normal Please Excues My Dear Aunt Sally. It was Passes Eventually Make Dunks And Scores. I had to show him how I did the problem. Let him tell me what he saw me do. And then we had a convo about how it could relate to basketball. And when it started to happen, we started discuss his English Language Arts work. And if his ELA teacher let him re-explain it to her or she explain it to him basketball style, he got!
So, maybe for some it visual, musical, spacial, or auditory. For Jordan, it's basketball (sportial).
Saturday, June 23, 2007
A Sandwich...
It's interesting that Instructional Design was compared to a sandwich. I learned early in my education career that if you want to paint a smile accross the face of an educator, you only need food. So it is very fitting that it was said that using ISD (Instructional System Development) to create a training program is similar to shopping at a deli. I think this is a great metaphor.
I guess it is fitting that in any sandwich you need to major "standard" things, your before and after, your bread, and everything in between in where the fun a happens. In the ID process it makes sense that this would be your analysis of what needs to happen and your evaluation of did it really happen. I think sometimes we forget our bottom piece of bread. We don't ever go back to evalute if what we had hoped would happen ever really come to pass. That would be a messy and nasty sandwich. Or really, not a sandwich at all.
The middle part of the sandwich is what makes it fun. I don't get too excited about the thoughts of getting some honey wheat bread. That's an everyday thing, not what makes my sandwich different/ unique from the one that my son will walk into the kitchen and create 10 minutes later. It's my unique combinations of veggies and meats (man i'm greedy) that makes me want a sandwich, and especially any specific sandwich that i have a taste for. And that is the part of the ID process that makes the instruction individualized and "fun" for the learners. It's here that we make sure that everyone gets out of the sandwich what best fits them.
So I guess the next time I'm teaching a unit( I get drafted into that role again from time to time) and my students want to pass on the test, I'll just have to explain that their sandwich just won't be complete without it! :o)
I guess it is fitting that in any sandwich you need to major "standard" things, your before and after, your bread, and everything in between in where the fun a happens. In the ID process it makes sense that this would be your analysis of what needs to happen and your evaluation of did it really happen. I think sometimes we forget our bottom piece of bread. We don't ever go back to evalute if what we had hoped would happen ever really come to pass. That would be a messy and nasty sandwich. Or really, not a sandwich at all.
The middle part of the sandwich is what makes it fun. I don't get too excited about the thoughts of getting some honey wheat bread. That's an everyday thing, not what makes my sandwich different/ unique from the one that my son will walk into the kitchen and create 10 minutes later. It's my unique combinations of veggies and meats (man i'm greedy) that makes me want a sandwich, and especially any specific sandwich that i have a taste for. And that is the part of the ID process that makes the instruction individualized and "fun" for the learners. It's here that we make sure that everyone gets out of the sandwich what best fits them.
So I guess the next time I'm teaching a unit( I get drafted into that role again from time to time) and my students want to pass on the test, I'll just have to explain that their sandwich just won't be complete without it! :o)
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Why Design Instruction?
Why Design Instruction? That’s a very interesting question that at first glance I didn’t think I had an answer to. However, after very little thought I’ve realized that maybe designing instruction only make sense. Anything else that valuable goes through an extensive design process, and so instruction probably should as well.
There are roller coaster and video game designers whose jobs are to “create fun”. Now, teenagers may beg to differ, but neither roller coasters nor video games are a life necessity. However designers take months even years to ensure that riders or player have the best and safest experience possible. There are interior designers whose jobs are to ensure that the inside of offices and homes are as aesthetically pleasing. For all of these jobs, there is trial and error, and there are rules of the trade.
Instruction/ learning is arguably one of the most important things that exist in a person’s life. Without the formal instruction in school and work environments and their results people wouldn’t function nearly as well as we do. If video games and the inside of an office are important enough to have designed, I think instruction is too. We need to plan for and design our instruction in advance so that we know exactly what the outcomes will be. Just like the video game designer, we should desire and plan for our clientele to have the greatest possible experience with the results of our design. The act of designing something means that all parts of that have be plan out. Nothing in the “design” is by chance.
So why design instruction? Because it's worth it. Or better still it's too valuable not to design. We can't afford to leave any part of it to chance.
There are roller coaster and video game designers whose jobs are to “create fun”. Now, teenagers may beg to differ, but neither roller coasters nor video games are a life necessity. However designers take months even years to ensure that riders or player have the best and safest experience possible. There are interior designers whose jobs are to ensure that the inside of offices and homes are as aesthetically pleasing. For all of these jobs, there is trial and error, and there are rules of the trade.
Instruction/ learning is arguably one of the most important things that exist in a person’s life. Without the formal instruction in school and work environments and their results people wouldn’t function nearly as well as we do. If video games and the inside of an office are important enough to have designed, I think instruction is too. We need to plan for and design our instruction in advance so that we know exactly what the outcomes will be. Just like the video game designer, we should desire and plan for our clientele to have the greatest possible experience with the results of our design. The act of designing something means that all parts of that have be plan out. Nothing in the “design” is by chance.
So why design instruction? Because it's worth it. Or better still it's too valuable not to design. We can't afford to leave any part of it to chance.
Here we go...
So, I'm writing a blog....
I would like to think I've experienced most things internet. I have or have had most free instant messengers, NUMEROUS e-mail accounts, joinged all kinds of message boards including the dreaded myspace. Blogs have always been one of those things I just never got into. I don't know exactly why. I don't think it's the idea of "the world" knowing what I'm thinking or doing... I have no problems with that... I even update my status frequently some of the message boards. Maybe, it's that I would actually have to write more than 2 sentences, and I'm a mathematical- logical being. I don't know..
But hey, I feel accomplished. I typed a blog!
I would like to think I've experienced most things internet. I have or have had most free instant messengers, NUMEROUS e-mail accounts, joinged all kinds of message boards including the dreaded myspace. Blogs have always been one of those things I just never got into. I don't know exactly why. I don't think it's the idea of "the world" knowing what I'm thinking or doing... I have no problems with that... I even update my status frequently some of the message boards. Maybe, it's that I would actually have to write more than 2 sentences, and I'm a mathematical- logical being. I don't know..
But hey, I feel accomplished. I typed a blog!
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