Current Issues in IDT

Professional Ethics

One of the tenets of professional ethics involves diversity of opinion. The text states, "It is important to keep in mind that the journey to reach a learning goal may have many paths to the final destination. An example of this concept is the obligation to create a learning situation that allows for an open discussion of various ideas that may differ from those held by the instructor" (Page 343, emphasis mine). A lot of the courses I work on are from the Sociology department. These courses attract a wide variety of opinions, especially from non-sociology majors who haven't been exposed to the subject matter before. We encourage instructors to give students meaty discussion questions to spark a debate, but to stay in the background as much as possible so as not to sway students' opinions--a lot of kids will automatically assume the instructor's opinion on a subject is the "right" one. Allowing for a variety of different opinions is an important part of my job, and one I will continue to focus on going forward.

Diversity and Accessibility

My professional ethics entry touched on diversity, so I'll focus on accessibility here. Accessibility is an important thing to my team. I've heard of a couple lawsuits against universities for not making their courses accessible enough,  so it's going to be a point of emphasis for us going forward. One of the measures we're taking to help in this area is to provide closed captioning for video content. We're working with a company called 3Play, who specializes in captioning and transcriptions. Outsourcing it is fairly cost effective, and makes our content far more accessible. We're also using the WAVE toolbar in our browsers to measure how accessible each course is.

The Changing Nature of Design

The chapter talks about incorporating more art and design in the field of instructional design, as opposed to regarding it as strictly a science or process. Something we're looking at is improving the experience of learners, which the chapter also touches on (Page 361). Similar to how user-experience designers at web-development companies, we're working on ways to streamline menus and make the online course environment simpler, easier to navigate, and better looking. We're planning to experiment with WordPress, which allows us to create a much more pleasing experience than our learning management system.

Works Cited

Reiser, Robert V.; Dempsey, John V. (2011-03-14). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd Edition) (Page 343). Pearson HE, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

New Directions in IDT: Using Rich Media Wisely

Rich media (graphics, video, audio, and so on) adds several dimensions to learning that can engage several different types of learners. Visual learners may understand a topic better if it's explained on video. An audio explanation can help students who miss the face-to-face lecture setting. In an online setting, which I develop for, a video by an instructor is often the only time they will hear the instructor's voice the entire semester. However, it's very possible that these bells and whistles can actually get in the way of good instruction. The text describes it thusly: "Rich media will benefit learners only to the extent that its capabilities are harnessed in ways that support human learning processes" (Page 310).

Resources

1. Richmedia video series. These videos give a concise and engaging overview of what rich media is, and how it can be used in education. The series covers topics such as the sensory effects that media have, and ways it can be used effectively and wisely. It's worth noting that they make good use of rich media in explaining what it is.
2. CustomizingThe University Experience with a Rich Media Delivery System. I'll state right off the bat that this video is created by Adobe, meaning it's geared toward people who use their software. Luckily for me, I have access to it through my job, but I realize that isn't necessarily the case for everybody. Now that that's out of the way, it provides a look at how this powerful software company is addressing the specific needs of educational institutions. For instance, it shows ideas for using Adobe Connect for synchronous course sessions, facilitating chat rooms, as well as a video archive students can view later. Other tips on things like closed captioning and making content accessible are very useful for any designer using rich media in a course.

Works Cited

Reiser, Robert V.; Dempsey, John V. (2011-03-14). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd Edition). Pearson HE, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Global Trends: IDT in Japan

Country

In Japan, IDT is a fairly new phenomenon--it never really took hold until human resource professionals started to look at e-learning for corporate training. At first, it was merely about making learning materials look more professional online. Gradually, it evolved into "the systematic process for bringing about effective results in education and training" (Page 240). IDT has been growing since then, although it has not grown as rapidly as in other countries such as the United States. Japanese businesses seem to have higher internal bars to clear in terms of linking performance results with the company's bottom line (Page 240).

Japanese schools have been much more receptive to IDT. As schools have integrated technology into the curriculum, opportunities for using IDT principles have increased. The Japanese government has offered training for teachers to learn about using IT in their instruction, and resources have sprung up online that will help build skills and impart strategies (Page 240). However, like the US, these measures are not mandatory, and some teachers are not so interested in using technology. In this way, there is the risk of a digital divide among some teachers, and consequently, their students (Page 242).

Resources

1. Japan: Educating students tothink independently in confronting the challenges of modern society. This video from the Pearson Foundation looks at the evolution of schooling in Japan. Japanese schools are stereotyped as very rigid, and that they discourage creativity and individuality. In the 1980s, new economic realities necessitated changes in the Japanese school structure. This video discusses many of those changes, as well as a new philosophy valuing creative thinking and independence.
2. The Overseas HumanResources and Industry Development Association (HIDA). This organization works to provide HR development through training and expertise. The organization serves developing countries, but is based in Japan, and thus offers a look in how ID is practiced in Japan.

Works Cited

Reiser, Robert V.; Dempsey, John V. (2011-03-14). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd Edition). Pearson HE, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

IDT Trend: University Setting

Trend

The setting I most closely identify with is the University setting. I work for UNC-Chapel Hill at the Friday Center for Continuing Education. We administer all of the University's online undergraduate courses. A very large part of my job is to work with faculty and grad-student instructors to prepare each course for a new semester.

Universities are moving more and more content online. Whereas before, professors could simply type up a lecture and slap it on a website, colleges are now realizing the importance of good design in order to engage their students and improve retention. Due to higher levels of subject-matter specialization, and the fact that instructional technology is becoming more and more sophisticated, ID at a university level is transitioning to a model in which the instructional designer builds the course, and faculty serves as subject-matter experts.

Resources

1. FacultyFocus: Instructional Design. This blog examines ID principles, trends, and developments with a University audience in mind. Entries address cutting edge topics such as gamification, and how it can providelearners tangible milestones and expectations of learning; as well as the anatomyof successful group projects.
2. BallState University: Instructional Design and Faculty Support for Online Teaching. This resource from Ball State is a working model of the sort of ID support a university can offer its faculty. I'm using this site in my job as a starting point for training new faculty in online pedagogy. It gives a comprehensive resource on how faculty can get up and running online, and offers help from instructional designers whenever they need it.