Section 7: New Direction in Instructional Design and Technology

This section of the textbook addresses new directions and emerging technologies for IDT. For your final post, reflect on how you might apply each of the following in your current or future position in the IDT field:

• distributed or e-learning environments
• reusable design or learning objects
• rich media
•  emerging instructional technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cybernetics, Web 2.0, virtual worlds, electronic games, etc.

Distributed or E-learning Environments

     I am certified to teach EC-6 and although I do not currently have a teaching position, I can see e-learning being very effective with elementary age students. There are many websites that can be used to help build students skills and reinforce the concepts they are learning. One great site to use in E-learning of elementary age students is http://www.e-learningforkids.org. I can see many uses for distributed or e-learning environments for teachers and administration within school districts. The textbook defines distributed learning as “any educational or training experience that uses a variety of means, including technology, to enable learning” (pg. 290). E-learning is growing more popular in the K-12 setting. K-12.com and Connects Academy are online public schools that adhere to the public school rules and standards. This gives some students who does not do well in a public school setting more options for a public education. I have taken all my graduate classes online and have taken full advantage of distance learning. 

Reusable Design or Learning Objects

For my future position I have been creating flipcharts to use for Promethean and Smart boards. I have created flipcharts to use for math, ELA, social studies, and science. The flipcharts are reusable and I can share them with other teachers also. The text defined reusability as “the ability to use the same resource multiple times in multiple ways and in multiple contexts” (pg. 302). Lesson plans templates, and graphic organizers are also reusable learning objects that I will make use of in the classroom. I can’t imagine trying to make it through one day without reusable learning objects.

Rich Media

The textbook defines rich media as “learning products that incorporate high-end media such as video, animation, sound, and simulation” (pg. 312). I feel that rich media is very important to use in the classroom, no matter the grade level. Students have different learning styles and it is important that students can “see” and “hear” instead of just reading to learn. The incorporation of Promethean and Smart boards has opened up so many opportunities for rich media in the classroom. There are many teachers who are creating and sharing their flipcharts so others can use them to incorporate the rich media into their instruction. I have a wide collection of rich media to use for my future classroom and will continue building that collection.

Emerging Instructional Technologies: The Near Future

I must begin by saying that the artificial intelligence technologies have come a long way I am excited to see how effectively it can work for education. At the same time it seems like something in a science fiction movie and freaks me out a little.

Web 2.0 tools are very valuable in the classroom and for education as a whole. Educational games used in the classroom can help motivate students and help get them excited about learning. I have learned so much valuable information about Web 2.0 tools in the ETEC classes I have taken. In my future classroom I would like to use webquest to help students “see” and take a journey while they are learning new concepts. Digital storytelling is another Web 2.0 tool that I would like to use in my classroom. It is a creative way for students to write, illustrate, and actually tell their stories. Web 2.0 gives educators and students many possibilities in the classroom and I am excited to continue learning more of them.