Week 4 Blog

Week 4
Trends & Issues in IDT
ETEC 561
Wilgus Burton
June 2013
    

1. Chapters in Section V identify trends and issues in IDT in various contexts: business & industry; military; health care education; P-12 education; and post-secondary education. Select at least 3 of these 5 contexts and compare/contrast the IDT trends and issues. Then explain how they are similar or different from the IDT trends and issues in the context in which you work.

Response:

Business & Industry, Health Care Education, P-12 Education

Trends in Business and Industry: 

It is known that current concepts that have been around for awhile are that: there is expansion of industries from one country to another, reduced needed time for production, and better training of employees and clients.

Several factors that now come into play in our current era is that ID personnel need to take into account cross-cultural training. Different countries have differing views of their cultures.  What is important for one culture may be taboo in another.  Instructional Designers need to be aware of the significance of varying cultures.  In businesses, constructing materials that are or will be offensive to one culture may be legitimate in another. This is an extreme example, but a valuable one.

Designing for businesses have societal cultural factors that need to be addressed as well. The ID has to be aware of what they design and how to approach training for employees is a valuable asset for the company. In this diagram, it can certainly be complicated.

 How do learners in different cultures learn?  What may work in one culture may not work in another. Understanding how the individual learners are able to comprehend instructions for production may make or break companies - how can they hire in a location where they cannot successfully train employees?
Within an individual company or corporation, how do you reach each culture itself.  Our global network includes not only corporate locations in different companies, but each business may have differing cultures internally.  Instructional Designers have to take that into consideration.

How can a business make their item better, faster, cheaper?  Is is possible for an ID to make a prototype that works better than originally designed or is it going to be a nightmare to build?

How do you train a multicultural based workforce? And how does an ID make it possible to evaluate the production to assure the clients that it will be cost effective for them? Here, the ID needs to be able to research the request for use, ease and cost effectiveness of producing an item.

The bottom line is that ultimately, the client is the main focus of the skills of  the Instructional Designer.  Whether internally or externally chosen, the ID needs to be able to work within these constraints for success.

Health Care Education:

It is no secret that an individual's health can have an effect at the personal level and, potentially, regional and global effect. The health care system is a varied and ever-changing field. Facilities need to be able to train individuals in the latest information and tools necessary for the success of treatments.

Health care teaching is not without its risk.  The methods that are used to train the health care professionals have to be taken into account.  Use of multimedia and hands-on simulations are the two biggest concerns in the teaching of the professionals.  In addition, the ID has to take into account that some need Problem-Based Learning and some need Evidence-Based Learning.  Materials constructed for all of these may be a challenge to the ID in charge of creating them.

Of the latest concern to the Health Care community is keeping up with knowledge and keeping caught up with the newest technology and research being done.  So, the question becomes, How do you create materials for the professionals that have to work with all of these factors?

A solution to some of this type of information is with using what's known as Web 2.0 technology.  Webinars, web searches, video conferencing, email, and social media are some of the necessary tools professionals now need to use in their teaching and learning.  It is up to the ID person/department to train the Doctors, Nurses, and Administrators so that current information and technology remains current and able to be grow.
One additional concern with creating educational material for this industry is that  there are standards and regulations, locally/statewide/nationally that are occasionally an issue for training and licensing of the professionals.

Trends in K-12 Education:

Three basic types of trending ID formats:

Systems - Integrated Learning Systems (ILS)
The ILS includes hardware, software, supporting staff, and, of course, funding.  This area is focused upon the Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) and the complete network within the school or district.

Product - Computer Based Learning ( Tutorials, Drill & Practice, Educational Games, and Educational Simulations)
Products will include Computer-Based Instruction (CBI), gaming software, tutorial software, drill and practice software, and audio/visual editing software. This allows for:
    * students practice key skills and content
    * remedial instruction
    * enrichment activities
    * supplemental instruction
    * teaching material in a non-standard ("sage on the stage") method

Classroom - Technology Integration Models (ASSURE, NTeQ)
Two of the most common technology integration models are:
    - ASSURE
    - NTeQ

The ASSURE contains a 6 stage linear process that gives teachers and students a way to interact using technology.  This model provides for instruction and feedback and incorporates Gagne's Nine Events (elements)  of instruction:

Graphic from:
http://graphic89design.blogspot.com/2012/11/assure-model-of-learning.html

The NTeQ model has a 10 step approach to this model created by Morrison & Lowther.  This model was designed to be relevant, motivating and engaging with real world data.

This model utilizes and "think sheet" - a step by step approach to solving problems.

As a high school teacher, I have access to various types of multimedia tools. In addition, I have the National, Statewide, and District wide standards that are needed for guidance in creating curriculum. During the course of the first 3 weeks of school, I have had a chance to apply the ASSURE model to piece together what multimedia tools I really need for each class and topic. 

Sadly, due to the number of students at my location and the number of computer labs, and with  limited access to portable laptops, I am left with the chalk-board, powerpoint, video, and work projects to teach the students.  Within my classroom/office, I have a total of 3 computers - one for production, one for presentations, and one for a mixture of tasks during class time.  I am left with the quote from our IT department "Under no circumstance should any student have access to any of these computers". My guess it's because I have Administrator access to my computers. 

Ideally, I would like to have the capability to use BOTH the ADDIE and NTeQ concepts within my classroom.


2. Chapters in Section VI discuss global trends and issues in IDT. As the world’s population grows exponentially, we face unprecedented challenges that have implications for learning. How and can we prepare our youth to address the problems of living in a world with 9 billion people when the earth’s resources cannot sustain that many? Does our current education system, curriculum, and instructional practices help learners foster the complex problem-solving skills necessary to tackle these issues? Are there methods and practices used in European and Asian countries that we should use here in the US? Why or why not?

Response:

Out of School children globally

57 million Children out of school 6% Aid to basic education
New statistics released by UNESCO show that 57 million children were out of out of school in 2011; a drop of just two million from the year before. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than half of all out-of-school children and has the highest out-of-school rate. More than 20 per cent of African children have never attended primary school or have left school without completing primary education. By contrast, countries in South and West Asia have made considerable gains over the past two decades, reducing the number of out-of-school children by two-thirds from 38 million in 1999 to 12 million in 2011. 

www.efareport.unesco.org
@efareport

Source: Policy Paper by UNESCO Institute for Statistics and EFA Global Monitoring Report

Our family of Man has a huge burden and challenge. With geographical, geopolitical, religious, and economic boundaries, how do we guarantee education for all people all across our planet? Some say it may not be possible.  Ideologies differ as well as individual decisions and choices. One person cannot solve all the world's problems. Nor can one country or government. If so, the ideals of Star Trek may not be too far into the future after all.

Out of the sludge of our early Earth to the present, may cultures have survived and some have not.  We started solving our local problems locally.  We developed hunting, farming, and additional ways of surviving. And fighting. Even today, we divide our countries according to 3rd world countries and such.  We, as a species have divided ourselves into a world of haves and have-nots.Those countries that developed quickly and have grown technologically, have dominated the world stage. Challenges exist, but some can be solved.

So, how do we accept the challenge and move our species to a calmer, educated, and technologically capable state?  Culturally and politically it seems impossible.

But, as an educator, I have at least a small part to play in this world stage.  But, it may have far-reaching results.  Many of my students graduate and go into a trade or onto college.  One of my students of a very long time ago (1970's) has become a neurosurgeon. I don't know where many of my students ended up.  But I do believe that one or more of them have, had, or will have a major contribution to the educational challenges laying ahead of us. But, it starts at home and in our classrooms.

In any country, socioeconomic, or political locations, educating the future children is within our grasp. Many countries, and indeed continents, have many challenges educating their children.  Africa is one such continent.  There are children there that may have never hear of a school let alone go to one.  Many areas have basic survival skills and not much else.  Teachers are not doing much better either.  In many places, those that become teachers, teach only basic skill necessary for the villages survive.  So, how do we change that?

Robert Reiser said "design for learning is in the first place a huge effort of solving complex problems of which learning is a significant, but usually, not the only, dimension" (Reiser & Dempsey, Trends and Issues of Instructional Design and Technology, 3rd edition, 2012, page 233).  He further adds that the question "What is Learning?" is not such a simple answer.  It may depend on the culture or individual. 
An Instructional Design individual needs to pay close attention  to many details on both the microscopic level and macroscopic level.  

Details to culture, beliefs, politics, and personal preferences may impact corporations, towns, cities, or even communities in the middle of the interior of Africa. Interaction with peoples of every part of our planet is a necessity for our species to survive its technological presence (yea, Dr Carl Sagan). Maybe, someone that is now just being born will have the technological know-how to solve water shortages, drought, weather challenges in the future.  They just have to keep learning. 

Do our current learning methods, skills, technology and curriculum help foster the knowledge to solve complex problems needed for our survival? Personally, I'm optimistic. Over the past 16 years of being in one location, but only 3 of them directly in the classroom setting, I have seen teacher moral wax and wane (sometimes severely), student moral rise and fall, and student morals and attitudes change.
Lately, I've noticed that there is more of a ME attitude and one of getting things done quickly or by somebody else. And blaming someone else for the student's lack of initiative. High School Teachers are blaming the Middle Schools, and they, in turn, blame the Elementary Schools.  All are blaming the home situations as the problem. Different students bring with them economic worries, social worries, or family challenges to school.  Apply those factors plus the educational workload some  of them have, you can understand why some students have a certain degree of negativity with themselves and their futures. 

As an educator, I think it is possible that despite the challenges we face in the classroom, if we can work with the students, we can make a difference.  The National, State, and District standards are there for us to use to ready our students with a well-rounded education that might just give other persons, communities, cities, and countries a chance to survive. With our emerging technologies, and those of us willing to fill in the gaps of knowledge, students just might surprise us and make a difference after all.

What about using ideas from Europe and Asia here in the U.S.?  Japan and S. Korea and two Asian countries that have created a mind-set that we need to investigate.  Korea, its businesses, schools, and government, supports education and those in the Instructional Design area.  They view education as a necessity for building a better country and world.  Schools have more structure, students have more respect, and their ancient cultures all work together to create a sense that "they know what they are doing". Economically, Korea is blossoming while the US and other countries seem to be floundering. 

Students view their education as a way to advance research with a belief that their work will mean something.

Europe is a slightly different story.  Culturally, they have their own beliefs and customs. The countries in Europe and small, and extremely multicultural and have multiethnic, multiracial, and a multilingual backgrounds.  Each of these are challenges that are, at times, difficult to work with. 

Instructional Designers have more of a challenge with their ideas and tasks.  E-Learning is becoming a big factor in learning, both in education and in industries.  Why?  It seems easier to create something "for the masses" that can be translated and passes around to other places without the need for a specialized department that has to work with the multi-faceted types of individuals and companies. 

In Europe, and indeed in the US, there seems to be a slight trend (historically and currently) towards the Behaviorist ideas of learning.  The ADDIE methodology is waning or non-existent in some countries. E-Learning and learning off the internet is popular, but not structured enough for everyone to be on an even playing field. What one location likes may be taboo for another location. Rigor and Relevance is not controlled well with on-line education (except for ETEC schools!). Technology in Europe and even the US is not available for everyone and with the current economic situations, it may be that way for a little longer than is expected.

Sadly, in some places in Europe and in the US, there seems to be a trend towards "Infantilism" or the dumbing-down of education.  Is this because of the lack of technology? Or is it because of culture and economics? Or is it because personal education is not supported locally?  It seems that there is always a band-aide fix to the educational system in both Europe and US.  Perhaps it is up to the Instructional Designers to make the changes needed for learning to occur globally, successfully.  Maybe an ID Union?