- Chapter 18 discusses instructional design in business and industry. Give an example of rapid prototyping and discuss how this could be used in education.
The book defines a prototype as “either workable models of the final project or simply shells that demonstrate the projected appearance of the project” (p. 179). The idea of rapid prototyping is the idea that the initial prototype is workable and used by the potential customer throughout the design process. When I consider the concept of rapid prototyping in the field of education, I think about textbook adoptions. How amazing would it be to be a classroom teacher that was able to work with a potential company in its design of future curriculum? Most recent adoptions come with software that I believe would benefit with rapid prototyping. A teacher would work with the software in an actual classroom setting and be able to help make revisions and decisions about the final product. I have often felt frustrated by the software of several new adoptions by our district. Sometimes I wondered if they ever “tried this out” in a real classroom with a real teacher. The idea that rapid prototyping also reduces the design cycle would be beneficial because public education often struggles with staying on the cutting edge of new innovations. Rapid prototyping of potential educational software that come with new curriculum adoptions could create a faster overall process with a positive end result.
- Chapter 19 discusses instructional design opportunities in military education and training environments. I had the opportunity to work two summers in Orlando on a faculty fellowship in the advanced distributed learning lab (ADL) discussed in the book and saw firsthand some of the constraints placed on some of the tools that could be used for learning. Pretend you are hired as a consultant for the military. They want to use technology in its training, but electronic access is not always available. Using the Full Spectrum diagram, what alternatives could you suggest for a successful program?
Before this chapter I had not considered the huge responsibility those that create training for our military face. Knowing that proper training can save lives, working with budget constraints, in very dynamic field must at times feel overwhelming to the instructional designers. Being prepared for anything and everything is a must for our military and those involved in their training must help them to be ready for all they may face. An instructional designer must create training experiences that cross from the classroom, to the base and into combat. As a consultant, the first thing that comes to mind is using the classroom environment to simulate what they will face in combat. The training in a classroom could have many forms of available technology, and it’s important to utilize those in the classroom setting for training, however, the “safe” classroom could also be used to strip away the available technology as well. This would allow the students to learn and solve similar issues without technology as well. This would allow the learners to increase their skill set for overall decision making and problem solving ability. We discussed informal learning in the last chapter and I would believe that training at the base and with those deployed occurs to a large degree in this manner. Instructional design consultants should work to facilitate and encourage informal learning in the military.
- Chapter 21 looks at radical educational change in P-12 settings. I visited the Chugach School District in Alaska and know Richard DeLorenzo very well. I can assure you that this change can occur in our schools. Review the Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology and the GSTE. Outline a staff development activity that will introduce both methodologies to your colleagues.
Step Up To Excellence Methodology
I. To introduce the staff to the Step Up to Excellence Methodology, I would begin with the end in mind. I would ask the staff to visualize what they desire for the school district. What does a strong district do? What does a student from this district look like? I would ask them to think of what they would want in a school district?
II. Hopefully after visualizing teachers would be ready to hear the methodologies set forth in Step Up to Excellence. Before launching into specifics, I believe it would be important to pre-teach the vocabulary of this program. Education is filled with acronyms, committees, programs so it would be helpful to know certain words before unpacking the program. It would be helpful to create a handout of important terms (p. 215-217) for reference.
III. Once definitions are taught then it would be easier to walk teachers through the process of Step Up to Excellence. I would offer a visual by teaching from a set of stairs, moving up a stair each time I transition to the next step.
IV. Step 1: Discuss the 3 silmultaneous improvements that should be made during this phase: improve district core, improve districts internal social architecture, and improve relationship with outside environment.
V. Step 2: Explain the strategic alignment process.
VI. Step 5: Evaluation of whole system
I would also provide case studies of other schools that have used this methodology to help create more buy-in to the concept.
GSTE Methodology
I. To begin the introduction of this method I would start by asking teachers to write down some of their core values. I would then have them share and create an overall list. I would them show them list of the core values of the GSTE method as listed on table 21.1. We would compare them.
II. It would be necessary to explain the the GSTE method is a PROCESS and is not product drive. It is a guide used to facilitate change.
III. I would then introduce the specific teams, their roles and titles. (Starter team, Leadership team, Design Team.
IV. Phase 1: Initiate the change effort by assessing readiness
V. Phase 2: Create the starter team to assess capacity for change.
VI. Phase 3: Starter team becomes the Leadership team and framework is developed
VII. Phase 4:Design teams are created, implement change and continue to change and evolve as necessary.
Through the discussions of each phase staff could ask questions, brainstorm ideas and build buy in to the overall concept.
- Navigating through the ranks of a faculty member in higher education can be tricky. A good institution has support for its faculty and provides faculty development opportunities to grow and learn. Research three different university offices for faculty development. Answer the following questions for each office:
- What are the different names used for faculty development?
- What division is it under?
- What services does it offer?
- How often are programs given and what specifically are they?
| Universities |  |  |  |
| What are the different names used for faculty development? | Professional Development Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) | Faculty Development | TCU center for Academic services |
| What division is it under? | Office of the Dean of Faculties and Associate Provost | Academy for Teaching and Learning | Academic Services |
| What services does it offer? | Offers professional development to support growth in all aspects of their professional life. | SET workshops (Seminars for Excellence in Teaching) | Offers professional development primarily in the area of advising |
| How often are programs given and what specifically are they? | 6 to 8 workshops offered each semester As well as many instructional technology faculty development classes. · eLearning · podcasting · using SMART technology · Webconferencing · Working with Wiki | Programs are offered several times a month (6 listed in November alone) · Teaching the Millennial Generation · Basics of Courseblogging · How to Write Lots in Little Time · The History of Reading and Contemporary Technology · When Less is More: How (and why) to Moderate Class Preparation* · Transforming Crowd to Community in Large Classes | Workshops appear to be available 2 to 3 times a month. They are titled: · Advising 101 · Advisor updates · Advising students on probation · Core Curriculum training |
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