Yancho

Seeing all the career videos was very useful to me -- especially all the careers that said their days were mostly filled up with meetings. I'm not too keen on meetings, unless they are clearly productive toward some tangible, valuable end. (How often does that happen?) The videos put in concrete form some of the career nuances stemming from this degree. I liked seeing the video Dan did about Scott Schaefermeyer who does video production for the CTL and to hear more about what his job is like. I didn't realize there was a position like that on campus. It was also good to see Alberto's interview with Tonya Tripp as well. I think that, other than professor, those two careers seem most in line with my interests, so it was good to get a picture of what their days are like. It was a good experience to get out with Jason McDonald and see what a typical day is like for him as well. Talking about what he does and has done in the past was a great experience. It gave me a much cl

Debra Biser: Russell Osguthorpe   What are the objectives of non-BYU CTL like programs?   Did you get any sense of comparison between it and other similar programs? Alberto Trevino: Tonya Tripp   What kind of projects have you worked on with Tonya?   Can you tell me some examples of what she has done? Jered Borup: Dean and Chris   How did you meet these folks?   What are the salaries for their fields?   Who was the guy in the background? (And was that a toilet flushing?) Robb Stephenson: Roger Conners   Did Roger talk about the lasting impact of stories for his clients -- did they actually lead to measurable behavior change? Danny Young: Ben Frier   It didn't sound like he had a master's degree. Maybe I missed that. Did he just have teaching experience as his lead up into getting his position? John Chapman: Jon Mott   What are the favorite parts of his job?   He seemed to insinuate that a PhD would be necessary for his position, did you get that impression?

In their article [1] , Osguthorpe, et al. discuss what they consider to be the moral dimensions of instructional design. Their foundational principle is the development of conscience in designing instruction. They cite Tom Green's argument that teachers who do not focus on conscience will "never reach the highest goals of education" (p. 20). It is not explicitly stated, but I assume from the context that Osguthorpe et al. view "transformative learning" (p. 20) as the highest goal of education. Implicit in their argument is the idea that without a well-developed sense of the five areas of personal conscience (conscience of craft, conscience of membership, conscience of sacrifice, conscience of memory, and conscience of imagination), an instructional designer's product will likely not lead to transformative learning. The idea of transformative learning resonates with me, but I have no clear definition for or description of it. (Perhaps in the literature ther

From class with Dr. Andy Gibbons today: An instructional event is an Activity combined with a goal (which is the task to be learned). Instructional events are made up of more instructional events. Instructional design, then is creating the series of activities meant to achieve specific goals, which are all the pieces of the overarching goal of what is to be learned. Each instructional event begs you to ask what is happening on the myriad layers of instruction as described by Gibbons earlier in the year: Representation, control, message, strategy, content, data management, media logic. An instructional event is a clearer concept than lesson, because a lesson doesn't clarify what or how many goals will be covered in a lesson. P. 42 Vol. 2 -- course design document -- single-spaced 5-10 pages. Management plan. Evaluation plan.

CALL is Computer Assisted Language Learning and TALL is Technology Assisted Language Learning (if I remember correctly). We saw some samples of TALL in our class. I think having computer programs to help with the drill and practice of a language is invaluable. Because, like any learning, language learning simply takes practice. Naturally, a language is best taught through saturation in situ, but in the absence of a language-saturated environment, tools like computer assisted learning can really ease the load for a learner. Having the words recorded spoken by a native speaker and represented onscreen simultaneously, with the ability to record and to hear and compare your own sounds to the natively spoken sounds is great. It's a cliche, but CALL or TALL are not a panacea, won't solve all language learning problems. But, the tools are fantastic -- especially by a motivated person who is willing to put in the time. I think it is better than other forms of self-guided learning

Our experience in class with the online forum revealed some interesting things. Our assignment was to read some articles on forums and then to use the forum created by Alberto to discuss the relative merits and problems with forums as a learning tool. It seemed to me that many people who decried the value of online forums actually neglected to participate in the forum in the manner in which it was meant to be used to promote learning. Rather they participated as if it were simply a place to complain about the place that was offered as a way for them to complain about what they were complaining about. In other words, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Successful use of a forum for instruction probably warrants a little extra motivational effort on the part of the instructor. It appeared they didn't like forums because it required them to interact with others and express their ideas coherently and be willing to engage in a discussion and, basically, it wasn't worth their time

As I have considered the concepts involved with using games for education, I see a lot of value, but I see some weaknesses as well. My master's degree is in Youth and Family Recreation , and in that field we see a lot of positive outcomes in games and activities. They are a way to instigate changes in behavior and reinforce internal values such as motivation, positive thinking, self-efficacy, etc. But many times the behavior changes don't persist long beyond the arena of the game -- when a participant leaves the setting, they return to their home or school life where the dynamics seem to suck them back in to prior behavior and thinking patterns. Lasting change can often only happen with a change to the interpersonal dynamics of their "home base," so to speak. Building self efficacy can sometimes override negative home dynamics, but it is an uphill battle. The main weakness I see is that games are time consuming compared to the learning outcome of the game. For ins

I've been sitting listening to a discussion of the value of this synthesis process for each class. I've fallen behind in my syntheses simply because I find them time consuming and time is a precious commodity. There is always something demanding my time and I felt this was an easy place to cut back. Usually, that choice was made because synthesis is something that is open-ended and I never know whether I will sit down and end up considering and ruminating for an hour or two or 15 minutes. Without a clear endpoint, making the effort could devour more time than it's worth. I have a difficult time just slamming things out when there is so much information to process. But, maybe I need to be less self-critical and just share some thoughts rather than a finished, polished product.

I shared this in an e-mail to a couple of my classmates in an e-mail discussion we had. I thought I'd share: I imagine that implicit learning is often unexamined learning. It is probably a result of underdeveloped metacognition (if I am using that term correctly -- if I am not, correction is certainly welcome). Dogma, ideology, and talk radio appeal to the self-interested and, therefore, defy self-criticism and perhaps, as a result, such ideas land like a hairnet on top of tousled, unkempt ideas and keep them in place. Is that implicit learning, where there is no critical reflection on the material, where it just seems to make sense, so let's roll with it -- like a flat earth or seasons caused by an elliptical orbit?

It appears that all three fields pay better than a small-town newspaper, and that's the whole sandwich as far as I'm concerned. I'm still aiming toward academia, but it's good to know what's out there. It's hard to tell what you would really enjoy doing until you really have to do it on a daily basis. Mostly, I want to be a dad and a husband and I feel like there is flexibility in the academic schedule that allows for that. That's not to say it isn't a time-consuming profession, it is. But it appears relatively autonomous and allows intellectual exploration. That's appealing. I came back to graduate school because I wanted to teach and I've had some opportunities to teach at the university level. I'm really enjoying exploring the historical conceptions of learning and how the instructive professions have tackled the myriad problems associated with trying to help learners grow. Personal growth is really an essential element of the whole reason

From Design Observer: Thoughts about designerly thinking. Roger Martin discusses the concept of "abductive logic" or the art of taking a logical leap outside the realm of both inductive and deductive logic. You might call it thinking outside the box or being creative. Although interesting, I've been under the impression that this sort of conjectural leap is part of inductive reasoning. Perhaps I've been laden with a misapprehension. It's an interesting read: http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=11097

Dear Mom and Dad, My current assignment in my foundations of instructional technology class is to write a letter explaining to you in layman's terms a little about the field I am entering. I figure that, since you are often faced with questions about the status of my pursuits in life and because my current life pursuit is labeled with a long-winded title of uncertain meaning, it will be of benefit to actually send you the letter rather than just turning it in for credit. Both of my graduate degrees (first Youth and Family Recreation and now Instructional Psychology and Technology) are a bit unwieldy to the tongue and not immediately clear as to their actual practical value or educational objectives. Although the value and meaning of my YFR degree may be lost in the ether, I hope this letter will at least give you a better idea of what I study now and what will be the likely outcome for my career when I graduate. The field of my current endeavor started out as instructional techn

Russell Osguthorpe's statement -- that learning and teaching are the way we receive our salvation -- pruned my mind's rosebush a little. I was crowded with a lot of complex ideas about learning and teaching and theory and design, but Dr. Osguthorpe cleared out a lot of that to get at the meat of what I'm here at BYU to do -- enhance my ability to help others to progress toward salvation. If that is not my ultimate goal, then these stems and thorns will crowd and poke until I lose sight of the flowers. Elder Bednar helped add some perspective as well. His points were directed toward encouraging greater attention to the home. This is certainly a key element of happiness in this life and in the life to come. His image of the painting of the wheat field was particularly useful to me. He suggested that each event we experience is a brush stroke in the canvas of our lives. I enjoy painting and I understand the fundamental nature of each brush stroke adding to an overall image, th

Reigeluth [1] takes the position that the field of instructional design is in need of a paradigm shift. He says industrial-revolution-inspired educational practices have lingered into modern times, but have little relevance for modern needs. The fact that education systems have changed little since his chapter was published seems to indicate there may still be a need for change. Reigeluth's call is to move from a "Sage on the Stage" approach to a "Guide on the Side" approach to instruction. That is, instruction should be tailored to the needs of the individual learner. The information age demands workers with adaptive and creative skills, Reigeluth asserts. Workers need to be able to deal with complexity and change, rather than fill a specific task-oriented role. Thus, the instruction model of a teacher simultaneously instructing a mass of students with the same material is outdated. Reigeluth says learners should be able to advance at their own pace, with guida

I believe that learning occurs naturally and is happening all the time. There are some things, however, that are more difficult to learn than others. If we are seeking to push beyond the natural learning that occurs, we need to a) motivate the learner to take that leap and b) make available an instructional setting that will provide them the new knowledge. If one has the perfect setting and instruction for learning but the student is unmotivated to learn, he or she will not learn (or at best will learn minimally). If the student is motivated to learn, but the setting impedes the learning, I believe motivation will ebb and learning will not progress. The second step of creating a conducive instructional setting is admittedly rather broad, but I believe that an appropriate instructional setting different for different types of knowledge to be learned. And the instructional setting concept includes a setting where a student simply reads a book as well as a classroom of hundreds of student

I tend to lean toward pragmatism and getting things done, rather than dwelling endlessly on whys and hows . But, I have been known to ruminate on such things from time to time. I like wondering about why things work and how. Yet, I also grow frustrated by the fact that there are few firm answers. The more I think about it, the less confident that mankind will ever come to a certain knowledge of anything pertaining to this “crude matter.” In reality, you just can’t ever be too sure of yourself. The dozens and even hundreds of theories on behavior, learning, and life are ample evidence that there is a lot more out there to be known than is currently known. I think that is why the concept of a technological theorist appeals to me. Down in the trenches, the practitioner can delve in and brainstorm and test and develop and tweak a design with a specific goal in mind. It doesn’t take a deep vocabulary or lot of hyperbole, just some elbow grease and creativity. Technologists push the bounda

In the movie "Cool Hand Luke," Paul Newman, as the title character, has a tendency toward antisocial activities. At the beginning of the movie, he is arrested and put in jail for cutting off the tops of parking meters with a pipe cutter. (An act that had no discernible motive.) Throughout the movie we see him doing a variety of things that run counter to what might be accepted as normal or expected behavior, even for a miscreant. At one point, the warden (an apparent behaviorist who is pulling out his last card) puts Luke in solitary confinement. After his time in solitary, Luke becomes a poster-boy for obedient, reformed prisoners. The warden seems to relish having tamed Luke. But, the other prisoners seem to watch him with a sense of disappointment at his subservience and at his broken spirit. That is, until Luke absconds with the water truck and escapes from the warden while the prisoners are all performing some community service. I reflected on this movie as I read about

Radical Behaviorism is the concept of viewing stimulus and response as the only measurable constructs in psychology. To B.F. Skinner, the human mind is a "black box" and is essentially irrelevant. What goes on inside the mind is unmeasurable and not useful to a study of human behavior. Only observable behaviors should be considered. More to come ...

A personal learning environment consists of Web 2.0 tools utilized by a student to enhance their learning. In essence, it provides tools for tracking one's progress, setting goals, collaborating with fellow students and interacting with an instructor. It is flexible and suits the needs of the student/learner rather than the directives of the institution or professor. This contrasts with learning management systems, which are designed to assist instructors and institutions in simplifying many of the logistical things associated with instruction, such as assessment, assignment tracking, and grade management. Where PLEs are flexible and individualized, LMSes are generally rigid in design and structure. PLEs are often made up of open-source and freely available software and services, whereas LMSes tend to suck more resources from the institution and, as a result, seem to languish as other more agile technologies flourish and evolve. RSS stands for real simple syndication. It is an XML

We're still waiting to hear back on two of our proposals. Jacob ran into the head of BYU-TV international at the LDS Film Festival and he said they are still waiting on budget projections; so, we wait. Jacob was head of volunteers for the festival and I helped out Friday and Saturday. It is quite a to-do. I hadn't stayed up that late in ages. (Midnight. I'm a bit of an early retiree.) Anyway, it was fun to be there. It made me eager to be part of a project.