Observer-Participant-Leader

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has outlined the Framework of Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO.  The framework is comprised of three primary categories.  These categories are Leadership & Vision, Understanding the Educational Environment, and Managing Technology & Support Resources.  Each category includes 10 essential skill areas that describe the responsibilities and knowledge necessary to become an educational technology leader.

Over the past two years I have focused my professional learning and participation more on the area of technology education.  This focus was partly because I was earning my EdS in Instructional Technology. The other reason is because I like technology, and I want to learn as much about technology as I can.

During this time, I have participated in several activities that fall into the categories of the Framework of Essential Skills.  I have written the school’s tech plan, I have taken on the role of the school technology representative, and I have been a member of the school budget committee.  Through all of these activities, I have been an Observer, a Participant, and/or a Leader.

During the 2014-2015 school year, I was active in writing the school’s 2015-2016 technology plan, and am on course to write the school’s technology plan for the 2016-2017 as well.  Throughout the course of writing the technology plan, I have been an observer, a participant, and a leader.  In the area of Leadership & Vision,  I observed 1C--the facilitating of priority setting and decision making for the use of technology to support the district’s goals.  My principal distributed a survey for teachers to complete based on their use of technology in the classroom and during instruction.  She then took the results of the survey and asked the faculty which areas they would like to focus on the following school year.  I was now a participant.  The principal then passed all information on to me, and I took on the role of a leader in the area of Strategic Planning (2C) when I aligned the technology team activities with the school district goals while writing the school’s tech plan in AdvancED.  Writing the technology plan also required me to take on a leadership role in the area of Stakeholder Focus (6C) as I collaborated to create a vision of how technology supported the district’s goals.

In the fall of 2014, I was appointed as the school’s technology representative.  In this role, I act as a liaison between the school and the district IT department.  I began as an observer in the area of Instructional Focus and Professional Development (4B) through communication and collaboration with the district instructional leadership when I attended the district technology meeting as my school’s representative.  During this meeting several topics were discussed such as steps to writing the school’s technology plan and BYOD pilot programs. During this time, I have been a participant in the area of Stakeholder Focus (6B) to build relationships with both teachers and members of the district IT department.  I have also been a participant in the area of Communication Systems (8C) to accommodate technical issues related to various communication tools as I am the first person to contact in the building regarding technical issues.  If I cannot resolve the technical issues using troubleshooting techniques advised by the IT department, I will then report the issues to the district IT department.  This role also allows me to be an observer in the area of Communication Systems (8F) as I shadow the IT member when they are in the school to maintain communication systems to ensure that all programs are updated, compliant, and operational.

In October 2015, I was chosen to be a member of the school’s budget committee. I was nominated to the committee by the faculty, primarily because I am also the technology representative.  While serving on this committee, I have been an observer and a participant in the area of Business Management.  I have observed how to make purchases following relevant laws, policies, and guidelines (9D), and how to manage funds by following basic financial and accounting principles and guidelines (9E).  I met with other members of the committee, and we discussed technology needs (as well as other school needs) in order to spend our budget funds.  We discussed appropriate vendors for purchasing technology, as well as quantities of items that required accounting guidelines to be followed.  I then took on a participant role as I managed the annual budget (9B) to determine the unit price of items and complete the budget form for purchases.  I am also a leader to manage and negotiate with vendors (9F) as I am to order the items and complete the purchase order(s) for the items.  These purchases will lead to future professional development in the area of technology (9H), and will be included in the 2016-2017 technology plan.

These are just three examples of how I have participated in the area of technology at my school.  I did not realize that I had participated in as many areas of the Framework as I had until I began reading through the 10 essential skill areas.  The CoSN’s Framework of Essential Skills is an excellent guide for teachers to follow when identifying their skills and knowledge in the area of technology.

**All information and definitions regarding the CoSN Framework was taken from the Consortium for School Networking (2015) Washington, D.C. http://cosn.org/framework

Online Learning

Online learning has become increasingly popular.  What once was used as a way to provide distance education at the post-secondary level is now also being used at both the elementary and secondary levels.  I have taken several online courses and trainings over the past 9 years while earning graduate degrees and completing professional development trainings.  As one would expect, I have had varying experiences with these types of courses.

Like most anything else in life, there are pros and cons to online learning.  The benefits to online learning includes flexibility—work on your time whenever you can and wherever you are.  Online courses allow those with full-time jobs and/or families to earn a degree without affecting their existing schedule.  Well, at least not too much. 

One of the best experiences I have had with online learning had a great deal to do with the instructional design.  Moore and Kearsley (2011) state that online course designers should explain what is expected of their students in such a way that students will not only know the objectives of the course, but also how they should demonstrate their learning throughout every module, unit, lesson, and activity of the course.  The best experience(s) I have had with online learning did just that.  I was presented with an overview of the course, then an overview of the module, followed by individual explanations of each assignment.  One course even went as far as to provide step-by-step instructions of what needed to be done in order to complete each module.  This course was my favorite!  I love lists because I like to check things off as they are completed.  I guess that is the visual learner in me.

While most of my online learning experiences have been pleasant, not all have been ideal.  One class in particular comes to mind.  Moore and Kearsley (2011) state that in order to be able to construct an online learning program, you must begin with creating objectives and evaluations, which cannot be done unless one knows what they are actually trying to teach.  The instructor of my less than ideal class was obviously not familiar with the course.  The instructions for some of the assignments were not clear, and many of us needed clarification on numerous occasions.  The main issue was not that there were multiple misunderstandings, but that the instructor did not understand either—she gave one set of directions, and then changed them after the due date!  And when several people were late turning in one assignment, she sent out a mass email to the class stating that many had not turned in the assignment on time.  Needless to say, this caused some hard feelings because the assignment was turned in based on the instructor’s prior “clarification” of the assignment directions, and they were embarrassed by her “scolding”.

Designing Online Learning Interview        

Educators must keep in mind that online learning requires instructors to be encouraging and supportive of learners who are at varying levels of self-directedness (Moore & Kearsley, 2011).  Overall, I am happy to say that my experiences with online classes have been very pleasant.  I love the flexibility of online learning.  I thoroughly enjoy being able to work at my own pace!  When signing up for classes or trainings, my first choice is typically online learning.

Reference:

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012).  Distance education: A systems view of online 

           learning.  United States: Wadsworth, Cenage Learning.

Virtual Schools

           Education is constantly changing.  As educators we consistently seek out more effective and efficient ways to meet our students’ ever-changing needs.  One of the up and coming methods to provide for our students' individual needs is virtual schooling.

            The State of Alabama is joining the virtual schooling realm.  While ACCESS has been provided for students in Alabama schools since 2005, school districts will be required to provide students in grades 9-12 with a virtual education option to be in place by the 2016-2017 school year.  As of 2015, five states have required students to take at least one online course as a graduation requirement (Samuelsohn, 2015).  According to Moore and Kearsley (2011) students will need to have knowledge of “digital literacy” in order to be able to function in an Information Age society.  Digital literacy refers to the knowledge of input and output of computers, phone, or other electronic devices (Moore & Kearsly, 2011).  Requiring/taking online courses is a method for incorporating digital literacy into the curriculum.

              While some schools in Alabama have developed a virtual school policy, many are still in the process.  The district in which I teach is one of those schools.  A virtual school policy has not yet been developed, but has been discussed.  As of now, the plan for developing a virtual school plan will begin with research.  Other school policies will be reviewed, and our district plan will most likely be developed using Best Practices that best fit our district needs.

            The next step for my district in regard to virtual schooling would be to develop an outline for the policy.  We need to review the state requirements for the policy to ensure the district policy meets all requirements for virtual schooling—scope and delivery, student eligibility criteria, requirements for monitoring and testing, and attendance requirements.  Requirements for participation in extracurricular/athletics should also be taken into consideration when developing the policy.  The district should also choose an LMS, so students will know at home requirements in advance. 

            The way we teach and learn changes with our society, but it also changes due to economics.  “As the cost of electronically transmitting information has been falling, the cost of conventional education and training has been rising” (Moore & Kearsley, 2011, pg. 275).  Virtual schooling is another resource to provide educational opportunities for our students as effectively and efficiently as possible.

The Dabbs Family, a military family, uses a virtual schooling option.

References:

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012).  Distance education: A systems view of online 

           learning.  United States: Wadsworth, Cenage Learning.

Samuelsohn, D. (2015).  Virtual schools are booming.  Who’s paying attention? 

http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/09/virtual-schools-education-000227

Virtual Learning

Distance education has evolved quite a bit over the years as described in the text, Distance Education: A Systems View of Online Learning (Moore & Kearsley, 2012).  The writers describe “the most recent generation of distance learning” as virtual learning.  This virtual learning is a combination of teaching and learning online, while attending “classes” and universities using Internet technology (pg. 23).

This blog entry is a 3-2-1 post--3 things that impressed me, 2 things that surprised me, and 1 question I still have regarding virtual learning.  While reading and viewing the material for the topic of virtual learning, there were several points that I found interesting.    First of all, I was impressed that the State of Alabama became the 2nd state in the country to create an online learning requirement.  This program is called ACCESS.  Our state often falls to the bottom of the list in many national polls, so it is a nice change to be one of the “firsts”.  

Another factor that impressed me was learning that some schools have full time virtual teachers--that is all they do.  Most of the schools and virtual programs I am familiar with are taught by classroom teachers who have virtual classes in addition to their regular workload.  If teachers were able to focus strictly on their virtual classes, they would be more likely to treat their virtual students as face-to-face students.  In fact, some virtual teachers do try to treat their virtual students the same as their face-to-face classroom students. This was the third idea that impressed me about virtual learning.    Several virtual teachers make efforts to visit their virtual students in their “home” schools.  For example, if a virtual teacher has several students at one school, she makes an effort to visit the school to meet the students face to face.  This is an example of the “humanizing” factor described in chapter 6 of the text.  Humanizing occurs when virtual teachers emphasize the importance of Students as individuals and encourage group rapport (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, pg. 137).  

There were also points regarding virtual learning that surprised me.  One of these was that several schools have had little interest in virtual school in lieu of coming to class.  The schools who offered this as an option were larger schools attempting to lower their class sizes.  One would think that students would jump at the chance to not go to school.  The virtual teachers believe that students see school as a social event, and do not want to miss seeing their friends.  I tend to agree with them.

I was also not aware that so many states have operational online K-12 schools.  According to the information provided in the module, 11 of the 16 Southern Regional Educational Board states have K-12 online schools, while there are 6 states with absolutely no public virtual schools.  I know that there are virtual programs available in our state, and that online programs have become increasingly popular for post-secondary education, but I did not know that so many states have online programs for K-12 schools.   With the current amount of technology usage in our society’s day to day activities, I find it difficult to believe that there are still states without public virtual schools.  Operational online schools can provide many opportunities for K-12 students that might not be available otherwise.

Many still have questions regarding virtual schools.  One question I still have is how are virtual classes and/or virtual learning opportunities used in the elementary grades?  Most of the information in the module discussed how virtual learning is used in upper grades, particularly eighth through twelfth grades.  I also wonder if any states have current models including the use of virtual programs in the elementary school.  I have a few ideas for how virtual learning programs can be used in elementary grades.  I have included these ideas in the infographic below.  

The use of virtual learning programs is an interesting topic.  Many states are still working toward implementing these types of programs.  Although our society is technology-rich, the idea of using technology in K-12 schools is still fairly new.  

References

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012).  Distance education: A systems view of online learning.  United

States: Wadsworth, Cenage Learning.

Choosing an LMS

Distance education is becoming more prevalent in today’s educational society.  Most people think of distance education as taking classes off campus.  In the text, Distance Education: A Systems View of Online Learning (Moore & Kearsley, 2012), the authors discuss the various terminologies for distance education such as e-learning, online learning, and distributed learning.  All of these terms include the use of technology and the Internet.  Learning Management Systems are programs that help create, organize, and deliver educational courses (“What’s an LMS?,” n.d.).  Distance education and Learning Management Systems typically go hand in hand.

There are many different types of Learning Management Systems (LMS) available for use.  When choosing an LMS, one must consider the program's features and capabilities to determine what would best fit the needs for the objectives of the course.  When reviewing the various types of LMS available, I narrowed the best fit for me down to three choices: Google Classroom, Moodle, and Edmodo.

Google Classroom has several advantages that appealed to me.  First of all, it’s free.  Free is always good.  The only downfall is it is only free to Google Apps for Education (GAFE) organizations.  Another advantage is that you have unlimited storage because it’s linked to your Google Drive.  Google Classroom also allows you to link other Google tools such as Calendar, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms—even Gmail.  These are all programs I already use, but my school is not a GAFE organization, so I had to move on to another choice.

Moodle was one of the first LMS systems used within the system where I teach to support blended learning.  Blended learning refers to using the Internet to complete assignments, to follow-up or extend lessons from the classroom and is a prominent form of distance education in the K-12 classroom (Moore & Kearsley, 2012).  Research found that in the 2007-2008 school years an estimated 1,030,000 K-12 students engaged in online courses (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 55).  Moodle offered many of the features that appealed to me in an LMS.  These features include requiring an access key to enroll in a class, various assignment features (quizzes, discussions, surveys, etc.), and grading and recording capabilities.  The main problem with Moodle is that it is not necessarily user-friendly.  I know this from experience.  I did set up a Moodle account for my class, but I never used it because it was time-consuming.  Plus, a host server is required to use Moodle, so if your system or organization does not provide that host server, you will not be able to run the software.

Edmodo became my LMS of choice.  With Edmodo, I can provide a safe, secure learning environment for my students.  The students will not be able to search nor find others within this program.  A safe environment is critical for me especially since I teach younger students, and my main goal is simply to incorporate technology through blended learning opportunities.  Edmodo offers many of the same features as Moodle—quizzes, discussions, surveys, grading and recording capabilities—but it also allows for parents to have access to their child’s grades and to stay in contact with the teacher.  Like Google Classroom it is free, but you do not have to be a member of an organization for it to be free—it’s really free!  Of course there are also some disadvantages to choosing Edmodo.  For example it is Internet based, so I would not be able to use Edmodo assignments for homework unless all of my students have Internet access at home.  The disadvantages are not an issue for my students since, as I said before, they are younger and there are some features I wouldn’t use. 

Choosing an LMS is an important part of distance learning.  The programs can help educators plan, organize, and deliver instruction.  You must decide how you want to use an LMS during instruction, and what features would best benefit your needs.  Read "What is an LMS?" to learn more about LMS software programs.

References

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012).  Distance education: A systems view of online learning.  United

States: Wadsworth, Cenage Learning.

What’s an LMS? (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.talentlms.com/what-is-an-lms/.

Aspects of Coaching

            Growing up, I always played sports.  We were a “sports family”, so naturally I was raised loving games and competition.  While deciding on a career path, I always made sure there was a way I would be able to coach as well.  In my first few years teaching, that is exactly what I did.  I was able to continue feeding my love for sports through coaching.  The best part, though, was the relationships I formed with my players.  Fourteen years later, I still miss them--after all, they were my first “kids”!  

            Throughout this semester we have been reading and learning about the instructional coaching process, and I have related the process to the sports world of coaching several times.  While the overall process seems to be related, there are some differences.  For one, while I was coaching sports, I was the authority figure on the field.  In the classroom, the coach is most often a peer.  The coaching relationship I am currently involved in is a teacher-initiated coaching system.  Marzano and Simms (2013) describe this type of relationship as a teacher who arranges to be coached by another teacher or administrator.  Personally, I feel this is often the best type of coaching relationship because, as Marzano and Simms (2013) state, the teacher is open to suggestions and changes—looking for them, even.     

          I am working with a teacher who wants to incorporate strategies in her classroom to increase her students’ performance and engagement, as well as, strengthen her instructional tool-belt.  This teacher and I have been friends and colleagues for the past six years.  I am familiar with her history, her role in the school, and her areas of strength.  She and I are easily able to have coach-teacher conversations as described in the text.  Up to this point, we have had “reflecting conversations” to identify behaviors and beliefs during instruction, and “facilitating conversations” to clarify her goals (Marzano & Simms, 2013).  As the teacher and I continue to work together, I do not foresee the need in having “coaching conversations” or “directing conversations” with the teacher.  She is willing to make changes as needed.  I would be willing to say her readiness for change is “high skill and high will”.  In other words, she has both the ability and motivation to learn and to change (Marzano & Simms, 2013). 

          The teacher’s willingness to learn encourages me to follow through with my part of the coaching relationship.  Marzano and Simms (2013) list three strategies as the main aspects of coaching behaviors.  These strategies are modeling, feedback, and trust.  During my initial observation, I was looking evidence of “chunking” and “movement”.  The teacher uses the same strategies I use, so rather than modeling a lesson, I chose a few problems to show differentiation in mathematical operations.  She and I meet regularly for me to provide “informal feedback” (Marzano & Simms, 2013, p. 218).  And as previously stated the teacher and I have a relationship outside of school, so trust is not an issue.  We spend time together professionally and socially, so our opinions, strategies, and suggestions are important to each other. 

          This instructional coaching relationship is different than my sports coaching relationships.  It is a parallel coaching rather than an authoritative coaching.  The relationships formed during each coaching situation are the key to success whether it take place on the field or in the classroom. In both situations, trust and a willingness to learn and change are imperative to the coaching process.

           

References

          Marzano, R. J. and Simms, J. A. (2013).  Coaching classroom instruction.  Indiana: Marzano Research Labratory.

   

The Coaching Continuum

           Coaches and players have a unique relationship—it is one based on trust and mutual respect.  The coach guides, leads, and teaches their players.  The players listen, learn, and perform the behaviors and actions encouraged by their coach.  The same type of relationship is true of instructional coaches and teachers.

            First of all, the teacher must recognize and admit that they need to grow.  Then, they must be able to trust the coach, their mentor, with this information—not everyone is comfortable with verbalizing their weaknesses.  The coach must respect the teacher, and their honesty and feelings regarding improving their delivery during instruction.  The coach should provide support and guidance as the teacher chooses a growth goal and begins implementing the strategy in the classroom.

            According to the text, Coaching Classroom Instruction (Marzano & Simms, 2013), the first step in an effective teacher-coach relationship is to “identify a specific classroom strategy and behavior that will be the focus of the interaction” (p.19).  The text includes a strategy for student engagement in the forty-one elements of effective teaching.  “Element 24: Noticing when students are not engaged “(p. 51).  The teacher must also understand the research and theory regarding their growth-goal.  Marzano and Simms provide research regarding this element stating that “engagement is associated with a 27-31 percentile gain in student achievement” (p. 49).  This being said, engagement is an important element of student instruction.
 

            Teachers can use technology-based instruction to increase student engagement in the classroom.  One study specifically looked at how educators engaged middle school students through the use of technology (Downes & Bishop, 2012).  Their research suggested that in order to engage students, educators must make a connection between their in-school and out-of-school lives.  Downes & Bishop propose the best way to make this connection is through integrating technology. 

            Using the coaching continuum, the coach and the teacher would first identify that engagement is an area, or element, of focus in the coaching relationship.  The coach would provide the teacher with the research regarding student engagement, and the teacher would try one of the strategies listed.  Some of the strategies listed for this element are “scanning the room, monitoring levels of attention, and measuring engagement” (p. 51).   Once the teacher implements the strategy/strategies while integrating technology, the coach will observe the teacher, and correct any errors.  Perhaps this may be in the way the teacher monitors the level(s) of student engagement.  The coach will then provide feedback, and help the teacher make the appropriate adjustments in instruction.  The teacher will continue to monitor the students to determine if the strategy is working—if using technology during instruction is increasing student engagement.  The coach will help the teacher monitor the effect(s) of the strategy on the students.  As the teacher gains confidence in using the strategies to monitor student engagement, he/she is able to make adjustments based on student responses.  The teacher may eventually use several fluent strategies to create a macrostrategy, a set of instructional strategies, or an adaptation of strategies used to meet specific student needs. 

            The coaching continuum is a guideline of expectations for both the teacher and the instructional coach.  Using the continuum, the teacher is aware of the goal(s) they are trying to reach, and how the instructional coach can provide assistance throughout the process.     
   

References         

            Downes, J. M. and Bishop, P. (2012).  Educators engage digital natives and  learn from their experiences with technology: Integrating technology engages students in their learning.  Middle School Journal, 43(5), 6-15.         

            Marzano, R. J. and Simms, J. A. (2013).  Coaching classroom instruction.  Indiana:

Marzano Research Labratory.

Coaching in the Classroom

When we hear the word "coaching", most of us think of sports.  Let's face it. Here in the South we put a great deal of faith in our coaches!  Coaches are considered experts in their game.  They combine their knowledge and experience to teach their players strategies and methodologies to be the best.  The basic idea of coaching is the same for instructional coaches—“helping someone move from where he or she is to where he or she needs or wants to be” (Marzano & Simms, 2013, pg. 4).

I was introduced to instructional coaching about 9 years ago when I first entered the elementary classroom.  Prior to teaching at the elementary level, I had been teaching middle grades algebra.  The elementary school had a reading coach as part of the Alabama Reading Initiative.  Little did I know, the instructional coach was about to become my best friend.  I had never taught reading using a whole group/small group model--I had only been teaching math.  I needed help, and I needed it immediately!  

I had completed the ARI training, and I knew what curriculum and material needed to be taught, but I was not familiar with reading instructional strategies.  I needed to be able to transfer that knowledge to actual classroom implementation, and I was willing to learn how to do so. Marzano and Simms (2013) discuss these factors as being crucial to the coaching process.  Teachers must be willing to grow and change, and coaches must be able to guide teachers in the process of transferring information into practice.  

The coaching/teaching relationship should be seen as a partnership (Marzano & Simms, 2013, pg. 6).  The reading coach helped me design lessons using teaching strategies that were new to me.  We had an open relationship where I felt comfortable talking to her about my teaching practice--what was and was not working.  She provided feedback to help me determine the effectiveness of my instructional practices.  

Today, the reading coach is known as an instructional coach.  She continues to provide us with additional strategies and support for our struggling students in areas other than reading.  If approached correctly, the coaching/teaching relationship can be very beneficial to all instructional stakeholders.  Just think how well our students, and our schools, could perform if our teachers and instructional coaches received as much support as we provide our sports coaches! 

What Is Coaching? 

References

          Marzano, R. J. and Simms, J. A. (2013).  Coaching classroom instruction.  Indiana: Marzano Research Labratory.

So.....What Is Instructional Design?

          Good instructional design is preparing streamlined, engaging instruction appropriate for various learning styles.  In chapter 1, Larson and Lockee (2014) describe good instructional design as being dependent on the training itself, and how well the message is relayed to the learner—how well the learner relates to the material, and understands the material.  The way the learner relates and understands is dependent upon the learner’s learning style, and the method in which the message is presented.  Instructional designers must take several factors into consideration when developing instruction.  These factors include: occupation, socioeconomic status, learning style, prior knowledge and skills, learning disabilities, need for mobility, motivation, attitudes, and relationships.  The ADDIE model outline aids designers in accounting for learner needs when developing instruction.

            One aspect of instruction that designers should keep in mind is cognitive load theory.  Throughout my school career, there have been many times that I have felt my brain was too full—I just did not realize that was a real thing!   As discussed in chapter 10, cognitive overload is when the brain can only hold so much information.  Larson and Lockee (2014) explain that there are different levels to cognitive load.  Intrinsic load is the type and amount of mental processing used, extraneous load is the unnecessary aspects involved in instruction, and germane load is the “good stuff”—the information that can be used and is relevant to the learner.  There are steps instructional designers can take to make the most of the learner’s working memory.  To cope with intrinsic load, designers should organize material to help learner’s process information.   To avoid extraneous cognitive load, designers should eliminate excessive, unnecessary material.  To improve germane load, designers should use design principals to make information more meaningful to the learner (Larson and Lockee, 2014 pg. 81).

            The training I have developed for this course is designed to help elementary teachers incorporate STEM activities in their classroom instruction.  Many of the teachers have expressed an interest in learning more about implementing project-based learning.  I feel that STEM activities would be a good way to incorporate these types of activities in their classrooms.  The training incorporates various elements that allows them to stay busy, rather than just being talked to, and that they can also use in their classroom.  The training begins with a self-assessment quiz, “What Kind of Engineer Should You Be?”  Teachers can use this quiz to spark student motivation in the area of engineering, as well as learn more about their students.  The results could be used as a grouping method for future projects.  Following the quiz, we will briefly discuss the results and how they relate to each individual’s personality and/or learning style.  We will then watch a motivational video created by STEM students, and discuss why STEM activities are important based on information from related articles.  Participants will then share ideas to incorporate STEM activities in the classroom. 

Example STEM Activity

Art can also be included as an element of STEM activities, so we will incorporate STEAM.  Teachers will then complete a STEM team-building exercise that can also be used in their classroom.  We will discuss variations of the activity to make the activity grade-level/age appropriate.  Teachers will then watch an example of a STEM activity in a kindergarten classroom.  The training will conclude with access to resources including Pinterest boards with links to activities, and handouts of sample STEM classroom supply lists and STEM recording sheets.

            The STEM training has been developed to provide information in a streamlined manner, provide learners with an opportunity to be involved, and with materials and information that can be utilized immediately.  Trainings that “mix it up”—allow you to participate in a variety of activities—and provide you with sources to implement information immediately, incorporate elements of good instructional design.        

References

              Larson, M. and Lockee, B.B. (2014).  Streamlined id: A practical guide to instructional design.  New York: Routledge.

How Technology Affects Instructional Design

In just a few, short weeks most of us will be participating in our school district's Institute. For most of us Institute includes at least a two hour session of "sit and listen to people present powerpoints" to cover various trainings required by the State Department.  Now, don't misunderstand, I know these trainings are necessary, but they quite often are not examples of good instructional design.

Choosing the correct technology for instruction is an important part of the design process.  Larson and Lockee (2014) discuss the factors that influence technology decisions in instructional design in chapter 9.  These factors include technology that supports the instruction/learning, the learner's prior knowledge/motivation/capability, and addresses the desired learning outcome. 

The "Universal Precautions" training presentation is a great example to use when discussing these factors.  For one, the presentation is not always given by the person who designed the instruction.  So, the presenter sometimes finds themselves reading the material to us, which is in direct opposition to supporting the learner's motivation.  Another factor to consider is the learner's prior knowledge.  Most all of us have heard this material before--many, many times--so the material could be more tailored to the audience.  However, I would say that the Universal Precautions training does address the desired learning outcome--no one wants anyone to get sick.  

As teachers we are always looking for ways to motivate our students to learn, and to keep them engaged.  Recently, we have looked to technology to help us in these areas since our students are constantly using some type of device, and seem to be most motivated and engaged when using technology.  For about the past three years, our school has used a program called XtraMath as supplement for our daily math instruction.  We began using the program because we were looking for a way to track and document our students' math fact fluency.  Using this program is an excellent example of using technology during instruction.

Our students are to show fluency in math facts based on grade level.  Xtramath is web-based, so it can be completed on any device with Internet access--and students can even practice at home!  The program administers students with an initial test that determines their prior knowledge, and which facts they need to practice the most.  It is timed, so students are able to receive daily practice answering within the 3 second interval they will be required to meet during benchmark testing.  The program moves at the student's individual pace.  Once they have mastered an area, the program will move them on.  Best of all, teachers can print out a graph showing their progress over time. The media used during instruction should be in direct reflection of the performance context (Larson & Lockee, 2014). 

My students have enjoyed the program.  They can complete it during math centers, or when they finish their morning work.  They like being able to tell me, "Mrs. Sloan, I'm on subtraction!"  And I love it when they tell me because that means they completed addition, and they know their facts.  

References

            Larson, M. and Lockee, B.B. (2014).  Streamlined id: A practical guide to instructional design.  New York: Routledge.

*Image retrieved from Google Images http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6153558098_9653fd714b.jpg

Ineffective Professional Development

            Just this summer, I attended a workshop with several other teachers from my school.  It was our understanding that we would be learning how to use a certain program within our reading instruction.  Saying that we were disappointed in the outcome of the workshop would be an understatement.  The program has been in our schools and/or system for quite some time so we were all familiar with the program, but we wanted more ideas and suggestions for incorporating the program during our small group instruction.  Instead we were given an EXTENSIVE background of the program and why it works.  I cannot begin to tell you how many times I heard “This is not what I thought it was going to be”. 

            What was the problem with the workshop?  First of all, we could all tell from her accent, and her inability to correctly pronounce names of towns in Alabama, that she was not from here.  There were definite cultural differences.  Larson and Lockee (2014) describe culture as “distinguished by shared language/jargon, history, traditions, and values” (pg. 60).  One of the examples the presenter gave us was a poem where we were asked to identify the people in the poem.  The poem insinuated that the writer had lost a parent, and it was up to us to decide if the parent had passed away or if they had simply left the child—in fact, that was a large part of her discussion prompting.  Despite the Southern stereotype that we are predominately rural, we do teach in a rural county, and many of our students have come from this type of situation where either one or both of their parents have left or died.  As stated in the text, we typically view things using “cultural lenses” (Larson and Lockee, 2014, pg.60), and as the South is often referred to as “the Bible Belt”, most cultures identify Southerners as having strong core values and moral beliefs.  Several of us agreed that this poem would not be appropriate for our students, and we would most likely not use this example.  

            The next problem we had with the workshop was that she kept splitting us up—which we HATE!  I understand why presenters often split their audience into groups.  It’s the same reason why we use this tactic with our students.  We use engagement strategies in order to “involve learners with interactive activities” (Larson and Lockee, 2014, pg. 157).  For some reason this seems to be one our least favorite things about workshops.  When we come in and find a seat, that’s where we want to stay.  We do not mind presenters using strategies such as “Think, Pair, Share” or “Reciprocal Teaching”.  We like to share and discuss ideas within a group, but not necessarily move from our seat.  I think our resistance to movement comes from the amount of stuff we typically have with us—bulky teacher editions, supplemental books, bags, pens, pencils, notebooks.  During workshops, we like to have our stuff spread out where we can work, and we do not like having to move around because we either have to pack it all up and take it with us or, we have to leave it altogether for a period of time. 

Watch an example of "Think, Pair, Share" in the classroom.

            And last, but certainly not least, we did not receive the information we wanted to know.  Larson and Lockee (2014) discuss analyzing content in chapter 5, and one of the aspects of this process is to identify prerequisite knowledge and skills.  Since the program was already in our schools, we had prerequisite knowledge of the program.  The workshop was designed more for novices than for practitioners, as the training focused on the background of the program, rather than implementation.  Although, I was able to take away some additional strategies that I will work towards implementing in my instruction, I would still like to have more ideas on how to implement the program itself. 

            Even though we did not necessarily like the workshop, there were some useful aspects.  We were given an opportunity to share ideas with other teachers in our county about strategies that are working in our classrooms.  We found a topic we would like to learn more about. We were able to provide our Instructional Coaches with additional training topics for the upcoming school year.  In the end, even a “bad” workshop can have positive outcomes. 

References

Larson, M. and Lockee, B.B. (2014).  Streamlined id: A practical guide to instructional              design.  New York: Routledge.

What is Instructional Design?

          While reading the first chapter of the text, Streamlined ID: A Practical Guide to Instructional Design (Larson and Lockee, 2014), I repeatedly found myself asking the same question--“What is Instructional Design?”  I’m a math person, so I like to have concrete answers for things.  I wanted a specific definition for “instructional design”.  As I continued to read the chapters, I was able to develop a sense of what an Instructional Designer does.  The truth is, as educators, we are essentially all instructional designers.  We design lessons for instruction every day!  I just never thought of “Instructional Designer” as one of our “titles”.

            So, what is the difference between an Instructional Designer and a teacher—why IS there a separate title?  In the text Foundations of Instructional Design by Smith and Tillman (n.d.), the authors discuss that classroom teachers are given a set of standards to teach their students during a course.  For the most part, we develop our own plans based on these standards.  As educators, we are consistently looking for activities to keep our students actively engaged in the lesson.  As discussed in Streamlined ID, our classroom students can be described as “digital natives”, learners who have grown up using technology.  These learners use technology in some fashion in their daily lives, and are comfortable using it (Larson and Lockee, 2014).   So when the necessary mediums or materials may not be available for teachers to use, such as technology, systematic planning is necessary to implement instruction (Smith and Tillman, n.d.). 

           
            One former teacher turned Instructional Designer writes a blog called "For the Love of Teaching".  In one article, "Teaching vs. Instructional Design" (Kidder, 2011), she describes the differences in the titles "Instructional Designer" and "teacher".  She explains that most Instructional Designers do not consider themselves teachers, and vice-versa, because most of them work in the corporate setting rather than a classroom.  The author discusses his confusion of why teachers are “eliminated from the equation” in the area of Instructional Design, and how an Instructional Designer cannot see him/herself as a teacher.  

            Given this example, perhaps Instructional Designers could be more identified as trainers and professional development instructors.  As I read the text, Streamlined ID, I noticed that most of the text referred to working with, or training, adults.  The authors emphasize that the designs of presentations must be sustainable, optimized, appropriately redundant, right-sized, and continuously improving (Larson and Lockee, 2014, pg. viii).  I agree that these elements of instructional design are important. 

            Personally, I can understand how developing instructional lessons for adults can be challenging.  First of all, your students are your peers.  You don’t want to be “that boring workshop that was never ending!”  I’ve actually sat in a workshop and said the words, “This is like dying a slow death.”  There is the pressure of not wasting their time, and of relaying meaningful information.  Larson and Lockee (2014) also discuss that the “streamlined” approach should “meet the needs of ID novices and practitioners in a variety of work settings” (pg. viii).   The differences in experience could range from someone who has been teaching for 20+ years who can make adjustments and differentiations to instruction without batting an eye, but are also “digital immigrants”, to the person who has been teaching for 1-3 years who is a “digital native” and more likely to be able to adjust instruction towards a technological based lesson effortlessly. 

            So to answer the original question, "What is the difference between an Instructional Designer and a teacher?" we refer back to Smith and Tillman’s definitions of training and teaching.  Training most often refers to “those instructional experiences that are focused upon individuals acquiring very specific skills that they will normally apply almost immediately”, and teaching most often refers to “learning experiences that are facilitated by a human being” (n.d. pg. 3).  Personally, I tend to agree with Kidder, the author of “Teaching vs. Instructional Design” (2011).  I believe Instructional Designers and teachers can be one in the same because each definition of “training” and “teaching” require the act of learning.   

References
  

Kidder, L. (2011).  Teaching vs. instructional design. Retrieved from                       
       https://lkidder.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/teaching-vs-instructional-design/.

Larson, M. and Lockee, B.B. (2014).  Streamlined id: A practical guide to instructional              design.  New York: Routledge.

Smith, P. L. and Tillman, J. R. (n.d.).  Instructional design (2^nd edition).  New York:                   Wiley. Retrieved from 
            http://steinhardtapps.es.its.nyu.edu/create/courses/2174/reading/smith_ragan_1_2.pdf

**Image retrieved from Google Images 

            http://annalizavillanuevaportfolio.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/9/0/29908095/72694_orig.jpg