Reflection – Catalyst

educational technology, Emerging Technologies, Reflection

Reflection 8/11/18

May 29, 2019August 9, 2022 sksj13gmailcom

Definition: Educational technology is the study and application of tools and processes that make teaching and learning more accessible, efficient, engaging, and effective.

My goal going forward as an educational technologist is to respond to emergence with anticipation, curiosity, and intentionality but at the same time proceeding with caution. I can’t say that I’ve always done that. As a lab manager and as a teacher, I tended to respond to emergence wholeheartedly. At the time, I was only making decisions for my classroom and students. Some decisions that I made were based on research, promises, hearsay, and what looked interesting. The way I responded to emergence changed some when I became an instructional coach, and again when I became an instructional designer.

In both of these positions, I have had the opportunity to influence more practitioners and decision-makers. As a coach, I tried to influence our administration to purchase a certain interim assessment program. It was pretty expensive, and ultimately they decided against it. It was kind of stressful pushing for something that expensive and that probably not everyone would like. It was the type of product they were looking for, but they just weren’t able to make the commitment. In a way, I was kind of relieved that they didn’t purchase it.

In my role as an instructional designer, I’ve asked for several changes. I made the request to open Blackboard Profiles, so students and faculty could put in profiles and photos for the discussion board, and to make it feel a little warmer and help with building community. I was a little concerned that students would upload inappropriate photos – since that was the reason for not turning in on before, and that I was the one asked for it. However, there’s been no problem. Another example a new lecture capture and streaming service software. It’s been adopted, and we’re just finishing moving all of our stored video to it. It made me a little nervous, wondering how it would work and if people would like it, and if we’d still be pleased with the decision down the road. That one has turned out well too.

With each of these examples, during the process it became more apparent to me that this isn’t a challenge to see if I can get my way or to sell an idea. It’s a big responsibility that must be taken seriously. There are repercussions for poor decision-making. Over the past few weeks of study, this has become even clearer to me. Educational technology decisions can’t be based on emotion. There is research to be examined and costs to be considered for the entire organization. Then once a decision has been made to utilize a new tool or process, there are strategies to consider for diffusing the innovation and for developing training. That is part of my response to emergence as well.

In addition, I’ve learned that I have a responsibility to the field of educational technology to help to dispel myths and promote research-based strategies. Just because something is said to be research-based isn’t enough. Research should be critically analyzed before basing a decision on it. In conducting research, there is a responsibility as well – to do it judiciously, not just doing what’s easy or doing things halfway. Research should be conducted with excellence to continue improving educational technology and teaching and learning.

It’s been a challenging couple of months. I’ve learned a lot and was able to push myself to accomplish more than I thought I could. I’m very grateful for the opportunity, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming challenges.

Flexible Learning Spaces, Reflection

Reflection 7/29/18

May 29, 2019August 9, 2022 sksj13gmailcom

I attended a Learning Spaces webinar that provided a tour of Penn State’s Learning Spaces. It was so interesting and something our office has been discussing. I began researching Flexible Learning Spaces, since it is a project our office is planning on proposing later this month. I think we may even have 4 – 55’’ monitors available as a donation to the project.

I found quite a few resources – videos, websites, articles, and books – that I’ve compiled and shared with our office. I feel like I was a little in the weeds with the project, because I saw where the resources could include those that are reputable, but not peer-reviewed articles. Those happened to be my favorites for this project. It would have been better to have had several stronger resources in addition to the ones I used.

Traveling to Blackboard World while working on the project was challenging too. I brought my Mac Air on the trip, so that is what I used for making my video and training outline. It was challenging to just use one little screen when I’m used to working with two or three larger ones. Next time I would include more scholarly resources, which would make the overall project easier, and hopefully not be traveling. This project very well may have an impact right down the hall from me. It’s exciting to me, because it may become a reality very soon.

Reflection, Worldview

Reflection 7/15/18

May 29, 2019August 9, 2022 sksj13gmailcom

This reflection will be somewhat inconclusive, because I haven’t fully processed the ideas behind ontology and epistemology. Philosophy is one course that I didn’t take in my undergrad coursework. Though I’ve given it some thought this week, and I took some time to look at other resources on the topic, at this point I can’t say with certainty that there’s a camp to which I fully subscribe between the realistic, naturalistic or advocacy/participatory. If one is considered eclectic, that would probably be where I fall. I feel that I get my knowledge in a number of ways, not just one way. Perhaps as I share my thoughts, my worldview will become more apparent.

Since we’re talking about worldview, assumptions, bias, etc., I must mention that I’ve been a Christian for 36 years as that most likely affects my worldview. Some might say that that makes me closed-minded. I disagree. I consider myself to be flexible in my thinking and can see things from a variety of perspectives. I’m also kind, thoughtful, and I don’t push my views on others.

Many times I have difficulty finding absolutes that lead me to argue for one side or another in a situation. I can usually see multiple sides and see benefits to the multiple sides. In those cases, I eat the hay, leave the sticks, live in peace, and enjoy the benefits. For example, take lecture and active learning – I can see benefits to both. Some want to throw out lecture totally. I can’t say that is the way to go, because many times for me it is a preferred way of learning. I love to hear from an expert on a topic. Blending the two makes more sense to me, or selecting the best method for the right situation.

As far as my thoughts on research and educational technology, I don’t believe in using technology for technology’s sake. I believe technology is beneficial when it provides new opportunities, effectiveness, or efficiency. With regard to research, I think I tend to be more interpretive. One case study example that I read recently and was especially interesting to me used an iterative process of problem-solving throughout the weeks of the study. Research that seems to appeal to me are case studies, action research, interviews, observations, and surveys.

Though not definitive, those are my thoughts on the topic at the moment. Perhaps it paints somewhat of a picture for someone more knowledgeable on this topic. For me, it is a starting place for exploring these ideas further.

Emerging Technologies, Reflection

Reflection 7/1/18

May 29, 2019August 9, 2022 sksj13gmailcom

As the week began, I started getting familiar with the course. As an instructional designer, I enjoy studying the design of a course as well as the content. I was also pondering which emerging trends I wanted to learn more about and to share. As I usually want to utilize my coursework at work, I asked the senior designer if she had any ideas. She mentioned the tele-presence robots that we’d seen during a webinar called Learning Spaces. I was thinking about choosing flexible learning spaces, adaptive learning, G Suite for higher education, or maybe light board video creation, since we are revamping our light board studio to operate like a One-Button Studio.

Throughout the week I read about the Diffusion of Innovation (DoI). It wasn’t my first time to hear of DoI or see it in action, but I definitely learned more about it and how to apply it. The information I learned will make a difference in how I approach and communicate change in my work going forward.

Since I still hadn’t decided on my emerging trends, I read the list of emerging trends and also the 2017 Horizon report for higher education. I had read one of the K-12 editions in my first Master of Educational Technology course back in 2013. I also remember reading a higher education edition in 2015. As I was reading through the table of contents, I was excited that in a sense I had predicted many of the topics listed there.

After reading the sections on the topics that interested me most, I narrowed it down to flexible learning spaces(including tele-presence or distance learning technologies)and next generation Learning Management System(LMS) or digital learning environment. I searched for and read a number of resources on these topics, and I found it interesting that I had difficulty finding peer reviewed articles on next generation LMS. Perhaps it’s too new. I found several articles from Educause, Campus Technology, and similar resources though.

During our office’s recent strategic planning meeting, we discussed the possibility of designing and implementing model learning spaces in the classrooms by our offices. Ones that were flexible and could accommodate blended synchronous sessions, since a couple programs at the University are offering courses using that learning environment now.

As an instructional designer who uses Blackboard, who has tried Rezzly, built a course in Google Sites and in Adobe Captivate, and participated in a course using mainly social media, I’m very interested in what the next generation LMS might be like.