New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology

Distributed Learning Resources

1.      Academic distributed learning - Texas A&M University - Commerce

2.      Hybrid classes - Glendale Community College Hybrid English Class

3.      Virtual classes - Texas Virtual Academy at Southwest

4.      Corporate distributed learning - McKesson Empowering Healthcare

5.       Distributed resource support – Project Share

Reusability

I can think of a couple of courses that I have had with poor reusability characteristics.  The one that stands out the most was one course I felt needed to be revamped from the first day of class.  There were so many different sections that the reader often left the reader confused with where they had left off.  I recall having to read over it several times or highlight sections I had covered, to prevent the chance of me overlooking something.  Everything was written in lengthy instructions and no other delivery method or format was used, which would have been ideal for students with different learning styles. 

Every week there were numerous assignments to be completed, which made the course pretty intensive and after taking the course earlier this year, I only remember a couple of the things from the class.  At times I felt the assignments made little, to no connection, with the overall course or textbook.  Eventually, I felt like I was just going thru the motions of trying to complete the work and retaining little to nothing at all.  After completing all that work, one would think it provided some really good resources for future use but that was not necessarily the case.  Overall, there were only a few things that seemed relevant for future use and the others could have been done without but like I said I don’t recall them now.  As a student, I want to be able to refer back to things I have learned and be able to use them later in my profession.

The class would have been better if the course content had been structured differently to accommodate all learners.  The information could have been presented differently, such as using animation, audio or video clips to relate the requirements of the assignments to help reduce or eliminate errors from overlooking something.  Another idea would be to combine some of the chapters to create several small assignments that also related to the textbook.  In the end, these smaller assignments could have been combined to produce a final project which tied everything together nicely.  This would have left the student with a valuable resource that they could and use or refer back to at a later date.

Rich Media

Surface and Functional features

While reading this chapter, all I could think about was, this is very true.  If I had not seen it for myself, I would probably be a little skeptical and think that animations or videos were better but not necessarily.  I recall a conversation I had with my oldest son who loves building things with K’NEX.  The instructions are all illustrations of how to assemble the pieces to create the final version of the product.  I remember looking at the instructions one day and asking him, how do you even understand this, there aren’t any words, only pictures?  Well he understood better than I did and was able to successfully finish what he was building. 

The surface features for this would be illustrations of the pieces and the functional features would be the way the illustrations are depicted, showing the user how to connect all the pieces to create the final version of the product.  The end result is an effective instruction manual that is able to relate with only illustrations, how to build the design inside providing an opportunity for its users to learn and be creative. 

KNEX Illustration Example
Images from www.knex.com

Nanotechnology

I am sure nanotechnology will have many uses because it seems the possibilities are endless.  In terms of how it could be used to improve a specific job or task, I think it will probably be more beneficial in the medical field.  I think of things like having immediate access to someone’s medical record information that could be stored on an encrypted chip inside their body or finding ways to help patients who are immobile.  The thought of it being used to open doors and having a computer to speak to you, made me think how incredible something like this would be for a young student or anyone in general, who is in a wheel chair, no longer having to struggle to open doors that are not easily accessible.  I am curious if this technology will potentially be used for people who may need, a life saving operation, treatment for an incurable disease such as cancer, or prosthetic limbs (creating a way for them to either keep their own or create ones that are similar to theirs).  Like I said, the possibilities are endless and I could go on and on, but it truly is amazing to think how far we have come in terms of technology. 

Direction of the field

Broad and Inclusive

While I was glad to see that both roads overlap in some areas, I feel I identify more with the broad and inclusive road.  I do agree with a few of the points on the strait and narrow road but it just seems so closed off and I can relate more to expanding the field to allow ideas and input from a range of professionals, especially in an area that is rapidly changing like technology.  In the long run I welcome change and feel this way of thinking keeps the field fresh and allows for continuous growth.  I believe there will always be some who will desire to stay focused on the narrow IDT road only, and their thoughts and expertise will also be needed.