Fall+2010+Blog+Questions

Throughout the course you have been following (and hopefully participating in) a blog related to instructional design.
 * 1) Post your final thoughts about the blog that you are following to your discussion thread.
 * 2) Think about what questions you would have for a guest speaker, such as Cammy Bean.
 * 3) Post your top one or two questions to this wiki.
 * 4) Read your classmates' questions on the wiki.
 * 5) Reorganize the questions into the top six "best" questions, in your opinion.

Q&A from Dr. Doug Wagner

 * What are your favorite resources to draw knowledge/direction from, especially for those new to the ID field? **

This is one of several questions I might better address to the students than the other way around. As an individual whose instructional design training has occurred on the job and "on the side" while devoting the bulk of my time to workplace activities, I probably have greater need than many professional IDs not only to stay up on what's new in the field, but also to fill in gaps in my knowledge and skill set. Accordingly, I make sporadic efforts to review various online resources and also to consult with coworkers on the job and in the field and also attend live seminars, classes, and events. Toward this objective, I have what has become a massive "Favorites" folder on my browser but among those links to resource and organizational sites, I don't really have any actual favorites, and those that I consult most commonly (i.e., EDUCAUSE) are likely those best known by the students who have posed this question.


 * Do you find following specific learning theories and instructional models to be useful in designing learning, or are they mainly something you keep in mind without strictly adhering to them? And when it comes to learning theories, are you a purist or eclectic? And in either cases, what is/are the learning theory (theories) you subscribe to? **

Per the previous question, I should probably preface my response by reiterating that as one who came to instructional design from outside of the field (e.g., was employed as an instructional designer before receiving any sort of training in ID theory and method), my education in instructional and learning theory is spotty at best (although informed by a significant overlap with some theoretical work in my field of mass communication). Moreover, my efforts to enhance my knowledge in this area is ad hoc and workplace routine more often than not trumps the conscious application of theory. That said, I do believe it is a very good idea to integrate theoretical thinking into ones professional practice and the design of instruction and courses to provide a check on falling into a cookie-cutter approach (which happens all too easily in the workplace) and also to inspire a degree of innovation and creativity in ones work. For example, I noticed that a significant number of resources (textbooks, etc.) for instructional design curricula in the 1990s emphasize the importance of an ostensible move toward constructivism (which is in turn related to the learner-centric approach associated with concepts such as active learning). However the notion that learners should be the driving force behind the instructional experience is sometimes difficult to integrate with the current emphasis on backward design, performance based objectives and rubrics, and a general fetish with quantifiable outcomes. Specifically because of this tension between the practical imperatives associated with meeting narrowly-defined instructional requirements and attaining learning of a more profound sort, I think it's a good idea to maintain a creative application of theory in ones work, which requires a conscious effort (that I admit has been less than forthcoming in much of my professional life).


 * When you have disagreements with SMEs as to what instructional design process to follow, how do you handle or resolve these disagreements without upsetting the SME? **

On thinking about this question, I don't come up with anything resembling a concrete general response. Interestingly (and fortuitously), in almost 10 years of working (on and off) with subject matter experts my experience has been overwhelmingly positive with respect to SMEs' willingness to accept my contributions and recommendations when efficacious to do so, and also to attaining successful collaborations that draw on the best knowledge and skills from both/all parties involved. Of course there have been exceptions, and these have not always ended well. Two observations—both of which are to some extent obvious—come to mind in response to this question: First, one will have the greatest success in any collaborative effort by offering respect and a degree of deference to ones collaborator: Infer, acknowledge, and draw on the SME's strengths, which will imply its converse—you should offer and the team should accept your input in the areas in which you have something essential to contribute. When a SME has strong preferences or tendencies, try to accommodate them to whatever extent is optimal while at the same time offering your own input or (when applicable) directives. Second, when irreconcilable conflict occurs, make your position known (to coworkers and supervisors) and negotiate the best course of action possible.


 * Though a tenet of Adult Learning Theory is that adult learners are self-motivated to create knowledge through peer interaction, it seems that they still value direct, expressed expertise from an instructor. How do you best balance the two in an online learning environment? **

The balance described in this question lies at the very heart of instructional practice and the very concepts of instruction and education, and therefore the question (like most that have been posed today) does not lend itself to a simple and linear response. Balance in the classroom is brought about through dialog and discussion—a seemingly simple but actually incomprehensibly complex communication process that simply cannot be replicated in an online environment. That said, the solution to facilitating self-learning and creative responses to instructional materials among students while maintaining the level of guidance from the instructor necessary to keep students oriented, confident that the trajectory of their learning will bring about desired outcomes, and on a trajectory that maximizes the likelihood of meeting learning objectives lies in: Designing and implementing such forums and venues for communication among students and between students and instructors as is optimal This balance is the key to the very notion of instruction and the core of any educational experience. (This may included written and spoken communication), and Leveraging the strengths of written communication, which can provide advantages that to some degree compensate for and in some ways exceed the benefits of classroom dialog. For example, the 30-some percent (a number that I just made up, but let's use for the moment) of students who tend not to participate in a classroom venue can be drawn out by requiring and encouraging participation in written discussion activities. Additionally, instructors can be encouraged to provide written responses to students' written work that is more extensive than they might provide for students in a classroom situation. Written communication (both writing and reading) is precise and explicitly multifaceted in a way spoken language often is not, and thus can be leveraged in the online environment in a way that provides depth and accountability. The possibilities and limitations associated with instruction and learning in the online environment have yet to be fully determined and realized, which has rendered not only the field of online learning but also learning more broadly more dynamic and subject to innovation than has been the case for several generations. At the same time, the limits and boundaries associated with learning in the online environment should be considered and confronted. As an online instructor and designer for more than a decade, I continue to have doubts and concerns concerning the efficacy of wholly online programs.


 * How do you find the time to stay up-to-date with new technologies? **

For starters, see my response to question # 1 above. With respect to technology per se, the overwhelming main portion of my learning and training has been in the workplace, where I generally work with a number of individuals with high levels of technical training, experience, and ability. As the embodiment of a learning style that is very much reading-driven and visual, I also try (with varying levels of success) to keep up on reading online about technology in the field or fields in which I work. Within the organizational context in which most instructional designers will work, one can act toward establishing some formal process of technology practice and planning. For example, in my current workplace I co-chair a committee enjoined to leverage and maintain the institution's information technological capabilities and to document the institution's planning and implementation of technical systems. Part of what we do involves assigning various individuals to research topics of substantive interest, report back to the committee, and archive resources where they will be accessible to the committee and institution. Disclaimer: as is often the case with these sorts of efforts, our achievements chronically fall well short of our objectives as the day-to-day imperatives of the workplace trump efforts toward medium-to-long-term planning and action. Nonetheless, we are doing better than other similar efforts in the past to stay abreast of the technical learning curve and bring rationality and information to technical decision-making.

**Do you agree with the following statement? An instructional design plan’s effectiveness depends in large part to the effectiveness of the course instructor/facilitator. If so, how can we help course instructors/facilitators to become more effective?**

Yes, of course, although the phrase "depends in large part" leaves a lot of leeway re., the degree to which the author and designer of a course can determine elements of the learning environment. In my work for fully-online degree programs (including my current position and one previous), the author-designer team play a huge role in determining and constraining the activities of instructors and learners by specifying the structure and content of instruction, the forms and formats of assessment and activity, Therefore it becomes incumbent on authors-designers to account for the actions of the instructors/facilitators, constraining their activities when necessary (to ensure that learning objectives are attained and assessed) while at the same time Think of instructors/facilitators as partners in a holistic design and instruction process, consult with them when possible, include in the design process adequate allowance for instructors to bring their knowledge and instructional preferences to bear on the process, and provide explicit instruction and communication to them by way of an instructor guide that communicates both the preferred trajectory of learning implied by the design of instruction as well as the venues left open for creative use by the instructor.

__Questions for the Guest Speaker__
 * 1) What are your favorite resources to draw knowledge/direction from, especially for those new to the ID field?
 * 2) Do you find following specific learning theories and instructional models to be useful in designing learning, or are they mainly something you keep in mind without strictly adhering to them? And when it comes to learning theories, are you a purist or eclectic? And in either cases, what is/are the learning theory (theories) you subscribe to?
 * 3) When you have disagreements with SMEs as to what instructional design process to follow, how do you handle or resolve these disagreements without upsetting the SME?
 * 4) Though a tenet of Adult Learning Theory is that adult learners are self-motivated to create knowledge through peer interaction, it seems that they still value direct, expressed expertise from an instructor. How do you best balance the two in an online learning environment?
 * 5) How do you find the time to stay up-to-date with new technologies?
 * 6) Do you agree with the following statement? An instructional design plan’s effectiveness depends in large part to the effectiveness of the course instructor/facilitator. If so, how can we help course instructors/facilitators to become more effective?

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 * Defelice and Kapp (2009) survey of industry peers found the time to develop one hour of training had decreased from 2003 it still took significantly longer to develop e-Learning (73-365 hours) than stand-up training (43-185 hours). Do you agree with this data; why or why not? http://www.astd.org/LC/2009/0809_kapp.htm
 * Is one likely to have the best opportunity for a better career by focusing on learning theory or mastering the technology that’s in demand?
 * Do you agree with the following statement? An instructional design plan’s effectiveness depends in large part to the effectiveness of the course instructor/facilitator. If so, how can we help course instructors/facilitators to become more effective?
 *  How does one break into management if one is a consultant going from contract to contract in non-managerial roles?
 * Where do you go for new fresh ideas?
 * Though a tenet of Adult Learning Theory is that adult learners are self motivated to create knowledge through peer interaction, it seems that they still value direct, expressed expertise (perhaps over coaching or encouragement) from an instructor. How best can you balance knowledge from an (subject) expert with knowledge creation (from a text or peers) in an online learning environment?
 * What are some of the ways that you have incorporated various types of media into curriculum design?
 * Do you feel that there is one learning theory (and if so, which one) that can be easily adapted to most instructional design situations, or do you think that the choice of learning theory is completely situation-dependent?
 * Is keeping current with new technology a job requirement for an instructional designer, and if so, how do you find time to stay up to date with new technologies so you can best incorporate them into your design projects?
 * Do you find following specific learning theories and instructional models to be useful in designing learning, or are they just something you keep in mind without really adhering religiously to them?
 * What are your favorite resources to draw knowledge/direction from?
 * Are there some resources that may be more beneficial for people new to the ID process and what would they be?
 * What do you foresee as the future of online learning for secondary education?
 * What are some affordable instructional design products?
 * In your blog you mention the idea of using content management systems as a change process within an organization. Could you explain how this works?
 * One of the Kineo's top tips referred to using a concept from advertising (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) in the design of our e-Learning. What about assessment and measuring learning outcomes ... is there something we can learn from the way marketers measure consumer behavior to determine the effectiveness of advertising, so that we can better measure the effectiveness of the courses we are developing?
 * Can you recommend any resources for learning about design principles and development tools related to instructional design for mobile phones/devices?
 * What are some of the factors which affect the choice of a learning theory? What should an ID take into consideration while choosing one?
 * There are so many learning theories, ID theories, and associated ID methods that it is rather confusing for a new instructional designer. What advice would you give to help sort through them to figure out which ones to use?
 * How do you motivate SMEs to be actively involved in course development?
 * How can instructional design be used in a social learning environment?
 * What is more fulfilling to you, writing a blog or reading one?
 * What do you think is the hardest thing about being an ID?
 * When it comes to learning theories, are you a purist or eclectic? And in either cases, what is/are the learning theory (theories) you subscribe to?
 * What is your educational background, and do you think the more formal education the better the ID?
 * Do you think that it is better to learn adult learning theories on the job as you go, or in a classroom before hand?
 * Where do you go to learn more about your field? What are some of the best resources?
 * You mention working with SMEs. How do you suggest planning your design for situations when you are your own SME?
 * When designing a course, do you find it more effective to create it specifically for one group, or more generic to be incorporated into a number of different settings? What are the benefits or downfalls of either choice?
 * What do you think is the #1 error committed by most instructional designers and what would you recommend they do to avoid it?
 * When creating eLearning what strategy(ies) do you employ to take the place of activities and interaction that are a part of live training?
 * If you are an employer looking for an Instructional Designer, would you go for someone with no previous experience in the field, but with sufficient experience in related fields?