Final

Time flies.

When I sit in the class enjoying all the presentations, I actually didn't have an appetite to eat. It made me feel relieved but sad.

Each of them is just so creative and beyond my imagination. From food to hospital to entertainment to work-oriented to good manners. It's the harvest time for everybody!

I especially want to thank Dr. Monson, and my cheer leaders, Sarah and Adam. Their helps, supports and encouragements, enable me to be involved in the learning more easily. I do appreciate it a lot! I won't forgot the three in-class presentations we had, and how they were standing behind me.

It's a great pleasure to spend the first semester with everybody in this class! But due to some personal issue, I may probably not continue my study for a while. I felt sad in Thur's class cause that's the last time for me to meet you all. I'll cherish this precious moment in my life and hope everything goes well on each of you!

Giving the students too much control over the learning experience.

One criticism related to the student experience and integration of computers that was listed was: Giving the students too much control over the learning experience.

1- Do you believe that computers are capable of this?
2- Is it possible to give students too much control over their learning experience?

Yes, I believe so.

Though computers - the hardware - is only a kind of media, it does offers tons of opportunities to the users/students, especially surfing on-line through computers.

Before the students are exposed to such a huge amount of information, they must have the ability of "self-control", "self-regulation" or "self-discipline". You know what you are doing and what you want from the internet, as well as what you should not do and "learn" from it. However, not every student, especially for little kids, have this kind of abilities. And I believe that it's not a good idea or proper way for them to use computer to surf on-line as a learning experience. There are just too many things the teachers can not control, and giving too much choices is not a good idea for small kids.

But, what age is good to handle these choices and control themselves? There is no exact answer as well. Otherwise there won't be "bad guys" in the world. There is no absolute "method" to "control" the thoughts of a human-being. So, the key point is that the "inner-control" plays the most important role EVERYWHERE.

I think more education or teaching on "self-control" and the righteous values may improve or at least make up for this gap. In addition, this is the most efficient and powerful way.

What went wrong?

A very good bad design example I face EVERY DAY is my flash disc.

I have 2 or 3 flash discs. The trouble-maker is the oldest one I bought several years ago. Back to the time when flash discs are still expensive in the market, my friend gave this 256MB flash disc as a present. I was so excited to have a cute one like that. It has a fancy shape with a round end, and in the center of the round end, there is a flash light to show you it's working when you plug it in your computer. Well, this is where the problem is.

Most of the hi-tech products, like video camera, digital camera, palm, microphone, my mouse are required to use the USB ports. My laptop has 4 USB 2.0 Ports. But because of the fancy shape, I can only use 2 of them when using this flash disc. The shell of it is either too thick to plug another product in under or above it, or too wide to use another port on its left or right. I have to unplug other 2 ports next to it to use it, leaving only the mouse plugged. Or if sometimes I need one more thing to use the port, like if I'm printing something or on a video conference, I have to unplug my mouse as well to use that flash disc. That annoys me a lot!

So, finally, I retired it before I got mad, and bought another 4GB flash disc. It's nothing fancy, just the regular shape, and slim. Since it's a gift from my best friend, I'm not gonna throw it or give it to other people, I just save it in one of my drawer and have the big-butt beauty sleep for a looooong time.

The Great Debate : Media v.s. Method

does media really influence learning?

Generally speaking, everything influences learning, good or bad. The living environment, learners' emotions, characteristics, personalities, family structures, cultures, and even your mom or the orange juice you just had influences your learning. So does media. Absolutely.

However, if talking about "is media an essential component cannot be substituted in learning to cause a better learning outcome?", I'll take it a no. I'm a supporter of Clark, and I'm happy to be assigned to defend for him.


 personal experiences

1. Instead of learning by using the computer, students are working on the program or system, not really the content.

2. I may happen to try something using media, but when I figure it out how the system or program is like, I lost interest of using it to learn as well, which indicates that media could be a stimulus or motivation to encourage learning to happen, but it doesn't really change one's own mind or attitude "whether I want to learn".

Learning happens everywhere and anywhere, part of it is based on personal interests (a history/mathematic fan), some part of it is because the learners are required to do so (to pass an exam to enter a good university and find a good job to earn more money to buy a bigger house to live in and to save more money when you get old......).

I would say, it doesn't matter using which media when learning occurs out of your own wish. You like reading? Printed papers, limited classical hardcover edition, on-line text, stored in your palm, an audio CD, etc, etc, you name it, whichever media really doesn't matter, you just want to READ.

For the same reason, when learning occurs because of the outer drive, media doesn't influence a lot as well. Suppose you are going to take the GRE test, options in front of you are official instructional textbook, CD, instructional video,on-line learning, distance instruction classes, no matter how fancy the format is, you have to memorize those 20,000 words and do some or a lot of practices to get an ideal score. It's boring and tiring and time-consuming to reach the goal, but you are required to do so, no matter you like it or not.

Computer is just to help you to increase your interest on continuous learning.

I may like to put method as the essence and media as appearance.

Question 6: Do we lost something equally important?

Author: Catherine Cooper

Date: October 7, 2009 9:18 PM

Like a lot of you, I am also taking the Learning Theories class along with this class. This week's reading on motivational learning was really interesting to me. I think perhaps that some teachers may be so excited or feel so pressured to use the latest and greatest technologies that they overlook what they have to personally offer their students. Teachers can be great mentors to students as they share with them their life experiences and select engaging learning activities that help them find life application to what they are being taught. I think just having a verbal discussion with students can be very meaningful for them and technology might just get in the way. 

Cathy,

I like your word "mentor" when your refer to teachers. I also agree with your last sentence that "just having a verbal discussion with students can be very meaningful for them and technology might just get in the way."

Sometimes, technology distracts students' attention from what they are supposed to learn.

Your comment reminds me a classical example in Chinese culture. There was a very famous enlightened rabbi called Hui Neng in ancient China. One day, a Buddhist nun holding a Buddhism scripture wants to consult him. Hui Neng told her: "I can not read the characters. If you can read the scripture for me, I'll interpret it to you." The Buddhist nun was so surprised and asked: "You do not know a word. How can you interpret the profound Buddhist scripture?!" Hui Neng then raised an example for her. He said: "I'm now using my finger to show you the moon. But, if you can see the moon by yourself, you don't need my finger to point it to you at all."

I love this story. It's very meaningful and interesting. However, a large amount of people are doing lots of researches on the little "finger", its shape, color, dimensions, weight, structure, etc.. But they forget the moon.

I think this little story is a suitable example to your comment, too. The meaning of the existence of technology is to serve and assist teaching, however, when teaching and instruction can be done by the simplest way, "technology might just get in the way".

 

Q: Do we lost something equally important?

Q: Do we lost something equally important?

The situation is that the whole world is rushing to apply the cutting-edge technological inventions in education industry; in the meantime, however, do we lost anything equally important in education when we got what we expected from technology? (e.g. creativity, personality, characteristics, moral values, etc.)

Compare the differences between nowadays students and your or your parents' generation's experiences, and give examples to support your idea.

Also, share your ideas on how you would like or have already done to cover the "gap(s)" or "loophole(s)" to help students' life-span developments, and be valuable for both the individual him/herself and our society.

Yes. Today's generation is so different. It seems like they are born to master the hi-tech skills.

However, I'm keep thinking that why we want everything "natural" but education. We hope to eat organically, to dress organically, and to live naturally. But when talking about education, people prefer technology to be involved as mush as it can, rather than "educate naturally".
I played with sand, rocks and water when I was a small kid. I used them to build tunnels, small hills, houses, military base, etc. How about today's kids? They do the similar things by clicks through a program on a computer. When we were running and chasing each others and playing games, today's kids are sitting in front of the computers playing computer games or watching "educational TV programs".
I'm not saying to get rid of the technology part from education which is not practical as well, nevertheless, I do feel pity for them sometimes. What a childhood memory it will be? A childhood without childishness.

Question 5: More technology, more problems?

On page 7 of the article, the author states, "The application of technological solutions to one problem may create other problems which may be more serious than the original problem."

What are some examples of this "negative cost-benefit ratio" that you see in education and instruction today?

Corollary: Does the need to transform our schools into 21st-century institutions outweigh other concerns?

When I read this statement, I was comparing this technology issue to my personal experiences on language learning.

Technology does solve many problems in every aspect of our human lives and SOMETIMES makes things easier and more convenient for us. However, the conditional requirement is that you are equipped with that knowledge or skill. If not, it can only make things harder and more complicated.

It acts as a bottle neck, filtering those capable, smart and gifted people who cannot (properly) use it out. Just like the language barrier. If you want to study abroad, especially in a country that speaks another language, you have to learn that language first and learn it very well to be qualified to enter an institution or school. Even you are outstanding in your professional field, but it's only because either you don't have time to learn another language or you are really bad at language learning, there is no way for that person to get the chance.

Same thing in this technology situation. When technology becomes to dominate our society everywhere, including education and instruction, and the teacher and instructor have to master the skills or they are required to use the technology in their teaching, it really blocks those qualified teachers who can not use it.

Technology capability is only one of the thousands abilities of a human living being, it's NOT all. In addition, it's not the key instruction problem in learning process. Does it mean that if schools are equipped with the best technology products, their students would be the best AS A RESULT? If your answer is no, so where do you like to place those experienced teachers/instructors who do not know or are not good at using technology products? They may be filtered out by an irrelevant criterion required by today's society.

Bad Day

I finished next week's reading just now, and I'm sooo frustrated.

I feel like I already understand those theories, concepts, principles... but not until the "Practice" part jumped out. 90% of my reflections on those questions were not the same/similar as the "Feedback" part. Only the completing a cluster analysis for verbal information on "Parts of the body", I guess I'm on the right track. But still missing some parts of "my" body, and some of them I can not name in English. I was expecting the next question would be easier and I could work it out, which ended with losing my confidence and temper at last.

On the bright side, I'd say I'm an expert and too smart to break those tasks into small steps. ~~>_<~~

Bad day, Good night.

Claire's ID Model

Yes! That's the way I want to describe my Model of ID.

Basically, each of the Circle has A.D.D.I.E five phases as well, but the whole design is like a rolling wheel, it's moving! Moving forward towards the perfect endless end. Why is it endless? Because things are changing, and the needs/demands from the learners are changing, too. Thus, as time passes, IDers need to revise the design again and again and agin... forever to meet the learners' needs.

However, you noticed that the circles become smaller and smaller? That indicates that the design is getting closer and closer to the perfect state, and is being revised less and less than the very first begining.

The straight line going thru the circles represents EVALUATION. It starts from the first point where Analysis happens, and ends at the last point where Implementation finishes. (But, of course, it's still moving. )

Excuse my poor drawing skills, I draw a pretty picture using my thoughts in my head, but when being transferred to this dimension by using my mouse, it's totaly another story then. //BANG

ed ps 6430 understanding by design

I just copy & paste what I post for discussion for future reference.

ed ps 6430 understanding by design

Q #1
In the current climate of cutbacks and budget shortages, it is feasible that educators will take time to use the UbD strategies? If they are inclined to try, would they be able to use this with every lesson plan? with a single unit? once a quarter?

Also, how does the process of backwards design compare and contrast with "teaching to the test?"

This is a good question. Since I'm kinda short of teaching experience compared with other classmates, personally speaking, I don't think it's feasible for the educators to apply UbD strategies all the time. Just like Matt mentioned about the "time constraints for lesson preparation" and keep students "on track". Especially, if you teach math, chemistry, a second language, etc. Most of the course content is knowledge level that needs the student to memorize hardly, no matter you are interested in them or not... "Teaching to Test" does not sound pretty, it's the fact sometimes. But it never hurts to give it a try once in a while or as many as needed.

I like the UbD Strategy. It looks systematic and thorough. It gives educators a very good reference or frame when they start to prepare lessons. However, I keep thinking that if all teachers use this strategy in their teachings, and every step is "programmed" to reach its final result, would students still be able to learn something outside the classroom?

"but, in the absence of a learning plan with clear goals, how likely is it that students will develop shared understandings on which future lessons might build? not very."  ----quoted from UbD

In today's class, we talked about Audio. I just got one more thought about the advantage of Audio. It helps to expand the students' ability to imagine, too. For instance, when you are listening to a speech, I believe there are not just sound waves haunting in your brain, you also try to imagine the scene simultaneously. The speaker's facial expression, body guestures, etc. If there are audience listening to the speech, are they throwing bottles to the speaker or keeping nodding their heads. Or, imagine what's in your head when you are listening "The Carnival of the Animals" by Camille Saint-Saens.

From this point, I'm thinking maybe I should generalize it to other formats as well, such as Text (think about when you are reading a novel, those characters are live people in you head, rather than the plain names "James" or "Rachel"), Video, Visual products, etc.

My point is when using all of these technology products/tools, we also should pay some attention to the skills and abilities unobservable or difficult to evaluate. It's kinda against the rule of instruction, it's good for the development of students though.

Computer v.s. School

What does education stand for? How can we implement technology in education as a more effective and efficient method? Is technology the only or best method in education industry? Can computer replace traditional classroom? There are lots and lots of more topics to be disscussed when education meets technology nowadays.

During the 2nd week's class, Dr. Monson quoted from MIT professor Seymour Papert said in 1984,

There won’t be schools in the future… I think that the computer will blow up the school. That is, the school defined as something where there are classes, teachers running exams, people structured in groups by age, following curriculum-all of that. The whole system is based on a set of structural concepts that are incompatible with the presence of the computer…but this will happen only in communities of children who have access to computers on a sufficient scale.

I will take a no on this qutoe.

As we all have to admit it that computer does a good job as an effective and attractive tool on transfering knowledge from teachers to students. It's just a tool, a dead machine, one of the thousands of methods to acquire knowledge. It must be programmed, and computers can only follow the preinstalled programmed "orders".

Let's go back to the function of school. It's not only a place for students to learn existing knowledge, but also a place to learn how to communicate with other people, how to cooperate with your partners, how to response when something unexpected happens, and how to deal all of the interpersonal affairs. And more importantly, it's definitely a good place to learn and understand what loving, giving, forgiving are, how you can contribute to the public, either for the honor of your class or the fame of your school, etc..

All of these mentioned above can not be acquired from a computer. Whichever format the educator present them to you, by video or multimedia or whatever, you must experience them in person to learn.

In traditional Chinese culture, teachers play an very important role in a person's life. Besides teaching the student knowledge, they are also being treated as models with good manners, ability to control themselves, cultivating one's moral character and perfecting one's moral ingrity, etc. Especially in small kids eyes, teachers means authorities. In ancient China, people treat their teachers as fathers, and people believed that parents gave them the physical bodies, while teachers enriched their souls/spirits to become a complete person. Thus, people evaluate a good teacher not only by his/her knowledge level, but also by his/her virtue.

Does a computer can do this job, too? And, how about if you encounter a blackout? Aha, you know my answer, don't you?

test

"DESIGN", hmm, it does sounds like a big word.

God designed human beings, our bodies, cultures, languages, living environments, etc.. Walt Disney designed Micky Mouse, somebody designed the desk lamp I'm using, and I just designed my tasty dinner several hours ago which was veggie+tofu+chicken+mixed rice.

I would say that everybody is a designer in a broad sense. However, I'd better not lead the reader too far away from our topic "Instructional Design & Educational Technology", the program I enrolled from this Fall semester.