http://sites.google.com/site/web20toolsinc/

Please feel free to leave me comments, feedback, etc. I’m always looking for any input so that I can improve on my work. Thanks and Enjoy!

“Today, the fact that technology pervades almost every sphere of life…results in profound implications for learning, both in schools and throughout life.” (p.5) This quote from the framework supports the notion that there is no way to avoid the use of technology. It surrounds us in everything we do. By ignoring it, we are ignoring societal changes around us, and will only damper growth among our students for the future. The framework also quoted figures and percentages to show that employers do not feel recent graduates were trained with the necessary skills to succeed in the workplace. Although the figures are a good example to show that methodology and pedagogy may need to be changed in the school system, educators have begun implementing changes that will take time to make a lasting effective. Results will not occur immediately. I believe that policy reform changes should have been implemented down to the school level earlier because at this point it seems that the education system is attempting to play catch up with societal changes.

My teaching philosophy follows closely with Dewey’s. As the article notes, Dewey “advocated learning, by doing, and a curriculum that involved the mind, hands, and heart.” (p.3) My guiding beliefs are grounded in this viewpoint. My teaching strategies involve active learning and engagement through simulations and technology-based learning. When students experience and interact with lessons and instructional activities, they are more likely to retain the information. This also follows the infamous Chinese proverb that follows the guideline, “I do, I remember.” In addition, via interaction, students are able to use their skills and knowledge learned and apply them to a real-world context. The article brings up an interesting point regarding whether the focus of education should be on core content areas or real-world skills (in which the Partnership believes that 21^st century education should focus on). This seems to be a constant struggle among educators and administrators. How should we approach education with our students? It seems we are being pulled in two opposing directions due to accountability and what I consider, “true teaching”. The question that I pose is: why can’t we concentrate on a combination of both? Interdisciplinary planning and collaborating subjects allows for the transfer of skills across content area and therefore, reinforcing those skills. Simply teaching our students is not enough, we need to teach them “how” and not simply “what”. By teaching how, we equip our students with the skills they are able to transfer into areas and real-world experiences. How are we teachers preparing the proper skills? The problem is the huge gap between digital native and immigrant. Because teachers do not necessarily have the skills we desire our future citizens to have, how do we expect our students to receive the same skills without proper instruction of how to use them? We focus on students but we need to redirect our attention to ensure that every teacher possesses the proper skills in order to help prepare our students.  Learning about technology-rich curricula will only further assist in helping educators in thinking of ways we can help students use technology for critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills by designing lesson plan rich in technology tools.

Partnership for 21^st Century Skills (2007c). The intellectual and policy foundations of the 21^st Century Skills Framework. http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/images/stories/epapers/skills_foundations_final.pdf

I decided to use Wordle from the selection of word tags out there since there were options to way the font and colors are displayed. I have seen Wordle used as an introduction by instructors and I believe it’s a great tool that students can create as first day activities at the beginning of the school year, especially if they are enrolled in distance learning classes. I would love to play around with Wordle and see if I can incorporate pictures and images into it so that it becomes much more of a collage of one’s self. I’ll report back with a post if I encounter one..or if you have suggestions, I would love to hear about them!

Roeser, R.W., Blumenfield, P., Eccles, J., Harold, R.d., & Wigfield, A. (1993). Classroom Experience and Change in Upper Elementary Students’ Self and Task Beliefs in Reading and Math. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychological Association in Toronto, CA.

Roeser et. al’s Classroom Experience and Change in Upper Elementary Students’ Self and Task Beliefs in Reading and Math (1993) is a study which examines the influence of motivation and attitude of upper elementary students on achievement in reading and math classes. The purpose of the study conducted is to identify the manner in which environments have an influence on task values over time. To help assess motivation and attitude towards reading and math subjects, students were given questionnaires towards the end of the school year to explain their beliefs and perceptions on a seven point scale. The authors concluded that task values and self-efficacy beliefs have a significant influence on achievement levels. To help clarify task value, the authors detailed the inter-related constructs which is comprised of attainment value, utility, and intrinsic. The results of the study show that as students age, task value combined with teacher expectations have much more of  a positive influence on achievement than task value alone. The authors support their conclusion by elaborating on previous research conducted, discussion the method used in the study, detailing the results of the study, and further research implications.

This article focuses on analyzing learner context and attitudes. In the ADDIE Model, the Analysis stage involves creating a survey tool to assess learners’ needs, attitudes, and abilities. In the same respect, the authors have created a series of questionnaires to assess how the students learn the best. This provides the authors as well as instructors a sense of the students’ expectations and preferences toward the two main subject areas studied. The steps that the authors take in this study seem feasible in helping to identify objectives and a beginning step towards creating a design. The results of this study can help in redesigning existing math and reading subjects’ instruction. It is important to consider personal and social characteristics for whom the instruction is intended for.  In my own personal experience, I would pay careful attention to all the learner characteristics, ranging from general to learning styles, in order to gain an accurate estimate of what comprises my target clientele to whom I directing my instructional design towards. By giving questionnaires as well as observing my student population, I would be able to provide and adjust the goals and objectives accordingly.

According to Driscoll, Keller, Pintrich, Roeser, and & De Groot (1994), “for many instructors, learner motivation is considered to be the most important determinant of success.” (p. 58) In support of this statement, I believe that it is useful to know when designing instruction if students are not motivated, since it may be more difficult to teach them.  Driscoll, et. al. further elaborate that learner attitude is different from motivation. If this is true, then students may enjoy a topic but can still have a low self-perception of ability which would influence their achievement level. Thus, as the authors mention it is a combination of attitude and motivation that should be taken into consideration.

Leigh, D., Watkins, R. Platt, W.A., & Kaufman, R. (2000, Spring). Alternate Models of Needs Assessment: Selecting the Right One for Your Organization. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 11 (1), 87-93.

Leigh, Watkins, Platt, & Kaufman’s Alternate Models of Needs Assessment: Selecting the Right One for Your Organization (2000) is an article which describes in detail a specific definition of needs assessment and the reasons for doing so. The purpose of the article is to provide a precise definition for needs assessment in order for organizations to take the preliminary step in conducting intervention and the steps to take once a model is chosen. The need for a clarified definition is suggested due to the fact that there are dozens of existing needs assessment models which have a broad definition which are not applied to organizational design consistently. The authors also compare four different models and suggest identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each model before selecting and implementing it, especially when working with a human resource organization. Each model described has a different purpose, therefore needs analysis procedures, such as interviews and surveys are effective tools in targeting the issues and problems as a suggested first step before implementing the model decided upon. The authors conclude by recommending the Organizational Elements model, introduced by Kaufman, Rojas, and Mayer in 1993, because it is the most general, data-driven model that exists.

The most important detail that the authors specify in the definition that I found which resonated with me the most is that the definition emphasized that needs are gaps in results, rather than procedures or means. Kaufman and English (1979) and Kaufman, Rojas, and Mayer (1993) describe needs assessment as a tool for identifying the problem and then selecting an appropriate intervention. Needs assessment is an important stage of the ADDIE model; it falls within the Analysis phase. When designing instruction, instructional need should be identified, or else there is no rational for designing or redesigning instruction. In addition, if the problem is not identified correctly, then the redesign or intervention steps would simply address superficial issues rather than a long-lasting change in the end result, such as performance. The authors make a very good point when they emphasize that there should be different models for different purposes. The article focuses on a human resource organization, so alternate models may apply to an education sector, but the model they suggest provides a useful tool for a design I may consider in the classroom. Since this article discusses a human resource organization, I would modify the approach to tailor it more to education. Instructional Design is a learning-centered process, so I believe it is crucial to focus on improving the results. Needs assessment would help me in defining the learning gap by obtaining data and then proceeding to address the issue via instruction. This would be accomplished by setting a reachable goal for the students. I would then create the conditions that would result in the goal that I want my students to meet and/or exceed.

Other references:

Morrison, G.R., Ross, S.M, Kemp, J.E., & Kalman, H.K. (2007). Designing Effective Instruction. New Jersey: Jonh, Wiley & Sons, Inc.