Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

Chapter 18 discusses instructional design in business and industry. Give an example of rapid prototyping and discuss how this could be used in education.

picassohead.com

Our textbook defines rapid prototyping as, "...the development of a working model of an instructional product that is used in a project to assist in the analysis, design, development and evaluation of an instructional innovation."  Planning and preparing using rapid prototyping speeds up the development process and helps to ensure that the outcome (learning) is successful. When I first read this section, the term, "dry run" came to mind, which is similar to how I approach new technology projects in my class. For example, in my 6th grade technology classes, we are currently doing a small unit on Pablo Picasso (since my students do not get to have "official" art classes.) As I was planning out the unit, including where and how I wanted the kids to research, how and where I wanted them to document their findings, and what concluding project I wanted them to complete, I worked through all of the steps on my own. In this way, I was able to thoroughly think through all of the steps involved, and have a "bare bones" model of what I expected the students to complete and turn in. This was beneficial to me, because I was able to make changes that I discovered needed to be made (work out the bugs) before I presented the lesson to my students, and at the same time, I ended up with a skeleton form of the report I wanted my kids to create, and a model of the computer-generated Picasso-style image. Normally,  I think in a business setting, rapid prototyping would be a team effort (the design team and the customer,) but since it's just me on my campus working on this lesson, it's just me for this example.  (Check out piccasohead.com if you ever need a quick, easy art idea:-)

Chapter 19 discusses instructional design opportunities in military education and training environments. Pretend you are hired as a consultant for the military. They want to use technology in its training, but electronic access is not always available. Using the Full Spectrum diagram, what alternatives could you suggest for a successful program?

If I were hired as a training consultant for the military, honestly, I would be a bit intimidated.  I feel like I have a good grasp on how to train overall, and how people learn, but I've never been in a situation where I was in a combat environment, and still expected to train others and learn myself. I would be afraid I would come up with a plan that sounds great on paper, but in real life, but when put into practice in real life, fell short.

defenseindustrydaily.com

While the troops had reliable electronic access, like in a classroom setting, I would make the most of it utilizing online courses, videos, etc. The book mentioned that as the rank of the individual increases, so does the level and complexity of the training. Following this thinking, I would focus training time on training the trainers, so that they would be prepared to train troops under them when they know electronic access will not be possible. This might include making sure they had access to paper manuals, or even better, making sure that they are able to demonstrate hands-on, or "teach on the fly." Basically, the people in leadership positions would have to know the content and material well enough, that they would be able to use whatever resources they could access (whether it be paper and pencil, a dry erase board, a stick and dirt) to communicate what the troops need to learn. Hopefully, electronic access would be available in some form so that the troops could receive the most recent updates in a timely manner.

In a way,  Full Spectrum training is similar to what teachers do on a weekly basis, as far as being flexible, adaptable and efficient. However, the military has added pressure on their training because it could potentially mean the difference between life and death, and they have many more invironmental and logistical obstacles to overcome than a classroom teacher does.

Chapter 21 looks at radical educational change in P-12 settings. Review the Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology and the GSTE. Outline a staff development activity that will introduce both methodologies to your colleagues. 

The Step-Up-to-Excellence methodology is used to help the school district improve its performance by redesigning the entire school system and thinking. In order for this systematic change to be successful, there must be some basic conditions in place. In condensed form, there must be a group of committed, positive-minded, forward thinking leaders who are willing to commit themselves and the district's resources to positive change.

The Guidance System for Transforming Education is a methodology is a set of guidelines designed to help the district through the process of change. It does not specify any exact steps the district must follow.  Instead, it is comprised of a set of core values about the change process that everyone involved must share, a series of discrete events to kick off the change, and a set of ongoing events, which are like routine maintenance for the change process.

My school is a TEA Recognized school, and as a whole, we are Recognized as a district. Although this is not a bad rating, our eyes are always on the top rating possible.  Overall, my district does not have glaring problems, but there are several areas that can definitely be improved. To introduce these methods to my colleagues, I would begin by identifying our strong areas and weak areas as a collaborative group, as a means of showing them how a district-wide improvement would help all involved. This would help everyone recognize the need for change and improvement, and we could come up with a shared vision of what we want our school and district to be. In my district, we have Campus Improvement Committees that are comprised of staff members, parents and community members that could serve as the Strategic Leadership Team. For Step 1, each campus would come together and have some "bonding time" as a faculty. I believe the process of change goes better when we all get along and feel like we can trust each other and work together as a family. Each campus would also work toward improving its relationship and communication with parents and the community. Next, for Step 2, we would start with "the big picture," that is, what we want to happen overall. For example, we want all of our kids to graduate, we want a high percentage to receive "Commended" performances on state tests, and ultimately, we want our kids to graduate with the best education possible. From there, we would break it down to the campus level, or what does each campus need to do to accomplish these goals? There has to be a strong base, all the way down to early elementary. If they don't have strong foundation skills, it makes the upper grades have to work on shaky footing. After each campus has mapped out what it needs to do, I would have each grade level come up with an action plan to put these plans into motion. Step 5, or the Evaluation Step is next. I would have the Campus Improvement Committee collect input from each campus, then reconvene as a group to discuss and evaluate if our efforts are being successful.

To introduce the GSTE method, much of the same type of thinking and exploring would be necessary. I would still use the Campus Improvement Committee that we already have in place to serve as the Leadership/Starter Teams. As with the other model, the idea that everyone "is on the same page" is critical, as is the idea that everyone involved be willing to make changes.  I think it would be time well-spent to go over the Core Values at the district and campus levels. From the experiences I've had in these types of committees and meetings, I think the most difficult obstacle to overcome is getting mired down in negativity. And I admit, it's an easy trap to fall into, but I think that makes it all the more important to have strong, influential, positive leaders who truly understand what is at stake to keep the ball rolling in the right direction.

Navigating through the ranks of a faculty member in higher education can be tricky. A good institution has support for its faculty and provides faculty development opportunities to grow and learn. Research three different university offices for faculty development. Answer the following questions for each office:

•  What are the different names used for faculty development?

•  What division is it under?

•  What services does it offer?

•  How often are programs given and what specifically are they?

University Name	California State University, Long Beach	Boston University	University of Minnesota
Different names for faculty development	Professional development	Professional development	Staff Improvement
What division is it under?	Personnel department	Provost’s Office	Office of Human Resources
What services does it offer?	Workshops, consultations, short courses, training institutes, tech training, support for scholarly writing, curriculum, assessment, e-learning consultations	Support of scholarly work and research, how to prepare courses, support in: engaging students, team learning, grading tips, and internal grants for conferences	They have their offerings categorized by the following: ·         Training development ·         Organizational development ·         Leadership Development ·         Supervisory Development
How often are programs given? Over what specifically?	Appear to offer about 1 workshop/month, with consultation sessions available anytime by appointment. “Affordable Learning Workshop with Flatworld Knowledge” offered in March	Most support is offered through  one-to-one mentoring and consultation sessions; a workshop recently offered was “Innovative ways to use technology in your teaching including student response systems and online teaching.”	Most trainings are offered each semester, but can be offered more frequently based on need and interest

Section 4: Human Performance Technology

Chapter 14 discusses the concept of the evolution of human performance improvement. Several sections of chapter 14 present a variety of non-instructional solutions to performance problems. Identify a performance problem in your area of work and provide a non instructional solution to solve the problem. 



myatlantamoms.com

 A performance problem in my area of work is students failing to complete and/or turn in assignments, even major projects and papers that they have had ample time, both inside and out of class to complete.  This is a problem that all of my fellow teachers in my school are experiencing. Ideally, we'd like to see all of our students complete and turn in their assignments. Obviously, figuring in a zero into any average will dramatically lower the average, plus, if the students don't turn in assignments, teachers cannot tell whether they are successfully learning the concepts covered in class.

Our school is attempting to remedy this problem by improving communication with parents.  We compiled parent email addresses at each campus, and held staff development over how to create distribution lists in our email program.  This way, teachers can send out short emails to each class or grade, letting parents know when a project, paper or test is coming up.  We realize that students don't always communicate these types of things to their parents, and we hope that if we let the parents know, they can help us keep their children accountable for taking care of their assignments and responsibilities. We are also using a texting service called Class Parrot (http://www.classparrot.com/).  Class Parrot is a free service that teachers can sign up for.  Once a class is created, the teacher is given a unique code that she distributes to students and parents.  The students and parents use this code to subscribe to the teacher's texts.  The teacher can then log into her account and send out a text to everyone who has subscribed to send reminders about due dates and other school activities without having to divulge her cell phone number. We have just recently set up these new solutions, but since almost everyone has a smart phone nowadays, we are hopeful it will help improve parent communication and prevent students from failing due to not completing assignments.

Chapter 15 presents several definitions of electronic performance support systems. In addition to these definitions, locate a few more and indicate your preference explaining why you prefer it. Additionally, describe why you believe EPSS have not been widely used and if they are more likely be become more prevalent in the future. 

Our textbook (Reiser and Dempsey, 2007) defines Electronic Performance Support Systems as electronic systems that provided integrated access to (1) information (2) advice (3) learning experiences, and (4) tools to help someone perform a task with minimal support from others.

Other definitions:

• 
  PCMag.com: (Electronic Performance Support System) A computer system that provides quick assistance and information without requiring prior training to use it. It may incorporate all forms of multimedia delivery as well as AI techniques such as expert systems and natural language recognition. http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=EPSS&i=42707,00.asp
• L-3: An Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) is an invaluable tool for your maintenance and production staff. The integration of software tools, leading technologies, knowledge, and learning experiences results in a computerized system designed to support the actual performance of a worker as needed. The EPSS electronic infrastructure captures, integrates and disseminates the knowledge, information and tools a worker needs to achieve high individual and organizational performance http://www.l-3training.com/

I think PC Magazine's definition is the friendliest. I like that it mentions that you don't have to have prior training to use it, because to me, if you had to have training to use the training, technology would be getting in the way of learning.

I feel that EPSS have not been widely used because the devices and equipment needed for thee systems have just recently become readily available.  Now that more and more people, schools and workplaces are gaining access to mobile devices, wireless Internet access, and technology in general, EPSS are much more accessible and convenient. When I think back to even just 2 years ago, my district did not have many mobile computers, but now we have wifi across the district, mobile carts and iPad carts.  Having access to these tools makes using EPSS much more convenient that trying to use only 2 computers with a large group of people.

I definitely think use of EPSS will increase in the future.  The kids we teach today are wireless and digital. They don't know any other way. Perhaps some of the older generations have been resistant to EPSS simply because it is unknown and uncomfortable, but our kids don't know fear of technology. As the technology sticks around longer, more and more people accept it. For example, since it's tax season, I think of online tax returns. When I first started working, preparing your taxes online was viewed as risky and unreliable.  Now, the majority of people I know prepare their taxes using an online program. These online programs provide access to IRS information, provide advice (the series of questions and answers that guide you through the process), they help you know what to expect for the next year, and allow you to complete filing your taxes with minimal outside help. We all agree that technology is a constantly changing field. This aspect also leads me to believe that the use of EPSS will continue to increase because it is capable of evolving and changing to meet needs that are constantly changing.

Knowledge management is the way we manage information, share that information, and use it. Organizations, such as schools, are full of information/data and we must organize that data in a way that we can make sense of it. We use data to make decisions and good data=good decision making. Identify a real or hypothetical problem in your line of work. How might a blended learning approach, including the use of a knowledge management system, be use to solve the problem? 

A problem I see in my school is performance on past TAKS (soon to be STARR) math objectives, especially in the problem-solving and higher-order-thinking-skills-types of problems. A blended learning approach could help this situation. Our students get 50 min/day of traditional, classroom style teaching, with the instruction coming from the teacher. (Of course she uses technology aids, but the majority is delivered by human instruction.) Last year, our school had a subscription to Apangea Math (http://www.apangea.com/). Apangea offers students adaptive instruction, based on the student's performance. As the website explains, "Apangea Math provides one-student-to-one-teacher differentiated math instruction through a unique integration of proprietary tutoring technology and live, online certified teachers. As a web-based solution, Apangea Math can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection – ensuring students can learn math anytime, anywhere."  The data accumulated from the practice problems is collected and organized into various reports available to the teacher. This blended learning approach is beneficial to the teacher and the students. With the close monitoring and differentiated instruction the program offers, the students are always engaged, and working on the specific skills he/she needs. Keeping track of the individual student's needs allows the teacher and the program to tailor instruction and practice problems.  This also allows the teacher time to pull struggling students aside and do one-to-one or small group tutoring on areas of weakness, so she can ensure the students' needs are being met.

Describe the types of informal learning you have been exposed to in your adult life. What was the purpose? What was the experience like? Was it engaging? Social? What role did you play? What role did the instructor play? 

I have been involved in many types of informal learning in my adult life. Most of the times, the purpose was simply to learn something new. Looking back on my experiences, access to the Internet was common to many of these experiences; Googling "how to...", watching YouTube clips, browsing Pinterest and reading on the Internet has provided me with a wealth of knowledge. In my professional life, a lot of my informal learning comes from conversing and observing my colleagues. Just as I believe that my kids learn best by DOING things, I do, too.  When I find a new strategy or classroom idea, I try it out.  My role in these types of situations is being an active learner, and constructing my own ideas about how things work for me along the way. I believe that instructors in these situations serve as facilitators. When my classes are emerssed in learning activities, and I am able to roam around my room and poke my head into their group conversations, I feel like I'm really in my groove. Admittedly, I am a product of how I was taught; that the teacher provides all of the information, but I do try to turn loose of those ideas for my kids. When we can get our hands on new learning and actually DO it, for real, the learning is far more engaging, thus valuable, than just reading or listening about it. 



dilbert.com



Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

Chapter 10 discusses evaluation in instructional design and provides you with two evaluation models, the CIPP and Kirkpatrick models for evaluation. Search for at least two other models used for evaluation and summarize these models. Describe how you would use them to evaluate your instruction.

The ADDIE model is made up of five phases: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. I could (and do) use this model by working through the steps. The first step, analyze, would involve me looking back at my students' scores from the previous year, or looking at a pre-assessment I might administer. After I knew what my students' areas of needs were, I would design my lesson using my desired learning objectives, curriculum and TEKS.  Development of my lesson would require me to select or create materials to help me meet the students' needs. Implementation would be when I actually teach the lesson. Finally, evaluation is where I would determine if my students' needs were met, based on their outputs (assessment, observation, finished product). If I discovered that students struggled with a portion of the lesson, I would circle back to the design phase, and repeat the process, focusing on the objectives my students struggled with.

http://raleighway.com/addie/

The Kemp model of evaluation operates on the idea that design and development is a continuous cycle that requires constant planning, design, development and assessment. It consists of nine steps, although they can be approached in whatever order is most appropriate:
1. identify instructional problems-->specify goals
2. examine learner characteristics that will need attention
3. identify subject content, and analyze task components related to goals
4. state instructional objectives
5. sequence content for logical learning
6.design instructional strategies for the learner
7. plan the instructional message and delivery
8. develop evaluation instruments to assess if learning was successful
9. select resources to support instruction and learning activities

Even though I could begin at any stage of the process, and proceed in any order, in my classroom, I could begin by identifying areas of need, or what the instructional problem is, either by looking at past performance records or some type of preassessment.  From here, I could next evaluate what learner characteristics or environmental factors might come into play. (For example, am I working with a group of children that need to get up and move often? Do I have any ESL students? Do I have enough computers or supplies for all students? ) Next, I would pinpoint the content I needed to cover, aligned with the TEKS. Stating my instructional objectives could come next. (Even though I have experience now, I still find it helpful to formally write out my objectives in my lesson plans, especially if I'm covering something new, or trying a new lesson.) At this point, I usually try to select and locate any resources and learning activities that I feel will support my instruction.  I also insert the step about developing evaluation instruments at this point, because the objectives and exactly what I want to accomplish are still fresh in my mind. Deciding how to sequence the content and instructional steps comes next. Planning the instructional strategies and how to deliver the new knowledge might come next.



http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/kemp/design_model%20



http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/discovering-instructional-design-11-the-kemp-model/2009/06/10/


 Think about a technological innovation within your social system that was recently introduced (social system = place of work, home, etc.). Any innovation has what is known as perceived attributes - relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. Describe these attributes of the innovation and which of the attributes assisted and/or hindered adoption of the innovation. For example, was it not compatible with the existing beliefs of the system or was it overly complex to use or understand?

A technological innovation that we introduced in my school was using an Excel spreadsheet (stored in a faculty-shared drive) to track students' behavior infractions and detentions.  The staff pretty much instantly agreed that the relative advantage was huge; prior to keeping these records online, it was difficult to track infractions and detentions, especially among multiple teachers. Now, all teachers have access to the spreadsheet, and we all record infractions and detentions in one location. Our new practice is compatible among our staff because we all follow the same discipline rules and policies, and we are all able to access the spreadsheet. At first, some of our non-techie teachers feared the new way would be too complex, but I went over it one time in a staff meeting in my lab and had everybody get in and try it out, and all of our teachers have managed it well. From the time we began brainstorming ideas to fix our paper trail nightmare problem, we all agreed that we would try out new ways, and if an idea didn't work, we'd change it or find something better. The benefits have been observable. Instead of trying to keep track of slips of paper, and tally them in one notebook that never got put back in the office, we are able to log infractions as they happen, and we are able to have kids serve detentions in a more timely manner. It has taken us a few months to fine tine the spreadsheet, but it has definitely been a beneficial change for us.


Chapter's 12 & 13 focus on project management and how to manage projects when resources are scarce. You have been assigned to develop a series of professional development sessions focusing on technology use in the classroom for teachers. How will you use Situational Leadership to facilitate this project?

The focus of my attention would be on introducing iPads to the teachers in my district. All of the teachers in my district have access to them, but for the sake of this example, I'll focus on the group that came to the sessions that had little to no prior experience using a smart phone or mobile device. The training were held the mornings of 3 consecutive days during inservice week.

Phase 1: Directive/Telling
I would explain what we are going to do with the iPads and what our goals for the kids are with the iPads. As a group, we would go through the basic skills needed to operate the iPad, and explore a few apps.
Phase 2: Selling/Coaching
We separated into groups based on grade/subject taught.  Then, I gave them a few apps that were aimed at their specialization. (Letter forming app for Pre-K, Kindergarten; multiplication app for 3rd, mind maps for jr. high, etc.) I did this to dispell the notion that I had caught wind of, that the iPads might be fun, but were a waste of money and just good for the kids to play on.
Phase 3: Participating/Supporting
After instructing the teachers on how to search for, locate and download new apps, they set out to find apps that could be incorporated into the lessons they already used. I added these apps to our district's iTunes library so the teachers would have access to the apps when the time came they needed them
Phase 4: Delegating/Observing
The first few times the novice teachers rolled the iPad cart into their classrooms, I was on hand just in case any problems or questions came up. Now, I check in regularly and make sure everyone has what they need to keep using the iPads.

Section 2: Theories and Models of Learning and Instruction

Identify a specific learning goal and how you would incorporate two learning theories highlighted in Chapter 4 to achieve this goal.
A specific learning goal that I have used recently with my sixth-graders is this: Using basic html tags and attributes, the learner will be able to create a basic webpage. The needs of different kids on different days with different issues required me to use bits and pieces of multiple  learning theories presented in chapter 4, but I instantly connected these two theories while I was reading:
COGNITIVE INFORMATION PROCESSING THEORY:
In the Cognitive Information Processing Theory relies on internal processes in order for the individual to learn. The first "stop" for the new information is the sensory memory, where learners take in the information from the environment, and recognize patterns in the new information.  Using short term memory, the learner is able to hold the information briefly, in order to make sense of it, and connect it to information already stored in her long term memory.  The long term memory allows the learner to remember and access the information at later dates. The theory also relies on the idea that the learner's attention must be focused on the task they are being asked to learn. Perhaps most importantly, this theory requires feedback, so that the learner and the educator can know if she is being successful, or needs to seek extra help.

When we begin talking about html, one of the first things I do is show my kids how to view the code for any webpage. This always draws gasps and mini-panic attacks, because, I  admit, it does look a bit overwhelming. But, we start sifting through the code, and start finding patterns and locating some tags that we've listed and briefly talked about. When we are ready to start coding our own pages, we rely on the idea that html uses repetitions of the same tags that use a repeated set of rules. During the first several days of creating html pages, I display my html document on my projector, so the kids can check their page against mine. In this way, they are provided with immediate feedback about their progress.  Most of the time, I will tell them or show them an element we are going to add to our page, I'll give them time to type in the code, then I'll project my code so they can check theirs for accuracy. When they get more proficient with html, the feedback is straight-forward and instant; either the page displays properly and has everything placed correctly, or it doesn't. As we progress even more, and we begin using tags and attributes that are more complicated, we are able to almost always refer back to our basic beginning rules, and the kids are able to add new tags and attributes to their knowledge bank. For example, fairly early in the unit, I show the kids how to insert an image on the page, addressing where to save the image, the file type, the tag and the attributes needed. Later on, I show them how to apply a background image for the page. At this point, I don't have to start from scratch; I'm able to tell them that it works just like inserting an image does, we just have to add 1 new attribute to the body tag.  Sometimes when we hit a problem, where the page isn't working correctly, I have the kids print their code, get a highlighter and go through and check their tags and make sure there are no typos. Having them manually check for tag pairs, nesting order and typos like this saves my eyes from LOTS of code, and it makes them type it more carefully the next time.

SCHEMA THEORY AND COGNITIVE LOAD THEORY
In this theory, memory is said to be stored in packets called schemata. This fits well with my html lesson. In the early days of the unit, we go over 3 basic rules of html. The first tags we learn always follow these rules. As we add new tags to our bank, they still follow these rules. As we learn how images work in webpages, they follow a set of rules. As we learn how color, fonts and sizes work, they follow basic rules. Once we have a set of basic rules in place, it's up to the learner to make the new information follow the already-known rules. To reduce the cognitive load, when we are learning a new series of tags, often times, I'll have them copy and paste the "skeleton tags" from a previously created page so that we may focus our time and energy on the new information. Something else that reduces the cognitive load is that when I want them to create a page, or add something to an existing page, I rarely type out the directions. I've found it's easier to either verbally tell them, or better yet, display a completed version on my projector. Overall, we start out with the most basic of tags, and by the end, the kids are able to create flashy, fairly complex webpages.

Find a reference (other than the book) that describes Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. Then create a table or chart that compares and contrasts those events with the first principles described in chapter 7 and describe how you would apply each of the first principles to the goal you've developed from the first activity in this reflection.

PROBLEM CENTERED- create real, authentic webpages containing information relevant to the students' lives, hobbies and content from other classes
ACTIVATION- make connections based on what the students already know about webpages, the Internet, and computer code
DEMONSTRATION- look at examples of professionally created, and student created pages, create pages together, with mine displayed on the projector
APPLICATION-use content from core content classes to create webpages, adding new tags and attributes each time, students take on more independent responsibility with each page
INTEGRATION-we will post links to completed pages on the students' blogs
IMPLEMENTATION-in a group (requiring collaboration), create a website composed of pages created by the group members

Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction resource link


Develop a new goal or using the one you've already developed, briefly describe how you might use the whole-task approach, scaffolding, and mathemagenic methods to help students learn to perform a task.
The whole-task method of instruction lends itself to my earlier goal of creating a webpage using basic html tags. Our "finished product" is a real-life webpage, so throughout the unit, we keep in mind that our goal is to have an awesome, attractive webpage that they will be able to share.  The book says, "Many of the constituent skills will make little sense without taking their context, that is, their related constituent skills and associated knowledge and attitudes, into account." I agree with this, because it would not make any sense to teach the different html tags and attributes in isolation.  Who would care about a font tag, for instance, and what sense would it make all by itself?  However, if we introduce the font tag as a part of the whole page, we can see how that"puzzle piece" fits in, rather than just having some random "puzzle piece" that we have to figure out where it fits and why it was important later. Basically, the whole-task method approaches the new learning as one step, rather than many little bits.  

I feel that scaffolding is one of the most basic ideas of education. Chapter 8 of Reiser and Dempsey states, "For instance, one might start their training with the simplest version of the whole task by creating all posible conditions that siplify the performance of the task." For example, the first html webpage I have my kids create is quite simplistic, BUT it is a real-life, honest-to-goodness webpage, created by them. After we get the first webpage done, it's just a matter of adding more pieces, and figuring out how they work together.

The mathemagenic method is sometimes associated with "teaching to the test."  While the material from this lesson won't show up on a state mandated test, I do have TEKS and class goals that I want to meet. If I were using the mathemagenic method, I might consider how the material would be presented on a test, and focus my instruction on the TEKS that are most critical.

You have been hired to design a course for a topic in your area of specialization. Using Table 9.2 as a template, what would you incorporate into each subcategory to motivate learners?

AttentionTo gain my students' attention, we could visit popular websites and start a list about what we like about the sites, design-wise. I could also bring in a web designer as a guest speaker. Throughout the unit, the kids would be motivated by little contests and awards as we create various sites.

Relevance
First, we would discuss what we already know about websites, the Internet and design. Beginning simple and increasing in complexity, we would create websites using content from their own lives (biographies, schedules, hobbies) and content from their core classes.

Confidence
When everything appears in the browser the way the student expects it to, that's the biggest confidence booster possible! When the kids are able to check out each others sites and share ideas, a combination of competitiveness and sharing further excels the next assignment.

Satisfaction
Once we get to the stage of putting their pages on the Internet "for real," when they get to email the link to friends and family, there is enormous satisfaction evident on their faces. In the past, I have had students ask if they could create a webpage for book reports and other reports in leiu of writing a paper or some othre project     

image from: sheknows.com

Finally, after completing these activities, discuss the benefits of engaging in design research.

 Engaging in design research broadens an educator's views on learning.  When we are able to examine and learn about different ways that various kids learn, we are better able to reach all learners. It also allows us to stay current on the latest research and trends, so we can offer our students the highest quality of teaching that we are able.  Technology is an ever-changing field, so we must attempt to stay up-to-date.