The course has begun and the search for meaning to the title of this course is agenda item number one for me. Here's to hoping the readings will help me in my quest.
Smith and Ragan explain there are multiple types of Instruction. One can be education. This is where our life experiences teach us. Another can be training. This is where a specific, quickly usable skill is passed on. A third type of instruction is teaching. This is where a live person is passing on the information.
In Chapter 1 of our text by Dick and Carey, they refer to instruction, education, training and teaching as interchangeable words.
As I read their different approaches to these words, I thought about how I use them. I'd say that I have not differentiated between them. I call myself an instructor, a teacher, and an educator. I don't think I consider myself being a trainer very often.
Putting those words into the idea of "Instructional Design," I'm thinking about it being a structure for setting up learning that includes 3 main steps:
1 - Gathering information about your audience and the tasks they will perform
2 - Deciding the methods to meet your goals with your specific audience and their topic
3 - Reviewing and improving the previous steps.
As I was reading I was trying to figure out the reason for Instructor (or should I call him "Teacher" since he is a live teacher?) Monson's comment during class stating that Instructional Design is not just a lesson plan. What does that mean for me as a teacher who regularly creates lesson plans? It seems to me that I use parts of this process as a teacher, but I don't use them in a "systematic" approach. After this semester's class, that may change as I see the benefits to working through this thorough process.
In a quick internet search I found an interesting site: http://www.instructionaldesign.org/
I liked their main paragraph that explains instructional design and connects it with technology since so many designers use technology for their instruction. It is beginning to make more sense.
Friday, August 28, 2009
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