Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Where Are You From?
Iam from Fulani.
The origins
The history of the Fulani seems to begin with the Berber people of North Africa around the 8th or 11th century AD. As the Berbers migrated down from North Africa and mixed with the peoples in the Senegal region of West Africa the Fulani people came into existence. Over a thousand year period from AD 900 - 1900, they spread out over most of West Africa and even into some areas of Central Africa. Some groups of Fulani have been found as far as the western borders of Ethiopia. As they migrated eastward they came into contact with different African tribes. As they encountered these other peoples, they conquered the less powerful tribes. Along the way many Fulani completely or partially abandoned their traditional nomadic life in favor of a sedentary existence in towns or on farms among the conquered peoples. The nomadic Fulani continued eastward in search of the best grazing land for their cattle. Their lives revolved around and were dedicated to their herds. The more cattle a man owned, the more respect he was given. Today, some estimate as many as 18 million Fulani people stretch across the countries of West Africa. They remain to be the largest group of nomadic people in the world.
The Religion
Fulani were one of the first African tribes to convert to Islam and are today more than 99% Muslim. The devoutly Muslim Fulani have seen themselves as the propagators and preservers of the Islamic faith in West Africa from as early as the fourteenth century. Historically it was a Fulani chief named Usuman dan Fodio, along with nomadic Fulani herdsmen who were instrumental in facilitating the spread of Islam across West Africa through evangelism and conquest. At times they would wage "holy wars" or jihad in order to extend and purify Islam. As the Fulani migrated eastward they spread their Islamic beliefs. As they became more powerful and attained more wealth they began to be more aggressive with their religion. Their adoption of Islam increased their feeling of cultural and religious superiority to surrounding peoples, and that adoption became a major ethnic boundary marker. Some settled in towns and quickly became noted as outstanding Islamic clerics, joining the highest ranking Berbers and Arabs.
Today it is difficult to find any Fulani who admits to not being Muslim, no matter how lax his or her practice may be. To a Fulani person: to be Fulani is to be a Muslim. Although they adhere very strongly to the tenants of Islam, it has been surprising to find a high level of belief that certain people possess supernatural powers. Like other West Africans, Fulani will frequent local religious practitioners who have established reputations for their curative powers. Many such practitioners - witch doctors and medicine men - are also Muslim religious leaders.
It is common to hear a Fulani tell stories of those who have the power to move themselves from one place to another supernaturally or perhaps to do harm to another person through some sort of supernatural power or curse.
Appearance
The Fulani are usually very easy to recognize. They are taller, slimmer and lighter skinned that many of their African neighbors. Often times they are referred to as "white" by other Africans. Fulani men are often seen wearing a solid color of shirt and pants, a long cloth wrapped around their faces, carrying their walking sticks across their shoulders with their arms resting on top of it. Often the men have markings on either side of their faces and/or on their foreheads. They received these markings as children.
The Fulani women are very graceful. They are seen carrying their milk products stacked in tiers on their heads in calabash bowls. Their clothes often have a background color of yellow and/or red. Their hair is long and is braided into 5 long braids that either hang from their heads or sometimes are looped on the sides. It is common for the women and girls to have coins attached to their braids. Some of these coins are very old and have been passed down in the family. The women enjoy wearing many bracelets on their wrists. Like the men, the women have markings on their faces around their eyes and mouths that they were given as children.
The origins
The history of the Fulani seems to begin with the Berber people of North Africa around the 8th or 11th century AD. As the Berbers migrated down from North Africa and mixed with the peoples in the Senegal region of West Africa the Fulani people came into existence. Over a thousand year period from AD 900 - 1900, they spread out over most of West Africa and even into some areas of Central Africa. Some groups of Fulani have been found as far as the western borders of Ethiopia. As they migrated eastward they came into contact with different African tribes. As they encountered these other peoples, they conquered the less powerful tribes. Along the way many Fulani completely or partially abandoned their traditional nomadic life in favor of a sedentary existence in towns or on farms among the conquered peoples. The nomadic Fulani continued eastward in search of the best grazing land for their cattle. Their lives revolved around and were dedicated to their herds. The more cattle a man owned, the more respect he was given. Today, some estimate as many as 18 million Fulani people stretch across the countries of West Africa. They remain to be the largest group of nomadic people in the world.
The Religion
Fulani were one of the first African tribes to convert to Islam and are today more than 99% Muslim. The devoutly Muslim Fulani have seen themselves as the propagators and preservers of the Islamic faith in West Africa from as early as the fourteenth century. Historically it was a Fulani chief named Usuman dan Fodio, along with nomadic Fulani herdsmen who were instrumental in facilitating the spread of Islam across West Africa through evangelism and conquest. At times they would wage "holy wars" or jihad in order to extend and purify Islam. As the Fulani migrated eastward they spread their Islamic beliefs. As they became more powerful and attained more wealth they began to be more aggressive with their religion. Their adoption of Islam increased their feeling of cultural and religious superiority to surrounding peoples, and that adoption became a major ethnic boundary marker. Some settled in towns and quickly became noted as outstanding Islamic clerics, joining the highest ranking Berbers and Arabs.
Today it is difficult to find any Fulani who admits to not being Muslim, no matter how lax his or her practice may be. To a Fulani person: to be Fulani is to be a Muslim. Although they adhere very strongly to the tenants of Islam, it has been surprising to find a high level of belief that certain people possess supernatural powers. Like other West Africans, Fulani will frequent local religious practitioners who have established reputations for their curative powers. Many such practitioners - witch doctors and medicine men - are also Muslim religious leaders.
It is common to hear a Fulani tell stories of those who have the power to move themselves from one place to another supernaturally or perhaps to do harm to another person through some sort of supernatural power or curse.
Appearance
The Fulani are usually very easy to recognize. They are taller, slimmer and lighter skinned that many of their African neighbors. Often times they are referred to as "white" by other Africans. Fulani men are often seen wearing a solid color of shirt and pants, a long cloth wrapped around their faces, carrying their walking sticks across their shoulders with their arms resting on top of it. Often the men have markings on either side of their faces and/or on their foreheads. They received these markings as children.
The Fulani women are very graceful. They are seen carrying their milk products stacked in tiers on their heads in calabash bowls. Their clothes often have a background color of yellow and/or red. Their hair is long and is braided into 5 long braids that either hang from their heads or sometimes are looped on the sides. It is common for the women and girls to have coins attached to their braids. Some of these coins are very old and have been passed down in the family. The women enjoy wearing many bracelets on their wrists. Like the men, the women have markings on their faces around their eyes and mouths that they were given as children.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Overview on Instructional Design: Eduu: 566
Unit One: Part One: Instructional Design and Technology
The Text Book uses different definitions for Instructional Design and technology over times, just like an overview of historical developments of instructional technology. The early definition during 1920s was focused on media used to present that Instruction as the result of advances in such media as sound recording, radio broadcasting, and motion pictures with sound, the focus of the field shifted from visual instruction to audiovisual instruction. This shift was clearly seen in 1960s -1970s and most likely the definition focused on the design and the use of message which control the learning process, including planning, production, utilization and management. It’s a systemic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the whole process of learning and teaching. During the 1990s- 1994s the definition of instructional technology is defined as the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of process and resources for learner. The latest definition provided by this book (Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology) is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological process and resources. The use of such long definition is to cover all the aspects of technology in learning and teaching as follows: The field of instructional design and technology encompasses the analysis of learning and performance problems, and the design, development, implementation, evaluation, and management of instructional and no instructional process and resources intended to improve learning and performance in a variety of settings, particularly educational institution and the workplace. The professionals in the field of instructional design and technology often use systematic instructional design procedures and employ instructional media to accomplish their goals. The instructional Design .org definition is: the process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers often use technology to enhance instruction. ADDIE model uses these steps;
• Analyze
• Design
• Development of materials
• Implementation( delivery)
• Evaluation( many tools used)
1. Backward design is a great shift in instructional process as it starts to design the assessment before teaching a unit. Thus will lead both teachers and students to a clear destination for the unit, consequently the teachers will be able to create the best road map to get there and what learning materials should be taught and how they must be taught and how the teacher knows students’ understanding. The two definitions used the same steps. However; the backward design changes the order of these steps by starting with the evaluation. Teachers can use any model to achieve the setting goals. Both models are applicable at defense language institute as the students have to take formative tests during the unit and at the end of each Unit as well as the end of the course of 63 weeks Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) DLPT5. DLI Classrooms are well equipped with the multimedia to help teachers prepare their lessons to engage students in different activities, simultaneously meet the individual needs of students. I will be very flexible to conduct an interim evaluation through the course for any adjustment according to the student’s survey feedback, teaching/ learning situation requirements, and formative tests. The problems need to be tackled are some students came to study Arabic language according to the Defense Language Aptitude Battery results (DLAB), not by their choices. Teachers need to work very hard to change this attitude and encourage such students to like the language and help them towards achieving proficiency. Finally, I need my students to master the Arabic Language and get the highest scores in listening; Reading and speaking that qualify them to succeed in DLPT5 Tests. Watch ADDIE MODEL Video:
http://oahmed56-teaching-learning.blogspot.com/
Part: II: Instructional Design
it’s not an easy task to design an online material for instructional purposes. A designer needs to have specific knowledge and skills about the subject matter. However; I am starting to design an online course in History and I have no such a skill or knowledge. Learning thinkers, especially, Behaviorists, like Skinner and Thorndike were using rats and cats in teaching these animals to get food in boxes. In either cases learning happened by trial and error. I will be designing an online course in History of Fulani and Culture for grade 12 High schools. The course aims to realize the following goals &objectives:
Goals:
By the end students will be able to:
* Demonstrate awareness and adherence to Fulani history and culture
* Prepare themselves to address future issues & cultural diversity
Objectives
Students will be able to:
* Understand historical events
* Derive lessons from the study of history
* Demonstrate an understanding of various cultures in the world through knowledge gained about their countries and other countries.
* compare
Also answering the following Essential Questions:-
* what is the essence of the history?
* What are the purposes of studying history?
* To what extent does the history reflect the development of society?
I will be following the California standards for History as well as, the steps of ADDIE models and Backward Design stages. Backward design is a great shift in instructional process as it starts to design the assessment before teaching a unit. Thus will help me to go towards a clear destination for the unit, consequently, I will be able to create the best road map to get there, choose learning materials that I should teach how I should be teaching such materials, and how I know my students’ understanding. I will start to create assessing tools such as rubrics, quizzes, outdoor activities (field trips), formative and summative tests to measure observable outcomes. To this extent, I will be able to determine and prioritize what my students need to know and do and how. The course will be very flexible to allow integrating different technological tools to enhance students learning and engage them in challenging learning situation that instigates them to rethink, explore, explain, apply, share and evaluate knowledge. Students also will be able to evaluate themselves by doing projects, participating in PowerPoint presentation and involve in daily activities. They will collaboratively be assigned to work in small groups, individual and large group’s basis in an attempt to meet their individual needs, furthermore, students will be individually motivated for extra credits to extra assignments. Thus, might help me to follow up their academic progress during the course for feedback and adjustment of the plan and instructional process according to their needs. Details follow in the Unit plan.
Unit Tw: Part one: What do you want your students to learn?
Addressing this topic is not an easy task. However; simply, teachers want students to learn everything in the course. As my course is addressing history and culture of Fulani people, generally, I want my students to demonstrate some knowledge about how historical and cultural elements impacting education. Current educational research encourages teachers to get to know each of their students in order to enhance their classroom performance, motivation, and desire to learn. Most teachers create activities and implement strategies that they hope will engage students in the content and promote a lifelong love of learning. I understand the importance of knowing and caring about each student and his or her learning needs. Also, I understand that all students learn differently, and that my course will address the diverse learning styles in the classroom.Within my course of three units that I am designing and covering, what are the most accurate time and way to discover our students’ learning styles? I can use my own assessing tools (formative & summative) to assess my students and get to know their learning styles, such as tests, project assignments, personal interviews, surveys, questionnaires or even quizzes or I can use the pre-made assessing tools, like Kaleidoscope profile, if the course is for high school students as Kaleidoscope has two versions of assessment, One is covering grades 3-6 and the other one is covering grades 7-12. The Kaleidoscope Profile is an all-inclusive assessment of learning styles, revealing each student’s sensory preferences, perceptual styles, organizational styles, and temperament. It’s another opportunity for teacher to get to know his/her students better and for them to get to know one another on a deeper level.Discovering student learning styles benefits you as a teacher, as well as your students. Meanwhile, knowing my students learning styles helps me:-
• Create an environment that supports how they learn.
• Understand how learning can be fun.
• Discover how they learn best.
Every teacher has different ways to help motivate lower level- students to improve for example, teacher’s expectation is playing an important role to make students interact effectively with course and classroom activities, giving frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well, assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult, helping students find personal meaning and value in the material, creating an atmosphere that is open and positive, helping students feel that they are valued members of a learning community.
Since my course allows integrating technology while addressing different historical and cultural topics into teaching process, it makes the lessons more interesting, engaging and motivating to students simultaneously helps students to reach higher levels of thinking in synthesizing, analyzing and evaluating sensitive historical and cultural issues. Research has also shown that good everyday teaching practices can do more to counter student apathy and weakness than special efforts to attack motivation directly (Ericksen, 1978).Most students respond positively to a well-organized course taught by an enthusiastic teacher who has a genuine interest in students and what they learn. Thus activities you undertake to promote learning will also enhance students' motivation.Bloom taxonomy is like Ibrahim Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. A learner can not go up the hierarchy, unless all the biological needs are being met. So Bloom’s Taxonomy is starting from knowledge and ending by evaluation to know the learning objectives have been realized. Also I can use the assessing tools that I have already set to know my students’ outcomes.
Part Two: Robert Gagne’s theory of instruction has provided a great number of valuable ideas to instructional design, trainers and teachers. I will be integrating some technological tools to gain my students’ attention, such as PowerPoint slides, video and still pictures. My online course is on History and culture consists of three units. The learning objectives will be listed under each unit and by the end the students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of various cultures & historical events in the world through knowledge gained about their countries.
• An understanding of current historical events and cultural issues impacting education.
• Describe at least two major social/cultural problems of 21st century Sudan.
Material will be chunked into sections in two text books required for reading and assignments in addition to other two recommended books for further reading on specific topics as guidance for assignment. Learning will be facilitated by giving students some cues related to their own history & cultures to help them compare or discuss historical and cultural issues. Students will be easily tapped into prior knowledge by talking about their own historical and cultural elements and features to lead them to explore new knowledge. Thus, also motivates students to participate in different activities to improve their achievement. Students will be working in groups in the classroom and at homes as well as individual assignments to be accomplished by the end of the course. Students will gain skills that help them to deal, analyze and evaluate historical and cultural issues to settle conflicts that might occur in their communities. Different assessing tools such as formative assessment for ongoing activities and summative assessment for final course exam with quick feedback will be used to check and evaluate students’ performance and competency, as well as rubric will be used on the final course project as an extra work for extra credits, based on five criteria:- content, organization, relevance, creativity and presentation.
Unit Three:Part One: Constructivism Vs Behaviorism
Constructivism's central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning. This view of learning sharply contrasts with Objectivism which learning is the passive transmission of information from one individual to another, a view in which reception, not construction, is key .The Constructivism based on two notions. The first is that learners construct new understandings using what they already know (past experience). The second notion is that learning is active rather than passive. Learners confront their understanding in light of what they encounter in the new learning situation. I like what Dr. Maria Montessori said “The teacher's task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child. “ The strength of this theory is that Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where learners should learn to discover principles, concepts and facts for themselves and encourage guesswork and intuitive thinking in learners. It concentrated on students as proconsumers of knowledge, and teacher’s role is a facilitator. I believe that this theory can be effectively used with computer to assign students to create and design activities according to their preferences and make reflection on different topics as well as sharing information. On the other hand, Behaviorism defined learning as the relatively permanent change in behavior brought about as a result of experience or practice. The focus of the behavioral approach is on how the environment impacts overt behavior. The weakness is using reinforcements to change the behavior is not effective all the time. Understanding human behavior through observation is not sufficient to explain human’s intended action. Behaviorism can be used to teach to students to learn new computer skills and do assignment through game- activities as a tool to change overt behavior. I think that according to textbook page 58, the difference between the constructivist and constructional design is, for example, constructivists learning environment create a place where learners may work together and support each other. (Case studies) and constructional design involves four learning-by-design principles (Papert 1980): individuals are active learners and control their own learning process, creative and reflective learners and focus on solving practical problems.
Part Two: Collaborative learning
I do like Piaget’s Theory of Collaborative learning. The collaborative learning offers learners opportunities to cooperatively learn, share information, & work on assignments/ projects in groups, thus enhances the interactions among the group members to build a cooperative learning community. Every one as an inherent part of learning community is assigned to complete his/ her work. Piaget pointed out” collaborative learning has a major role in constructive cognitive development. His theory is consistent with the other popular learning theories Vygotsky 1978, Fox, & Karen; Thomas & Funaro 1990 all are emphasizing on the importance of collaboration. Piaget felt that interaction between peers is equally shared. This contrasts adult-child or a teacher-student interaction, where usually the former is in control and the latter characteristically follows what the former professes, thus not following his/her own natural learning process.” The theory will support me to enhance the notion of student- centered. Students will work collaboratively to explore knowledge, share information to complete their assignment. Collaborative learning will help me to build an online virtual community to organize flexible environment for my students to learn, consequently promotes accessibility to online distance learning. Accordingly, my course can cover a large number of students in remote areas. Since Collaborative learning is about groups of students, and groups of students and teachers, constructing knowledge together, working through problems solving together, what I want specifically, my students to learn is the skills of collaborative learning, cooperation, teamwork, communication, facilitation, joint problem solving. Therefore, Collaborative learning is supporting online distance learning and covering large number of students in remote areas, consequently helps also close the digital divide and inequities in educational opportunities.
Unit Four:Part One: R. Gagne versus David Merrill
Robert Gagne’s theory of instruction has provided a great number of valuable ideas to instructional design, trainers and teachers. Gagne believes that effective instruction should reach beyond traditional learning theories. He supports cumulative teaching that transitions from simple to complex skills. Gagne's nine steps of instruction are a series of steps to guide the instructor or instructional designer. According to the theory, using this series should help to insure that the learner understands the desired objective. Gagne suggests that learning tasks for intellectual skills can be organized in hierarchy according to complexity: stimulus recognition, response generation, procedure following rule application and problem- solving. The theory outlines nine instructional events and corresponding cognitive processes:
1. Gain Attention: Evokes the learners' interest in the subject. For example, show students a map of a country to talk about it.
2. Inform Learner of Objective: Let the learners know what they will be learning. For example, today we will learn some traditions of this country.
3. Recall Prior Knowledge: Get the learners to think about what they already know. For example, has anyone know something about this country?
4. Present Material: Teach the topic: such as teaching language through culture. For example, show student how the diverse culture affects this country.
5. Provide Guided Learning: Help the learners follow along as the topic is presented. For example, show pictures about traditional events.
6- Elicit Performance Ask learners to do what they have been taught. For example, give students some cultural elements to compare with theirs
7- Provide Feedback: Inform learners of their performance. For example, check students’ performance for help.
8- Assess Performance: Evaluate learners on their knowledge of the topic. For example, evaluate the students’ writing on the topic
9- Enhance Retention and Transfer: Aid learners in remembering and applying the new skill. For example, give students assignment/ home work to talk about their culture based on what they learned in the previous lessons. For more information watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_8MB9F2cts
10- Merrill’s First Principles:-
Merrill defines the first principle of instruction as a prescriptive design principle on which various instructional design theories and models are in essential agreement.Merrill's first and central principle of instruction is a task-centered learning. Task centered learning is not problem –based learning but it share some features. Task- centered principle which learning is promoted when learners are engaged in a task- centered instructional strategy involving a progression of whole real- world tasks. Concisely the whole instructional process is based on four principles:-
• Activation Principle: learning in promoted and encouraged when learners activate relevant cognitive structures by being directed to demonstrate relevant previous experience.
• Demonstration Principle: learning also is promoted when learners observe a demonstration of the skills to be learned that is consistent with topic being taught, also demonstration will enhance when learners are guided relate general to specific instances or observe media that is relevant to the topic.
• Application Principle: learning is promoted when learners engage in application of the new knowledge they learned with the quick feedback from the teacher.
• Integration principle: learning is promoted when learners integrate their new knowledge into their everyday life and application also enhances when learners create, invent or explore personal ways to use their new knowledge and skills. Both theories has emphasize on student centered by starting to give students some tasks that related to their previous knowledge as a recall to prior experience. Students connect their prior knowledge with current learning situation to explore new knowledge. Instructor engages his students into a task to learn new skills. For example, aids learners in remembering and applying the new skills (talk about diversity in school). I think the theories are related to together as Merrill summarized the Gagne’s nine steps in to four principles both started to warm up the learners using his previous knowledge and experiences with clear learning objectives. I can use both theories to help my students learn about the diverse culture within their school and through this diversity unity can be made happen. Students can prepare topics on culture. And participate in groups to search online for more I formation. Students will organize their online findings for presentation. Thus, will enhance students’ cultural awareness and respect to each other culture. Meanwhile they can be able to apply these skills to organize cultural events in their communities.
References:-
http://cito.byuh.edu/merrill/text/papers/ReigeluthCarrFirstPrinciples.pdf
http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art3_3.htm
http://www.my-ecoach.com/idtimeline/theory/gagne.html
http://www.ibstpi.org/Products/pdf/appendix_A-C.pdf
Part II: what motivates learners?
As an instructional designer it’s vey important to understand motivation and get to know what motivates learners. I think that many characteristics has been mentioned by David Gershaw in his article that contribute in motivating learners, such as teacher’s enthusiasm, relevance of the topics being taught, teacher’s organization of the course, level of the material /topics, active engagement of learners, using different teaching methods and the use of suitable examples, simultaneously, opposite of these characteristics is considered de-motivators to learners. Click the link below. According to John Keller ARCS- Motivation Theory there are four major categories of Motivation strategies: Attention, Relevance, confidence and Satisfaction. Keller’s model seems like Gagne’s nine event and Merrill’s First Principles, all starts to pique the learner’s attention. This is an essential point of instructional process. The teacher should have to bring and put his learners in a learning situation stimulates all students to focus on the teaching topic. In an online course teacher can use different technological tools to motivate students such as displaying the topic in PowerPoint/ Camtasia slides or Windows Movie Maker. Meanwhile meets different learner’s styles. Thus, might help teacher engage all students in different activities and become effective members in their communities.
http://virgil.azwestern.edu/~dag/lol/LearnMotivate.html
Unit Five:Partne: Why assessment?
Assessment is an integral part of instruction, as it determines whether or not the goals of education are being met. Assessment affects decisions about grades, placement, advancement, instructional needs, curriculum, and, in some cases, funding. Assessment inspires us to ask these hard questions:
• Are we teaching what we think we are teaching?
• Are students learning what they are supposed to be learning?
• Is there a way to teach the subject better, thereby promoting better learning?
Assessment is used for different purposes. It should be tailored to a specific purpose and should be reliable, valid, and fair for that purpose. Assessments designed for one purpose are not necessarily valid if used for other purposes. Simply a teacher can use assessment to:
• Identify what students know
• Identify students’ special needs
• Determine appropriate placement
• Select appropriate curricula to meet students’ individual needs
• Plan for remedy and adjustment. (Flexibility)
The good assessment as indicated by Linda Suskie is more than anything else, it is an assessment that gives us truthful information; it tells us what our students have truly learned. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to determine with complete confidence exactly what our students have learned. The best we can do is to look at samples of their behavior, what they write, producing, say, and how they perform and from those samples we try to estimate or infer what they truly know. Educators use different kinds of assessments for different purposes such as diagnostic, formative, summative, interview, rubrics, and questionnaires. In my online course I have prepared different tools for different assessments, such as:
• Rubrics to assess my students’ performance in:
Discussion: Example: Discuss the life of Pastoral Fulani and their total out look centre on the maintenance of family and the herd ultimate goal is the fulfillment of familial virtues- duties to elder, wives and contemporaries that ensures the smooth of working family and lineage group as cooperating economy units. All these virtues summed up in the notion of Pulaaku (ethics). Discuss these ethics in relation to family ties and solidarity
writing: I use Chapman writing standards guide for weekly reading assignments. For example, student reads a chapter and makes a one page reflection on a specific topic.Multimedia project: is a group assignment, students will choose topics related to culture or history to search online to write about and share their findings in group presentation.End of Unit test: Students will be given an objective test at the end of each unit.Final exam: Students will be sitting for the End of the course final comprehension exam at the end of unit 3. I think the best rubric for my online course to assess a group work (multimedia presentation) is generic rubric: If you click on the below link, you will find different tools are being used for collaborative group work.
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/webquest/webquest_evaluation.htm
Part II: Designing a rubric for threaded discussion
A threaded discussion is an online collaboration tool that allows the creation of a forum or thread in which individuals are able to post messages and respond to other messages.We can get many benefits from threaded discussion, students can participate even if they are not logged on at the same time, some discussions threads notify the user of new messages, also the Posted messages remain available for everyone to read replies to messages are grouped under the original message, Students Individuals can take time to compose and post messages. I will design an effective rubric assessment for a threaded discussion by focusing on the following points:
*the assessment should be a continuing interaction between teacher/ student and student/student.
*It should be a real-world performance by a demonstration of the ability to apply knowledge and experience.
*The performance should be of relevance to the student and learning community.
*The goal or achievement target should be clearly articulated and communicated to the learner.
*Threaded discussion should be evaluated according to the interaction between the students or the students to the teacher in addition to the information.
*Answers shouldn’t be I agree or disagree. There should be reasons, solutions, and suggestions in addition to opinions.
Collaboration on the threaded discussion is the sharing of ideas; usually this is being done in class rooms, but online classes should collaborate to exchange ideas, and of course this is being done through the discussion board. Grading criteria should be determined on the learners’ opinion and the amount of interaction and collaboration with other students.
How do I organize and arrange the discussion thread of my Iraqi dialect course:
•First of all I will select a topic or question directly related to the contents of each unit and includes a description of the purpose, then encourages participation between students, and explains to them how to participate and post their messages.
•Second of all I have to Use a clear, descriptive title for each assignment, and Identify timelines for the discussion
Finally I have to refer to any specific readings, links, or other information to be referenced during the discussion.
Unit Six:Part One: What are learning object and distributed learning?
In order to discuss this topic I have to find an answer to a question above to know different definitions of the learning objects as well as distributed learning. The learning object is defined as follows:
• Learning object is a resource, usually digital and web-based, that can be used and re-used to support learning.
• Learning objects are small electronic units of educational information that are flexible, reusable, customizable, interoperable, and retrievable.
• Also is Course materials developed according to a standard (eg, IMS) which allows easy sharing of materials. Materials are modular and can be used for a variety of purposes and outputs.Simply learning object contains a single media element - a piece of video or text, for example - or it might contain a mix of text with graphics or animations with an audio commentary or you can regard learning objects at a micro level, as media assets - images, paragraphs of text, questions, audio clips and so on. Reusability is the main reason for using learning objects without much additional efforts. Since the learning objects are reusable, an instructor can continuously build upon existing learning objects and make them into better quality content packages.Looking at the above definitions of learning objects; learning objects can be summed up into the following components:-
- instructional objectives
- Content
- Learning strategies ( Activities)
- Assessment
See these links: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning Objects
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/features/objects/objects.htm
Distributed learning defines as students take courses from a variety of sources and delivery modes to customize a program of study. Often is used synonymously with online learning.What is SCORM? SCORM is defined as Sharable Content Object Reference Model integrates a set of related technical standards, specifications, and guidelines designed to meet Advance Distributed Learning’s functional requirements as:
- Accessibility
- Interoperability
- Durability
- Reusability
SCORM tries to ensure that learning objects are reusable (over time and by different organizations or teachers), interoperable (connect with different learning management systems including links to the grade book), durable (survive thousands of users), and accessible (for visual and auditory impaired users).
Learning object offers teacher an opportunity to create good environment for instructional process and it helps enhance students’ learning skills. In my online course which I concentrate on history and culture, it seems to me very important to display historical and cultural objects to gain students’ attention. I support my online course with many pictures and videos with animations to motivate students to be more engaged in the course activities. I reviewed much more literature about the learning objects, especially, a long study of how to use object learning to teach history and I found this study is helpful to follow its steps in teaching history and culture. The study uses the material in teaching history by displaying some material culture. I follow the same steps by using pictures in PowerPoint slides to show my students the important personalities in the history of Fulani people while teaching the topic on Kingdoms and conquests. For more information click this link: http://www.lib.niu.edu/1998/iht529802.html. Also another learning object that I feel will help me in preparing study units of online course, is the use of Issues on a video to teach the skills of 21st century in science. This is also is helpful for online courses as teachers can get students engaged virtually in a discussion synchronously to display their opinions about how the learning object enhances student skills of 21st century or synchronously through chatting: http://www.slideshare.net/njalfred/using-issues-to-teach-21st-century-skills-in-science-presentation . This is considered another way of using learning object to distribute learning opportunities to a large number of learners in distance learning. Learning object can help support teaching Language, this link show a teacher is training a ROBOT to pronounce some words: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1785879237181736807&ei=L6-5SrDEE5_0qAPc3cCDAg&q=using+object+learning+to+teach+history&hl=en# the links above show the use of object learning in different educational setting. Finally, Learning objects have many benefits for both learners and administrators, as courses can be constructed to meet individual requirements. I think learning objects have great potential for online course which I am preparing now.. I think this video is helpful to teach cultural awareness, especially in sensitive topic. Watch http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2820295854225356618&ei=Mm26StKML572qAPr5smQBg&q=using+material+culture+to+teach+history&hl=en#.
Go through these references for more information
References:
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/wbcgloss.html
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/features/objects/objects.htm
http://www.adlnet.gov/Documents/SCORM%20FAQ.aspx#scormq1
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ijet/v3n1/hamel/
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/32/378
http://vudat.msu.edu/learning_objects/
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1998/iht529802.html
http://www.slideshare.net/njalfred/using-issues-to-teach-21st-century-skills-in-science-presentation
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A0oGkwR6n7lKu9cAr9JXNyoA?ei=UTF-8&p=using%20video%20in%20teaching%20History%20and%20Culture&fr2=tab-web&fr=yfp-t-70
Part: II: The use of rich media.
The course textbook defines the rich media as learning products that incorporate high -end media such as video, animation, sound and simulation (p.312). Another definition is found from this link: http://www.devshed.com/c/a/Smartphone-Development/Getting-Started-with-Rich-Media/ rich media is the single most defining characteristic of rich media content is its dynamic motion, which can either occur over time or as a direct result of user interaction. Examples of this “dynamic motion” include streaming newscasts, which occur over time, and webcasts that include a synchronized slide show, which require user interaction. Watch this video: http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/dms/digital_signage.html
I. Rich media has great potential to incorporate sound into lessons. Audio is most commonly used in one of three ways: to present words in the form of narration; to add environmental sounds such as mechanical noise in a lesson on equipment or to add background music to the instruction, Moreno and Mayer (2002). A number of studies have compared learning from an animation with learning from a series of still pictures. The studies have found there is no significant difference between the two. However; in reviewing many literatures favored the use of graphics in helping students to recall the prior knowledge and experience to present lesson. Thus can be found in an online course of 16 weeks titled: Gender and Society submitted by Rosemary Dixon from University of Nevada, Reno: Course Tour the developer developed a course of 16 weeks. The course concentrates on Race, Gender, Class and Sexuality. The well organized course conations 6 icons and students every time they log in will see the home page and the third icon take the students directly to the syllabus. The developer used different graphics and icons pictures to gain the students’ attention and make the course very attractive to students simultaneously make surfing on the course topics very easy. Students will be able to transport from section to another without going back to the beginning of the course. The course was appropriately linked together. The course graphics help students to relate the current course topic with their previous experience and knowledge that existed in the long term memory ( schemata) in a way that reduces the cognitive load because the well organized course with explanatory graphics facilitate the interaction between the prior knowledge and current new lesson content. The developer used Camtasia slides to display the course content to make the material more interesting and at the same time without depressing the learning. The developer presented subject matter in a well organized way that attracts students to easily engage in different activities. Also using Camtasia slides with sound, animation and video helps the developer meet the needs of diverse learners’ styles. Students are assigned to engage in a discussion platform, online reading and learning, paper research and final essay. Thus also offers students another opportunity to get good scores and credit points. Assessments are designed to encourage students to utilize and demonstrate critical thinking skills. Assessment based on three exams, multiple questions, writing questions and feedback will be given along with rubric when grading. Students also are given a chance to complete feedback survey in weeks 4 and 10 and all reasonable adjustment could be made were made in real time. At the end of the semester students completed an overall course evaluation.
Unit Seven: Part One: Web 2.0 builds Virtual teaching club.
Web 2.0 Refers to what was perceived as a second generation of web development and web design. It is characterized as facilitating communication. Therefore, Web 2.0 is a new generation and development of the old generation Web1.0 that helps the user publishes, participates, collaborates, shares and displays his ideas and knowledge with others in a collaborative virtual community. It facilitates asynchronously or synchronously the e-learning, distance learning and online courses. Many tools can be used to communicate with others to form a social networking Net, such as black board, online Journal, Twilker, podcasts, blogging, Wikis, emails, tagging, Ajax, and Flicker... Listen to the developer of Web 2.0, Tim O'Reilly giving a short definition to Web 2.0 and as well as the application of Web 2.0 is our daily interactions and communications. Watch three videos from my blogs:
http://oahmed56-teaching-learning.blogspot.com/ That show how web 2.0 does work and offer a soul and spirit to online community collaboration and interactions globally and makes us easily communicate and learn from each other. The historic changes in information are going to force educators to historic changes in teaching and learning to integrate such technologies in instructional process. Web 2.0 ads more opportunities to help students shift to become continual self learners and less dependent only upon classroom lessons. In preparing online units course, I use discussion platform and online Journal to promote students interaction through participating in discussion board and publishing their ideas/reflection on assigned topics in online journal, simultaneously encourages the collaborative working group in multimedia final projects on topics given to each group. Groups meet virtually to display their findings in a virtual asynchronous presentation. Each group presents its findings on blogs or Journals for further discussions, comments and response. Simply, this is the way my course ties the students to interact and share experiences.
Part two: Watch the video on my blog:
http://oahmed56-teaching-learning.blogspot.com/
Cognitive Sciences and Instructional Design
I think that both have their own object of study, but share a common interest in human cognition and performance as part of instructional systems. Also both sciences may exchange influence on each other. Cognitive science often conducts research on cognitive processes and setting written instructional strategies and guidelines that related to these strategies for improving instructional systems. Instructional design conducts research on applicable instructional strategies, and observations of students working according to those strategies to realize the instructional goals /outcomes. Instructional design is goal driven theory. Man y changes have been taken place on instructional design as it helps change the way instructors design and deliver lesson. Adding more practices of maximizing the effectiveness, efficiency and appeal of instruction and other learning experiences. Instructional theories also play an important role in the design of instructional materials. Theories such as behaviorism, constructivism, social learning and cognitivism help shape and define the outcome of instructional materials. Over the past century, college and university demographics have changed. Recently there has been an influx of non-traditional learners enrolling in colleges and universities. Due to this change in learner base, there comes the need to look at the methods of design for instruction within adult classrooms. In an article written by Deborah Ash in March, 2007 “a focus on theory of transformative learning and learner – centered learning thus begun. Can instructional designers utilize this theory in order to ensure a better learning environment for adult that are filling college campuses?” Is transformative learning supportive of the shift? Thus also show reciprocal influence of instructional design on cognitive sciences. Instructional designers can present new knowledge in a way that helps the learners to act upon, facilitate access to course projects that reflect on the new perspectives, allowing for general discussion on how to use their knowledge in real life and encouraging learner to engage in problem solving topics. The best model which I want to use in my online course is the Dick & Carey and Kemp ISD model which uses rapid prototyping. This is the idea of receiving continual or formative feedback while instructional materials are being created. This model is an attempt to save time by catching problems while they are still easy to fix. Learner centered strategies are: The Course will be conducted online through e-learning. Students will be engaging virtually in on-line communication, interaction and collaboration through:
• Threaded discussions
• Journal or blog response
• intensive weekly reading with one page reflection on required textbook chapter reading ( individual assignment)
• Online Lecture topics
• week one quizzes
• week two multimedia presentation project( Group assignment)
• Week three Final Exam
• 15 hours every week of on-line class time within the scheduled period in order to complete requirements for 3 semester units of credit.
• Full marks will be given to complete and correct assignments that turned in before or on due date.
• Assessments other than quizzes and Final Exam, are three rubrics for:
o Reading / Writing assignment
o Discussion
o Multimedia group projects
• Communication:
o Assignments will be turned in, every week in Sunday, before midnight PMT
o Through drop box
o Email
o Discussion platform
o Week starts Monday at 21: Am PMT
Reference: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/165407teaching_through_transformation_learnercentered_pg3.html?cat=4
Unit Eight: Part One: What do instructional Designers Do in Higher Education? A Written Symposium
what do instructional Designers Do in Higher Education? A written Symposium.
Chapter 22 starts to present the similarities and differences between USA and Australia in Higher education system. The five writers focused on the role of the instructional designers in higher education as their lives are similar to other faculty and professional staff members in higher education. Some differences are their training and areas of professional concentration. Among the similarities is universities are divided into separate colleges where semesters are approximately 15 weeks long and teaching loads average about three courses per semester. Instructional designers working in support areas such as distance education or faculty development are practitioners. As the use of technologies increases in higher education, these individuals are becoming more critical to success of an organization. Instructional designer’s roles are to facilitate the development of learning and teaching strategies and introduce to faculty to distance learning production processes. This role needs sound knowledge of ID theory. Instructional designers need to have sufficient skills to perform all tasks assigned to them. The role of instructional designers has changed from working with individual course leaders to group approach to meet the needs of changing educational initiatives to help build an online interaction among the students, and between students and instructor. Instructional designers must keep up date with ID literature and educational theory and practice (e.g., constructivism, online pedagogy blended learning and so forth). The chapter also presents the basic components of instructional design such as what is needed for educational program, goals, objectives, learners, contents, teaching methods technology (media) and how learners will be assessed and the course evaluated. The chapter concludes the discussion of five professors to assure the role of instructional designer as a faculty developer, facilitator of the development of learning and teaching strategies, or developing of distance learning materials and community member. I have reviewed many literatures on marketing to find out what instructional designers do for marketing. I have come to a conclusion that the process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers in marketing often use technology and multimedia as tools to enhance advertizing and marketing of goods and products in a way that attracts and persuade consumers to buy such a good or product. For more information watch these videos and listen to professors of marketing in different American universities.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8137264847507633140#docid=-8556247553140215499
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txifd0LuUVM
Pattwo: Community of Practice
The role of an online instructor is to create and prepare a curriculum that fits teaching online and allows integration of different technologies. Instructor also prepares an online instructional environment setting that ties students to interact and collaborate in groups work. I use different communication tools to help students communicate with instructor and each other, such as blogging, group work and emails. Students have access to instructor email for any assistance and clarification related to course syllabus and assignment. I was able to build up an online virtual community to engage and tie my students in different activities through virtual asynchronous communication, using a discussion board or an email. Thus helps students individually to complete their assignments and display their inputs in discussion board, and every student at least receives one response from his peers. I, as an instructor of an online course insert my comments on student’s inputs and opinions related to the topic under discussion. Students will be assigned to read a chapter from the required textbook and make a reflection of one page. There are external links, recommended textbook, and an online book for extra reading on the topic. These resources help students to gather additional information about the required assignment. Students also will work on collaborative groups for multimedia presentation project; each group of three students is assigned to work on one topic and come together to share their findings in groups’ asynchronous presentation. Finally, students will asked to lodge their assessment & comments on each group work for rating, according to the rubric designed by the instructor on criteria: content, relevance, participation, organization, creativity and presentation. Finally, students need learning
environment that connects them to content, to expert instruction, to a wide range of instructional resources, to their peers, and to appropriate support services and that happened by using the above mentioned tools.
Unit Nine:Part One: Sharing Instructional design
Teachers want their students to learn everything in the course. As my course is addressing history and culture in general, I want my students to demonstrate some knowledge about how historical and cultural elements impacting education. Current educational research encourages teachers to get to know each of their students in order to enhance classroom engagement, performance, motivation, and desire to learn. Most teachers create activities and implement strategies that they hope will engage students in the content and promote a lifelong love of learning. I understand the importance of knowing and caring about each student and his or her learning needs. I understand that all students learn differently, and that my course will address the diverse learning styles in the classroom by integrating different technologies. The strength of my course is the way I prepared and organized the materials to fit online teaching and learning, for example, units are prepared and organized as follows:
Reading for Unit One required textbook
lecture note/video
DISCUSSION
JOURNAL RESPONSE
ASSIGNMENT
Quizzes
Unit Topics
Genesis and Origins
Ancient history
Education & Religion
Conquests
Kingdoms:-
• Fuuta Jalon 1727
• Massina 1818 – 1853
• Sokoto 1809
Assignments
-Reading / writing (required textbook chapters).
-Discussion
- Blog response
-Watch Online lecture
- Multimedia group project
Strategies:
The Course will be conducted online through e-learning. Students will be engaging virtually in online communication, interaction and collaboration through:
• Threaded discussions
• Blog response
• Intensive weekly reading on required & recommended textbook chapters
• Video Lecture
• Week one quizzes
• Week two multimedia presentation project (Group assignment)
• Week three Final Exam
Assessments
- Quizzes
- Final Exam
- Rubrics
I established social presence through online virtual community to engage and tie my students in different activities through virtual asynchronous communication, using discussion board and emails. I think the weak points that are, the display of materials on the black board, capability to embed different technologies while designing an online course, and management of instructional process through the appropriate use of technology and assessment skills. According to the Kirkpatrick’s four levels, the reaction of my students can be measured through asking a question; did they like the course or was the material relevant to the work? Learning happens when learners are able to apply what they have learned and able to apply their knowledge and skills in real life within their communities, this shows their capability to perform the learned skills. I think designing a course of three units to be conducted or taught online encourages me to think to further my knowledge in the field of instructional design in the future and motivates me to follow in the future my study on how to create syllabus for e-learning and distance learning. I fee, I need to learn such competences to better perform on the job.
Part: two: Watch these videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGAqKDnOtb8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb25zg8kPF0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxejYwVavEw
Competence needed for Instructional Designers
Most instructional designers focus on variety of areas such as educational technology, human performance improvement, information technology and computer scholarly inquiry and training. They are aimed at a range of audiences from academics and graduate students in higher education to practitioners in business and industry. The decision to join a professional organization is based on its mission, benefits provided to me and goals that match my career and interest. I do like to join an organization that works in business. I will focus on performance improvement and training. My reading is based on quality of the materials and to what extent it matches my interest. Each organization has different publications; some has specific purpose aimed at particular audiences, research or theory. However; publications of interest to the IDT community are focusing on variety of topics, including cognitive and instruction, distance learning, multimedia, performance and improvement and instructional development. For myself; I am looking for the quality of the publications and critically analyze the content, especially e- journals. I really, want to join American society for Training and Development (ASTD) to get better training and learn more skills that could help me develop e-learning curriculum for college level. http://astd.org. I like also association for the advancement of computing in Education (AACE) http://aace.org. Training manager manages the development and delivery of training and all that associated with those activities (Foxon, et, al. 2003). Foxon suggested that training manger must possess skills unique to the human resource development function, including new skills to market globalization, information technology, e-learning, and e-business and knowledge management. Instructor competences were updated in 2000 which include planning, preparation, instructional methods, strategies, assessment and management and more competences are needed for online instructor than those to classroom, due to technology demands. The most comfortable role is planning and preparation of instructional methods and material because of the importance of having the material in hands before taking a step towards teaching online. With the availability of the materials, teachers can tailor such materials to meet the learners’ needs and allow integration of technology. The most important ethics in the organization are responsibilities to provide efficient, effective, workable and cost- effective solutions that advance organizational performance goals. Adhering to these ethics will reflect positively on other ethics and promote collaboration, education, privacy and communication across departments. I would like to pursue my doctoral program in designing e-learning business and I will perceive myself within the next ten years (by the will of God) to be a good instructional designer in the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Role of Instructional Designers.
References:
Trends and Issues in Instructional Design & Technology 2nd edition Robert Reiser & John Dempsey
http://manishmo.blogspot.com/2008/01/instructional-designer-competencies.html
http://www.elearninglearning.com/instructional-design
The Text Book uses different definitions for Instructional Design and technology over times, just like an overview of historical developments of instructional technology. The early definition during 1920s was focused on media used to present that Instruction as the result of advances in such media as sound recording, radio broadcasting, and motion pictures with sound, the focus of the field shifted from visual instruction to audiovisual instruction. This shift was clearly seen in 1960s -1970s and most likely the definition focused on the design and the use of message which control the learning process, including planning, production, utilization and management. It’s a systemic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the whole process of learning and teaching. During the 1990s- 1994s the definition of instructional technology is defined as the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of process and resources for learner. The latest definition provided by this book (Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology) is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological process and resources. The use of such long definition is to cover all the aspects of technology in learning and teaching as follows: The field of instructional design and technology encompasses the analysis of learning and performance problems, and the design, development, implementation, evaluation, and management of instructional and no instructional process and resources intended to improve learning and performance in a variety of settings, particularly educational institution and the workplace. The professionals in the field of instructional design and technology often use systematic instructional design procedures and employ instructional media to accomplish their goals. The instructional Design .org definition is: the process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers often use technology to enhance instruction. ADDIE model uses these steps;
• Analyze
• Design
• Development of materials
• Implementation( delivery)
• Evaluation( many tools used)
1. Backward design is a great shift in instructional process as it starts to design the assessment before teaching a unit. Thus will lead both teachers and students to a clear destination for the unit, consequently the teachers will be able to create the best road map to get there and what learning materials should be taught and how they must be taught and how the teacher knows students’ understanding. The two definitions used the same steps. However; the backward design changes the order of these steps by starting with the evaluation. Teachers can use any model to achieve the setting goals. Both models are applicable at defense language institute as the students have to take formative tests during the unit and at the end of each Unit as well as the end of the course of 63 weeks Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) DLPT5. DLI Classrooms are well equipped with the multimedia to help teachers prepare their lessons to engage students in different activities, simultaneously meet the individual needs of students. I will be very flexible to conduct an interim evaluation through the course for any adjustment according to the student’s survey feedback, teaching/ learning situation requirements, and formative tests. The problems need to be tackled are some students came to study Arabic language according to the Defense Language Aptitude Battery results (DLAB), not by their choices. Teachers need to work very hard to change this attitude and encourage such students to like the language and help them towards achieving proficiency. Finally, I need my students to master the Arabic Language and get the highest scores in listening; Reading and speaking that qualify them to succeed in DLPT5 Tests. Watch ADDIE MODEL Video:
http://oahmed56-teaching-learning.blogspot.com/
Part: II: Instructional Design
it’s not an easy task to design an online material for instructional purposes. A designer needs to have specific knowledge and skills about the subject matter. However; I am starting to design an online course in History and I have no such a skill or knowledge. Learning thinkers, especially, Behaviorists, like Skinner and Thorndike were using rats and cats in teaching these animals to get food in boxes. In either cases learning happened by trial and error. I will be designing an online course in History of Fulani and Culture for grade 12 High schools. The course aims to realize the following goals &objectives:
Goals:
By the end students will be able to:
* Demonstrate awareness and adherence to Fulani history and culture
* Prepare themselves to address future issues & cultural diversity
Objectives
Students will be able to:
* Understand historical events
* Derive lessons from the study of history
* Demonstrate an understanding of various cultures in the world through knowledge gained about their countries and other countries.
* compare
Also answering the following Essential Questions:-
* what is the essence of the history?
* What are the purposes of studying history?
* To what extent does the history reflect the development of society?
I will be following the California standards for History as well as, the steps of ADDIE models and Backward Design stages. Backward design is a great shift in instructional process as it starts to design the assessment before teaching a unit. Thus will help me to go towards a clear destination for the unit, consequently, I will be able to create the best road map to get there, choose learning materials that I should teach how I should be teaching such materials, and how I know my students’ understanding. I will start to create assessing tools such as rubrics, quizzes, outdoor activities (field trips), formative and summative tests to measure observable outcomes. To this extent, I will be able to determine and prioritize what my students need to know and do and how. The course will be very flexible to allow integrating different technological tools to enhance students learning and engage them in challenging learning situation that instigates them to rethink, explore, explain, apply, share and evaluate knowledge. Students also will be able to evaluate themselves by doing projects, participating in PowerPoint presentation and involve in daily activities. They will collaboratively be assigned to work in small groups, individual and large group’s basis in an attempt to meet their individual needs, furthermore, students will be individually motivated for extra credits to extra assignments. Thus, might help me to follow up their academic progress during the course for feedback and adjustment of the plan and instructional process according to their needs. Details follow in the Unit plan.
Unit Tw: Part one: What do you want your students to learn?
Addressing this topic is not an easy task. However; simply, teachers want students to learn everything in the course. As my course is addressing history and culture of Fulani people, generally, I want my students to demonstrate some knowledge about how historical and cultural elements impacting education. Current educational research encourages teachers to get to know each of their students in order to enhance their classroom performance, motivation, and desire to learn. Most teachers create activities and implement strategies that they hope will engage students in the content and promote a lifelong love of learning. I understand the importance of knowing and caring about each student and his or her learning needs. Also, I understand that all students learn differently, and that my course will address the diverse learning styles in the classroom.Within my course of three units that I am designing and covering, what are the most accurate time and way to discover our students’ learning styles? I can use my own assessing tools (formative & summative) to assess my students and get to know their learning styles, such as tests, project assignments, personal interviews, surveys, questionnaires or even quizzes or I can use the pre-made assessing tools, like Kaleidoscope profile, if the course is for high school students as Kaleidoscope has two versions of assessment, One is covering grades 3-6 and the other one is covering grades 7-12. The Kaleidoscope Profile is an all-inclusive assessment of learning styles, revealing each student’s sensory preferences, perceptual styles, organizational styles, and temperament. It’s another opportunity for teacher to get to know his/her students better and for them to get to know one another on a deeper level.Discovering student learning styles benefits you as a teacher, as well as your students. Meanwhile, knowing my students learning styles helps me:-
• Create an environment that supports how they learn.
• Understand how learning can be fun.
• Discover how they learn best.
Every teacher has different ways to help motivate lower level- students to improve for example, teacher’s expectation is playing an important role to make students interact effectively with course and classroom activities, giving frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well, assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult, helping students find personal meaning and value in the material, creating an atmosphere that is open and positive, helping students feel that they are valued members of a learning community.
Since my course allows integrating technology while addressing different historical and cultural topics into teaching process, it makes the lessons more interesting, engaging and motivating to students simultaneously helps students to reach higher levels of thinking in synthesizing, analyzing and evaluating sensitive historical and cultural issues. Research has also shown that good everyday teaching practices can do more to counter student apathy and weakness than special efforts to attack motivation directly (Ericksen, 1978).Most students respond positively to a well-organized course taught by an enthusiastic teacher who has a genuine interest in students and what they learn. Thus activities you undertake to promote learning will also enhance students' motivation.Bloom taxonomy is like Ibrahim Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. A learner can not go up the hierarchy, unless all the biological needs are being met. So Bloom’s Taxonomy is starting from knowledge and ending by evaluation to know the learning objectives have been realized. Also I can use the assessing tools that I have already set to know my students’ outcomes.
Part Two: Robert Gagne’s theory of instruction has provided a great number of valuable ideas to instructional design, trainers and teachers. I will be integrating some technological tools to gain my students’ attention, such as PowerPoint slides, video and still pictures. My online course is on History and culture consists of three units. The learning objectives will be listed under each unit and by the end the students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of various cultures & historical events in the world through knowledge gained about their countries.
• An understanding of current historical events and cultural issues impacting education.
• Describe at least two major social/cultural problems of 21st century Sudan.
Material will be chunked into sections in two text books required for reading and assignments in addition to other two recommended books for further reading on specific topics as guidance for assignment. Learning will be facilitated by giving students some cues related to their own history & cultures to help them compare or discuss historical and cultural issues. Students will be easily tapped into prior knowledge by talking about their own historical and cultural elements and features to lead them to explore new knowledge. Thus, also motivates students to participate in different activities to improve their achievement. Students will be working in groups in the classroom and at homes as well as individual assignments to be accomplished by the end of the course. Students will gain skills that help them to deal, analyze and evaluate historical and cultural issues to settle conflicts that might occur in their communities. Different assessing tools such as formative assessment for ongoing activities and summative assessment for final course exam with quick feedback will be used to check and evaluate students’ performance and competency, as well as rubric will be used on the final course project as an extra work for extra credits, based on five criteria:- content, organization, relevance, creativity and presentation.
Unit Three:Part One: Constructivism Vs Behaviorism
Constructivism's central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning. This view of learning sharply contrasts with Objectivism which learning is the passive transmission of information from one individual to another, a view in which reception, not construction, is key .The Constructivism based on two notions. The first is that learners construct new understandings using what they already know (past experience). The second notion is that learning is active rather than passive. Learners confront their understanding in light of what they encounter in the new learning situation. I like what Dr. Maria Montessori said “The teacher's task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child. “ The strength of this theory is that Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where learners should learn to discover principles, concepts and facts for themselves and encourage guesswork and intuitive thinking in learners. It concentrated on students as proconsumers of knowledge, and teacher’s role is a facilitator. I believe that this theory can be effectively used with computer to assign students to create and design activities according to their preferences and make reflection on different topics as well as sharing information. On the other hand, Behaviorism defined learning as the relatively permanent change in behavior brought about as a result of experience or practice. The focus of the behavioral approach is on how the environment impacts overt behavior. The weakness is using reinforcements to change the behavior is not effective all the time. Understanding human behavior through observation is not sufficient to explain human’s intended action. Behaviorism can be used to teach to students to learn new computer skills and do assignment through game- activities as a tool to change overt behavior. I think that according to textbook page 58, the difference between the constructivist and constructional design is, for example, constructivists learning environment create a place where learners may work together and support each other. (Case studies) and constructional design involves four learning-by-design principles (Papert 1980): individuals are active learners and control their own learning process, creative and reflective learners and focus on solving practical problems.
Part Two: Collaborative learning
I do like Piaget’s Theory of Collaborative learning. The collaborative learning offers learners opportunities to cooperatively learn, share information, & work on assignments/ projects in groups, thus enhances the interactions among the group members to build a cooperative learning community. Every one as an inherent part of learning community is assigned to complete his/ her work. Piaget pointed out” collaborative learning has a major role in constructive cognitive development. His theory is consistent with the other popular learning theories Vygotsky 1978, Fox, & Karen; Thomas & Funaro 1990 all are emphasizing on the importance of collaboration. Piaget felt that interaction between peers is equally shared. This contrasts adult-child or a teacher-student interaction, where usually the former is in control and the latter characteristically follows what the former professes, thus not following his/her own natural learning process.” The theory will support me to enhance the notion of student- centered. Students will work collaboratively to explore knowledge, share information to complete their assignment. Collaborative learning will help me to build an online virtual community to organize flexible environment for my students to learn, consequently promotes accessibility to online distance learning. Accordingly, my course can cover a large number of students in remote areas. Since Collaborative learning is about groups of students, and groups of students and teachers, constructing knowledge together, working through problems solving together, what I want specifically, my students to learn is the skills of collaborative learning, cooperation, teamwork, communication, facilitation, joint problem solving. Therefore, Collaborative learning is supporting online distance learning and covering large number of students in remote areas, consequently helps also close the digital divide and inequities in educational opportunities.
Unit Four:Part One: R. Gagne versus David Merrill
Robert Gagne’s theory of instruction has provided a great number of valuable ideas to instructional design, trainers and teachers. Gagne believes that effective instruction should reach beyond traditional learning theories. He supports cumulative teaching that transitions from simple to complex skills. Gagne's nine steps of instruction are a series of steps to guide the instructor or instructional designer. According to the theory, using this series should help to insure that the learner understands the desired objective. Gagne suggests that learning tasks for intellectual skills can be organized in hierarchy according to complexity: stimulus recognition, response generation, procedure following rule application and problem- solving. The theory outlines nine instructional events and corresponding cognitive processes:
1. Gain Attention: Evokes the learners' interest in the subject. For example, show students a map of a country to talk about it.
2. Inform Learner of Objective: Let the learners know what they will be learning. For example, today we will learn some traditions of this country.
3. Recall Prior Knowledge: Get the learners to think about what they already know. For example, has anyone know something about this country?
4. Present Material: Teach the topic: such as teaching language through culture. For example, show student how the diverse culture affects this country.
5. Provide Guided Learning: Help the learners follow along as the topic is presented. For example, show pictures about traditional events.
6- Elicit Performance Ask learners to do what they have been taught. For example, give students some cultural elements to compare with theirs
7- Provide Feedback: Inform learners of their performance. For example, check students’ performance for help.
8- Assess Performance: Evaluate learners on their knowledge of the topic. For example, evaluate the students’ writing on the topic
9- Enhance Retention and Transfer: Aid learners in remembering and applying the new skill. For example, give students assignment/ home work to talk about their culture based on what they learned in the previous lessons. For more information watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_8MB9F2cts
10- Merrill’s First Principles:-
Merrill defines the first principle of instruction as a prescriptive design principle on which various instructional design theories and models are in essential agreement.Merrill's first and central principle of instruction is a task-centered learning. Task centered learning is not problem –based learning but it share some features. Task- centered principle which learning is promoted when learners are engaged in a task- centered instructional strategy involving a progression of whole real- world tasks. Concisely the whole instructional process is based on four principles:-
• Activation Principle: learning in promoted and encouraged when learners activate relevant cognitive structures by being directed to demonstrate relevant previous experience.
• Demonstration Principle: learning also is promoted when learners observe a demonstration of the skills to be learned that is consistent with topic being taught, also demonstration will enhance when learners are guided relate general to specific instances or observe media that is relevant to the topic.
• Application Principle: learning is promoted when learners engage in application of the new knowledge they learned with the quick feedback from the teacher.
• Integration principle: learning is promoted when learners integrate their new knowledge into their everyday life and application also enhances when learners create, invent or explore personal ways to use their new knowledge and skills. Both theories has emphasize on student centered by starting to give students some tasks that related to their previous knowledge as a recall to prior experience. Students connect their prior knowledge with current learning situation to explore new knowledge. Instructor engages his students into a task to learn new skills. For example, aids learners in remembering and applying the new skills (talk about diversity in school). I think the theories are related to together as Merrill summarized the Gagne’s nine steps in to four principles both started to warm up the learners using his previous knowledge and experiences with clear learning objectives. I can use both theories to help my students learn about the diverse culture within their school and through this diversity unity can be made happen. Students can prepare topics on culture. And participate in groups to search online for more I formation. Students will organize their online findings for presentation. Thus, will enhance students’ cultural awareness and respect to each other culture. Meanwhile they can be able to apply these skills to organize cultural events in their communities.
References:-
http://cito.byuh.edu/merrill/text/papers/ReigeluthCarrFirstPrinciples.pdf
http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art3_3.htm
http://www.my-ecoach.com/idtimeline/theory/gagne.html
http://www.ibstpi.org/Products/pdf/appendix_A-C.pdf
Part II: what motivates learners?
As an instructional designer it’s vey important to understand motivation and get to know what motivates learners. I think that many characteristics has been mentioned by David Gershaw in his article that contribute in motivating learners, such as teacher’s enthusiasm, relevance of the topics being taught, teacher’s organization of the course, level of the material /topics, active engagement of learners, using different teaching methods and the use of suitable examples, simultaneously, opposite of these characteristics is considered de-motivators to learners. Click the link below. According to John Keller ARCS- Motivation Theory there are four major categories of Motivation strategies: Attention, Relevance, confidence and Satisfaction. Keller’s model seems like Gagne’s nine event and Merrill’s First Principles, all starts to pique the learner’s attention. This is an essential point of instructional process. The teacher should have to bring and put his learners in a learning situation stimulates all students to focus on the teaching topic. In an online course teacher can use different technological tools to motivate students such as displaying the topic in PowerPoint/ Camtasia slides or Windows Movie Maker. Meanwhile meets different learner’s styles. Thus, might help teacher engage all students in different activities and become effective members in their communities.
http://virgil.azwestern.edu/~dag/lol/LearnMotivate.html
Unit Five:Partne: Why assessment?
Assessment is an integral part of instruction, as it determines whether or not the goals of education are being met. Assessment affects decisions about grades, placement, advancement, instructional needs, curriculum, and, in some cases, funding. Assessment inspires us to ask these hard questions:
• Are we teaching what we think we are teaching?
• Are students learning what they are supposed to be learning?
• Is there a way to teach the subject better, thereby promoting better learning?
Assessment is used for different purposes. It should be tailored to a specific purpose and should be reliable, valid, and fair for that purpose. Assessments designed for one purpose are not necessarily valid if used for other purposes. Simply a teacher can use assessment to:
• Identify what students know
• Identify students’ special needs
• Determine appropriate placement
• Select appropriate curricula to meet students’ individual needs
• Plan for remedy and adjustment. (Flexibility)
The good assessment as indicated by Linda Suskie is more than anything else, it is an assessment that gives us truthful information; it tells us what our students have truly learned. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to determine with complete confidence exactly what our students have learned. The best we can do is to look at samples of their behavior, what they write, producing, say, and how they perform and from those samples we try to estimate or infer what they truly know. Educators use different kinds of assessments for different purposes such as diagnostic, formative, summative, interview, rubrics, and questionnaires. In my online course I have prepared different tools for different assessments, such as:
• Rubrics to assess my students’ performance in:
Discussion: Example: Discuss the life of Pastoral Fulani and their total out look centre on the maintenance of family and the herd ultimate goal is the fulfillment of familial virtues- duties to elder, wives and contemporaries that ensures the smooth of working family and lineage group as cooperating economy units. All these virtues summed up in the notion of Pulaaku (ethics). Discuss these ethics in relation to family ties and solidarity
writing: I use Chapman writing standards guide for weekly reading assignments. For example, student reads a chapter and makes a one page reflection on a specific topic.Multimedia project: is a group assignment, students will choose topics related to culture or history to search online to write about and share their findings in group presentation.End of Unit test: Students will be given an objective test at the end of each unit.Final exam: Students will be sitting for the End of the course final comprehension exam at the end of unit 3. I think the best rubric for my online course to assess a group work (multimedia presentation) is generic rubric: If you click on the below link, you will find different tools are being used for collaborative group work.
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/webquest/webquest_evaluation.htm
Part II: Designing a rubric for threaded discussion
A threaded discussion is an online collaboration tool that allows the creation of a forum or thread in which individuals are able to post messages and respond to other messages.We can get many benefits from threaded discussion, students can participate even if they are not logged on at the same time, some discussions threads notify the user of new messages, also the Posted messages remain available for everyone to read replies to messages are grouped under the original message, Students Individuals can take time to compose and post messages. I will design an effective rubric assessment for a threaded discussion by focusing on the following points:
*the assessment should be a continuing interaction between teacher/ student and student/student.
*It should be a real-world performance by a demonstration of the ability to apply knowledge and experience.
*The performance should be of relevance to the student and learning community.
*The goal or achievement target should be clearly articulated and communicated to the learner.
*Threaded discussion should be evaluated according to the interaction between the students or the students to the teacher in addition to the information.
*Answers shouldn’t be I agree or disagree. There should be reasons, solutions, and suggestions in addition to opinions.
Collaboration on the threaded discussion is the sharing of ideas; usually this is being done in class rooms, but online classes should collaborate to exchange ideas, and of course this is being done through the discussion board. Grading criteria should be determined on the learners’ opinion and the amount of interaction and collaboration with other students.
How do I organize and arrange the discussion thread of my Iraqi dialect course:
•First of all I will select a topic or question directly related to the contents of each unit and includes a description of the purpose, then encourages participation between students, and explains to them how to participate and post their messages.
•Second of all I have to Use a clear, descriptive title for each assignment, and Identify timelines for the discussion
Finally I have to refer to any specific readings, links, or other information to be referenced during the discussion.
Unit Six:Part One: What are learning object and distributed learning?
In order to discuss this topic I have to find an answer to a question above to know different definitions of the learning objects as well as distributed learning. The learning object is defined as follows:
• Learning object is a resource, usually digital and web-based, that can be used and re-used to support learning.
• Learning objects are small electronic units of educational information that are flexible, reusable, customizable, interoperable, and retrievable.
• Also is Course materials developed according to a standard (eg, IMS) which allows easy sharing of materials. Materials are modular and can be used for a variety of purposes and outputs.Simply learning object contains a single media element - a piece of video or text, for example - or it might contain a mix of text with graphics or animations with an audio commentary or you can regard learning objects at a micro level, as media assets - images, paragraphs of text, questions, audio clips and so on. Reusability is the main reason for using learning objects without much additional efforts. Since the learning objects are reusable, an instructor can continuously build upon existing learning objects and make them into better quality content packages.Looking at the above definitions of learning objects; learning objects can be summed up into the following components:-
- instructional objectives
- Content
- Learning strategies ( Activities)
- Assessment
See these links: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning Objects
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/features/objects/objects.htm
Distributed learning defines as students take courses from a variety of sources and delivery modes to customize a program of study. Often is used synonymously with online learning.What is SCORM? SCORM is defined as Sharable Content Object Reference Model integrates a set of related technical standards, specifications, and guidelines designed to meet Advance Distributed Learning’s functional requirements as:
- Accessibility
- Interoperability
- Durability
- Reusability
SCORM tries to ensure that learning objects are reusable (over time and by different organizations or teachers), interoperable (connect with different learning management systems including links to the grade book), durable (survive thousands of users), and accessible (for visual and auditory impaired users).
Learning object offers teacher an opportunity to create good environment for instructional process and it helps enhance students’ learning skills. In my online course which I concentrate on history and culture, it seems to me very important to display historical and cultural objects to gain students’ attention. I support my online course with many pictures and videos with animations to motivate students to be more engaged in the course activities. I reviewed much more literature about the learning objects, especially, a long study of how to use object learning to teach history and I found this study is helpful to follow its steps in teaching history and culture. The study uses the material in teaching history by displaying some material culture. I follow the same steps by using pictures in PowerPoint slides to show my students the important personalities in the history of Fulani people while teaching the topic on Kingdoms and conquests. For more information click this link: http://www.lib.niu.edu/1998/iht529802.html. Also another learning object that I feel will help me in preparing study units of online course, is the use of Issues on a video to teach the skills of 21st century in science. This is also is helpful for online courses as teachers can get students engaged virtually in a discussion synchronously to display their opinions about how the learning object enhances student skills of 21st century or synchronously through chatting: http://www.slideshare.net/njalfred/using-issues-to-teach-21st-century-skills-in-science-presentation . This is considered another way of using learning object to distribute learning opportunities to a large number of learners in distance learning. Learning object can help support teaching Language, this link show a teacher is training a ROBOT to pronounce some words: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1785879237181736807&ei=L6-5SrDEE5_0qAPc3cCDAg&q=using+object+learning+to+teach+history&hl=en# the links above show the use of object learning in different educational setting. Finally, Learning objects have many benefits for both learners and administrators, as courses can be constructed to meet individual requirements. I think learning objects have great potential for online course which I am preparing now.. I think this video is helpful to teach cultural awareness, especially in sensitive topic. Watch http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2820295854225356618&ei=Mm26StKML572qAPr5smQBg&q=using+material+culture+to+teach+history&hl=en#.
Go through these references for more information
References:
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/wbcgloss.html
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/features/objects/objects.htm
http://www.adlnet.gov/Documents/SCORM%20FAQ.aspx#scormq1
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ijet/v3n1/hamel/
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/32/378
http://vudat.msu.edu/learning_objects/
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1998/iht529802.html
http://www.slideshare.net/njalfred/using-issues-to-teach-21st-century-skills-in-science-presentation
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A0oGkwR6n7lKu9cAr9JXNyoA?ei=UTF-8&p=using%20video%20in%20teaching%20History%20and%20Culture&fr2=tab-web&fr=yfp-t-70
Part: II: The use of rich media.
The course textbook defines the rich media as learning products that incorporate high -end media such as video, animation, sound and simulation (p.312). Another definition is found from this link: http://www.devshed.com/c/a/Smartphone-Development/Getting-Started-with-Rich-Media/ rich media is the single most defining characteristic of rich media content is its dynamic motion, which can either occur over time or as a direct result of user interaction. Examples of this “dynamic motion” include streaming newscasts, which occur over time, and webcasts that include a synchronized slide show, which require user interaction. Watch this video: http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/dms/digital_signage.html
I. Rich media has great potential to incorporate sound into lessons. Audio is most commonly used in one of three ways: to present words in the form of narration; to add environmental sounds such as mechanical noise in a lesson on equipment or to add background music to the instruction, Moreno and Mayer (2002). A number of studies have compared learning from an animation with learning from a series of still pictures. The studies have found there is no significant difference between the two. However; in reviewing many literatures favored the use of graphics in helping students to recall the prior knowledge and experience to present lesson. Thus can be found in an online course of 16 weeks titled: Gender and Society submitted by Rosemary Dixon from University of Nevada, Reno: Course Tour the developer developed a course of 16 weeks. The course concentrates on Race, Gender, Class and Sexuality. The well organized course conations 6 icons and students every time they log in will see the home page and the third icon take the students directly to the syllabus. The developer used different graphics and icons pictures to gain the students’ attention and make the course very attractive to students simultaneously make surfing on the course topics very easy. Students will be able to transport from section to another without going back to the beginning of the course. The course was appropriately linked together. The course graphics help students to relate the current course topic with their previous experience and knowledge that existed in the long term memory ( schemata) in a way that reduces the cognitive load because the well organized course with explanatory graphics facilitate the interaction between the prior knowledge and current new lesson content. The developer used Camtasia slides to display the course content to make the material more interesting and at the same time without depressing the learning. The developer presented subject matter in a well organized way that attracts students to easily engage in different activities. Also using Camtasia slides with sound, animation and video helps the developer meet the needs of diverse learners’ styles. Students are assigned to engage in a discussion platform, online reading and learning, paper research and final essay. Thus also offers students another opportunity to get good scores and credit points. Assessments are designed to encourage students to utilize and demonstrate critical thinking skills. Assessment based on three exams, multiple questions, writing questions and feedback will be given along with rubric when grading. Students also are given a chance to complete feedback survey in weeks 4 and 10 and all reasonable adjustment could be made were made in real time. At the end of the semester students completed an overall course evaluation.
Unit Seven: Part One: Web 2.0 builds Virtual teaching club.
Web 2.0 Refers to what was perceived as a second generation of web development and web design. It is characterized as facilitating communication. Therefore, Web 2.0 is a new generation and development of the old generation Web1.0 that helps the user publishes, participates, collaborates, shares and displays his ideas and knowledge with others in a collaborative virtual community. It facilitates asynchronously or synchronously the e-learning, distance learning and online courses. Many tools can be used to communicate with others to form a social networking Net, such as black board, online Journal, Twilker, podcasts, blogging, Wikis, emails, tagging, Ajax, and Flicker... Listen to the developer of Web 2.0, Tim O'Reilly giving a short definition to Web 2.0 and as well as the application of Web 2.0 is our daily interactions and communications. Watch three videos from my blogs:
http://oahmed56-teaching-learning.blogspot.com/ That show how web 2.0 does work and offer a soul and spirit to online community collaboration and interactions globally and makes us easily communicate and learn from each other. The historic changes in information are going to force educators to historic changes in teaching and learning to integrate such technologies in instructional process. Web 2.0 ads more opportunities to help students shift to become continual self learners and less dependent only upon classroom lessons. In preparing online units course, I use discussion platform and online Journal to promote students interaction through participating in discussion board and publishing their ideas/reflection on assigned topics in online journal, simultaneously encourages the collaborative working group in multimedia final projects on topics given to each group. Groups meet virtually to display their findings in a virtual asynchronous presentation. Each group presents its findings on blogs or Journals for further discussions, comments and response. Simply, this is the way my course ties the students to interact and share experiences.
Part two: Watch the video on my blog:
http://oahmed56-teaching-learning.blogspot.com/
Cognitive Sciences and Instructional Design
I think that both have their own object of study, but share a common interest in human cognition and performance as part of instructional systems. Also both sciences may exchange influence on each other. Cognitive science often conducts research on cognitive processes and setting written instructional strategies and guidelines that related to these strategies for improving instructional systems. Instructional design conducts research on applicable instructional strategies, and observations of students working according to those strategies to realize the instructional goals /outcomes. Instructional design is goal driven theory. Man y changes have been taken place on instructional design as it helps change the way instructors design and deliver lesson. Adding more practices of maximizing the effectiveness, efficiency and appeal of instruction and other learning experiences. Instructional theories also play an important role in the design of instructional materials. Theories such as behaviorism, constructivism, social learning and cognitivism help shape and define the outcome of instructional materials. Over the past century, college and university demographics have changed. Recently there has been an influx of non-traditional learners enrolling in colleges and universities. Due to this change in learner base, there comes the need to look at the methods of design for instruction within adult classrooms. In an article written by Deborah Ash in March, 2007 “a focus on theory of transformative learning and learner – centered learning thus begun. Can instructional designers utilize this theory in order to ensure a better learning environment for adult that are filling college campuses?” Is transformative learning supportive of the shift? Thus also show reciprocal influence of instructional design on cognitive sciences. Instructional designers can present new knowledge in a way that helps the learners to act upon, facilitate access to course projects that reflect on the new perspectives, allowing for general discussion on how to use their knowledge in real life and encouraging learner to engage in problem solving topics. The best model which I want to use in my online course is the Dick & Carey and Kemp ISD model which uses rapid prototyping. This is the idea of receiving continual or formative feedback while instructional materials are being created. This model is an attempt to save time by catching problems while they are still easy to fix. Learner centered strategies are: The Course will be conducted online through e-learning. Students will be engaging virtually in on-line communication, interaction and collaboration through:
• Threaded discussions
• Journal or blog response
• intensive weekly reading with one page reflection on required textbook chapter reading ( individual assignment)
• Online Lecture topics
• week one quizzes
• week two multimedia presentation project( Group assignment)
• Week three Final Exam
• 15 hours every week of on-line class time within the scheduled period in order to complete requirements for 3 semester units of credit.
• Full marks will be given to complete and correct assignments that turned in before or on due date.
• Assessments other than quizzes and Final Exam, are three rubrics for:
o Reading / Writing assignment
o Discussion
o Multimedia group projects
• Communication:
o Assignments will be turned in, every week in Sunday, before midnight PMT
o Through drop box
o Email
o Discussion platform
o Week starts Monday at 21: Am PMT
Reference: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/165407teaching_through_transformation_learnercentered_pg3.html?cat=4
Unit Eight: Part One: What do instructional Designers Do in Higher Education? A Written Symposium
what do instructional Designers Do in Higher Education? A written Symposium.
Chapter 22 starts to present the similarities and differences between USA and Australia in Higher education system. The five writers focused on the role of the instructional designers in higher education as their lives are similar to other faculty and professional staff members in higher education. Some differences are their training and areas of professional concentration. Among the similarities is universities are divided into separate colleges where semesters are approximately 15 weeks long and teaching loads average about three courses per semester. Instructional designers working in support areas such as distance education or faculty development are practitioners. As the use of technologies increases in higher education, these individuals are becoming more critical to success of an organization. Instructional designer’s roles are to facilitate the development of learning and teaching strategies and introduce to faculty to distance learning production processes. This role needs sound knowledge of ID theory. Instructional designers need to have sufficient skills to perform all tasks assigned to them. The role of instructional designers has changed from working with individual course leaders to group approach to meet the needs of changing educational initiatives to help build an online interaction among the students, and between students and instructor. Instructional designers must keep up date with ID literature and educational theory and practice (e.g., constructivism, online pedagogy blended learning and so forth). The chapter also presents the basic components of instructional design such as what is needed for educational program, goals, objectives, learners, contents, teaching methods technology (media) and how learners will be assessed and the course evaluated. The chapter concludes the discussion of five professors to assure the role of instructional designer as a faculty developer, facilitator of the development of learning and teaching strategies, or developing of distance learning materials and community member. I have reviewed many literatures on marketing to find out what instructional designers do for marketing. I have come to a conclusion that the process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers in marketing often use technology and multimedia as tools to enhance advertizing and marketing of goods and products in a way that attracts and persuade consumers to buy such a good or product. For more information watch these videos and listen to professors of marketing in different American universities.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8137264847507633140#docid=-8556247553140215499
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txifd0LuUVM
Pattwo: Community of Practice
The role of an online instructor is to create and prepare a curriculum that fits teaching online and allows integration of different technologies. Instructor also prepares an online instructional environment setting that ties students to interact and collaborate in groups work. I use different communication tools to help students communicate with instructor and each other, such as blogging, group work and emails. Students have access to instructor email for any assistance and clarification related to course syllabus and assignment. I was able to build up an online virtual community to engage and tie my students in different activities through virtual asynchronous communication, using a discussion board or an email. Thus helps students individually to complete their assignments and display their inputs in discussion board, and every student at least receives one response from his peers. I, as an instructor of an online course insert my comments on student’s inputs and opinions related to the topic under discussion. Students will be assigned to read a chapter from the required textbook and make a reflection of one page. There are external links, recommended textbook, and an online book for extra reading on the topic. These resources help students to gather additional information about the required assignment. Students also will work on collaborative groups for multimedia presentation project; each group of three students is assigned to work on one topic and come together to share their findings in groups’ asynchronous presentation. Finally, students will asked to lodge their assessment & comments on each group work for rating, according to the rubric designed by the instructor on criteria: content, relevance, participation, organization, creativity and presentation. Finally, students need learning
environment that connects them to content, to expert instruction, to a wide range of instructional resources, to their peers, and to appropriate support services and that happened by using the above mentioned tools.
Unit Nine:Part One: Sharing Instructional design
Teachers want their students to learn everything in the course. As my course is addressing history and culture in general, I want my students to demonstrate some knowledge about how historical and cultural elements impacting education. Current educational research encourages teachers to get to know each of their students in order to enhance classroom engagement, performance, motivation, and desire to learn. Most teachers create activities and implement strategies that they hope will engage students in the content and promote a lifelong love of learning. I understand the importance of knowing and caring about each student and his or her learning needs. I understand that all students learn differently, and that my course will address the diverse learning styles in the classroom by integrating different technologies. The strength of my course is the way I prepared and organized the materials to fit online teaching and learning, for example, units are prepared and organized as follows:
Reading for Unit One required textbook
lecture note/video
DISCUSSION
JOURNAL RESPONSE
ASSIGNMENT
Quizzes
Unit Topics
Genesis and Origins
Ancient history
Education & Religion
Conquests
Kingdoms:-
• Fuuta Jalon 1727
• Massina 1818 – 1853
• Sokoto 1809
Assignments
-Reading / writing (required textbook chapters).
-Discussion
- Blog response
-Watch Online lecture
- Multimedia group project
Strategies:
The Course will be conducted online through e-learning. Students will be engaging virtually in online communication, interaction and collaboration through:
• Threaded discussions
• Blog response
• Intensive weekly reading on required & recommended textbook chapters
• Video Lecture
• Week one quizzes
• Week two multimedia presentation project (Group assignment)
• Week three Final Exam
Assessments
- Quizzes
- Final Exam
- Rubrics
I established social presence through online virtual community to engage and tie my students in different activities through virtual asynchronous communication, using discussion board and emails. I think the weak points that are, the display of materials on the black board, capability to embed different technologies while designing an online course, and management of instructional process through the appropriate use of technology and assessment skills. According to the Kirkpatrick’s four levels, the reaction of my students can be measured through asking a question; did they like the course or was the material relevant to the work? Learning happens when learners are able to apply what they have learned and able to apply their knowledge and skills in real life within their communities, this shows their capability to perform the learned skills. I think designing a course of three units to be conducted or taught online encourages me to think to further my knowledge in the field of instructional design in the future and motivates me to follow in the future my study on how to create syllabus for e-learning and distance learning. I fee, I need to learn such competences to better perform on the job.
Part: two: Watch these videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGAqKDnOtb8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb25zg8kPF0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxejYwVavEw
Competence needed for Instructional Designers
Most instructional designers focus on variety of areas such as educational technology, human performance improvement, information technology and computer scholarly inquiry and training. They are aimed at a range of audiences from academics and graduate students in higher education to practitioners in business and industry. The decision to join a professional organization is based on its mission, benefits provided to me and goals that match my career and interest. I do like to join an organization that works in business. I will focus on performance improvement and training. My reading is based on quality of the materials and to what extent it matches my interest. Each organization has different publications; some has specific purpose aimed at particular audiences, research or theory. However; publications of interest to the IDT community are focusing on variety of topics, including cognitive and instruction, distance learning, multimedia, performance and improvement and instructional development. For myself; I am looking for the quality of the publications and critically analyze the content, especially e- journals. I really, want to join American society for Training and Development (ASTD) to get better training and learn more skills that could help me develop e-learning curriculum for college level. http://astd.org. I like also association for the advancement of computing in Education (AACE) http://aace.org. Training manager manages the development and delivery of training and all that associated with those activities (Foxon, et, al. 2003). Foxon suggested that training manger must possess skills unique to the human resource development function, including new skills to market globalization, information technology, e-learning, and e-business and knowledge management. Instructor competences were updated in 2000 which include planning, preparation, instructional methods, strategies, assessment and management and more competences are needed for online instructor than those to classroom, due to technology demands. The most comfortable role is planning and preparation of instructional methods and material because of the importance of having the material in hands before taking a step towards teaching online. With the availability of the materials, teachers can tailor such materials to meet the learners’ needs and allow integration of technology. The most important ethics in the organization are responsibilities to provide efficient, effective, workable and cost- effective solutions that advance organizational performance goals. Adhering to these ethics will reflect positively on other ethics and promote collaboration, education, privacy and communication across departments. I would like to pursue my doctoral program in designing e-learning business and I will perceive myself within the next ten years (by the will of God) to be a good instructional designer in the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Role of Instructional Designers.
References:
Trends and Issues in Instructional Design & Technology 2nd edition Robert Reiser & John Dempsey
http://manishmo.blogspot.com/2008/01/instructional-designer-competencies.html
http://www.elearninglearning.com/instructional-design
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Overview on Instructional Designer Competences
Part: One
Sharing Instructional design
Teachers want their students to learn everything in the course. As my course is addressing history and culture in general, I want my students to demonstrate some knowledge about how historical and cultural elements impacting education. Current educational research encourages teachers to get to know each of their students in order to enhance classroom engagement, performance, motivation, and desire to learn. Most teachers create activities and implement strategies that they hope will engage students in the content and promote a lifelong love of learning. I understand the importance of knowing and caring about each student and his or her learning needs. I understand that all students learn differently, and that my course will address the diverse learning styles in the classroom by integrating different technologies. The strength of my course is the way I prepared and organized the materials to fit online teaching and learning, for example, units are prepared and organized as follows:
Reading for Unit One required textbook
lecture note/video
DISCUSSION
JOURNAL RESPONSE
ASSIGNMENT
Quizzes
Unit Topics
Genesis and Origins
Ancient history
Education & Religion
Conquests
Kingdoms:-
• Fuuta Jalon 1727
• Massina 1818 – 1853
• Sokoto 1809
Assignments
-Reading / writing (required textbook chapters).
-Discussion
- Blog response
-Watch Online lecture
- Multimedia group project
Strategies:
The Course will be conducted online through e-learning. Students will be engaging virtually in online communication, interaction and collaboration through:
• Threaded discussions
• Blog response
• Intensive weekly reading on required & recommended textbook chapters
• Video Lecture
• Week one quizzes
• Week two multimedia presentation project (Group assignment)
• Week three Final Exam
Assessments
- Quizzes
- Final Exam
- Rubrics
I established social presence through online virtual community to engage and tie my students in different activities through virtual asynchronous communication, using discussion board and emails. I think the weak points that are, the display of materials on the black board, capability to embed different technologies while designing an online course, and management of instructional process through the appropriate use of technology and assessment skills. According to the Kirkpatrick’s four levels, the reaction of my students can be measured through asking a question; did they like the course or was the material relevant to the work? Learning happens when learners are able to apply what they have learned and able to apply their knowledge and skills in real life within their communities, this shows their capability to perform the learned skills. I think designing a course of three units to be conducted or taught online encourages me to think to further my knowledge in the field of instructional design in the future and motivates me to follow in the future my study on how to create syllabus for e-learning and distance learning. I fee, I need to learn such competences to better perform on the job.
Part: two:
Competences Needed for Instructional Designers
Most instructional designers focus on variety of areas such as educational technology, human performance improvement, information technology and computer scholarly inquiry and training. They are aimed at a range of audiences from academics and graduate students in higher education to practitioners in business and industry. The decision to join a professional organization is based on its mission, benefits provided to me and goals that match my career and interest. I do like to join an organization that works in business. I will focus on performance improvement and training. My reading is based on quality of the materials and to what extent it matches my interest. Each organization has different publications; some has specific purpose aimed at particular audiences, research or theory. However; publications of interest to the IDT community are focusing on variety of topics, including cognitive and instruction, distance learning, multimedia, performance and improvement and instructional development. For myself; I am looking for the quality of the publications and critically analyze the content, especially e- journals. I really, want to join American society for Training and Development (ASTD) to get better training and learn more skills that could help me develop e-learning curriculum for college level. http://astd.org. I like also association for the advancement of computing in Education (AACE) http://aace.org. Training manager manages the development and delivery of training and all that associated with those activities (Foxon, et, al. 2003). Foxon suggested that training manger must possess skills unique to the human resource development function, including new skills to market globalization, information technology, e-learning, and e-business and knowledge management. Instructor competences were updated in 2000 which include planning, preparation, instructional methods, strategies, assessment and management and more competences are needed for online instructor than those to classroom, due to technology demands. The most comfortable role is planning and preparation of instructional methods and material because of the importance of having the material in hands before taking a step towards teaching online. With the availability of the materials, teachers can tailor such materials to meet the learners’ needs and allow integration of technology. The most important ethics in the organization are responsibilities to provide efficient, effective, workable and cost- effective solutions that advance organizational performance goals. Adhering to these ethics will reflect positively on other ethics and promote collaboration, education, privacy and communication across departments. I would like to pursue my doctoral program in designing e-learning business and I will perceive myself within the next ten years (by the will of God) to be a good instructional designer in the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
References:
Trends and Issues in Instructional Design & Technology 2nd edition Robert Reiser & John Dempsey
http://manishmo.blogspot.com/2008/01/instructional-designer-competencies.html
http://www.elearninglearning.com/instructional-design/
Sharing Instructional design
Teachers want their students to learn everything in the course. As my course is addressing history and culture in general, I want my students to demonstrate some knowledge about how historical and cultural elements impacting education. Current educational research encourages teachers to get to know each of their students in order to enhance classroom engagement, performance, motivation, and desire to learn. Most teachers create activities and implement strategies that they hope will engage students in the content and promote a lifelong love of learning. I understand the importance of knowing and caring about each student and his or her learning needs. I understand that all students learn differently, and that my course will address the diverse learning styles in the classroom by integrating different technologies. The strength of my course is the way I prepared and organized the materials to fit online teaching and learning, for example, units are prepared and organized as follows:
Reading for Unit One required textbook
lecture note/video
DISCUSSION
JOURNAL RESPONSE
ASSIGNMENT
Quizzes
Unit Topics
Genesis and Origins
Ancient history
Education & Religion
Conquests
Kingdoms:-
• Fuuta Jalon 1727
• Massina 1818 – 1853
• Sokoto 1809
Assignments
-Reading / writing (required textbook chapters).
-Discussion
- Blog response
-Watch Online lecture
- Multimedia group project
Strategies:
The Course will be conducted online through e-learning. Students will be engaging virtually in online communication, interaction and collaboration through:
• Threaded discussions
• Blog response
• Intensive weekly reading on required & recommended textbook chapters
• Video Lecture
• Week one quizzes
• Week two multimedia presentation project (Group assignment)
• Week three Final Exam
Assessments
- Quizzes
- Final Exam
- Rubrics
I established social presence through online virtual community to engage and tie my students in different activities through virtual asynchronous communication, using discussion board and emails. I think the weak points that are, the display of materials on the black board, capability to embed different technologies while designing an online course, and management of instructional process through the appropriate use of technology and assessment skills. According to the Kirkpatrick’s four levels, the reaction of my students can be measured through asking a question; did they like the course or was the material relevant to the work? Learning happens when learners are able to apply what they have learned and able to apply their knowledge and skills in real life within their communities, this shows their capability to perform the learned skills. I think designing a course of three units to be conducted or taught online encourages me to think to further my knowledge in the field of instructional design in the future and motivates me to follow in the future my study on how to create syllabus for e-learning and distance learning. I fee, I need to learn such competences to better perform on the job.
Part: two:
Competences Needed for Instructional Designers
Most instructional designers focus on variety of areas such as educational technology, human performance improvement, information technology and computer scholarly inquiry and training. They are aimed at a range of audiences from academics and graduate students in higher education to practitioners in business and industry. The decision to join a professional organization is based on its mission, benefits provided to me and goals that match my career and interest. I do like to join an organization that works in business. I will focus on performance improvement and training. My reading is based on quality of the materials and to what extent it matches my interest. Each organization has different publications; some has specific purpose aimed at particular audiences, research or theory. However; publications of interest to the IDT community are focusing on variety of topics, including cognitive and instruction, distance learning, multimedia, performance and improvement and instructional development. For myself; I am looking for the quality of the publications and critically analyze the content, especially e- journals. I really, want to join American society for Training and Development (ASTD) to get better training and learn more skills that could help me develop e-learning curriculum for college level. http://astd.org. I like also association for the advancement of computing in Education (AACE) http://aace.org. Training manager manages the development and delivery of training and all that associated with those activities (Foxon, et, al. 2003). Foxon suggested that training manger must possess skills unique to the human resource development function, including new skills to market globalization, information technology, e-learning, and e-business and knowledge management. Instructor competences were updated in 2000 which include planning, preparation, instructional methods, strategies, assessment and management and more competences are needed for online instructor than those to classroom, due to technology demands. The most comfortable role is planning and preparation of instructional methods and material because of the importance of having the material in hands before taking a step towards teaching online. With the availability of the materials, teachers can tailor such materials to meet the learners’ needs and allow integration of technology. The most important ethics in the organization are responsibilities to provide efficient, effective, workable and cost- effective solutions that advance organizational performance goals. Adhering to these ethics will reflect positively on other ethics and promote collaboration, education, privacy and communication across departments. I would like to pursue my doctoral program in designing e-learning business and I will perceive myself within the next ten years (by the will of God) to be a good instructional designer in the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
References:
Trends and Issues in Instructional Design & Technology 2nd edition Robert Reiser & John Dempsey
http://manishmo.blogspot.com/2008/01/instructional-designer-competencies.html
http://www.elearninglearning.com/instructional-design/
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- Teaching-Learning
- I am working with Defense Language Institute at Monterey Bay. I have received my education in Sudan, Yemen and America. I have got MA in educational technology, 2010 at Chapman university, Monterey City California and Post master at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. (UNCG). in 2004and MBA in Sudan in 1998. I got American citizenship in August 2008. I am married; I have five children , two in college and one in high school.Suheil still early grade one and Suheib is a baby of three years old, playing at home. My email address is assiraiwoo@yahoo.com. Phone number is 8312246829.
