What is a global village?

My first impression of the article, "Do we really want a global village?", is wow what a pessimistic and doomsday view of technology.  The author's interpretation of the term global village was more global domination.  I have heard the term "global village" before and this is my understanding of it.  It implies the ability to communicate with all areas of the globe. As far as the concept of village, the author makes a valid point in that most of us don't know what a true village is.  Is it a community?  Is it a city?  My idea of a village is everyone working together to promote the health, success and goodness of the people that live there.  It is sort of an extended family idea.  However, families are different than villages.  Families imply a closer relationship.  This also brings up the concept of a community.  I think village and community are similar terms.  So maybe a more accurate term would be global community. 

Is a global village a good or bad occurrence?  I think it relates to what are you intentions to be part of the global village.    If I want to have a conversation with someone on the other side of the world to learn about that culture and make a connection that's good.  If a corporation advertises something harmful and makes it seem like the thing to have (i.e., tobacco companies, fast food chains, etc.) that would not be a good use of global connectedness.  I don't think that the internet in itself is bad it's how it is used and promoted.  In general I think the idea of communication with other cultures is a good thing and will only strengthen our society.  The internet makes this more possible for common people today than it was even 10 years ago.  The incredibly fast growth of electronic technology has peopled concerned because it is change and any kind of change is uncomfortable.  We do need to think of new and different ways to learn, grow, and be, but I think that having a global village will help our society with that.

How does the global village affect the K-12 classroom?

It effects the classroom in opening up many opportunities to "go"  and  "see" places and events that wouldn't be possible before internet.  It makes the world more accessible.  However, we need to learn and teach how to manage all of this information about cultures, places, and ideas.  It just opens up so many possibilities.  I can show my class a youtube video about a student in England that was bullied because he preferred to sing opera.  He decided that he would ignore anyone who made fun of him and continue to do what he loved and his video is broadcast for whoever chooses to see it.  When I showed this to my students they commented , "you mean kids in England are bullied too?".  It helps them to see similarities among people. 

The concept of "global village" effects the classroom in what skills are taught to my students.  Critical reading, interpreting, and creating are essential to understanding all of the media that they are exposed to though the interconnectedness that we are experiencing.  I also think that an attitude of tolerance is as important now as it ever was.  It also gives the teacher many resources to teach about different cultures, not just what is printed in the textbooks.  

Moral Philosophy and Critical Theory

Morality as defined by Pojman is, "certain customs, precepts, and practices of people and cultures."  This implies that morality is universal.  Morality brings some order to our society.  There should be a generally understood way of behavior.  I agree that as a society we need these principles that guide us.  The general purposes of morality are to create a society that promote humanity, resolve conflicts in just and orderly ways, keep order within society, and to be the conscience of society.  As an educator I believe I have a responsiblity  to be an example of what a moral person is.  I believe the days of learning a moral code at home, for many of my students, may be non-existent.  I may be the only adult in their lives that doesn't yell at them, doesn't ignore them, doesn't abuse them either mentally, physically, or emotionally.  I want and should treat all of my students as well as my colleagues with respect and dignity.  I should also be aware that what I do in my private life could be judged, so I need to think about how my actions would effect my students.  I am an educator and should stand for what is right and good in our society.  I don't mean to imply that as an educator I need to be perfect-- I am human, but I do think there is a responsibility to think more critically about my actions.  Are my actions benefitting others or harming them?

Critical theory is a set of principles that looks at an issue from the perspective of not accepting the generally understood reality or historical reality of an idea or phenomena.  Critical theorists would look at new ways of solving social problems.  The idea is to generate conversations about generally accepted phenomena.  In looking at the issue of educational technology, a critical theorist would not accept the idea that just because you use a computer in instruction you are a better teacher.  Or ask a school district why it should spend all that money on a computer lab?  I think it is a helpful theory in looking at educational technology because if we are to be moral people we should be looking for ways to help society better understand the human condition.  Not develop into a society of that has an even greater divide between the haves and have nots.  Technology has the potential to encourage this elitism.    The article makes a convincing argument in warning us about this possibility.  Critical theory supports the idea of questioning the uses of educational technology for the advancement of understanding among humans.    

June 25, 2008

The basic elements included in traditional ID (instructional design) are:  analysis, design, development, evaluation, and revision.  The first model I would like to consider is the Dick and Carey model.  This model includes the five mentioned above and adds more specifics to each area.  This model would be good in writing district-wide standard based learning outcome tests for students in grades K-5. I think this would be a good fit because goals and tests are written before an instructional strategy or instructional materials are determined for an individual classroom. Then based on what the tests are evaluating the teacher at each grade level decides how to get the students to pass that outcome.  The advantage of having the criterion written tests written before instruction takes place is that all the teachers are headed in the write direction.

The next model I would like to review is the Big 8 Model of Instructional Design.  This model would work well as an introductory lesson in teaching students about fractions.   There are activities before the lesson and connection with media in being consumers and producers.

Then more lesson and finally evaluate.  Fractions is a difficult concept for students to grasp and this has many ways for the student to be exposed to the concept.  This model would actually work well for any math concept because it gives several opportunities to reinforce the instruction.

The ASSURE model would fit best with almost any unit of study lesson plan.  All good plans should include objectives, inclusion of media, learner participation, and evaluation and revision.  We are required in my school district to turn in a lesson plan on a monthly basis.  This model is very similar to the one we are required to use.  

The Complete Instructional Design Plan could be used for designing teacher professional development.  In fact, it is similar to the Iowa Professional Development Model.  Both models include support services, instructional resources, formative and summative evaluation, and teaching/learning activities.  

The ADDIE model is more for training in the business world.  This model is more about designing and developing than about setting objectives and learning activities.  This would be the model used to train a group of bank employees on how to use a new computer system that will be purchased to make service to the customer more efficient.  

June 23, 2008

Given the two definitions of Technology and Media what is IT (Instructional Technology)?

Media is defined as the carriers, conduits or deliverers of a message.

Technology is defined as the process (ways of doing things) and products (output) to make life better.

When given those two definitions I think that Instructional Technology is about helping the learner to better understand the how and why of media.  The learner needs to be instructed in critical thinking skills.  IT is not just about teaching the learner how to run a piece of equipment. 

The definition of IT is still in the process of changing, but in 1994 AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) published this definition, "Instructional Technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning."

June 19, 2008

Literacy is all about interpreting symbols.  Letters or images on a page are symbols that form words that we have a common understanding about.  However, its not just enough to be able to understand the words in isolation.  The reader or viewer needs to have a connection with the message that the media is trying to present.  Edgar Dales's cone of experience presents the idea that person cannot understand the symbols unless he or she has had some doing or observing of the concept. This leads into the use of audiovisuals being used to help a student understand a concept out of a textbook.   Literacy is about using thinking skills to understand the message.

Both visual and media literacy deal with this idea of interpretation.  Using the communication theory it is important to remember that the field of experience has influence on how a person understands the message.  Visual literacy deals only with what can be seen.  Whereas, media literacy could include sound.  Being visually literate also includes being able to create symbols or images.  Media literacy has five core concepts to aid in the understand of the product the media is presenting.  These are authorship, format, audience, content, and purpose.  A questions I have is that these concepts are also needed to comprehend the written word.  What is the author's purpose (to inform, entertain, or persuade), what is the format (book, article, how-to-paper) who is the audience (adult, adolescent, young child), content (fact or fiction), Who is the author? (what do we know about who wrote it).  In the literature book that I use in teaching my classes all of these core concepts are addressed before the students is given the short story to read.  This helps them to understand the story.  

June 18, 2008 Theories

June 18, 2008

How do the theories of Instructional Technology fit with the theories of education?

To begin I would like to develop and explain my understanding of what a theory is.  A theory attempts to explain why someone or something behaves the way it does or does not.  This theory becomes the idea used to predict events or if the events perform in the way predicted the theory is generally accepted.  In other words if you have a theory and can prove the principles of that theory the theory may become law.  Examples would be the law of gravity or law of natural selection.  A theory may be generally accepted, but could also be open to revision or adaptation occurs when events occur to bring that specific theory into question.

There have been several theories about education over the years.  Different theories have developed in relationship to events that occur in society or the field of a certain study.  Two early theories in particular are essentialism and perennialism, in a very general sense, see education as the imparting of knowledge from the teacher to the studtnt.  In these theories of education the student does not have to do much creative thinking on his or her own.  The belief is that it is the responsibility of the current generation to pass on the essential knowledge of the past to the next generation.  The article, "The Need for a Reconstructed Philosophy," presents the idea that these theories support the need for cultural conservation.  These two theories of education worked well when the purpose of education was to train a work force for the industrial age.  The theories come into question when considering modern discoveries and achievements.  The article also points out the concern that a return to the theory of perennialism would be detrimental if not put an end to democracy.

The theory of progressivism is based on the belief that experience is the key to learning.  Experience and discovery are the best ways to learn.  The student takes a more active role in learning.  Experience is the best way to learn.  The student takes a more active role in learning.  The studies done in cognitive theory support and develop this theory.  The theory of reconstructionism grow out of the belief that "extraordinary change demands sharper critques and longer range proposals than are required under more normal cultural conditions." (Brameld)  The belief that our world is changing and we need to look ahead and not rely on all things that we have used in the past.   Many ideas from the previous are used in reconstructionism, a fairly new theory, but the the theory seems to be more dynamic and is seen more as an in process model that being considered law at this time.

Instructional Technology as a field of study began in the early 1900's.  It began with the use of educational films in the classrooms to aid the teacher in instruction.  This fits with the essentialism and perennialism theories as the teacher being the imparter of wisdom and the student being the receiver.  The first formal definition of IT came about in 1963 and stated that "audiovisual communication is that branch of educational theory and practice concerned primarily with the design and use of messages which control the learning process." (DAVI, 1963)  I notice the words "control the learning process," which supports the theory of teacher as presenter of information.

The definition within the field continued to change over the years as theories of education, cognitive theory, and communication theory developed.  In 1970 the Commission on Instructional Technology developed a definition that included the systems theory, cognitive and communication theories being developed.   The Instructional Technology field no longer defined itself as being supplemental to the teacher, but more as a "systematic way of designing, carrying out, and evaluating the total process of learning."  (CIT,1970)  This definition was based on some of the beliefs of progressivism.  Specifically, the belief of open-mindness and tolerance.

I find it quite fascinating to think about these theories and definitions as being in the state of change.  As a classroom teacher caught up in the day to day responsibilities I have forgotten the big picture.  In other words the why of what I do.  Why do I instruct the way I do?  Why does the district have certain benchmarks that they have determined need to be achieved at a certain grade level?  Are they the right ones?  I feel the need to question these ideas and beliefs to be more confident in what I do.  

Sunday June 15, 2008

It's Father's Day and I am very fortunate to be able to wish my father greetings.  It seems the older I get the more I appreciate where I came from.  Perhaps it is because I have many students that have families that are less than supportive let alone loving. My nuclear family consists of 8.  I have two parents that have been married for 55 years and both are still in good health.  I have 5 brothers, one older and the other 4 are younger.  Yes, for those of you with logical reasoning skills that makes me the only girl.  To answer the next question.  NO I was not spoiled.  I have a husband, step-daughter (she attends another Iowa university), and three dogs. I have been an educator for 16 years, except for the last two years I taught in the Catholic School System in Waterloo.  I am currently an 8th grade reading teacher in Creston.

An experience that I have had that is unique would have to be how I spent the summer of 1999.  We called it the Millenium Tour.  My husband and our friends, George and Cathy Pickup, went to a baseball game at all 30 major league baseball parks.  We also went to Cooperstown and saw the Induction of George Brett and Robin Yount.  There were two main things we considered before taking this trip.  Would it be logistically possible?  Would we be able to afford it? In 1998 my husband did a trial schedule to see if  it was even possible.  Yes, we could do it.  Since we lived in Waterloo at the time we could attend several games before school got out for the year.  We spent all but about three weeks from June 3 to August 10 on the road.  As far as the cost of the trip, we took advantage of any acquaintance we had.  We even stayed with a couple in Connecticut that we hadn't even met.  My husband belongs to a Baseball Card Collectors Club and he met them on line.  If there wasn't anyone we knew to stay with we camped.  We even got free tickets from 5 teams.  We traveled by van and gas at that time was about $1.25 a gallon.  I have always been a fan of baseball, but this has made baseball a part of my family.  I feel like I'm going home whenever I spend time in a baseball park.  Go RED SOX!!!!