Greetings:
This week's reading started off with an interesting scenario. From the moment I read the description, I could picture a co-worker; fascinated by the latest techno-gadget. He always has an “idea” of how to incorporate technology into learning. The best part about this, he doesn’t even work in the training group. He has no idea about cognitive overload or how it affects the way people learn. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy technology as much as the next geek but I have learned it can be good or bad depending on the scenario it’s used in. For me, this week reconfirmed three things:
1. Vegas-style media usually creates extraneous processing.
2. Learning occurs when people engage in appropriate cognitive processing.
3. Integrated text and images are more effective than separated text and images.
Looking forward to reading your posts.
Cheers,
Travis
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Take a look at this blog
Hi Class,
Here is an interesting blog post by Dr. Barbara Schroeder (the professor who created our 513 Multimedia course). It is about interesting ways you can incorporate multimedia into your classrooms. Take a look: http://itcboisestate.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/beyond_papers/
You might also want to subscribe to her blog.
Regards,
Diane
Here is an interesting blog post by Dr. Barbara Schroeder (the professor who created our 513 Multimedia course). It is about interesting ways you can incorporate multimedia into your classrooms. Take a look: http://itcboisestate.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/beyond_papers/
You might also want to subscribe to her blog.
Regards,
Diane
Introduction - Christina Talley
Hi everyone,
I enrolled for this class a bit late, but am hopefully right on track now!
I will be finishing my MET program at the end of the summer semester, and this is one of the first classes that I decided I wanted to take when I started the program. I am always drawn to multimedia when viewing webpages, be they instructional or just for fun, so I am really looking forward to learning how to integrate them with my materials better.
I'm currently working as a HR consultant, and am also a freelance writer. However, my ultimate goal is to get into education in some capacity--and classes like this help form a great foundation.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and our pets. I also love gardening, and can't wait for winter to be over!
I hope everyone has a successful semester and I look forward to getting to know you all better.
I enrolled for this class a bit late, but am hopefully right on track now!
I will be finishing my MET program at the end of the summer semester, and this is one of the first classes that I decided I wanted to take when I started the program. I am always drawn to multimedia when viewing webpages, be they instructional or just for fun, so I am really looking forward to learning how to integrate them with my materials better.
I'm currently working as a HR consultant, and am also a freelance writer. However, my ultimate goal is to get into education in some capacity--and classes like this help form a great foundation.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and our pets. I also love gardening, and can't wait for winter to be over!
I hope everyone has a successful semester and I look forward to getting to know you all better.
Week 3 Readings
I have to admit, I love learning about how students learn and by the end of my MET degree, I would like to create a learning module explaining these concepts to my students. I think it would be very helpful for them to understand how they learn and why teachers assign certain projects, papers or journals.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Week 2 Readings - Ryan Baker
Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning
As my state contemplates requiring every senior high student take at least two classes entirely online I was eager to read about the effectiveness of online classes. I was surprised to read that, on average, students fared better in online classes. However, the relative small number of studies makes me question the sample. I think it's quite possible that those currently enrolled in online classes are those student who excel at online activities or are at least more self motivated than the general population. The concept of "blended learning" was one I hadn't really encountered before and struck me as particularly interesting.
ELSI: Chapter 1
I think chapter 1 of ELSI was a more thorough look at e-learning that the report was capable of providing. While the report indicated that studies had shown better learning from online classes chapter 1 talked about the the criteria needed to make that happen. Especially when it comes to the delivery method the chapter stressed using appropriate technology rather than trying to force content into the latest and greatest technology fad. It also stressed that e-learning is not simply transposing "real world" content to an online environment. Effective e-learning involves a structure and setup unique to e-learning. Like it says on page 28, the challenge is "to build lessons in ways that are compatible with human learning processes".
As my state contemplates requiring every senior high student take at least two classes entirely online I was eager to read about the effectiveness of online classes. I was surprised to read that, on average, students fared better in online classes. However, the relative small number of studies makes me question the sample. I think it's quite possible that those currently enrolled in online classes are those student who excel at online activities or are at least more self motivated than the general population. The concept of "blended learning" was one I hadn't really encountered before and struck me as particularly interesting.
ELSI: Chapter 1
I think chapter 1 of ELSI was a more thorough look at e-learning that the report was capable of providing. While the report indicated that studies had shown better learning from online classes chapter 1 talked about the the criteria needed to make that happen. Especially when it comes to the delivery method the chapter stressed using appropriate technology rather than trying to force content into the latest and greatest technology fad. It also stressed that e-learning is not simply transposing "real world" content to an online environment. Effective e-learning involves a structure and setup unique to e-learning. Like it says on page 28, the challenge is "to build lessons in ways that are compatible with human learning processes".
Introduction - Ryan Baker
My name is Ryan Baker. I graduated from Boise State in 2008 with a degree in political science, a minor in history and an emphasis in secondary education. I've worked in graphic/web design, tech support (for everything from ISPs to cell phones). I'm currently substitute teaching while I - somewhat patiently - wait for openings in local schools. I've been married for 7 years this summer. My wife teaches English at Columbia High School in Nampa, ID and is way smarter than me. My hobbies and interests include graphic design, music, Bronco sports, cooking shows, and constitutional law.
I'm taking this class as part of my masters in educational technology, which I'll finish either this summer or coming fall. I entered into the masters in edtech in order to help leverage my pre-existing tech skills in an educational environment. For this particular class, I hope to develop skills which will allow me to create original content for my class (or at least effectively manipulate existing content for my particular needs).
I'm taking this class as part of my masters in educational technology, which I'll finish either this summer or coming fall. I entered into the masters in edtech in order to help leverage my pre-existing tech skills in an educational environment. For this particular class, I hope to develop skills which will allow me to create original content for my class (or at least effectively manipulate existing content for my particular needs).
Week 2 Readings: The Effectiveness of e-Learning
Both of this week’s readings covered information about the effectiveness of e-learning. Chapter 1 in Clark and Mayer (2007) contained these notable statements:
1. The instructional methods, not the delivery medium, produce learning (p. 21). Although this statement is not surprising, I wondered how the delivery medium could be separated from the instructional methods to arrive at this conclusion; the term “instructional methods” is broad and hopefully will be clarified in subsequent chapters.
2. e-Learning is the only technology-based delivery vehicle that can provide adaptive instruction (i.e., dynamic tailoring of instruction based on the learner’s progress, p. 23). This is a distinctive attribute of e-learning that should always be used to best advantage in e-learning design.
3. There are two common barriers to good e-learning: (1) lack of a job and task analysis, which leads to transfer failure, and (2) media abuse through over- or under-utilization of technology (p. 24). I agree that a job and task analysis would make any e-learning project more productive, and that this analysis probably happens all too infrequently. I know that by the time clients seek out services from my e-learning production company, they have already made the decision to use an e-learning solution for their training need. I often wonder how the clients arrive at this decision.
4. The learner’s prior knowledge of the course content exerts the most influence on learning (p. 26). This point has huge implications for the learner analysis aspect of e-learning design, but of course prior knowledge can vary quite a bit among a group of learners. The most effective e-learning products probably make the best use of adaptive instructional capabilities to address this variation among learners’ prior knowledge.
The overall finding of the U.S. Department of Education 2010 meta-analysis report was that on average, classes with online learning (all online or blended) produced better learning outcomes than face-to-face instruction. As an employee in the e-learning production business, I was relieved to see this result! The report explored many possible reasons for this result, but one finding was crucial: Most of the variations in the way online learning was implemented had no significant effect on learning outcomes (p. xv). Only two variations generated better outcomes: Blended learning produced better outcomes than purely online instruction, and instructor-led or collaborative environments produced better outcomes than self-directed instruction. Therefore, the instructor is still key to learning, regardless of the method of delivery.
References
Clark, R.C., & Mayer, R.E. (2007). E-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development (2010). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
1. The instructional methods, not the delivery medium, produce learning (p. 21). Although this statement is not surprising, I wondered how the delivery medium could be separated from the instructional methods to arrive at this conclusion; the term “instructional methods” is broad and hopefully will be clarified in subsequent chapters.
2. e-Learning is the only technology-based delivery vehicle that can provide adaptive instruction (i.e., dynamic tailoring of instruction based on the learner’s progress, p. 23). This is a distinctive attribute of e-learning that should always be used to best advantage in e-learning design.
3. There are two common barriers to good e-learning: (1) lack of a job and task analysis, which leads to transfer failure, and (2) media abuse through over- or under-utilization of technology (p. 24). I agree that a job and task analysis would make any e-learning project more productive, and that this analysis probably happens all too infrequently. I know that by the time clients seek out services from my e-learning production company, they have already made the decision to use an e-learning solution for their training need. I often wonder how the clients arrive at this decision.
4. The learner’s prior knowledge of the course content exerts the most influence on learning (p. 26). This point has huge implications for the learner analysis aspect of e-learning design, but of course prior knowledge can vary quite a bit among a group of learners. The most effective e-learning products probably make the best use of adaptive instructional capabilities to address this variation among learners’ prior knowledge.
The overall finding of the U.S. Department of Education 2010 meta-analysis report was that on average, classes with online learning (all online or blended) produced better learning outcomes than face-to-face instruction. As an employee in the e-learning production business, I was relieved to see this result! The report explored many possible reasons for this result, but one finding was crucial: Most of the variations in the way online learning was implemented had no significant effect on learning outcomes (p. xv). Only two variations generated better outcomes: Blended learning produced better outcomes than purely online instruction, and instructor-led or collaborative environments produced better outcomes than self-directed instruction. Therefore, the instructor is still key to learning, regardless of the method of delivery.
References
Clark, R.C., & Mayer, R.E. (2007). E-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development (2010). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
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