Collin's :: reflection

My time in the University of Colorado Information & Learning Technologies program has looked more like a career than a two year degree program. My time at UCD has spanned almost a decade. Just for reference, when I started html was at version 3.2 and now as I finish in the ILT program html is at version 4.0.

Change has been a constant for me in the ILT program. During that time I have worked in the resource room, run a computer lab and worked at the district level for a special education department. There are three themes that have remained central during the program.

Learning

Learning is something that I love. Using technology to enhance my own learning has been a passion of mine. With the explosion of the Internet and its transformation into a platform for web based programs I have enjoyed trying new web 2.0 free programs to create my own personnel learning environments(PLE). Many of these PLEs are on display over in the far right hand column of this portfolio.

I have appreciated the focus on learning processes through out the program.  We were not only told about different learning processes but we were taught using frameworks like Kolb's model of experiential learning.  Whether the learning processes are social constructivism, brain based processes, or cognitive based principals of multi-media, I learned that student learning needed to be the central focus of any instructional design.  Attention to learning processes are key to the success or failure of any on-line instruction

Designing instruction to support students and staff has been another passion of mine. In the ILT program I have learned many skills. I have learned to use hypertext markup language (html), cascading style sheets (css) to create web pages that separate content (html) and design (css) for delivering web based content. I know how to use video, pictures, screen capture tools like Captivate, and animation tools like Flash to create learning materials that take advantage of the dual coding learning process that allow users to activate their visual and language systems to learn content. I can also use Learning management systems, like Moodle and Black board, to organize and deliver content in a self-paced or instructor lead manner.

The ILT program has done a wonderful job of having me explore learning theories and teaching me how to best apply them using new learning technologies.

Communication & Collaboration

Communication and collaboration are both important processes in learning. Social learning is the corner stone of Constructionist learning theories and if communication suffers, so does learning. Learning to communicate on-line is a process that does not directly translate from face -to-face communication, it is a skill that must be practiced in order to be mastered. The elearning program has provided an excellent opportunity to practice and develop this skill. I’m proud that 5 of the projects I’m presenting in this portfolio are collaborative (Web 2.0 Trend Analysis, TIE Presentation, Web 2.0 Facilitation, Rapid eLearning, and the UCD-ILT Facebook Group). Each process was different in that I used different tools like email, course shell (LMS), wikis, googledocs, and even Facebook. I've learned to use the social networking software ELGG that I use to publish my blog and I use the facebook service to help moderate a UCD ILT group. I have learned a great deal from my classmates in this program and the ILT program has been a great constructivist environment where I have learned from faculty and students alike.

Problem Solving

I have designed multiple instructional artifacts and trainings that support students and teachers alike. I have appreciated the fact that this program has allowed me to apply my learning in instructional technologies to the problems I have experienced in my career. Right from my very first project dealing with native language instruction to my software multi media learning modules for web based software individualized education program web based software I have been allowed to apply my ILT learnings to attempt to solve problems in my work world.

Change

A majority of my projects have involved some kind of a change in educational practice. I consider myself an early adaptor and I'm passionate about exploring new technologies and learning how to incorporate them into my own learning and instruction of others.

I'm also passionate about investigating and implementation new ways of teaching and learning. Since my projects have all been work related they have allowed me to study and learn with my own colleagues to explore best practices related to special education. The educational problem solving project has been the best example of changes in the world of special education into a model that I explored with my department colleagues and incorporated into a website to help others learn, and even contribute to the new paradigm. I look forward to using all of the skills I have learned in the ILT program to both promote change and solve problems that I will encounter throughout my career.

ILT Values

Diverse Settings & Environments.

ILT students prepare to work in diverse settings and apply their knowledge to those settings, including corporate, higher-education, and K12 settings. Within those settings, ILT skills relate directly to classroom, work/field, online, and informal learning environments.

Moral & Responsible Conduct.

ILT students are trained to acknowledge and honor the moral dimensions of their work. As instructional technologists, ILT graduates should maintain the highest level of professional comportment, including dealing responsibly to issues and problems related to technology and education. ILT students and graduates should respect diverse perspectives and work to ensure full equity, fairness, and access to technology for their constituents.

Collaboration & Inclusive Decision-Making.

Professional practice requires constant collaboration, communication, and distributed participation. Much work is completed within problem-solving teams. Wherever possible, the decision-making processes should include all stakeholders and reflect democratic values that respect the varying perspectives of all participants.

Design of Learning Resources

Design of learning resources extends to instructional, informational, multimedia, and work-support products.All of these resources need to be integrated into a system of accountable learning and performance. Principles of cognition serve as a foundation for design, complemented by aesthetic, pragmatic, and moral concerns.

Appropriate Use of Technologies & Resources .

Appropriate use of technologies and resources is another main concern of the ILT program. This includes the integration of learning technologies into teaching environments and practices; adoption of resources; and systemic change by individuals, groups, and organizations.

Inquiry

Inquiry is a key to professional improvement and effective practice, not just reserved for professors and doctoral students. ILT students conduct inquiry for understanding, and to improve professional practice and decision-making. In many ways, completion of the master’s degree itself is a major commitment to inquiry.

Evaluation & Assessment

Evaluation and assessment are critical to practice in today’s world to assure a proper fit of learning technologies and interventions within existing systems of teaching, learning, and performance. Evaluation for improvement (formative) and accountability (summative) depends on assessment of student learning outcomes and attitudes. ILT students learn to create and use assessments for various evaluation purposes, and to evaluate programs, products, and practices.

Pragmatic Stance Toward Practice.

The ILT program relies on a diverse mix of theories and knowledge bases, from ISD to the learning sciences to critical theory to management models and principles. This diversity is intentional and grounded in a belief that the problems should dictate the model, not the other way around. Reflecting this pragmatism, ILT courses usually adopt a constructivist, activity-centered approach, but also include direct-instructional strategies and field experiences to fully prepare instructional technology leaders.

Open Boundaries

The field of instructional design and technology (IDT) has an established knowledge base, but we should always remain open to new ideas and connections with other disciplines. Hence ILT professionals should seek out interactions with other educators and workers, to learn from them and to contribute to collective understanding of challenging problems of practice.