Class Ice Breakers - UGH!

So not much going on in my classes except a LOT of reading! Students couldn't get into the classes early so I didn't get my textbook list until day 1 so off to Amazon and $$$ later, my books were being shipped overnight. Interestingly enough, one of my books had a digital edition and so for $10.00 more, I was able to access the digital version immediately and it stays in my Amazon media library forever. I am always suspicious about that word because so far in my life, all the things that have been supposed to last or 'be' forever - have not...but I digress. The online version is very cool in any case, and I would get all my text books that way if possible. I already get Saveur and a few other magazines digitally via Zinio Digital Books and Magazines and it is very convenient. I do like the 'feel' of a real book though for general reading...

Anyway, so this week has been a lot of reading, preparation and the online 'ice breaker' activities.

One class only required a photo of yourself and a brief written intro. The other two required PowerPoint slides about yourself.

In  616 Production of Computer-Based Training, one PowerPoint slide was required with three historical events from the year of your birth so people could 'guess' when you were born.  Here is my slide:

In addition to the three historical events listed, I added three others in the imagery of the slide:

1.  The date of the patent for bubble wrap was July 28 of that year by Marc A. Chavannes (although it was invented in 1957) and did you know that the company manufactures enough bubble wrap every year to wrap the equator ten times?

2.  I have the old flag of South Viet Nam since I lived there from 1970 - 1975 (yes, I was there for the "fall") and since the year I was born is considered the "official" start date of the Vietnam War, I felt this was appropriate.   The year I was born is when LBJ committed US troops full time with public knowledge...but the US actually sent military advisers into Viet Nam in 1954 and started adding armed troops few years later. The US did not admit to the country that we were legally there until President Johnson needed funds for more military might. So all in all Viet Nam lasted 21 years for the US ending in 1975.  Congress never declared it a "legal war"  as the US never recognized itself as being personally there, but over 58,000 US soldiers lost their lives in something that was never declared a war.  Hmmm...what is that saying about change and how things stay the same?

3.  Finally I put the logo of the Tokyo Olympics (with my face in the red sun of the hi-no-maru) on there as well...

...and if you haven't guessed it yet, I was born in 1964.  January 23, 1964 at 4:30 am at Fatima Hospital in Taegu, Korea.

TMI yet?

The second class, INSDSG 640 Planning and Design of Educational Multimedia Programs, required five slides and interestingly enough, the concept for the information was based on the MBTI or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and I am a solid ESFP.  So here are my slides for that class:

So there you have it - "ME" in 6 slides...and STILL most likely TMI!!

Have a GREAT day!!  (^_^)

Fall Classes Begin - 1 Year and Counting to M.Ed!!

So it begins...

I am on my lunch and just took a peek at my classes that start today:

Class 1:   INSDSG 601 Introduction to Instructional Design



Course Objectives:

•    State the reason for using an Instructional Design Model.
•    Identify and describe the purpose of each component of the Dick and Carey Model of Instructional Design.
•    Develop instructional (performance) objectives that include behavior, condition and criteria.
•    Develop an assessment strategy for an instructional event.
•    Develop assessment items that map to instructional objectives.
•    Develop an instructional strategy that maps to learner needs and performance objectives.
•    Plan a formative evaluation strategy to assess instructional materials

Class 2:  INSDSG 616 Production of Computer-Based Training 
 


Course Objectives:

This course is designed to introduce the Instructional Design graduate student to the components of CBT/WBT development.

Research based techniques will be examined during the development process. Students will be exposed to a large volume of resources and reading material in the area of e-learning development. Students will have an opportunity to explore the development process using some e-learning tools commonly used in the field today.

This is a course in developing e-learning. The course addresses the execution of common instructional strategies. The process of development, as well as the use of instructional graphics and human interface design will be studied. Achieving hands-on practice at e-learning development is a major component of this project based course.

Class 3:  INSDSG 640 Planning and Design of Educational Multimedia Programs

Course Objectives: 


•    Be able to demonstrate through the design and use of media elements, advantages of an e-learning approach over a traditional instructor-led model
•   Be able to identify resources that will enable the instructional designer to enhance learning in an instructional design project
•    Compose sound instructional design objectives
•    Demonstrate using a learning design document, which incorporates various types or learning activities and interactions, an effective way to solve an instructional design challenge

In looking over the syllabi and  assignments, it will be a LOT of reading and writing but that was to be expected - well, to be honest; maybe I didn't expect it to be 'as much' reading and writing, but shigata ga nai ne!!!!

INSDSG 602 The Adult As Learner - DONE!!

The first week of life at Gouin Village is finished - and it was an intense but really rewarding week. I certainly got a lot out of the week's lessons and activities; and I certainly learned more in this week than I would have in the same class over 14 weeks in Boston in a traditional classroom setting.

We were introduced to the body of knowledge concerning adults as learners. We focused on the principles of adult education, learning styles, variables that affect adult learning, motivation techniques, appropriate training methodologies, reinforcement of learning, skill transfer, and measurement procedures for identifying learner characteristics.

We had to do a brief synopsis of 'what' we each learned and what we would take away from the experience and then attribute it to a head, heart, hand sort of viewpoint.

In my head, I have to say that I learned SO much about myself and about myself with others. I also learned to appreciate people I might not have prior to the course and also learned different strategies and methods to communicate and work with people in my day-to-day; so I definitely will be taking away more valuable and effective tools than I came into the program with - that is for certain.

That said, I am SO SO SO glad that it is done though...one more week!!!

Ganbarimasu!!