Finding an Instructional Strategy

I love serendipitous events. To wit: I went the the gym yesterday to work out on the stairclimber, and took some work-related reading material with me. In the first of two journals, I found what might be an instructional strategy that I can use with a new client.

The client trains professional to do functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) as well as ergonomic evaluations, and they want to put online their two-day workshops. This first workshop centers around helping the participants to think critically about how to write up the report that must accompany the evaluations, and there is no standard to use as a reference. It is all ab out interpreting the data, which is a very subjective exercise and changes with every evaluation given and report written.

But I found a strategy that is specifically designed to address ill-formed, problem-solving scenarios , and is one that centers on a case-based approach using some simple multi-media. I’ll write more about this as I get further into the project, but I am excited to have found what might be a very working model for me.

 

WizIQ a free virtual classroom

The Grad Center uses Moodle as its CMS, and we are now investigating WizIQ as a free tool that ingetrates with Moodle. According to the WizIQ website, the app provides:

“Live, online sessions
In the virtual classroom with all the digital benefits at your fingertips, you can interact online using

• Images, PowerPoint presentations and documents
• Full way audio and video sharing
• Live chat enhances the interaction amongst the participants
• Control Privileges with you having full control over the session like in real-world classroom

All sessions on WiZiQ are automatically recorded so that you can revisit and even search for a certain topic anytime at your convenience.”

While exploring the existing content that has been uploaded on the site by others, I found this object on the topic of social networking tools:

 

Teaching Instructional Design

I’ve been teaching an instructional design course for the Master of Arts in Teaching with Internet Technologies program at the Marlboro College Graduate Center, and we are now more than half-way through the course. (how did that happen)?

I’ve not been overly pleased with how I have revised the course this term, as I feel that I overloaded the students with too much learning and instructional design theory, and was not as selective as would have been useful for students. I temporarily forgot the need for depth vs. coverage of material, and need to do a better job of this next time. It was too much theoretical material, and now that we are into instructional design models, and students are beginning to actually work with their final project, these more concrete aspects as making it much easier for students to grasp the material.

I have also been hammering on the need to reconcile a constructivist epistemology when working with the standard instructional design models, which dictate establishing goals and objectives for any given course. Certainly faculty need to establish this information, given that students have a right to expect that if they comply with course expectations of any given program, they will be able to know and behave in accordance with other professional in their chosen field of study upon graduation.

Heraclitus (below) is a philosopher who preceded Socrates and who is known for his doctrine of change being central to the universe.

 

Welcome!

to the new home of SparkFireLearning. Since we are an instructional design company, it seems fitting to make an attempt to regularly record the various and sundry threads that are top of mind.

I encourage any of you who find your way here to add your comments and thoughts. Together we can…….