Week 6 - Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings



Instructional Design in Business and Industry

Rapid Prototyping

Although prototyping is generally associated with engineering and production, the examples are endless.  Rapid prototyping can range from a focus group meeting to discuss a proposed add for a diaper to a prototype of software used for military training.

In education and the pressure to meet completion rates, literacy and language acquisition goals and projected student achievement measures, the pressure is on for instructional design models and educational software to be reviewed and implemented almost instantaneously.  Rapid prototyping can be used in education in not only direct instruction, but also in the administration of education. 

Instructional Rapid Prototyping:

Areas such as a distance learning format, language acquisition software, test tutorials would be among the instructional areas rapid prototyping would benefit.  A pilot study with test groups on a pilot campus could save school districts millions of dollars in determining whether or not the product is user friendly, the teachers and students will use it and if the success can be quantified in increased student achievement.

Administrative Rapid Prototyping

In this area administrative tasks such as grading software, data reporting, professional development delivery and mass contact could be piloted to determine successful integration with the district’s communication and data structure.

 

Instructional Design in Military Education 

The United States miliitary's  instructional design as ranged from emphasis on the organization and not the individual to recognition of the individual to the support and encouragement of lifeline learning.

The military has a comprehensive educational program which merges military, industry and higher education.  There are even computer-based, wireless classrooms on deployed ships.  The problem posed is a wireless network, and therefore communication, is not always possible.  I would propose the solution to be issuing an electronic device such as a netbook which would interface with the classroom model and the garrison/base model.

The educational programs the person is enrolled in could be loaded on the device before deployment.  The military student could research within the program's data base, receive interactive feedback from the program and perform many of the regular classroom activities.  There would be only two components missing - face-to-face instruction (which could be substituted with video clips and immediate feedback on written work.  Once the military student was back in wireless territory, the device could interface with the military's wireless education system to record work and give feedback.

Radical Educational Change

Ø Step-Up-To-Excellence
"Senior leaders who act on the basis of personal courage, passon, and vision, not on the basis of fear or self-survival" - This one change could overhaul educaiton.

Ø GSTE
"Evolution of Mindsets about Education" - This one component has the potential also to overhaul education.

Professional Development

Format:  Retreat

Retreat I – Two Days

Facilitator:  Contract Instructional Facilitator not associated with the campus or a vendor

Audience:   District Level and Campus Level decision Makers

I.                  Exploration of Groups Core Values

II.               Evaluation of whether or not core values exist in district or campus

III.              Introduction of the GSTE core values

a.      Discussion on how these relate to articulated core values

IV.              Introduction of the Step-Up-To-Excellence Design

V.               Discussion on how these relate to articulated core values

VI.              Next Steps

Retreat II – Two Days

I.                Recap previous retreat

II.               Invite Focus groups of district representatives discuss implementation

III.              Review Information Gathered in Focus Groups

IV.              Initiate Plan to Implement

University Offices for Faculty Development

Baylor University

Baylor University’s professional development falls under the categories of first Administration and then Institutional Effectiveness.  Its name is Professional & Organizational Development or “POD”. Their Mission is:  “The mission of the department of Professional & Organizational Development, (POD), is to help make Baylor a better place to work and a place where people can do better work.”  The POD ranges from individual  self  improvement to professional develop grants and customized services for departments upon request.   Baylor University’s professional development is ongoing, prescribed and customized.



http://www.baylor.edu/ie/

Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University’s professional development falls under the categories of Faculty and Staff, Teaching Resources and Center for Teaching and Learning.  The topics include course building tools, consultants, videos and relevant research articles.  The topics are broken down by category and sub category.  The training offerings are considerable.  These range from offerings for the newest educator to those approaching the end of their teaching career.  The professional development opportunities are customized and ongoing.

http://www.byu.edu/webapp/home/index.jsp

The University of New Mexico

The University of New Mexico's professional development is under the heading  Faculty and Staff, followed by Education and Professional Development.  It contains the following subcategories: 

•Continuing Education

•Employee and Organizational Development

•Learning Central

Free training workshops are offered to all staff, managers, faculty and studnet employees.  The division also offers consulting services.  The training is ongoing.

http://www.unm.edu/facultyandstaff/