Week Two

     Remember the linear model from week one; starting with an analysis of tasks and audience and ending with an evaluation of the learning gains and the teaching process. It's how we visualize our day; we start in the morning, move through lunch and end with sunset.
     There's another method of measuring and viewing time--cycles: fall to winter through spring and summer and back to fall. Instructional design also works in cycles. With every step forward we look backward and make adjustments. We can't ever move forward without some glances to where we came from and make adjustments to improve the forward steps. Every time you make a decision, know that you can come back and improve that decision.
     So our first decision is already before us. What do we want to teach in our instructional design course? What would you like to have learned earlier that you didn't? What might help people through this financial crisis? What would help senior citizens understand computers or the Internet? What might help teens care for their body better? How can we help migrants in an English speaking culture? How can we understand different music genre? The options are endless. Next week we will start to formaliize these thoughts.

The Audience
     Certainly we realize that we will teach differently whether we are in the second grade or the eighth grade classroom. Our audience is different. We are also adept enough that age and grade are not the only criteria when designing our lessons. Our text starts out with questions like "Why is it important to give attention to learner characteristics when planning instructions?" and "What limitations might these characteristics place on our design?"
     Read chapter three in the textbook: "Learner and Contextual Analysis" and go to Moodle to discuss this chapter.

Assignments
     There are several items to be working on this week:
     - Read and discuss chapter three in the textbook. Make the initial comments by Saturday April 10 and your followup comments on others' comments by Sunday April 11.
     - Continue to complete the Museum Project - Powerpoint lesson bringing the musem alive in a lesson. This due Monday April 12. Email me how you are submitting the project: youtube, Moodle, CD, email attachment, publi_html?
     - Write a review on a journal aritcle about "motivation in education." Write it in a word document and post it in Moodle, Week Three. Consider some of the following questions to help you do your journal search. Always focus your searches on your specific interests and content area. "What motivates a student to learn? What limits a student from learning? How can we design instruction to help motivate the student to learn? What technological tools can we use to motivate students? Does technology actually motivate and advance learning? This is due April 12.