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Final Mastery Journal Post:

1) How has each course contributed to your personal and professional development as an instructional designer?

1- Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership This course opened my eyes to mastery and what it means to be a master at something. I cam to believe through our studies that not only could I earn a master’s degree but I could become a master at something. It gave me the drive and desire to set goals and see myself in the near future as a master in instructional design. I also discovered the importance of the mentor-apprentice relationship and set the goal of finding me own mentor. Someday I will be someone else’s mentor.

2- Strategies for Learner Engagement This course was partly a wonderful refresher course on a lot of what I learned in my undergrad, music education degree. The other part was an eye opening experience in me coming to understand how important engagement is to instruction. I also discovered the importance of community of practice. The key to engagement for me is in being a part of a team or staying connected with others. The social aspect of learning, I have come to believe, is crucial.

3- Visual and Verbal Communication in Instructional Design I’ve always really enjoyed and been fascinated by the world of graphic design. Typography, color, layout, hierarchy, composition have always caught my interest as a viewer of design. I had spent time many years ago studying graphic design manuals on my own as I desired for a time to become a graphic designer. But this course helped me see through experience and study the importance of clean, simple and aesthetically pleasing design. I also discovered the importance of simplicity in imagery. Overload can cause the viewer to shut down their “learning” mode.

4- Corporate Training and Motivational Development This course was probably the biggest confidence builder of any course in the program for me. I came to realize that I have not only a knack for instructional videos but also a passion. Doing the research, writing the script, setting up the studio, designing graphics, lighting, sound, post-production, it was all a thrill every step along the way. This created in me a desire to work on my niche in ID being instructional videos. I learned the importance of simplicity, the power of a good music bed and how much more effective a human or character in the presentation is. Again, this reaffirmed how important the social aspect of learning is.

5- Instructional Design and Evaluation As if I haven’t said it enough, learning is social. But so is work. I remembered during this course how important working with a team is for me. I enjoy the time I work creatively, alone. But there’s great power in creating as a team, leaning on each other’s strengths and helping each other in weaknesses. The effectiveness of team built instructional experiences was later made even more clear when I discovered the importance of a diverse group of designers. The other discovery this course was how much I learned I love working on animations. My role in the team project was to create the animations. I kept them very simple and found not only that I could do it and that I enjoyed doing it but that it’s very engaging.

6- Digital Media and Learning Applications Interactivity is very engaging! This was a discovery this course and that I also enjoy very much making interactive, animated learning experiences. This course was a test of patience as we were required to use a software that is no longer being developed, Edge Animate. It’s a wonderful program that I thoroughly enjoyed using to make interactive animated modules, but it had so many problems. I have decided to go on and take Lynda courses on the software’s replacement, Animate.

7- Music and Audio for Instructional Design Of all the courses I looked forward to, this is one of the top two. My background is in audio and I have spent many years working in sound design. So at a technical level this course was easy. However, I discovered the joy of copy writing in this course. Creative storytelling writing, I have found, is enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of researching a subject and then finding a way to make it engaging. For the project of adding audio to the pre-edited video my step-mom gave me the idea of writing a story from a young pioneer girl’s perspective. This turned out to be powerfully engaging for young people. I see now why Christ so frequently used stories to teach. It’s hard to forget them and there’s many layers to learn. By far, the most fun I had this course, and possibly all my courses, was working with my family on the dramatized Cinderella.

8- Filmmaking Principles for Instructional Design This was the course I most looked forward to. I have always loved the power of audio and visual working together. Film has always fascinated me and after course 4 I looked forward to learning more. As in the previous course I discovered the joy of copy writing and storytelling. It was enjoyable in both projects to work with some of my children. In video projects I’ve done in the past I have always just shot from the hip (not literally) and had a final product in mind but had never done storyboarding. How could I have missed one of the most important parts to the process?! Storyboarding is now a crucial step in video work for me. It’s such a huge waste of time not to use it.

9- Game Strategies and Motivation I have never been one that was much into games, especially video or high-tech. But I learned the importance of games in instruction. I had my own a-ha moment in realizing how teaching through games is inherently self-motivating. Duh! During one of our live classes the instructor asked if anyone played Pokemon Go. Of those who responded yes he asked how many were playing it at that moment. Three students admitted they were. That is powerful! As an ID I have decided I will look for any chance I can to incorporate games into instructional experiences.

10- Learning Management Systems and Organization The whole concept of Learning Management Systems intimidated me. Even more so the design the design of a full course seemed overwhelming. Of all my weaknesses in ID I believe this is my biggest. I am not organized by nature and putting together a whole program and writing the curriculum is hard for me to even conceptualize. It’s wonderful knowing IDs usually work in teams.

11- Media Asset Creation I chose to create my final projects around diversity in the workplace. Indirectly I learned the importance of diversity in a creative team. One of my classmates and I have been talking about seeking out freelance ID work together. It was a big A-HA moment for me when I suddenly realized that one of the reasons she and I would create such effective instructional experiences together is because we are so different - very different! It’s wonderful! We will reach so many more students by creating from two different approaches. One exciting discovery this course was some of the simple yet powerful animation services available online. I felt my video and game concept presentation turned out much better using GoAnimate than I ever could have made them shooting real video. Animation is so engaging and it’s so much easier to shoot virtual video than the real thing!

12- Instructional Design and Technology Final Project Resumes overwhelm me! Putting my portfolio together overwhelms me. I find it very difficult to write about myself, my accomplishments and describing to potential employers why and what I have done. I am feel there is some type of personal block there. It feels so uncomfortable to me to sell myself. But I understand if I want to sell my services, especially if I want to do freelance work, I need to explain myself and put myself out there as good at what I do. This is something I am going to really have to work hard at overcoming.

2) How well were you able to utilize the concepts and techniques you learned from the program (theories, systems design, interface styling, and the creation of multimedia content) as you designed, developed, and implemented your Final Project? I have a very difficult time describing, naming, explaining and quantifying instructional theory. I have always found it intimidating. But I feel, for the most part, I get it and that it comes second nature. This was deeply concerning to me for a time. Then I realized that this does not have to be a strength for me. I remembered that usually instructional design work is done in teams. I have other talents and skills that can far make up for what I lack in these areas. Other than this I felt comfortable and quite confident in utilizing the concepts and techniques I’ve learned this past year. Visual layout, color choices, animations, narration and music, sound design, copy writing, interface styling, all, for the most part turned out well. I feel confident in sharing what I’ve created with potential employers and clients. It’s actually quite interesting to see how much of it came out without much conscious effort. We’ve been layering each piece of instructional design on top of the previous layers, using them so much, that it is coming second nature. That’s exciting!

3) Describe your most outstanding personal triumph in each course. 1- Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership Deciding that I could become a master at instructional design. I overcame doubts and fears and set high goals.

2- Strategies for Learner Engagement This is big for me as it is a weakness, finishing the projects and discussion posts on time. This continued to be a battle for the remainder of the program, but I never gave up.

3- Visual and Verbal Communication in Instructional Design I created an interactive infographic with narration, music and my own personal designs!

4- Corporate Training and Motivational Development I created an engaging instructional video with graphics, narration, green screen shooting and music.

5- Instructional Design and Evaluation I created animated illustrations that are engaging. And I worked collaborated well with a team in a creative endeavor.

6- Digital Media and Learning Applications I created my first, well planned storyboard.

7- Music and Audio for Instructional Design Honestly? I passed this class AND helped organize and plan my daughter’s wedding. Beyond that I was able to gather family members enough to create a fun and entertaining dramatized audio story of Cinderella. I also wrote my first storytelling type copy.

8- Filmmaking Principles for Instructional Design I was able to house-hunt and purchase a house while working full-time and creating an instructional video. I also was able to dub the narration fairly well in post after onsite audio complications.

9- Game Strategies and Motivation I stretched very outside the box and thought like a gamer for a time. I also created animated imagery.

10- Learning Management Systems and Organization I pushed through one of the hardest projects in the program for me and created a while curriculum. This is NOT easy for me.

11- Media Asset Creation I learned a whole new software/service, GoAnimate. And I learned it well.

12- Instructional Design and Technology Final Project I finished my master’s degree! I did it! And I put together a resume and portfolio I feel proud of.

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Reflection Post for Media Asset Creation (11.4.2)

In what ways has your identity as an instructional designer changed during the previous months? When I started this course just over a year ago I had a clear picture in my mind how it would all play out. I knew exactly how I would be as a student, what I would learn, where I would be and what I would be doing at this point. I am quite a ways off of that track. There was no possible way, at that point, I could have known that added on top of graduate school I would experience the following: major health issues for three family members, a daughter getting married, buying a home and moving 425 miles away and another daughter getting married. Starting this graduate program was a huge leap of faith for me and my family as it seemed it could be overwhelming. Adding to it the events I just mentioned, it has been. I mention the above not to gain pity or complain. I include it here because it really did help define me as an ID. I’ve come to learn more about my identity as an ID. Looking back it’s quite exciting. For the most part I found that the actual work of design and creating instructional materials for class projects was more of a release and a therapeutic activity during overwhelming moments. This is huge! I have discovered I am an ID, by nature. The experience of discovering the ID in me has been one part realizing what I already know and can already do and the other part gaining a great deal of confidence and connecting pieces of knowledge that glue all these tools I’ve gathered over the years hanging on my tool belt. It’s like someone handed me a bunch of puzzle pieces that I added to the pile I already had and then showed me how to put them all together. It’s quite a thrill. I have met, for the most part, the goals I set at the beginning. One that will not be met is being a straight A student. When my daughter got married in June it consumed a lot of time preparing. I decided she would come first before school. I therefore am proud of the B+ I received. I also had the goal of graduating in 12 months. Due to the move and my other daughter’s wedding I took two hiatuses. I’m also just fine with those. All in all it’s been a wonderful, enlightening experience at Full Sail and I am thrilled with the journey so far of becoming an Instructional Designer.

What media assets have you created during the previous months that will best demonstrate your areas of expertise and support your personal brand? I use to dream of creating videos coupled with music to inspire and teach. I never knew exactly how to get in to doing it and did not know if I would be any good at it. Through my experience in this program I have come to believe that one of my greatest strengths is in instructional video. To grow my personal brand and to stick out from the crowd of IDs it’s important to find a niche. Ross (2013) suggests that to help discover our niche we should, “Go back and think about some of the feedback that you have received over the years. What is some of the most memorable feedback you remember? What are you most complemented about” (Defining your niche, 1:30). Thinking back on my experiences at Full Sail classmates always gave the most complimentary feedback on my video work. I can also look back at experiences in the past and find the same type of feedback. I’ve also discovered a renewed passion for video work. Passion is a vital driving force to not only to success but also personal branding. In building personal branding Ross (2013) advises to, “ask what can you influence or what do you want to influence? This question helps call out what I like to call the fire in your belly. It's your passion. Passion is a big piece of personal branding” (Determining your branding goals, 3:15). It doesn’t take much for me to get excited about working on a video project. One of the big surprises for me in the program has been the discovery of my strength in script-writing. I’m far from perfect, but every script I’ve written so far has received compliments from instructors and classmates. The reason this surprises me is that I not only never considered myself a good writer, I never enjoyed writing. But that has changed. Writing copy, narration and scripts is an enjoyable challenge and I love the creativity it allows.

How will you continue to develop your personal brand as a means of achieving mastery in the future? As graduate students at Full Sail from day one we begin talking about mastery and becoming a master in our profession. I have been fully inspired by the first course and our continued focus on becoming masters. Today I enjoyed learning about two other terms that are closely connected to mastery: expert and authority. Expert and master are very much interchangeable. But expert seems to connote a specific niche in the area of mastery. It’s a little more fine-tuned. It’s got me thinking more about the area of ID that I would like to become an expert in. As I can see it, I would like to become a master Instructional Designer and an expert in instructional videos. The other term I heard today was authority. Becoming an authority in something means I have basically authored content. This has great personal branding power. As Ross (2013) states, “Authorities are perceived to have more power, to influence thoughts, behaviors, and opinions. Why are some people perceived as authorities over others? The answer, personal branding” (Three keys to personal branding, 00:19). In Course 1, Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership, I had the opportunity to personally interview and get to know Dr. M. David Merrill, an instructional design expert, considered to be a pioneer in the field. He is one of the authors of our textbook Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology. He is considered an authority on the subject of ID. I realized today that he is considered an authority because he has been an author. I can see now the importance of posting. Whether it be writing an article on an instructional design website or my own ID blog or my LinkedIn page, regular posting is vital to building my personal brand. I have made it a goal to be a lifelong author of ID. It’s now fascinating to look back 12 months and how much I looked up to Dr. Merrill. I realize now the reason I esteemed him so highly was, for the most part, his personal branding. I had no idea who he was before I began researching pioneers in the field of ID. When I found him I was delighted to discover he lived only 2 miles from my home and we attended church in the same building. I see now how all of the concepts taught by Ross have been used by Dr. Merrill in his own personal branding. Ross recommends we find a professional in our field to follow as an example in personal branding. I’ve found mine!

Reference Ross, L. T. (2013, November 4). Personal branding basics [Lynda.com online course]. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Developing-personal-style/126618/154009-4.html

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Reflection Post for LMS and Organization (10.4.1)

1) Should instructional designers be required to be industry certified to practice in the profession? Why or why not? It’s completely unnecessary to require instructional designers to be certified to practice. There is so much to learn and continue to improve on as an ID that limiting a certification to specific criteria seems impossible. Beyond learning theories what would be required to know and be capable of to be certified? There are so many skills and talents needed and so many niches an ID could practice in that a certification would be too limited. One of the main reasons I believe certification is unnecessary is the fact that ID is more an art than a science. Dempsey and Van Eck quote Boling and Smith in stating, “Instructional design is not a science and does not need to cast itself as a science in order to retain legitimacy; we can position ourselves within the design tradition and still draw upon scientific principles and processes as needed” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 286). An artist does not need, nor would it make any sense to require a certification to prove he/she can create aesthetic pieces of art. The idea seems preposterous. I believe in the old adage “the proof is in the pudding.” Companies and employers will pay an ID what their worth. An underperforming, unprofessional and uneducated ID will weed himself or herself out of professional level work. I do believe a college education provides terrific evidence the ID is trained well. But even then the diploma doesn’t prove they are a good ID. When I poked around the internet when I was first investigating ID I discovered many IDs with no education who did amazing work and some with graduate degrees whose work was sub-par.

2) Explain why continuing education in instructional design and technology is important, and how you plan to continue to develop your technical skills to remain competitive in the field. Adding to what I said in response to the previous question, whether an ID has a Bachelor’s, Master’s or simple workplace experience the ID should regularly be gaining further training and education. This program is Instructional Design and Technology. Technology is ever changing. I, personally, would be a fool to think I already know everything there is to know to be a great ID. First, it is impossible for me to have learned everything an ID needs to know at this point in time. There is simply too much to learn in regards to learning theories and how to best implement them and even more so technology and what’s available. Second, technology is ever changing. A good ID will constantly be reading up on and attending conferences about the latest technology and trends in eLearning and educational tools. I have subscribed and will subscribe to a few journals for continued education: elearningindustry.com, trainingindustry.com and iJET (International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning). I also plan on becoming a member of ATD, Association for Talent Development. Becoming an ATD member thrills me. ATD states that their goal is to, “support the talent development profession by providing trusted content in the form of research, books, webcasts, events, and education programs” (About, n.d.). They also host conferences. For me, conferences are the best way I gather knowledge. Rubbing shoulders with other professionals and learning from each other is powerful. ATD seems to be a terrific community of practice for me. 3) Considering how quickly eLearning theories and practices have evolved, and in anticipating more changes in the future, how will you ensure that you as an instructional design professional will keep abreast of future changes? Beyond what I already stated above, I feel it vital to continue my education throughout my career. Even after I have truly become a master of ID I will continue learning. I believe a master of anything is one who continues to keep themselves open to further growth and learning. As is perfectly stated by Dempsey and Van Eck, “Those of us who have been in the field for some time realize the limitations of the education we received. Developments in technology are constantly upping the ante. How do we expect our skills to stay current without continuous retraining?” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 289). I had the pleasure, in Course 1 of this program, of meeting and speaking with Dr. M. David Merrill, arguably a pioneer in ID. Dr. Merrill told me that after receiving his PhD in The Psychology of Classroom Learning he looked in the mirror one day and said, “You don’t know anything” (Merrill, personal interview, Dec. 5, 2015). He then went on to tell me that it became his passion, his lifelong quest, to figure out how to make instruction more effective. He’s retired, or semi-retired now and he continues to learn and keep himself informed on the latest information and technology being used in the field. My goal is to follow that example and never tire of learning and improving, especially when it comes to ID&T.

Reference About ATD - td.org. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2016, from https://www.td.org/About Dempsey, J.V., & Van Eck, R.N. (2012). E-Learning and instructional design. In R. A. Reiser, & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (pp. 281-289). Boston, MA: Pearson M. David Merrill. (December, 5, 2015) Personal Recorded Interview

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My Tech-Based game presentation.

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My Low-Tech/No-Tech game presentation.

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Reflection Post for Game Strategies and Motivation

I am not a gamer. I have many friends, classmates and family members who consider themselves gamers and I have watched their passion for gaming with interest. But I have never really gotten into it. Besides the occasional group or party game with family and friends I just don’t play games that often. 

This month has been a terrific opportunity for me to learn about not only why people become so passionate about games but also the power they can have in helping change and teach. This became even more comprehensible for me as I had to create a couple of games with the purpose of teaching. I think the relationship between learning and games was best clarified by Marshall McLuhan as quoted by Shute, Rieber and Van Eck, “Anyone who makes a distinction between games and learning doesn’t know the first thing about either” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 321). Who can argue that playing games doesn’t teach something? Even the most basic of games for the very youngest of players provides some kind of developmental experience.

When I created the two games to fulfill course assignments this month there were a few elements I felt were extremely important. One of the most important, to me, is the social aspect of the game. This of course is difficult to create in an explorer type video game. I’m realizing now I could have created the tech-based game in a way that required other player to network in. Darn. The low-tech/no-tech game was built as a role-playing game in which students have to work together as a team. This social element not only helps players build social skills but also increases the engagement and motivation substantially.

Another element I fell is vital to these games is the need for imagination. I feel that if the mind has to use its imagination to a degree it increases not only engagement but also may increase learning retention. Stimulation is higher and therefore the brain is much more engaged and is connecting each element to its own creations. 

I love working in video. I love working with graphics. I also am learning how much I enjoy storytelling as a presentation method to help engagement. I was able to use all three of these in presenting my games for this month’s two main projects. After creating my games, I wrote a script in a first-person story type format to present them. Finding cartoon characters and graphical images and backyards was so fun and challenging in many ways as I was limited in my resources. I used the very simple animation tools in Keynote to give them a little life and then exported these to a video file which I was able to edit to the timing of the narration. I also tapped into the voice talent of my daughter to make the presentation more personal and real, from a young girl’s perspective.

I am not certain if I will ever work in game creation in my future as an instructional designer. But the experience of creating them makes me hopeful that I will. I feel a little intimidated by the actual building of the games, but the creation process thrills me. This course’s experiences have also helped build my confidence and abilities in creating simply animated videos. I will definitely be including them in my portfolio.

Reference Clark, V.J., Rieber, L.P. & Van Eck, R. (2012). Games…and…learning. In R. A. Reiser, & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (pp. 321-330). Boston, MA: Pearson

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Final Post 7.4.1

Reflect: For many years now I have watched, while cringing, the youth of my church take turns conducting hymns for smaller groups of our congregation. The prospect of them learning to conduct properly is important as singing hymns is such a large part of our worship. But no one teaches them how to do it. I have approached the youth leaders and offered my help, but only time will tell if it comes to fruition. This week I had a terrific eye-opening experience as I realized, for basic congregational singing, conducting could be taught through a very simple app. My church is worldwide. There are literally hundreds of thousands of youth around the world having the same frustrating experiences taking turns trying to conduct. This simple app could be a wonderful help. Because of our textbook studies this week I have also come to realize that the only way to make this type of learning experience effective is through fully guided instruction. I also realized that optimally guided instruction, as far as I understand it, would be extremely difficult in an electronic based learning experience for the simple fact that lessons have to be adapted to the learner’s abilities, success and experience. How can this work in an electronic learning experience such as this?

Inquire: I’m not certain I fully grasp how optimally guided instruction works in the elearning environment. As Hannafin states, “Where specific outcomes are not or cannot be identified in advance, student-centered designs scaffold attainment of unique individual learning goals” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 378). How is this fully possible through software? I understand how it can be done minimally. But to the extent described by Hannafin, I just don’t see it. Maybe part of this is where gaming type of experiences come in. I am not a gamer, by any means. Perhaps I will have an eye-opening experience in month 9.

Suggest: If I had more time I would have consulted with a couple of classmates who are really into gaming and interactive applications and asked if it’s possible to create more adaptable, interactive apps. Even if it may not be as effective as a fully guided lesson could be I feel it important to be fully aware of the options. I would guess that in certain circumstances, with specific subjects, an optimally guided learning experience could be more effective.

Elevate: As I stated above, I would like to become more versed in interactive and gaming options for future projects. It’s inevitable that sometime in the future, while working as an ID, I will need to pull from any knowledge I have of creating and utilizing the ability to create optimally guided learning experiences. I need to know all the options that are out there and to what extent they can be adapted. There may even be experiences that call for very low guided learning experiences. I need to be ready to provide any of these levels of learning experiences. After all, when all is said and done, the client has the final say no matter what advice or counsel is given.

Reference Clark, R.E., & Hannafin, M.J. (2012). Debate about the benefits of different levels of instructional guidance. In R. A. Reiser, & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (pp. 309-320). Boston, MA: Pearson

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My classmate and friend, Stacey, posted this on her Mastery Journal today. I love it.

Inspirational Image

My inspirational image comes from a collection of screenshots I have pieced together to illustrate the effectiveness of our community of practice. Between everyone in our Slack team, we have asked for or offered help 165 times. That is 165 opportunities to learn from and teach each other. The most satisfying result of my search was that between everyone in our Slack team, we have said thank you to one another 131 times. That is 131 moments that we were engaged by our peers and gained a positive experience. The positive experiences condition us to return to and trust our community of practice.

Thank you all for making this an incredible experience!

Stacey’s Mastery Journal

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6.4.1 Mastery Journal Reflection

One of the most satisfying elements of my Full Sail Online experience so far has been the opportunity to build the relationships I have with my classmates. As one of them stated in our most recent live class, we are a family. It has been truly a unique experience. It seems we have learned as much from each other as we have from the textbooks and instructors. Because of the respect and friendships that have been built there is a tremendous feeling of trust that aids in getting help with the dumbest of questions and simplest of problems. Everyone is so willing to bend over backwards to insure we all learn, graduate and succeed together. 

I have learned two very powerful lessons from this experience. First, this has set for me a strong example of the power of a community of practice. I can see through personal experience the importance of building a community for the students I’ll be designing for. As Dempsey and Van Eck state, “The biggest swing in the last few years is the strength of community and the use of social learning technologies for purposeful learning activities” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 283). It’s a new powerful tool in the functional architecture of Instructional Design. Full Sail Online has set an incredible example of this.

My daughter recently started an online High School course. She has struggled immensely with being motivated in it. After taking a look at the structure of the course I saw one blazing flaw, there is virtually no social aspect except for the occasional email from a teacher who is just checking up on her. My daughter is an advanced, accelerated student. But I came to see, and she learned from her own experience, the community and social pieces of an online course are invaluable to her success. As Dempsey and Van Eck explain, “If constructivism has one true champion in circumstance, it is the shared construction of learning assignments—an inherently social activity” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 284). My daughter had no shared experiences. She had no classmates to connect with and the teacher was an almost unreal person as the bulk of the correspondence was via template based emails. My daughter felt alone. Contrast that with the powerful experience I’ve been having with my classmates at FSO and it seems almost ridiculous someone thought the structure of her online High School course would even work or be effective.

It would not be difficult to plug in to existing social tools such as Facebook to take these types of K-12 online courses to a much more effective level. Regarding converging these social tools with e-learning structures Dempsey and Van Eck explain, “we are not just ‘adding’ technology; we are changing the very nature of the learning experience—the functional architecture of learning” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 284). This creates a whole new learning experience that is effective and engaging.

The second thing I have learned from the experience of working so closely with my classmates at FSO is the importance of building and working with a team like this in my professional work as a designer. It has been a true pleasure working virtually side-by-side with them on projects and learning from each other’s mistakes. Some of us have even begun dreaming about opening a design firm together. I don’t doubt we would succeed, because we would continue to improve in our abilities and learn from each other in our little community of practice.

Reference Clark, J.V., & Van Eck, R.N. (2012). E-Learning and instructional design. In R. A. Reiser, & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (pp. 281-289). Boston, MA: Pearson

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1) What did you learn from the reading assignment about the field of instructional design that you were not previously aware of? Why is this important to your goal of achieving mastery and your future as an instructional designer? The first thing I learned from this reading assignment I learned before I started reading, even before I chose which chapter to read. When I saw the four chapter options for the reading assignment I was surprised by my reaction to seeing chapter 18’s title, “Instructional Design in Business and Industry.” Up till this moment I had somewhat decided that I was interested in the business and industry end of ID, but I kept myself open to the other industry possibilities. When I saw the chapter 18 title I felt this small surge of excitement that I couldn’t wait to open that chapter and start diving in. I didn’t feel even half that interested with any of the other three chapters. I discovered from this reading assignment that Business and Industry is really where I need to focus and set goals toward. This is hugely important to me. Here’s what I actually learned from the reading. As I stated above, I read chapter 18. One of the most exciting things to read was the enormous growth and size of the training industry in the United States. Tracey and Morrison (2002) state, “the training industry was a $134.39 billion endeavor in 2007, up from the 1999 estimate of $62.5 billion” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2002, p. 178). It more than doubled in only 8 years! And it’s not the extent of it. This does not count companies with less than 100 employees and it only counts direct cost for formal training. As I have a strong desire to start my own design firm these facts and numbers are very important and encouraging to me. I also learned more about the dramatically varying structures from one organization to the other. The opportunities in ID are so broad. Due to the budgets of smaller companies many hire just one sole designer. This designer’s main duties could simply be acting as a project manager, outsourcing all the other work he/she doesn’t have the time or resources to do alone. Also due to smaller budgets many companies will outsource the whole project. This is where owning my own design business would come in. Tracey and Morrison provide a list of typical team members in a design team. This is helpful to see what roles are most interesting to me. I’m realizing how many varying opportunities there are in Instructional Design. I’ve learned the importance of very clear communication with the client(s). From one organization to another it can be confusing as to who the actual client is. There may be two or more. As Tracey and Morrison (2002) state, “First is the individual who is funding the project, who may be called the decision maker as he has signed the contract, and second is the owner of the problem” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2002, p. 180). It can then just get more complicated from there. I can see that it may be impossible to be too clear in communicating with clients. It’s important to know how and with whom I should be communicating. Building a relationship of trust with the client(s) is also vital to success. Something else I learned and was reminded of is the importance of knowing how to design under the constraints of Better, Faster, Cheaper. This is a mantra for many organizations. Tracey and Morrison (2002) state that these organizations “seek to tackle the problems associated with a constant changing society and the workforce that must perform in response” (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, 2002, p. 183). If I can implement and strengthen my use of some of the tools recommended in the reading to cut costs I will be able to stick out from the crowd as an effective ID with a lower bottom line. And that will make me more in demand.

2) If creativity in instructional design refers to the use of special human talents and imagination in generating original ideas, how did you use your creativity to expand your work beyond the limitations imposed in this month’s design projects? Our projects in weeks one and two were to create posters that explain and represent four ID models. From the beginning I decided I wanted these posters to be cohesive enough that they could hang next to each other on a bulletin board in a school somewhere and there would be no question they were all related. I realized to do this they had to have the same pallets, templates and a uniform style to them. I liked the idea of bright, bold colors against a grey background and the common use of circles. It was hard finding a way to keep the circles throughout all four posters, but I’m pleased with the results (see the four posters above). In one of our first live classes in this course we talked about the dangers or difficulties of using reds and yellows as backgrounds. I found this a challenge and decided to try and find ways they could be used successfully. In my timeline for 5.2.1 I found a yellow background that I thought had good texture and the yellow was calm enough it would work (see screen capture above and link below for actual timeline). For the 5.3.1 project I created an infographic out of a template I felt used red tastefully and safely, partly due to the white font. I felt these both came out successfully and are aesthetically pleasing (see the image above). In the video presentation for 5.4.2 I used cartoon style characters with very simple animations to draw attention and support the narration. I think keeping the animation and images very simple helps lower cognitive load and does its job of supporting the narration rather than distract from it (see screen captures above). 

     My ID History Timeline

3) List at least 3 main takeaways from this course and how they may apply to your monthly milestone and long-term goals. My goal from my Mastery Journey timeline for this month was, “I will learn various methods of instructional design and theories of evaluation.  This will include traditional learning theories and explore alternative theories.” I feel one of the greatest takeaways from this course was a strong, foundational understanding of some of the most useful ID models. Even though I didn’t fully understand what I was saying when I wrote the goal above, I believe it is, for the most part, achieved. The ADDIE and Rapid Prototyping are so far my favorite models that I feel I’ll gain a better grasp of the more I use them. But I also feel I’ll be using them more than the others. A second takeaway from this course is the importance of evaluating. I realize that to become a Master Designer I have to practice humility and listen to and accept the truth from evaluations. It’s not easy admitting you were wrong or that you weren’t quite up to par in a design. Using an Evaluation Model to assess the success of the design and actually implementing the changes can make me a successful and effective ID. A third takeaway, and one of the most enlightening experiences from this course, was the opportunity to work on a project as a team. I learned invaluable lessons on consistent and regular communication, honest feedback, leaning on each other’s strengths, and quite simply the joy of working as a team. This helps fulfill one of my Mastery Journey goals, “Build relationships and network with ID professionals, companies and classmates.” Many of my classmates are already professionals in demeanor and action. I feel it a privilege to have worked with them.

Reference Reiser, R., & Dempsey, J. (2002). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

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Images for my Reflection Post:

1- An example of how Keynote makes animation easy.

2&3- The difference between a busy, distracting background and a clean white, more suitable for graphics/in picture visuals.

4- An example of how even though the teleprompter (my laptop) was just below the camera my eye contact was still off.

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Final project for Course IDT552 Corporate Training and Motivational Development

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Corporate Training and Motivational Development

REFLECTION POST:

1) What does Kolovou discuss and/or demonstrate that you could have applied to improve your presentations during this course?

It’s strange to me that I get nervous when recording myself. In my own mind it seems silly that I would be nervous when I’m not in front of an audience and I have the opportunity to do retake after retake. In years past, whenever I had to record a voice-over or sing on a recording I would get enough of the jitters that it would hamper my performance. I’d have to do some serious calming down and it would take me some time to get to the point where I felt I was really ready to give it my best performance. In recent months I’ve been learning how to channel the stress and nerves in live performance to my advantage, more specifically when singing live in front of an audience. I’ve started to believe that these nerves can be helpful. Kolovou (2014) supports my theory in stating, “Being completely calm and serene may work for some before they present, and may be disastrous for others… be sure to maintain a healthy amount of butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling” (Calming nerves, 0:30). In the future I will use the techniques she teaches and some I’ve picked up on my own to channel my nerves rather than fight them to perform better. With out a doubt there will be many future opportunities to present not only in creating instructional materials but in inevitable meetings as the owner of my own design firm.

I do not use my hands as effectively as I could in gestures. In the recording of this Seaside presentation I just kind of randomly let my hands swing about not being deliberate. Though it wasn’t out of control I feel it could have been more purposeful. When a hand gesture is used only at specific moments to emphasize something it’s much more effective. I need to learn to just let them rest at my side and use them only when emphasizing a point. As Kolovou (2014) states, “If your hands rest comfortably by your sides… you portray a sense of calm and confidence… Gesture when it's necessary, when your words match your emotions and when your hands can deliver more energy to your audience” (Gestures that engage, 0:10).

Strategic eye contact in a video presentation seems pretty simple, look right into the camera. But due to lack of proper equipment my Seaside presentation has a serious issue here. I placed my laptop with a teleprompter program right below, as close as possible to the camera lens. But in the video it’s clear I’m not looking right into the lens. This is distracting. I found online instructions for making a simple teleprompter that enables the presenter to look directly at the camera. I feel it’s important enough that in future projects I will build and utilize this. And I definitely will purchase one when I begin doing these professionally. Though Kolovou (2014) is referring to live presenting, the principle is the same when she states, “Speakers that visually connect with their audiences… make intentional eye to eye contact... Now, when I say eye contact, I mean the kind where you can remember the color of the other person's eyes” (Strategic eye contact, 0:09). The viewer of a video presentation must feel that the presenter is looking directly into his/her eyes.

2) Referring to the readings from your books, what key factors would the graphics in your presentations address in communicating the data/information effectively?

One of my favorite strategies in creating effective visuals for learning is that of simplifying. As Peters (2013) states, “Research shows that people learn processes and principles better from visuals that are in a simplified form. Reducing visual elements will help learners recognize and understand graphics faster and let them focus on the important details” (Simplify explanatory visuals, para. 1). This is especially true in video presentations due to time constraints. The video doesn’t have the luxury of giving the student as much time as they desire to browse and stare at the graphics. Though they can, in many cases, pause the video there may be situations where this is not an option. The graphics and visuals simply need to be simple.

I find the results of studies on the effectiveness of visuals on learning and more specifically learning styles fascinating. Reiser and Dempsey (2002) state that, “Novices were boosted to expert levels by access to visuals” (p. 314). This is powerful! I also find fascinating the fact that there is no evidence that designing lessons to match learning styles increases effectiveness. As stated by Reiser and Dempsey (2002), “when Massa and Mayer (2006) gave a verbally based or pictorially based lesson on electronics to verbalizers and visualizers, they found no evidence that matching the lesson version to the learner’s cognitive style improved learning” (p. 315). This changes so many things in regards to designing for learning styles. This definitely has made me look twice at myself and the way I learn.

Knowing that novices can be boosted to expert levels by adding visuals and that visuals are more effective no matter the student’s learning style dramatically affects my approach to designing video presentations. To me it’s never a question of whether visuals should be included and whether they are worth the extra time and effort. Quite simply, they always should.

3) List at least 3 main takeaways from this course and how they may apply to your long-term goals.

1. Green screens are powerful! At first I had decided to shoot all video for the Seaside project outside at a beautiful location. I live in Southern Utah known for it’s beautiful landscapes so I thought it would be easy to find a great spot. But then it hit me, Seaside, Florida is a tropical, coastal town and nothing I have in Southern Utah could even come close to looking like Seaside, unless I shot on a golf course. But even the backgrounds to the golf courses here are not the same. So I decided to shoot in front of a green screen. This provided extreme flexibility in post-production. After project 4.2.2 I realized that the busy looking beach background was distracting and not conducive to my favorite strategy of simplifying. So I simply changed it out to white. I really fell in love with this look. It also provided the perfect backdrop for later adding in picture graphics. Green screens offer so many possibilities and make production so much easier.

2. Keynote makes animations easy! It was a great experience for me creating the visuals for this Seaside presentation project. I decided I would create all new graphics myself following this principle as it would give me experience and also broaden my portfolio. I also wanted to do simple animations. I have always enjoyed the simple, easy-to-use animation options in slideshow programs like Keynote. I was delighted to discover that Keynote can export the slideshow as a .mov. This made it simple to import animations designed in Keynote to iMovie. The most complex animation I wanted to do included traffic building up in front of the title page “Seaside, FL.” I used simple vector vehicles and the “move in” animation option in Keynote to create a semi-complex looking segment. I was very happy with the results. Sometimes, as designers, we don’t need complex, difficult programs.

3. Simplify! As I previously mentioned, my favorite design strategy and one of the main takeaways from this course is “Simplify.” There are three reasons the strategy of simplifying is my favorite. First, due to it’s effectiveness. Second, it keeps the work load down. As I think forward in having my own design firm I have to think of costs. Time is money and every project has a budget. Video presentations need visuals to be most effective. The fact that we need to keep the visuals simple also keeps costs down. The third reason I like the strategy of simplifying so much is that I can do simple. I’m not a great visual designer. And knowing this strategy, I don’t need to be.

Reference Kolovou, T. (2014, May 12). Presentation Fundamentals [Lynda.com online course]. Retrieved March 02, 2016, from http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Presentation-Fundamentals/151544-2.html Peters, D. (2013). Interface design for learning design: Strategies for learning experiences. San Francisco, CA: New Riders. Retrieved from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/web-design-and-development/9780133365481 Reiser, R., & Dempsey, J. (2002). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Shander, B. (2014, April 25). Data Visualization Fundamentals [Lynda.com online course]. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from http://www.lynda.com/Design-Infographics-tutorials/Data-Visualization-Fundamentals/153776-2.html

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1) What projected events on your timeline did you achieve this month?

Of the list of projected events and/or goals on my timeline, I achieved or am in the process of achieving the following:

• Devote all my effort into gaining knowledge and skills in ID&T.

I have given all that I was able to this month. But more importantly, I found a new desire, to push beyond just striving for good grades. I find myself pushing hard to understand as much as possible, to really soak in all the information, knowledge and skills that I can to become a Master Instructional Designer. It really has been a good feeling and it has surprised me. It’s like a new me.

• Build relationships and network with ID professionals, companies and classmates.

At the suggestion of one of my classmates my peers set up a chat group for support. It has been a tremendous help. There is a huge boost in the feeling of comradery. I believe this boost and improvement in personal connection with each other also began during the first live class with Dr. McBride. He does all he can to get us all involved through video conferencing. I was amazed at how that affected our personal peer connections and the desire that blossomed to support each other. I honestly feel these relationships are going to benefit all of us for many years to come.

• Build portfolio of ID&T work.

This month I was able to create a presentation that I feel reflects enough of my own work that I can post it to my portfolio. I also created a couple of posters testing my knowledge and understanding of typography that I feel can be included as well. I have enjoyed working on pushing for greater aesthetics. I’ve been learning the importance of the concept, “Less is More.” As Peters (2013) states “Antoine de Saint-Exupéry put it more elegantly when he said, ‘It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away’” (Why aesthetics matter, para. 2).

This rule of design ties in so well with the strategy of avoiding cognitive overload. Peters (2013) explains, “A core principle underlying effective visual design for learning is to minimize extraneous cognitive load… anything included in your graphics that doesn’t support the learning is a potential distracter” (Strategies to reduce overload, para. 1).

• Graduate with Honors (straight As).

So far so good! But as I stated above, as important as this goal is to me, it’s become more important to gain as much as I possibly can in the way of skills, knowledge and understanding through each phase of this program’s experience.

One of the most powerful lessons I learned this month was the importance of clear communication. In past educational experiences I would feel intimidated or uncomfortable communicating with professors and teachers about personal problems or weaknesses. This month I had a personally extremely difficult week. The school work load was overwhelming given the circumstances. I took the advice that my wife and I have been giving our children for many years and applied it to myself. Over the course of a few days through clearly and regularly communicating with my professor I was able to get through it. I’ve also found invaluable support and help through communicating quite regularly with my peers. The sense of having others there in roughly my same situation is extremely validating and helpful. I am learning first hand through these communication experiences how to communicate in the professional world and how I can be a more effective ID by incorporating personal, human experiences.

2) Going forward with this yearlong journey, what adjustments could you make to ensure your future success in achieving mastery?

It has become clear to me that the most important adjustment I need to make to insure continued success and growth in my Mastery Journey is the importance of staying ahead and not procrastinating. Mondays and Tuesdays I have not taken seriously enough. They have to, from now on, be the days that I put in the most effort. These are the days in this program that I can get ahead and prepare myself well for discussions and live classes. I feel if I put more into these two days I will find great improvements in my ability to comprehend and implement all that I’m learning. There is still so much to learn. I feel I don’t have a real grasp on learning theories and how people learn. I want to understand this more to the point that my work is naturally grounded on these concepts. For example, understanding the balance of keeping visuals simple to avoid overload and distraction, yet complex enough to keep engaged is sometimes hard for me to really understand the balance. To illustrate, I have always been convinced that animated visuals would be much more effective for learning than stills. But apparently they are not. According to Reiser and Dempsey (2012), “First, animations present a great deal of visual and auditory information… Thus it is easy to overload… Second, when viewing animations many of us are conditioned to go into ‘couch-potato’ mode” (p. 316). I believe with time and more study and practice, these theories, concepts and strategies will all become more engrained.

References Peters, D. (2013). Interface design for learning design: Strategies for learning experiences. San Francisco, CA: New Riders. Retrieved from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/web-design-and-development/9780133365481 Reiser, R., & Dempsey, J. (2002). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

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This is the image I choose to represent how I’m feeling at the end of my 2nd course, Strategies for Learner Engagement, on my journey to Mastery.

The light I’m holding is slowly growing brighter. It’s what I can give to the world. I move forward in faith, trusting that God has not only guided me this far, but will continue to do so. I have both hands on the light because I don’t need to feel my way through the dark. And I need both hands to hold on to what I have to give. There’s a look of pleasant calm on my face because I know wherever it is I’m going it’s where He wants me. I can trust Him.

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Strategies for Learner Engagement: Reflections

When I started on this journey I really had no idea it would be anything like this. I stepped onto this path of Mastery in Instructional Design & Technology because it became clear it was time for a career change. My wife helped make that clear. I’ve been semi-miserable in my job the last 4 years because it was missing one key element to joy in the workplace for me – Creativity. What an amazing thrill it has been to discover that not only is ID&T work founded on creativity but that all the tools I’ve been gathering over the years, all the experiences I’ve been having in so many different areas have all culminated to prepare me for this. I had no idea when I felt moved upon to go into ID&T that I would be utilizing almost all of these tools and talents. 

I’m very religious. My faith is everything to me. As I prayed and fasted and counseled with my wife about what direction to go to change careers I felt strong impressions to go into ID&T. And, specifically, to go to Full Sail. 

The image I choose to represent how I’m feeling right now on my journey to Mastery will be in my next post (as I don’t know how to include an image in the body of a Tumblr post yet).

Timeline Achievements: On my Mastery Journey Timeline I stated “Devote all my effort into gaining knowledge and skills in ID&T.” I feel like I’ve been giving all I can so far. I haven’t been perfect. The rest of my life continues and I have to take care of those priorities as well. But I feel I’m working harder at this than I have at almost anything I’ve ever studied before. In my Month 2 goal I wrote, “I will learn how the mind is more easily engaged and motivated and explore the different methods and tools of making learning interesting.” I feel I’ve gained a pretty good starting grasp. There’s still so much I want to understand and will with time. I’ve struggled really understanding some of the learning theories. But the more I work with them the more rooted they become in me. I haven’t really started implementing some of the strategies in teaching my children at home yet, which was another goal. But I have started using some in the children’s choir I direct. They are becoming more engaged and I see some changes in their interest and learning. I’m also enjoying it more.

Unexpected outcomes: I did not expect to find myself working so much in Illustrator and Photoshop. This has been a great experience for me as I’ve enjoyed using them in the past and it’s nice to brush up on them. I also did not expect to be writing so much. I have never felt comfortable writing. I have always seen it as a weakness. But in being pushed to write regularly and staying involved in the discussion boards I’ve gained in two ways. First, I learn so much more by engaging with others. It seems that discussing things with my classmates has helped me gain much more grounded understanding. This part of these courses I’m finding is vital to me. It’s also one of the learning theories we’ve been studying. Second, I think I’m actually starting to enjoy the writing. I’ve been very surprised by the feedback from my classmates and instructor. I can feel my confidence grow and that helps me not look at the writing so much as a chore anymore.

Changes needed to ensure success in the program: A few weaknesses have become clear that I need to work on. First, and I spoke of this on one of the discussion boards, is the importance of being more selfless and giving in the community of my class. I recognize that in connecting with my community of practice and sharing all I can I am only going to gain. I have an old selfish habit of being a gleaner on the internet. Those days need to be over. It’s time I begin sharing more and giving more. I’ve also discovered that I need to make sure I stay ahead in assignments. I’ve tried very hard not to wait till the last minute. Life continues at the same pace around me whether I’m in school or not. But I need to learn to say no a little more and be stronger at staying AHEAD in my studies. And along these same lines I need to make sure I get healthy amounts of sleep. When I’m not well rested it throws everything off. These seem to be very broad issues that need to be worked on. But I feel strongly that in changing them the smaller things will fall into place.

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Inspiration

I have always felt one of the best forms of communication is through simple music and imagery.  This video not only inspires me by it’s powerful, hope-filled message but also by it’s terrific music and cinematography.