Section VII

This section of the textbook addresses new directions and emerging technologies for IDT. For your final post, reflect on how you might apply each of the following in your current or future position in the IDT field:

1.       distributed or e-learning environments

After this semester, I have learned how to use the internet resources to in charge of communication with classmates and I am enjoying in using technology in my life. And I can also use it in my study life, just now I finished my mathematics course online and I am impressed that computer is doing all the complicated operations instead of me. I wish I could use it in my future teaching career.

2.       reusable design or learning objects

I did not find it on my book, it is 2^nd version, but I can tell from the question that design is reusable means it has that value can make people keep using it. Actually, it is really hard to get it, since time changes, we cannot stand where we were born. We have to take a move, by using technology we can have a better life.

3.       rich media

Since we have internet, it is easier for us to find stuff on it. But how to use it properly is a new question. I understand that there are students do not focus on the board, they may think it is boring and useless. Then we can try some new media to pass the information to them, some interesting way and efficient way. As I know, there are podcast, tweeters, or even facebook, these all could be our tools to spread our knowledge.

4.       emerging instructional technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cybernetics, Web 2.0, virtual worlds, electronic games, etc.

I have been a student for more than 18 years, which is a shock for me even. And as a student, I have to admit that I am kind of done with learning in the traditional way. Now, I am interested in some online math games, which are interesting and appealing. I would like to say that technology changes our life and we should learn how to use it in a proper way.

In the last, I have some words to say. Thank you all to comment on my blogs, I have never thought that there is someone will read me blog and leave a comment like you. Thank you all to make me better. I am really honored to be a member of this class. Merry Christmas!

Section VI

This section of your textbook focuses on jobs in the profession of instructional design and technology: lessons and tips on how to get one and organizations that can support the job search and continued learning in the IDT field. Many of you already have a job in the field or in a related field; however, based on this week’s readings, you’ll reflect on where you are, where you want to go, and what you need to learn or do to get there.

Begin your post for this week with some background: what is your current job, what program are you enrolled in, what brings you to that program, and what do you expect when you graduate (change jobs? obtain a promotion?).

I am now a full time student as I have always been. And I am majored in mathematics, which I wish I could teach some day. When I was a child, I had a great experience in math classes, which made me wanted to be a math teacher in the future. Honestly, I think about quit this dream, since I really have trouble on how to explain things to others. I am learning how to express myself and organize my words and thinking, so I could be a math teacher hopefully.

Next, describe the kind of work that you want to do and the type of organization or institution in which you want to work. Use the WorkMatrixTM in the chapter titled “Getting a Job in Business and Industry” to help organize your thoughts. Do you most desire first, second, third, or fourth level service? Or would you rather design or develop instruction? What features of work are important to you? What economic sector do you want to work in?

I tried to create my form, but I had no idea what economic sector is. I put my score in it, and I think it shows that I still prefer to be a teacher.

Type of Work	Importance	Likelihood	Score
First-level service: teaching	6	5	30
Second-level service: training trainers	1	1	1
Third-level service: designing instructional models	8	2	16
Fourth-level service: creating basic knowledge to inform third-level service	8	1	8
Designing instruction	7	4	28
Developing instruction	6	4	24
Features of Work
Geographic location	5	3	15
High travel requirement	1	5	5
High start income	5	4	20
High income growth	5	4	20
High promotion opportunity	8	4	32
Economic Sector
Education	8	6	48
Public service, foundation, NGO	6	5	30
Service industry	4	4	16
Manufacturing	2	2	4
Knowledge industry	6	4	24
Government	3	1	3

From the chart and highlighted parts, it is clear that my first choice is teaching, which is my dream since I was in middle school. And I wish there will be a proper promotion opportunity, which can prove my work. Actually, I do not quite understand the last part, but I suppose that I would like to work in education field.

Based on these intentions, explain what you need to learn. What skills and qualifications do you need? Will you obtain the skills you need in the required courses in your program? What electives might you need to take to help you develop skills specific to your aspirations?

From before to now, I have to admit that I am a kind of lazy person on which I should be ashamed. However, I know exactly what I want to be and what should I learn to improve myself, I just leave it to the very last moment to take a move. I think my biggest problem that slows me down is self-expression. I worked in a mathlab where students could learn by themselves or ask us questions, and at the beginning of this semester, every time I have been asked a simple question I have no idea how to explain it to student. I felt terrible and frustrated that time, then I began to learn and practice how to explain the theorem I used and the process I solved a problem. Now, I feel I am getting better and I wish that one day I could give a class, I will try for it. Maybe I need to take a speech class, which I hear that there is a kind of class that can help people make a speech at public.

Finally, carefully examine the professional organizations and conferences listed in the chapter titled "Professional Organizations and Publications in IDT." What organizations would best support your continued learning after you graduate? Do you think you would benefit from joining those organizations before graduating? Explain why or why not? What conferences or annual meetings do you think it would be helpful to you to attend? Select at least two and tell what you could learn from attending.

I understand that the importance of keep learning even after graduating. And I like getting connected with people than learning new stuff, but I know I have to learn something new to catch up with others. Being a math teacher, I cannot only use my old knowledge but also learn newest method or newest research to put in my teaching. So, to catch up with those goals, I select following websites to enrich myself.

Math Stories:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/math-concepts-skills/math-reads/index.htm?psch=PI/ps/20120827/google/pd/txtl/Darby_ppc//general

To find some interesting stories that can inspire students to learn math in a fun way.

Math Society:

http://www.ams.org/home/page

To learn something new in this field that can enrich me with some professional information.

Education Skills:

http://www.education-consumers.org/

This website is supposed to improve my teaching skills.

Section V

The chapters in this section identify trends and issues with instructional design and technology in a variety of settings: military, health care, P-12, higher education, and around the world. In this week’s blog post, tell which setting you are working in or intend to work in.

I have read the distance learning and instructional design in international settings, and I think I have experience in this field so I have some words to say.

First of all, it does tend to distance learning recently. As it mentioned on the book, distance learning may be defined broadly as off-campus or off-site learning mediated by technology. Actually it does offer some part time students a good opportunity to take classes. It does not only offer an opportunity to them who need it, but also offer an opportunity to those who want to improve themselves. Second of all, since distance learning requires the instructional designers and technologists who can work in the new global electronic environment. That offers opportunities to those who are good at technologies.

Admittedly, there are still some underdesigned online courses. Say instructional designers and technologists have had little or no chance to make inputs in the rush to get most of these courses to market on the internet or putting lecture notes into HTML for the web simply is not enough. But I believe that people will get used to the e-World eventually, since we are in an efficient world. I understand that people cannot do one thing at one time, instead they are required to do more at the same time.

Then identify one thing that you learned from reading about each of the other settings and explain how that concept, idea, or approach could be adapted to your setting.

I am impressed that after read the higher education part, it is more complicated than I thought. Firstly, what is higher education? Higher education is a term that is used to encapsulate all types of colleges and universities, even though there is a great diversity among what traditionally are terms four-year and two-year colleges. In my mind, there is only four-year college which is the formal college form.

Categories	Definitions
Four-Year Colleges Using Carnegie Classifications
Doctoral/Research University I-Extensive	Full range of baccalaureate programs, 50 or more doctorates per year across at least 15 disciplines.
Doctoral/Research University II-Extensive	Full range of baccalaureate programs, 10 or more doctorates per year across at least 3 disciplines, or 20 or more doctorates per year overall.
Master’s (Comprehensive ) Colleges and Universities I	Full range of baccalaureate programs, 40 or more master’s degrees per year across at least 3 disciplines.
Master’s (Comprehensive ) Colleges and Universities II	Full range of baccalaureate programs, 20 or more master’s degrees per year overall.
Baccalaureate Colleges I-Liberal Arts	Full range of baccalaureate programs, at least half of undergraduate awards are bachelor’s degrees, and at least half of bachelor’s degrees in the liberal arts field.
Baccalaureate Colleges II-General	Full range of baccalaureate programs, at least half of undergraduate awards are bachelor’s degrees, and less than half of bachelor’s degrees in the liberal arts field.
Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges	Undergraduate colleges with significant baccalaureate programs, majority conferrals are associate’s degrees and certificates.
Specialized Institutions	At least half of the degrees awarded in a single field.
Tribal Colleges and Universities	Tribally controlled and located on reservations, members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.
Two-Year Colleges Using Katsinas’s Classifications
Publicly Controlled Community Colleges	Rural (small ≤1000 students, medium=1000-2499, large w/2500+); suburban ( single or multi-campus); urban ( single or multi-campus).
Privately Controlled	Private, nonprofit institutions, proprietary institutions.
Federally Chartered and Special Use	Tribal colleges.

I learned that there are three major factors that affect colleges and universities are the reduction of finances and other resources, the decline in the competition for student enrollments, and diversification among student populations. Compare to the distance learning, I guess we can think about this new pattern of studying form. It only requires instructor and internet, so it can save money. Since distance learning does not require students have to attendant at a fixed time in a classroom, also it is convenient to students who have no such sufficient time to attend school. Therefore, distance learning could be a good solution for higher education.