Introduction to Learning Design & Technology
Introduction to the Learning, Design, and Technology master’s program at North Carolina State University and to the field of instructional design and educational technology, with an investigation of relevant careers, important theories and models guiding practice, and noteworthy research findings by area.
The Introduction to Learning Design and Technology course gave me a solid introduction to this ever-changing field. We talked about the historical progression of instructional technology beginning with Skinner’s teaching machine. We discussed various career options in the field of digital learning. Plus, we examined best practices, common evaluation models, and emerging research in instructional design. I am including the work samples below because these assignments provided me with a great deal of insight and practical knowledge in this field.
Proposal for Designing Instruction and Training for Nevada State Park Seasonal Employees
One of our larger tasks was to evaluate an instructional design problem and formulate a response to address the problem. To do this, we had to figure out how to properly construct a design proposal. In writing the proposal for the potential training program, we formulated a training strategy with appropriate theoretical grounding, instructional technologies, a proposed timeline, Gantt chart, an evaluation plan, and a draft budget.
Wakelet Online Training & Professional Development
Another course requirement was to develop a virtual training session to promote the use of an instructional technology in the classroom. I originally discovered Wakelet in ECI 519 (Technology, Media, and Culture), which was one of my first Learning Design & Technology classes. Wakelet allows both learners and educators to bookmark, organize, and curate online content to save and share. It’s easy to build a Wakelet on a given topic that incorporates text, URLs, YouTube videos, images, files, and social media posts. I thought Wakelet was such a neat and simple to use educational tool that I decided to create my training on 1) how to use Wakelet and 2) why it is useful.
Annotated Bibliography
As my first annotated bibliography, this assignment helped sharpen my digital inquiry and research skills. I selected the following focus area because I think this should be a requirement for teachers to be effective and impactful in the classroom:
Teachers need to better understand digital literacy as it relates to global digital citizenship (GDC) in order to teach their students how they will utilize technology to become global digital citizens.