2.5+EDLD+5368+Reflection


 * Assignment Reflection for EDLD 5368 Instructional Design **

This course was my first technical course. Coming during the last month of the school year of 2010, it was difficult getting a handle on all there was to do. I wound up dropping the course and am now faced with taking it as my last course in the program. The program was extremely consistent with my readings and learning. Using the Understanding by Design model by Wiggins and McTighe (1998), we had to intensely apply the knowledge to make an online course in the learning management system, Schoology. This course is significant to my future as a technology leader because of the designing aspects of it.


 * Self Assessment **

I was intrigued with the 2 weeks of knowledge I gained. The understanding by design is based on backwards designing by having the teacher envision what the desired end results of the unit should be, develop the big question (enduring understanding), develop formative and summative assessment to determine if understanding is mastered, and then plan the learning experiences that will create this end result (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998). The new knowledge brought clarity to what I had learned during my undergraduate studies and teaching experiences. I enjoyed revisiting Bloom’s Taxonomy and learning that “synthesis” is now “create” in the revised taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). All of the new knowledge gained added depth and greater understanding to what I already knew and practiced. Although the knowledge between the familiar and new was understood best in my head, I experienced difficulty in designing a unit because of little time to reflect, plan, and apply this knowledge in designing the online course. I had big bright ideas, but could not manage to build a design.


 * Learn as a Learner **

The completion of this assignment was not realized because I dropped it. However, much of what was done before dropping the course was done in relationship to what I learned. Dropping the course was a difficult choice, but I was relieved to be from under the pressure of completing this course at an even more challenging time of the year for me-end of school year. As a learner, I am not the best at completing tasks that are greatly detailed in a timely fashion. I painstakingly involve all of me in what I do, and being divided as I was with so many demands frustrated me. During that time, I minimized collaborating with others because year end was around the corner and there was just too much to do. As a result, my leadership skills were impacted. I think of this as the lowest point I have had in the grad course up to date.


 * Lifelong Learning Skills **

As with anyone and anything, I learned that I do have some weaknesses as I pursue a career in educational technology. This experience shed light on the fact that I must have time to maximize my best potential and creative energies. If I am too divided, I do not perform at my best. I know that I must find ways to manage this area better because some of my duties in the future as a technology leader may call for me to address more than one detailed assignment. One of my goals to manage this is become a researcher and find ways through best practices to address issues such as these that not only occur within the school, but within myself. Dana (2009) reminds us that this is the role we education technology leaders must take on. Through creating my own inquiry of wonderings, I “become head learner, the most important role any principal could ever play….” (Dana, 2009, p. 186). My past collaborations with colleagues will enhance my leaderships skills in designing curriculum that is technology based through train-the-trainer models. A question that bears research is finding ways to address time and attention issues to such a task as designing. I believe a course in project management may be in the future for me.

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). //A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives//. New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Dana, Nancy Fichtman (2009). //Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as// //action researcher//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

McTighe, J., and Wiggins, G. (1998). //Understanding by design//. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.