OK, Now that I got that off my chest, I can talk about instructional design...

I am just about finished with the instructional design process. The end of this process is a little stilted due to the fact that I haven't had an opportunity to try out my plan. I have prepared all of the documents I need to do my final assessment and revision, but I won't actually be able to carry it out until I am in a position to test it all.

Overall, I have been very impressed with the design process and have been using it to develop some plans for teaching the state objectives. The logical progression and analysis of the process allows the developer to really consider an work in things like differentiation and remediation. It has also helped me to consider and plan implementation of technological tools such as web based applications and blogging. I can really see the social networking tools as a way for students to express what they have learned...something I have never considered before.

Unions

This morning I was attacked by the union. Not attacked physically, but with the hard sale. I'm not into the hard sale. As a matter of fact if you put the hard sale on me I am likely to especially not buy into your product.

While I am sure that there is a place and a purpose for unions, I am philosophically opposed to the principle of "unionism."

Here are my grievances against unions:

The Hard sale tactics to recruit members: I am so put off by this that I especially Will not join, just for that particular reason. Why can these people not respect the fact that I do not want to join!?

Contrary to free market capitalism:
I am a capitalist American. Borowitz calls us, A** holes, so sue me, I believe in the free market economy. This means if I do not like an organization, I will find a new job. If more people did this, organization that take advantage of people will have to change their ways in order to get people to work there. The very idea of a "fair" workplace is anti American. You work hard, you get compensated accordingly. You have special skills, you get compensated accordingly. As a science teacher looking for a job I often encounter the work of the union. I attempt to negotiate a salary (since I have a certificate area that is rare) and the administrators tell me it is not fair for the other teachers because they do the same amount of work. They didn't do the same amount of work in college! OK...enough of that rant, on to the next item.

Unions support agendas that I do not necessarily agree with:
If I join a union and give them my money, they can do whatever they want with it. If they support an issue that I disagree with, will they change their views to correspond with mine? Of course not. So is there an organization that can take my money and lobby the union to lobby the legislature according to my views? Again, this is America, I have a telephone and can call my congressman any time I would like. I don't need the union to make up my mind for me.

Unions inflate the price of products, services and government:
Take Detroit for example. The automakers are having a hard time financially. Why? Because labor is very expensive due to...you guessed it...Unions! A person putting lug nuts on should not be paid $35 an hour. The market just does not demand that. Perhaps I could afford to buy a new car if labor was a little cheaper. This is precisely why our manufacturing is going across the border and over seas. The people who run these companies are not bourgeoisie trying to oppress the proletariat, they are people who's families worked hard and ran their businesses shrewdly and succeeded accordingly.

Unions can not follow through on their promises:
The Lady who attacked me at the gate this morning said is was very important that I join the union because they were the only ones who could (insert whatever you want here, I have to leave this out because I can not identify where I work). In all honesty, they can petition the lege, they can threaten litigation, but all in all our legislature is commissioned with the task of doing what is best for the citizens of Texas, not the employees of Texas. The legislature is going to do what they want to do regardless of some union protesting and waving banners. Can the union do stuff. Sure they can, but they are not the only answer. They are not the only way. I am a registered voter and I vote. That should get things done.

Unions prevent talented people from making progress:
A while back, I saw the income potential of electrician work. Being educated in physics and having experience in wiring, I thought I'd look into acquiring an electrician's license. The insurance board has pushed through laws (the code) requiring a license to do electrical work for pay. You have to have a Master's electrician license to contract your own work. I have the skills to do a master electrician's job. I could easily pass the test, but to get the license I would have to work as an apprentice for 5 years, a journeyman for 5 years, then 10 years later I can finally do the job with the same skills I had 10 years ago. Why, because unions pushed for these laws to make things "fair." This is the same for any skilled trade.

I don't think unions are evil. I just think they are misguided. Unions need to reconsider what it means to be an American and the benefit of the free market economy. Furthermore, they need to consider the consequences of their actions and the toll it takes on our society.

Constructionistivism

Wheh! I just completed the plan for a constructivist learning environment! What a pleasure. Planning a constructivist environment, to me, is as natural as breathing. Although the author did throw th 5-E stuff into the sample, the process was natural and intutitive...Just as ol' Dewey suggested that it should be!

Now I was tempted to go stone cold constructionist, however, creation of a new artifact just didn't really fit the problem solving process I was attempting to plan to teach. Perhaps Mr. Papert will be Ok with the fact that my constructivist plans still include an artifact for learning, even though it was not one of the learner's own making.

Amazing

I have noticed an amazing thing about the instructional design process, the deeper into it I get, the more I realize what objectives and sub objectives will work or make sense and which ones don't. Perhaps working through a "cognitive" instructional style is actually beneficial to creating a functional constructivist learning environment!

Cognitive Planning to a Constructivist

I'm afraid this post comes from frustration. I have spent the past 5 years honing my constructivist teaching philosophy. I am now having to reach to my academic evolutionary predecessors and revert to "cognitive" instruction. This is particularly difficult when the skill I strive to teach is so grounded in tangible context. It seems like a total step backward to attemp to teach a contextual skill through a non-constructivist approach. Alas, I will do my best...

Constructivism

For whatever reason, there seems to be a school of thought in the constructivist realm that says objects and events have no meaning and that this is the basis for constructing knowledge. Have they not read Dewey?! Is it not possible for someone to construct knowledge of objective realities?! While I understand the idea of philosophical constructivism I argue that it stads clearly and distinctly apart from its philosophical counterpart.

Taking Risks

When reading the syllabus for the course, "taking risks" was one of the criteria listed... I decided to take a risk and pursue design for a ill-structured cognitive skill, applying science knowledge to daily problem solving. Several times I have worried that puruing that particular problem may cause my work to come accross as lacking quality. At times, I have looked back through my work and thought, "Oh no! That's a bunch of crap." Of course, it has been submitted and it's too late now.

Regardless of outcome I am a firm believer that the biggest risks produce the best results...or the most spectacular failures...

Instructional strategy

Finally, I have made my way through the rigor morrow of all of the analysis of instructional deign. Now I have finally made it to the the good part, Developing the instructional strategy and developing the materials.

This is the part that I truly enjoy. An opportunity to create that with which the students will interface. Well...on to reading the chapter...

...to be continued...

Off topic ramble

I often find myself in a situation where I feel as if I do what I have to and never do what I want to. However, what I have to do is what I have chosen to do so would it not be what I want to do? Thus, in reality am I doing what I want to do and not doing what I don't want to do. Why then do I long to do those things that I, by default, do not want to do. Perhaps I want do too much. What is a reasonable amount for a man to do? When is it time to rest? When does a man feel justified in his rest? Is there rest in doing? Should there be rest in doing?

I want to do only things that are of lasting consequence. Those things that produce no durable results in the form of a bettered relationship, tangible product, a changed soul, an educated mind, or a good memory, I do not want to do. Perhaps I should prioritize my doing by the results produced by my doing.

Changed souls first, educated minds second, tangible products third with bettered relationships and good memories along the way. Why then do I tend to desire to do things that will instead improve my economic or social status, even to the detriment of those things that should be first and second? Is there a way to achieve number one and number two one and two while improving relationships, and improving my social and economic status?

The Bible says slow and steady plodding is what bring wealth to a man. I would say that is not just monetary wealth, but is true wealth in the terms of relationships and spiritual well being. Jimmy Stewart in the movie Harvey, says he could be either smart or kind, and he was smart and made a lot of money, but chose to be kind because being smart didn't win any friends. Perhaps I should do as the Word says and seek first the kingdom of heaven and all these shall be added unto me...

For what it's worth, that is my off topic ramble for the week.
DAG

Subordinate Skills, Performance Objectives...

Alas, I am wandering in the wilderness. Fortunately and wisely, our guide has left a compass. I am following along in the text emulating each progressive step outlined in the book. I'm not sure if this is precisely what I am supposed to be doing, but I think it will get me there. Perhaps It won't won't be the smoothest of paths, but I am sure that the destination will be the same.

Upon evaluating my subordinate skills and performance objectives, I caught several mistakes in my hierarchical analysis. As a matter of fact, the Evaluation for subordinate skills and performance objectives inspired an epiphany. I realized how the hierarchical analysis should be done! It almost seems as if one should start from the back and learn their way to the front, but how can you understand the front without learning the back? It's a catch 22. However, when approached from a constructivist manner, as we seem to be following, the project seems to come together in those "ah ha" moments. I love "ah ha" moments... Perhaps it's the physicist in me.

Performance Objectives

While the rest of the class is sipping pina coladas and enjoying an extended spring break, I have decided to go ahead and press on with the systematic design process. It would seem at this juncture that it would be beneficial to do a learner and context analysis. My students, however, are in luck because rather than analyze them directly, I simply need to gather some information that is readily available in the educational context. Furthermore, the context, being that of the classroom, is fairly uniform and also does not need a great deal of analysis.

What does need to be analyzed, however, is the context in which the instruction will actually be used. What is the environment outside of the classroom? Will my students be able to actually apply their newly learned skills in this context?

I plan to follow the model of text and create a physical report of the analysis...gather my eggs for inspection, if you will. And see if, perhaps, more analysis needs to be done than I realize...

Systematic design process

Beginning the systematic design process has been an awkward experience. It would rightly be compared to trying out roller-blades for the first time or maybe using chopsticks. It's do-able, but I need a lot more practice to become proficient. However, while learning systematic design, I immediately see the value in it and have begun applying the process to the required science objectives.

The first step of a front end analysis is particularly confusing in the classroom situation as a teacher's goals are already spelled out by the state. However, I do see that there is room for analysis on other things that are related to the state objectives. That is precisely why I went out on a limb and chose the problem of the application of science knowledge and skills in daily problem solving. I know it won't be easy to complete, analyze, assess or even come out with high quality results, but hopefully it will produce something of value even outside of the course.

Additionally, since my students are from a predominantly low socioeconomic demographic it is particularly important for them to be able to apply problem solving skills. It is important, because they may not necessarily have the resources to hire or pay someone to solve particular problems for them. Thus, science and the associated problem solving skills will enable a higher quality life for my students, outside of the institution.

Welcome

Hello,

This is a blog primarily to satisfy the requirements of the course I'm taking, but also to experiment with blogging and of course...to get my opinion out there. In this grand experiment I will be sharing my experiences in the process of systematic design and whatever else happens to be of interest in the field of education.