Sunday, January 19, 2014

Module 1- Blogs and Resources


                    

                        The Doorway to Professional Learning Communities                                                                                                                                                             
This assignment was created as part of the WNMU MAIS (Masters Arts Interdisciplinary Studies). I am currently studying Psychology, MIS and Education. I have been interested and researching  instructional designing since 2008. My professional background, spans from 1986-present. It involves computer programming/ CIS, Project management, Information security and training. To be a great instructional designer you need many skills and talents. One needs the ability to tackle problems creatively and analytically. I believe my CIS data management experience will compliment three of my greatest strengths as a leader-the ability to analyze and synthesize data from various sources and think outside of the box.


I would like to use this blog forum to learn as much as I can about the field of instructional design and technology. I am delighted to share resources and discuss any number of instructional design–related issues with other professionals and experts from around the globe. I yearn to take my expertise in previous fields and use them productively to advance and promote education and learning as an instructional designer. The purpose of this particular blog post is to select three instructional design blogs or resource sites and provide a brief overview of the type of content that can be found on each of them. I have also critiqued the usefulness of each site and reflected upon how the site might serve as an ongoing resource as I work in the instructional design field.

Instructional Design Blogs and Resource Site #1

by Mark Berthelemy


Link : http://www.learningconversations.co.uk/main/index.php?blog=5
 


Overview
This blog is moderated by Mark Berthelemy. He has been blogging now since 2004. He is the Managing Director of a learning and technology consultancy (Wyver Solutions Ltd) (based in Belper, Derbyshire, UK).
Mark specializes in:
  • Learning technologies such as content management systems, learning management systems, content authoring tools, collaboration tools
  • Helping senior management understand the potential of such tools
  • Understanding the human factors involved in the successful implementation of new IT systems
  • Providing configuration services, training and support
Acting as the interface between IT, Management and the Learning & Development team He is passionate about putting the learner, the user at the center of what they do.
This blog is where he puts his personal thoughts and ideas - often about, but not exclusively, learning technology. For more finished articles, providing advice and guidance by Mark Berthelemy , go to the Wyver Solutions blog.

I like this blog because I have enjoyed reading and I find many of his key articles very beneficial to my research and I can use this blog as an ongoing resource as I work in the Instructional Designer field.

The articles below are some of his blog posts that I have read and he says they have been central to his own development:

RSS, blogs and other stuff in corporate learning & development
  • Lessons learned from a workshop on web2.0 and corporate learning
Education for the 21st Century Society
  • An examination of how we might approach a full revamp to our education system.
When to use rapid elearning - the Powerpoint legacy
  • How does the way we use Powerpoint influence our approach to rapid e-learning?
Departmental roles in the Learning Organization
  • How do Human Resources, Knowledge Management, Internal Communications, Organizational Development, and Learning & Development split up their various functions?
Courses & Content
  • An article that explores how to best present "content" within or alongside a "course".

Reference:

Retrieved on 01/18/14 from:
http://www.learningconversations.co.uk/main/index.php?blog=5



Instructional Design Blogs and Resource Site #2


Karl Kapp






Overview

Karl Kapp blog discusses issues concerning learning, e-learning and transferring knowledge through both technology and non-technology based strategies. His goal is to share information and knowledge to create a better understanding of learning design and help other to create better learning experiences.

He understands how people learn and how to promote effective learning within an organization. He received his Doctorate of Education in the Instructional Design program at the University of Pittsburgh. The field of Instructional Design primarily focuses on the systematic design, development, delivery, and evaluation of instruction in a corporate environment. This systematic focus is the cornerstone of his presentations and consulting work.

I personally like his blog because he posts often to his journal and he is very knowledgeable on many topics. I like that he interacts with his readers. He does not hesitate to present his ideas and speak his mind. I believe this blog will be useful for me as I gather information on Instructional Designing because I look up to him as a mentor and he has a lot of experience in this field. Doctor Karl Kapp is a professor, author, keynote speaker and a consultant. http://karlkapp.com/


Reference:


Retrieved on 01/18/14 from:
http://karlkapp.com/kapp-notes/


Instructional Design Blogs and Resource Site #3



 by Tom Kuhlmann

 http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/wp-content/themes/reb/images/pic_tom.jpg


Overview

The Rapid E-Learning Blog shares practical tips and tricks to help you become a rapid e-learning pro. It is hosted by Tom Kuhlmann who has over 15 years of hands-on experience in the training industry and currently runs the community at Articulate. He have a Master’s in Education Technology from Pepperdine, where he researched how to cultivate communities of practice through the development of personal expertise. Currently, he runs the user community for Articulate with a focus on building a passionate community of rapid e-learning developers.

These blog posts explore key elements of instructional design to help you think through how to build courses that truly help people learn.
I think this blog will be a good resource for me to follow and collaborate with it's community because I would like to be able to learn how to design for all types of learners, whether they are distance learners or e-learners. E-learning is very popular and I must be versatile with my skills to accommodate all type of potential clients.



Reference:

Retrieved on 01/18/14 from:
http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/instructional-design/