Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

Section 5 of your textbook focuses on trends and issues where instructional designers are likely to become employed to include business and industry, the military, the medical field, P-12 education, and higher education. This week's posting will focus primarily on military and education; however, I encourage you to read the chapter in the medical field as it's important to be aware of changes going on outside of education.

• Chapter 18 discusses instructional design in business and industry. Give an example of rapid prototyping and discuss how this could be used in education.

One example of rapid prototyping I found was 3D printing. 3D printing is a phrase used to describe the process of creating three dimensional objects from digital file using a materials printer, in a manner similar to printing images on paper. 3D printers would have a huge impact on education because it would allow students to use their creativity to design model for any subject and produce an actual 3D replica of it. In reading, students can create characters for their stories and use the 3D printer to produce small figurines of them. In science, students can build models of landforms or atoms. Really, there is so much a 3D printer could provide for our students it’s hard to imagine everything. I think this would also increase our student’s engagement in all of the content areas.

• Chapter 19 discusses instructional design opportunities in military education and training environments. Pretend you are hired as a consultant for the military. They want to use technology in its training, but electronic access is not always available. Using the Full Spectrum diagram, what alternatives could you suggest for a successful program?

In this scenario, I would suggest that the military provide a blended training opportunity for their soldiers. Because electronic access is unreliable but still available I would recommend the purchase of software that simulated the type of training they needed that could be run on equipment they already had available in all three environments. For example, if in the classroom, on the garrison/base, and deployed soldiers all had access to iPads I would upload the software so that they could all have access to it whenever they needed it. I would also suggest that the military invest in printed copies of the training materials as precaution for times with electronic access is not available.

• Chapter 21 looks at radical educational change in P-12 settings. Review the Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology and the GSTE. Outline a staff development activity that will introduce both methodologies to your colleagues. 

 Staff Development Scavenger Hunt: Piecing together Excellence

• All individuals will be numbered off 1-5 so that we can break up into groups of 4 or 5 for the scavenger hunt. Each team will be assigned a color to correspond with the items their groups are to collect.
• Each team will begin with a riddle that speaks of the next location they are to go to. Once they reach their location, they will find an envelope that matches their color. Inside the envelope will be another riddle to their next location and large puzzle piece with writing on it.
• Teams are to continue this pattern until they collect all 6 puzzle pieces. Once they have collected all of them, they will need to come back to their starting destination and put the puzzle pieces together.

Once they pieces are put together the puzzle will read: The Pieces of Success Start with You, I and ?

 Then, I would introduce Step-Up-to-Excellence and GSTE in a power point outlining the both methodologies. Then we will discuss as a group how they can help us improve.

• Navigating through the ranks of a faculty member in higher education can be tricky. A good institution has support for its faculty and provides faculty development opportunities to grow and learn. Research three different university offices for faculty development. Answer the following questions for each office:

Texas A&M University- Commerce

• What are the different names used for faculty development?
• Faculty Development Committee
• What division is it under?
• Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
• What services does it offer?
• The role of the Faculty Development Committee is to plan and execute a variety of activities to aid faculty members in the continuing development of teaching and research skills.
• How often are programs given and what specifically are they?
• Annually. The range of activities extends from informal social functions and topical luncheons to book discussion groups, retreats, teleconferences, teaching workshops, visiting lectures, new faculty orientation and international student experiences. Its most important function is to encourage interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary discussions as well as approaches to instruction.

Duke University

• What are the different names used for faculty development?
• Faculty Diversity and Faculty Development
• What division is it under?
• Office of the Provost
• What services does it offer?
• Monitoring the progress of the 2003 ten-point Faculty Diversity Initiative Plan
• Enhancement of recruitment and retention efforts related to women and faculty of color in fields where they are underrepresented
• Implementation of actions recommended in response to faculty initiatives and surveys
• Dissemination of mentoring strategies
• Improving, communicating, monitoring and tracking policies related to work-life balance
• Planning for faculty development seminars, workshops and programs
• Coordinating efforts with other offices, individuals, networks and committees across the university in areas of diversity
• Examining and promoting programs that enhance the pipeline of future faculty members - including the Provost's Postdoctoral Scholars Program launched in 2007
• Linking with similar offices at peer institutions in order to share ideas, promote best practices, learn ways in which we can improve, and provide leadership in higher education in areas of diversity
• How often are programs given and what specifically are they?
• Annually. Examining and promoting programs that enhance the pipeline of future faculty members - including the Provost's Postdoctoral Scholars Program launched in 2007

Stanford University

• What are the different names used for faculty development?
• The Faculty Development & Diversity Office
• What division is it under?
• Vice Provost for Faculty Development & Diversity
• What services does it offer?
• Supports the faculty through a variety of programs and information resources. Included are orientation and informational events, resources for new and junior faculty, workshops for department chairs and deans, and initiatives supporting faculty diversity.  
• How often are programs given and what specifically are they?
• Distinguished Alumni Scholars Day was established in 2006 as an institutional response to the scarce presence of diverse racial/ethnic group members within the faculty ranks of our nation’s colleges and universities, and within the Ph.D. programs that produce these faculty. The purpose of this (now) biennial program is to bring Stanford students from cultural groups underrepresented in academia into contact and discussion with distinguished alumni scholars from a broad range of backgrounds, disciplines and institutional types to inspire new generations of students to consider academia as a career.

§  The President's Awards for Excellence through Diversity recognize and honor individuals and programs that have made exceptional contributions to enhancing and supporting diversity (broadly defined) within the Stanford University community. The awards are intended to recognize that a diverse campus community enhances our institutional excellence by broadening and strengthening the teaching, learning and scholarship that are the university’s missions.