Brian

Vander Haak Doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University (Fischler School of Education) Created for EDD 7005 | Summer session 2012 | Dr. Orellana #1 Do not consider technology the savior of education Studies and experience have shown us that technology by itself does not transform education. We need to see technology and media realistically, as tools to be used carefully, intentionally and well to assist with good educational practice - not as educational practice. As Clark (2001) would emphasize: do not confuse the groceries and the truck that delivers them. Technologys proper place is as merely ONE of the many things that support education. #2 Do not replace human interaction with technology It doesnt really matter if the instruction is in a traditional classroom or online, or whether the instruction is asynchronous or synchronous. Interaction with an instructor, as appropriate for the situation, is a key element for successful learning. We want to keep Moores (2011) transactional distance to a minimum. Moore and Kearsley (2005), state that using a blended approach where a face-to-face learning piece is factored in can actually lead to global community building. #3 Use variety to spice up your educational practices While some aspects of learning remain a mystery to us, we know a lot about how the brain works and about individual learning styles and needs. We dont all learn the same way. Theorists like Howard Gardner (2005) talk about multiple intelligences. Smaldino, Lowther and Russell (2012) talk about developing

10 Core Principles of ITDE (Instructional Technology and Distance Education) from the perspective of:

media literacy for students to prepare them for the world they will live in. Technology advances allow us to use a rich mix of resources to enhance the best practice of using multiple and diverse instructional strategies for students and appealing to multiple senses and a wide range of experiences. #4 Keep standardization in balance. Standardization might be seen as a way to fix the problems of education whether online or face-to-face. There are elements of standardization attached to Otto Peters (2007) Industrialization model or the rise of the mega university (Daniel, Macintosh & Diehl, 2011) for example. However, it is a major trade off. As Dr. Charles Schlosser (recorded lecture for EDD 7007, summer session 2012) states you risk losing the instructors ability to be creative. You may gain by forcing underperforming instructors to step up their game, and commonalities can help students switch between classes and both of these are good reasons for some standardization. But you also take away the ability of individual instructors to work to their strengths, bring their own gifts to bare, differentiate and adjust based on their current students, and to be innovative. #5 Use a proven model for planning An instructor or course designer should bring best practice to their planning. Lessons and courses should be properly scaffolded, or supported by the students existing knowledge. Instruction should be spiraled, or properly built upon what has been learned and leading towards the objective. And all those things that make for good pedagogy: attention to learning styles, what we know about metacognition, etc. need to be brought into play. Using proven designs and techniques such as the ASSURE model presented by Smaldino, Lowther and Russell (2012) and Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighes (2005) Understanding by Design concept keep instruction properly focused.

#6 Use good design Good design equals good learning. It is considered good for a reason. Take advantage of good design principles to maximize the benefits of your instruction. Smaldino, Lowther and Russell (2012) not only present ways to use instructional technology, they also make a case for why. For example, knowing the harmful effects of various types of noise and offsetting them with the design of your materials or instructional space. Knowing what type of video design engages the brain and what turns off the viewer help you to make good choices and good materials. If students cant see the words on the presentation slide they cant benefit from them, and the same goes for not being able to decode why that image is there. And the list goes on Dont waste your valuable planning time on making poor materials, and dont waste valuable instruction time using them. #7 Be a careful scholar Technology, especially emerging tech, can be a like a bright light to a moth for educators. We are dazzled by the bells and whistles and throw ourselves at the latest fad. Anecdotal evidence is important, but we should focus most of our attention on carefully proven data and research driven conclusions. Know and trust the source of the information you base change on. Rely on peer reviewed literature and established experts. Sound theory driven research is called for by Saba (2011), Moore (2005) , Clark (2001), and many others and appropriately required for our work in this program. #8 Do the right thing As adult part time students we may use the excuse of our busy lives to plagiarize. As educators, we find it easy to skirt copyright rules using situational ethics: its for the kids, its just a classroom it must be ok, Im busy and underpaid and I cant be a lawyer as well as a teacher Dont fall into these traps! Tomas Lipinski (2011) states that we are being forced to reexamine the nature of ownership and use rights during this rapid expansion of the world

wide web (pp. 451). Simonson et al (2012) clearly present the myths of copyright and proper use. But ignorance is not an excuse. In spite of the pressures: Do the right thing and model appropriate behavior for your peers and students. #9 Learn about your learners We know what kinds of students tend to be successful in various learning environments, including online and distance learning. We know a lot about multiple intelligences, differentiated styles, learning differences, etc. We know how learners build knowledge on knowledge. Michael Simonson et al. (2012) have informed us about the importance of understanding our distance learners. We know so much, but if we havent taken the time to get to know the unique aspects of the learners in our courses, all that knowledge remains abstract and underused. #10 Invest in your own learning Educators are professionals and with that comes an expectation of staying current with the expanding understanding of what learning involves. Most of those seeing this presentation will have experienced a poorly taught online class at some point even though there is much information available about proper and beneficial online pedagogy. The textbook: Teaching and Learning at a Distance : Foundations of Distance Education (Simonson et al, 2012) should be required study before being allowed to teach an online class. Our understanding of learners and learning is expanding, and we need to expand our understanding as well. Please visit my animated video presentation of these principles at: Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stjpuEa6PsU Or embedded in my webpage along with this handout: https://sites.google.com/site/brianvanderhaak/links/edd-7005/10-principles Acknowledgement: Original graphics by Bette Vander Haak

References Clark, R. E. (Ed.). (2001). Learning from media: Arguments, analysis, and evidence. Greenwich, CT: Information Age. Daniel, J., Mackintosh, W. & Diehl, W.C. (2011). The mega-university response to the moral challenge of our age. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (2nd ed.) (pp. 609-620). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Gardner, H. (2008). Multiple intelligences: New horizons in theory and practice. New York: Basic Books. Lipinski, T. (2011). Legal issues in the development and use of copyright material. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (2nd ed.). (pp. 451-472). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A systems view (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Peters, O. (2011). The most industrialized form of education. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (2nd ed.) (pp. 57-68). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Saba, F. (2011). A systems approach in theory building. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (2nd ed.) (pp. 43-56). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D.L., & Russell, J.D. (2012). Instructional technology and media for learning. Boston, MA: Pearson. Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).