All Forum Responses for IST 520 – Joan Miller

Forum 1: Video introducing myself to the professor

Talking points: Interested in combining my science documentary filmmaking background with an
education in learning theory and instructional design & technology to create STEM-centered learning
programs.

Forum 2: Relating theory, research and practice

I see theory, research and practice as an infinite loop with arrows pointing in both directions, however, I
think hypothesis belongs there as a lead-in to theory.  A hypothesis is like a spark that begins the whole
process…it’s an educated guess to explain something that has been observed, but has not yet been
tested.  In the sciences, a scientist will attempt to poke holes in their own hypothesis, and if it survives it
begins to take on the significance of a theory. The more a hypothesis is tested by the scientific
community, and the better it holds up, the more acceptable the theory becomes.  The theory then
moves forward with further research (in laboratories or classrooms or out in the world)…and if that
holds up, in many situations the theory becomes the foundation for a practice. In return, the results of
this research have an impact on the development and revisions of theories…and perhaps even a new
hypothesis is born.  Thus the double-headed arrows.  So yes, classically, I would say that theories come
from patterns developed from observation.

But even when there appears to be a mountain of evidence to support a theory, it is still only a theory.
No matter how well accepted they are, theories are always subject to change as new knowledge comes
to light. For example, although Einstein’s general theory of relativity was originally supported by the
discovery of gravitational waves, the LIGO observatory recently released data that his theory appears to
break down at the edge of black holes.  With new technology comes new experimentation and new
theories. 

Discoveries are limited by the technology of the time, and to some extent, the conventions and attitudes
of the time as well.  Isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder?  What if your observations are tainted at
least somewhat, even within the parameters of repeated and consistent research results, by your frame
of mind, your prior beliefs and/or the conventions of the time?  Skinner used what was available to him
to study learning, but he also chose his experiments based on his own hypotheses, which may have been
shaped by his prior beliefs or frame of mind.  Likewise, one cannot simply look at behavior to explain the
mechanism of learning, because the observation of that behavior has to be interpreted by your own
brain.  At the same time, we cannot rely totally on neuroscience, or brain mechanics, to explain
behavior.  Neuroscience is relevant for sure, it can help us to see relationships between brain function
and behavior…but just like the theory of relativity, eventually some new technology will allow us to
measure, or to interpret our brain measurements, differently.  From this, new theories will be born.  So
yes, there will be a difference in theories as we discover more about how the brain really works. And
then someone will come in with a new spiritual concept, or we’ll finally make contact with an alien race,
and all those theories will have to morph into something new yet again.
Forum 3: Relating Practice, Theory, Research to People, Process and Devices

Learning theories (i.e. behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivist etc…) are models that attempt to explain
how people learn and process information.  These theories can help teachers to understand how the
minds of their learners work.  Learning strategies, on the other hand, refer to how an instructor
constructs the approach for achieving a particular learning objective.  These strategies are usually tied to
the needs and interests of the students to enhance their learning.  As Hattie states, “To facilitate such an
environment, to command a range of learning strategies, and to be cognitively aware of the pedagogical
means to enable the student to learn requires dedicated, passionate people.”  He goes on to explain
that these passionate teachers not only need to be aware of which of their strategies work and don’t
work, but that they must also adapt to each of their learners' situations in an open and enjoyable way
that feels safe for both the learner and the teacher.  

I am not a teacher, so as I read what it takes to be an exceptional and passionate teacher…when I begin
to fathom the dedication, array of knowledge and versatility that a truly effective instructor must have…I
feel completely overwhelmed. But I suppose, like anything, it’s something you get better at with
practice.  

Back to the topic at hand.  So the learning objectives point instructors towards the appropriate
instructional strategy, and the instructional strategy then points them towards the medium that will
actually deliver the instruction, such as classroom learning, e-learning, self-study, or on the job
training.  (Most likely, a blended approach of using more than one medium will be the best
approach).  Technology is constantly changing, and with it the way that people learn is constantly
changing.  A high demand is placed on teachers to innovate; to create new strategies that accommodate
these changes while still adhering to the main goal of achieving specific learning outcomes.  The
“passionate” teacher that Hattie describes must not only innovate, but must “have a heightened
awareness of the effects of the innovations on [learning] outcomes.” He points out that teachers then
become the learners about their own effects.  

 To me, this means that instructional designers have a pretty tall order on their hands.  They must not
only understand the historical and newly developing theories of learning, but must also keep abreast of
how teachers are adjusting their instructional strategies to include new media or technologies, as well as
new learning theories, and the results these shifts are having on the learning outcomes of their
students.  As the teachers adjust their strategies, so must the instructional designer.  It will be a fluid and
ever-changing process, but promises to keep all involved intellectually stimulated for a lifetime.

Forum 4: Adult and Transformative Learning and Motivation

1.  What are the differences, or at least one difference, between andragogy and pedagogy? Do you
agree or disagree with the statement that there are differences?

Andragogy has gone through a lot of definitions and transformations.  But at its core and from the start,
it was defined by Knowles and others as having to do with methods or techniques used to teach adults,
or help them learn, in contrast with pedagogy which concerns the teaching of children.  In order to study
andragogy certain assumptions were made about the adult learner (by Knowles primarily) to set them
 apart from children. These assumptions changed over time, even for Knowles, as he further refined his
research and collaborated with others studying andragogy.  Though some of his assumptions make
sense to me from my socio-economic point of view, there are several assumptions he made that I do not
agree with.  I think that some children also have a need to know why they should learn a particular
subject. (I did). I think that children also draw somewhat from their own experiences in the past as they
learn novel concepts.  In the Shift article they list one of Knowle’s assumptions about adult learners as
“Orientation to Learning” – meaning that adults learn best when they “do.”  I think children benefit
equally from task-oriented learning.  Lastly, I agree with his critics that point out that some adults are
highly dependent while some children are independent, that adults may be externally motivated to
learn at times, while kids may be intrinsically motivated, and that some life experiences might actually
act as barriers to learning in adults. So no, I do not agree that there is a clear difference between
andragogy and pedagogy.

2.  What do you think is the prime source of motivation in:

a.  The classroom given the assumption that young people are not there by choice. Many researchers
state that the motivation for young people is extrinisic…they learn to be rewarded and to please others. 
I think there is also peer pressure to “be smart.”  But I also think some children are motivated by
curiosity, and by the positive attitude of their teachers towards the subjects at hand.

b. Compliance training. Well in my experience, the motivation is continued employment. If you don’t,

you will no longer have employment.

c. Organizational and individual development training. I think the primary motivator for this is
competence.  Everyone wants to be good at what they do, and to promote the goals of the organization
they work for (or you should want to…if it’s the right job for you).

d.  Do benefits and salary motivate? No.  Studies show that there is basically no correlation between
salary/benefits and job satisfaction. Some studies even show that money demotivates…as it heightens
the tension between extrinsic and intrinsic motives of the worker, with financial rewards crowding out
the intrinsic goals (i.e. enjoyment, sheer curiosity, learning or personal challenge). 

Studies show that those who win the lottery typically end up depressed, which to me ties into the
studies on money not being a motivational factor on the job.  Personally, on a side note, I would like to
have the opportunity to challenge these studies by either winning the lottery or being paid a lot of
money for a job. 

Forum 5: Motivation and Learning

1.  Provide an example in your life of transformative learning.  Why was it transformative?  Who or
what made it transformative? Additionally, consider the ethics involved in pursuing transformation in
your learners.  Do they want to be transformed?  Do parents or community want transformation? Do
you pursue it anyway?
The first example that comes to mind of a transformative learning experience was from my 6 th grade
history teacher.  In fact, her class is one of the few that I can even recall from my childhood.  Prior to her
class, and subsequently as well, my history lessons were delivered in much the same way as the teacher
in the “Peanuts” cartoons, that is, “wah wah wah wah wah” indiscernible babble.  We read dry accounts
out of textbooks and tried to memorize dates and names. To the mind of a child, this had no relevance. 
But this teacher had us reading the daily newspapers at home, clipping articles and bringing them in to
present to the class.  She divided us into two teams and had us recreate a civil war battle out on the
baseball field in full costume, with wooden guns we made ourselves, cannons with smoke bombs,
charges, deaths, victories…the whole 9 yards.  I even got to use my great grandfather’s dress sword.  We
were in the local newspaper.  She gave us the opportunity to reenact the history of our nation, while
showing us the relevance of history in the making through current news. Through her I saw that history
had true relevance to me and to everyone.

I honestly can’t answer the question of whether parents or communities want transformation.  The
question is too broad. Personally, I want transformation as a learner most of the time, but not all of the
time.  Sometimes I just need to learn skills (like how to edit in Adobe Premiere) and I’m not looking to be
transformed.  It just depends on whether the content/subject matter has the capacity to transform.

2. What learning strategies motivate you? I am not a teacher so I’m not as up to date on learning
strategies as some in this program might be.  From what I’ve read and understood about learning
strategies, “active learning instructional strategies” speak to me. Active learning is student centered and
engages students to think critically AND creatively, and to reflect upon the learning process. The idea of
the instructor being more of a support to the students rather than just transmitting information is, to
me, absolutely essential for learning to take place.

3. Take a stab:  What learning theories are being applied this week?  This is intended to get you
thinking about future readings and activities.

I think several learning theories are being applied this week.  There’s some constructivist theory of
course, because we are expanding upon our understanding of adult learning theory, transformative
learning and motivation in part through our own experiences, and reflecting upon those experiences.
(Such as in the reflection in question #1). 
Then there’s also connectivism since we are learning through online resources, communicating with
other students online, and our professor has shaped our curriculum through a variety of online
resources and networks.

4.  What assumptions are you seeing being made about you in this week's activities - namely readiness
to accomplish the tasks?

It is assumed that we are self-motivated learners driven by an intrinsic motivation to learn new content,
or deepen our understanding of the context of what we are learning. Many sources of information were
provided this week, many of them not mandatory reading.  In general in the MIST program, the feeling I
get is that you get out of it what you put into it.  It is assumed that we are intelligent adults who will
learn what we came here to learn, and be responsive to our professor and our cohort.
Forum 6: Reflection on brain structure, function and operation

Do you see the model of desire, motivation, success leading to further motivation to be a valid one?

Yes, I think it’s absolutely valid. After all, this is hard science, not so much philosophy.  However, what I
would really like to see is a remake of the chart that Dr. Fischer provided us in two of our readings this
week…the one in the PP slides called “Human Behavior: Seeking and Consuming.” I’d like to see what
that would look like using specific language having to do with learning instead of love/sexual attraction. 
How might the external affiliative stimuli be described? (In other words, in a learning environment, I do
not think that the distal stimuli would be facial smiles, bodily features and friendly vocalizations…unless
you had a mad crush on your instructor which motivated you to perform well. See?) What examples
could be given of the Appetitive Process and Consummatory Process in regards to learning?

Has this look at how neuro- and cognitive sciences see the brain been of value? 

Yes, but I’m partial to neuroscience anyway. When I studied neuroscience as an undergrad back in the
early 90’s, we didn’t know about glial cells.  Hell, we didn’t even have personal computers. Learning
more about them this week has been fascinating.  The fact that they can send broadcast signals to other
parts of the brain that they are not connected to, their roles in myelination, and all the many other ways
that they interact with neurons.  I loved the video highlighting Doug Field’s research…and it made it very
clear to me just exactly why “practice makes perfect” at the cellular level.  I just wish I could turn back
time and expose my pre-20-year-old self to more experiences that I could have mastered and carried
with me through life.

What impact does it have on how you look at the act of developing training or teaching or learning?

Well, to be honest I feel much added pressure to present things in such a way that I get the dopamine
levels of my learners fired up, and to support them in a way that they can be successful so that the
dopamine – opioid cycle will continue until they’ve acquired the new skill or knowledge. It’s a good
pressure and a good goal, but since I plan on developing learning tutorials or modules for distance
learners that I may or may not have personal interactions with, pulling off this feat seems a bit daunting.

What I’m saying is that I have some concern over the presentation and practice parts of the 5 p’s in
distance learning.  In Dr. Fischer’s “Brain-based Learning Considerations” handout he mentions that an
instructor or designer “must insure that the learner can do the task, that the presentation, modality, and
task readiness of the learner are such that the task can be successfully performed.” And
Schumann/Scherer would say that the “pleasantness” of the learning depends on task readiness. So, if
you are designing something for distance learning only, you’ve got this task of doing a learner analysis so
that you can do what’s been described above. But what if your audience is very diverse in their
background knowledge?  For instance, for the Capstone I am working on, my audience ranges from
Coastal ecology experts to non-scientist citizens who may know nothing about coastal ecology at all.  In
this case, do you go for the lowest hanging fruit?  Do you introduce the topics as if to a novice and just
hope that the experts enjoy the fact that they already know this stuff, or that it’s an entertaining
refresher?  Will that get their dopamine (motivation) going?
Think of your schooling and/or significant educational or training experiences.  Where was your
upbringing similar or contrary to the Schumann/Scherer model? 

Well that’s a good question.  Unfortunately, my overall impression of my own education is that I learned
things mainly because I had to, I was told to, I was pressured to etc… I think most of my teachers failed
miserably at preparing us for the tasks at hand and giving us an accurate assessment of what we were
about to be involved in, or why it mattered at all. When they monitored our progress, it was often done
not to bolster us up to help us become more intrigued by the subject or process…it was more about
scolding us for not doing well or not paying attention.  Of course, throughout my education, there were
exceptions to this and without any variation at all, those were the classes I excelled in. It didn’t matter
what the subject matter was. Though I am not gifted at math and had pretty bad algebra teachers, in the
middle of algebra 1 and 2, I had geometry with a fabulous teacher and suddenly found myself being one
of the best students in the class.  For me, at least, presentation from a skilled teacher tended to make or
break the entire class and, unfortunately, subject matter.

What changes in your k-12 or university experience do you see being necessary if the
Schumann/Scherer model is valid?  Do you see a need for changes if you believe there are problems
with the Schumann/Scherer model?

I don’t see any problem with the Schumann/Scherer model.  It may be a bit simplistic, but seems valid
enough.  As for k-12, like I explained in the last question, any changes that move instruction more
towards the Schumann/Scherer motivation model would be welcome.  At the university level, of course I
am thinking about the MIST program since it’s fresh in my mind.  My concerns about incorporating the
S/S motivation model in my own future learning modules again ties in to my comments about distance
learning and learner assessment from question c. How do I know that what I have designed is relevant to
ALL the learners looking at it, or that the stimulus is novel or intrinsically pleasant?  How do I know if the
lesson has promoted positive self and social image? I guess the answer is assess assess assess – if there’s
time and money to, of course.
Forum 7: The Brain/Scherer Model and ADDIE, ARCS and 5 Ps
Forum 8: Behaviorism and Cognitivism

1.  Discuss the Behaviorist and Cognitive elements in the strategies we covered in the Hattie text: 
Mastery Learning, Keller's PIS Model, Worded Examples, and Feedback.

The element of behaviorism that I see in Mastery Learning is that there is a clear objective, a right or
wrong answer where “mastery” is the right answer.  Bloom defined mastery in terms of behavioral
objectives with direct teacher-led class instruction and correction mechanisms, which sounds like
operant conditioning.  The cognitive element seems to come into play where teachers have the freedom
to determine the pace of instruction and feedback/corrective procedures based on meeting students
where they are, by first identifying their strengths and gaps, and then designing the necessary steps to
guide them successfully through the material until it is mastered.

Keller’s PIS model reflects cognitivism in that students progress at their own pace, and teachers serve in
more of a supportive and motivational role than a didactic role (whereas behaviorism is teacher-
directed, and teachers transmit knowledge to their students).

Worded Examples seem to be cognitive in nature in that they show students the steps or processes that
lead to finding a correct answer, instead of just supplying the correct answer (which sounds more
behaviors to me).

Feedback, as we’ve read and seen, is important in any model.  But Hattie importantly pointed out that
feedback is most valuable when it is from the student to the teacher.  This kind of feedback tells the
teacher what students know and understand, and where they have misconceptions…which can lead to
much more effective teaching because it is synchronized with the actual needs of the learner.  This is
certainly not a behaviorist strategy, but rather falls in line with cognitivist theories.

2. Address the difference between the theories and the strategies.

My understanding is that theory is an explanation or set of ideas of how things might work, or a testable
model of natural phenomena, whereas strategies are the actions we take to achieve a particular goal,
such as to be successful at something, or so that learning takes place. 

Relating this to what we read this week, behaviorism would be a theory of how we learn, and classical
and operant conditioning would be strategies on how to make or prove that that learning has happened
from a behaviorist point of view.

Likewise, cognitivism is another theory of learning, and Gagne’s “9 Events of Instruction” was a method
(or series of actions one could take) “to facilitate specific learning processes.” (Harasim, 2017).

3. Address the types of learning activities you believe are supported by Behaviorism.

Marisa Keramida in her article “Behaviorism in Instructional Design for eLearning” points out that as old-
fashioned as behaviorist principles sound, they continue to influence learning activities and instructional
design (and in my opinion, the disciplining of children) because they are deeply rooted in the human
 subconscious.  Any learning activity that is designed to guide learners to reach pre-established
outcomes, or to find one “right” answer, would be supported by Behaviorism.  So this would be things
like memorizing and being able to reproduce facts and dates, drill and practice tests, multiple choice
tests, and generating answers to math problems. 

Also, learning activities that are rewarded with points (or stickers, or funny money etc…) when one is
successful would be based on behavioristic principles.

4. Please provide your thoughts on Guthrie and the effect of learning environment on what is actually
being learned.

I agree with Dr. Fischer’s conclusion based on Guthrie’s principle of learning…that it is important to learn
a skill correctly from the start to avoid having to learn a bad habit.  It brings to mind my 5th grade French
horn lessons.  I found reading sheet music to be hard, and hey, the French horn only has 3 valves, so
how hard could it be to just memorize the correct placement of my fingers throughout the piece instead
of reading the music?  I did the same with piano.  I developed an amazing capacity to mimic my
instructors in a way that approximated that electronic “Simon” game, and I got by just fine, even made
first chair in a month (out of only 3 horn players), but by gosh I never learned to adequately read sheet
music.

Anyway, as for learning environments, Guthrie advocated for an environment that does not repress
individual differences, but instead appreciates them and allows for self-direction.  I couldn’t agree more.

5.  How are these theories and the strategies informing the design of your Capstone project?  If you
have not gotten that far, discuss in terms of an education or training issue you are working with. 

The theories of behaviorism and cognitivism will come into play when I design assessment tools for my
Captsone.  Some of the items I am teaching require memorization and correct identification of, for
example, different species of animals, where there is a clear correct answer.  Behaviorist principles and
feedback will be applied in this case.  Gagne’s work is rooted in both behaviorism and cognitivism, and I
can see that his nine events of instruction, translated into an asynchronous e-learning design, will
heavily inform how I present the information in my modules, particularly in reviewing the Pappas article
and how to appply the 9 events to eLearning.  Now that I think about it, I don’t think that what I am
designing for my Capstone project requires a lot of higher-order thinking, so I may be applying
behaviorism and cognitivism more than I previously thought.

Forum 9: Gagné and the Conditions of Learning

1.Which characteristics of Behaviorism map with our neuroscience and cognitive science
(dopamine/opiate interplay, Schumann/Scherer, the 5 Ps) theory.

In Behaviorism, the proper course of action is rewarded which leads to the probability that that behavior
can and will be produced again given the same stimulus (or a conditioned stimulus).  In terms of
neuroscience, I think the dopamine might not be triggered on the first attempt at something new (the
first time the rat enters the maze), but once the student (or rat) has had a taste of what is to come,
successive attempts at the same problem would be motivated by previous success, dopamine would be
released to help further motivate, and receiving a reward (or the pleasure of being successful at
something) would release opiates that bring us back around to more attempts at learning.

In Schumann/Scherer, novel stimulus, and a stimulus being intrinsically pleasant seem to be related to
behaviorism, whereas positive self and social image and coping potential would not be supported by
behaviorism.

And of the 5p’s, practice would likely produce the success that would stimulate the dopamine/opiate
interplay

2. Which characteristics of Cognitivism map with our neuroscience and cognitive science
(dopamine/opiate interplay, Schumann/Scherer, the 5 Ps) theory.

Cognitivism maps better with neuroscience than behaviorism because behaviorism basically ignores
what happens inside the mind (and I would say, to some extent, the brain…because the theory is too
controlled and too simplistic).  Cognitivism focuses more on what happens in the brain, as does
neuroscience. Harasim explains that in cognitivist instructional design, it was assumed that if certain
stimulus resulted in a particular response or outcome, it would do so again and again.  This reminds me
of the strengthening of neural pathways (or synapses) that result from repeating the same task over and
over.  

3. Address the types of learning activities you believe are supported by Cognitivism.

In cognitivism, and in Gagne’s 9 events of instruction, attention is given to stimulating recall of prior
learning (remembering), eliciting performance (applying), assessing performance (evaluating). So a
learning activity that involves remembering (such as writing about a past learning experience or reciting
a piece of writing) would be a cognitive learning activity.  Solving a problem or demonstrating a
procedure in front of the class would be a way of applying skills and knowledge.  And having students
develop a questionnaire that evaluates the lesson or gathers information would be an evaluative task.

4.  What Cognitivist elements  were present in the learning and teaching strategies (Mastery Learning,
Keller's PIS, Word Examples and Feedback)?

Mastery learning talks about breaking material down into reasonably-sized chunks, and only moving on
to the next “chunk” after the first is mastered.  It also makes clear what “mastery” of a certain task
means.  In Keller’s PIS, students proceed at their own pace, but they similarly demonstrate mastery of
each component of the course before proceeding to the next. Honestly, I don’t know what this or word
examples has to do with cognitivist elements. Maybe I’m just tired…but this really isn’t clear to me.
Gagne’s 9 events mention providing feedback, so that is consistent with Hattie’s emphasis on the
importance of feedback.
 5.  It was said in one of the videos that it was surprising that Gagné cared about learner reaction given
his theory was designed to support military training.  Are the Nine Events inflexible?  Do they not
apply in a non-government setting?  Can the Nine Events support group learning and problem-solving?

I don’t see why anyone involved in instruction, instructional design, or the developing of learning
theories would not be interested in learner reaction.  After all, as Hattie pointed out in his chapter on
feedback, it is most powerful when it is from student to teacher.  How else does the instructor/designer
fully understand if their design or instruction has hit it’s mark?  I think the Nine Events are flexible and
can be applied to any setting where the learning is primarily driven by the instructor.  I do not know why,
as Harasim states, “classroom application in K-12 or higher education were not significantly influenced
by Gagne’s instructional design model” - as she does not offer an explanation of why this might be the
case. I’d love to learn more about this.

Forum 10: Considering Bandura

Bandura maintained that most of what we learn is through observation, mimicking, and imitation. 
Additionally, he discussed self-efficacy, the confidence individuals have that they can complete a difficult
task.

Given this assumption, remark on the impact of teachers, supervisors, and leaders on work
environment and learning.

In any human environment we look to strong leaders, not only to guide us and teach us, but to set an
example of the kind of behavior that is appropriate or exemplary for that environment.  Though humans
are obviously very complex and varied, we are social (pack) animals by nature, and social animals need
leaders and cooperation with peers (and across generations) in order to thrive.  So I think exemplary
teachers, supervisors and leaders are of utmost importance for a positive working and learning
environment…and sadly, those exemplars are all too often lacking. Take, for example, our president and
the increasing tension and polarization in this country as a result of his weak leadership. I challenge
anyone to show me how he sets an exemplary model of behavior, without using alternative facts.
Luckily, I think in the absence of a strong and worthy leader, the pack (be it students, neighbors, family,
co-workers, communities) can still work together and be models to each other.  And those with a strong
sense of self-efficacy may be able to rise up and become examples to others in certain situations, even if
they themselves were lacking a strong role model, because we are influenced by positive interactions
with our peers as well.

Relate the modeling impact of a professional, disciplined classroom; meetings where agendas are
efficient and progress is made or the opposite environments to Guthrie's Contiguity Theory.

Last week in Dr. Fischer’s notes about Guthrie he used his experience at DLI to illustrate how a poorly
organized classroom structure and unsupervised practice leads to a decrease in student accountability.
He mentioned that a flipped classroom design (or similarly, in the workplace, providing meeting agendas
and goals prior to the meeting) would free up face-to-face time for supervised practice and fruitful
discussion, which increases accountability. I couldn’t agree more and wish very much that my own
education had been conducted primarily in this way.  Likewise, I’ve attended far too many business
meetings without efficient agendas, and where little progress is made during discussion.  This makes
most people leave the room feeling deflated and unproductive. On the contrary, with insightful
leadership, clear agendas and goals, and productive discourse, progress is made and a group feeling of
success is electrifying.

Discuss the implications of practice in self-efficacy.  Hattie in the section on reading: comprehension
exercises; mathematics programs, and direct teaching cites the effectiveness of guided practice. 
Guthrie alludes to the negative effects of poor and unsupervised practice.

I can’t help but think of the saying “practice makes perfect” - or at least practice makes proficient. When
clear goals are set and are appropriately challenging, and the learner practices enough to reach these
goals, self-efficacy builds.  Guided practice is essential in encouraging students to try out new concepts,
and feel free to fail and learn from their failure, before going it alone. I also think that witnessing the
guided practice of fellow students with their instructors goes a long way towards building self-
confidence in both students…as we see the struggles, failures and successes of others in a safe
environment. Without this guidance, students may practice things in the wrong way and learn bad
habits, or may fail but not understand why, which would certainly lower their sense of self-efficacy in
that subject.

What provisions for modeling and building confidence will you have in your Capstone project?

My Capstone project has to do with training volunteer coordinators to run coastal bioblitz events, where
they recruit volunteers and plan a 1-2 day event where “citizen scientists” (that is, the non-scientist
public), working alongside coastal ecologists, gather as much data on coastal flora and fauna as they can
in this very concentrated period of time.  I plan to incorporate some fun interactive games within my
capstone that will help the coordinators to learn the most important species to look for, where to find
them, and how to identify them correctly.  I think making this into a sort of mix and match game (species
with significant attributes and locations) will build confidence in my learners because the game takes the
stress off of the task.  After all, the world will not crumble if they aren’t correct every time.  I also plan to
model for my learners what to do with this data once they’ve collected it, and to help them understand
the significance of their data. That is, that their data is actually used by scientists to establish protected
areas and influence policy decisions. I think knowing that your effort matters, and understanding exactly
how, builds confidence and motivation to repeat the behavior/effort.

Social and entertainment media are providing models that lead to school and organizational behavior
for which teachers and leader are held responsible, for example, through testing and output
measurement of results from variables that cannot be controlled in the school or workplace.  Please
comment (e.g., agree or disagree and why).

I’m not sure I understand this question in terms of testing and ‘output measurement of results.”  But as
a mom to a young school girl, I am VERY worried about the examples that social and entertainment
media are providing my daughter…and that’s coming from a parent who is keenly aware of this and tries
to mediate it by closely monitoring what my daughter is exposed to.  As we saw from Bandura’s studies,
young children have a high tendency to mimic behaviors they see, and even with all the monitoring I do,
I watch in amazement as my daughter mimics everything and everyone she sees on a daily basis (esp.
 when the behavior she is mimicking is completely the opposite of the models I try to provide her with).
Of course, I’d like teachers and schools to NOT be held accountable for all of these variables they cannot
control, but I see it as completely inevitable that they should be affected by these pervasive (did I
say invasive?) technologies. What this really makes me think of is a conversation I’ve often had with
other parents of young school children (and that I had with Deborah Ceryes just yesterday)…about
whether or not it is up to the schools to have informational meetings for parents (and students) to teach
them about social media, entertainment media, human trafficking etc…and how to keep your kids safe
online.  In an ideal world, it would be up to the parents alone to teach their kids how to interact with
others online politely, and how to stay safe.  But we don’t live in an ideal world.  Technology has and
is advancing so quickly, and our lives are so busy (with lots of single working parents or families where
both parents must work to survive), that it’s becoming extremely difficult to stay on top of what our kids
are exposed to.  So, in that case, I think it takes a village…and our schools are a part of that village.

Forum 11: A 5P Look at First Principles of Instruction

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14z3kOsH_JhY-sL2RuhJgiruv8lOL7SR2/view?usp=sharing

1. Usability with respect to your present or project teaching/design situation.

I will definitely refer to the First Principles of Instruction as well as Gagne for my Capstone...and likely
some other theories.  My learners will primarily be individual adults, and I think the First Principles fit
well with this kind of demographic...for the most part.  My learners will definitely be engaged in solving
real-world problems and will have new knowledge demonstrated to them, and they will apply that new
knowledge immediately.

2. Your recommdation(s) and opinion to your colleagues (recommend, not recommend, ease of

difficulty in understanding the apprach, etc) 

I do not think it is difficult to understand, and I would recommend it as a part of an approach...but as we

saw through doing the 5P rubric, some elements are missing from his theory.  I'd want to suggest some
additional theories that take more assessment into consideration and look more at how learners can
best acquire knowledge and skills.  Like the author said, his principles are "design-oriented rather than
learning oriented."

3. Your opinion as to which theory, or theories, is dominant.

I'd say his ideas reflect constructivist theories in that he often mentions drawing upon prior knowledge
to build new knowledge.  But, he also talks about problem progression (mastering less complex
problems and building up to complex problems) which is behaviorist.

4. The rubric is a work in progress.  Please add comments on the rubric if you have them.  

I am beginning to enjoy the rubric as a way of evaluating and comparing different learning theories and
instructional theories.  One thing I've noticed about the 5 Ps is that although in the rubric Dr. F ties
Merrill's "integration" to Fischer's "practice" - I don't feel like the 5 Ps explicitly mention the integration
 of newly acquired knowledge to the "learner's world" - as Merrill puts it.  Merrill says that "modifying
new knowledge to make in one's own is where the learner moves beyond the instructional environment
and takes the new // skill into the world beyond."  I don't believe that the world beyond the
instructional environment is covered by the 5 Ps.

Forum 12: A 5P Look at 4CID – Ten Steps to Complex Learning

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eT_APL5HGZaOrhzsFo76FbUg0FSWOusX/view?usp=sharing

1. Usability with respect to your present or project teaching/design situation.

I really disliked this theory and will not be using it in my capstone design.  (I do not teach, so can't apply
it to a work situation either).  I am not familiar with its parent theory, 4C-ID, so I'm not sure whether I
might glean something useful from a reading of that theory.

2. Your recommendation(s) and opinion to your colleagues (recommend, not recommend, ease of
difficulty in understanding the approach, etc) 

I would emphatically not recommend The Ten Steps to Complex Learning to any colleagues. 

This  is the most convoluted and ridiculous

schematic I've seen thus far in this program.  To me it seems as though the authors of this paper were
desperate to come up with a visual that made their theory seem scientific, or at least more valid.  I am
certain that as a working ID, I will never have a need to reflect back on this schematic or the theory that
accompanies it with any of my designs.  It's not that I plan to stay away from theories that handle
complex learning situations, it's that I do not need the applied theory to make the learning even more
complex than it already is.

3. Your opinion as to which theory, or theories, is dominant.

The holistic or whole-task approach to learning is indicative of Constructivist theory.  The theory is also
heavily Cognitivist in nature...as they emphasize the acquiring of professional competencies and
complex cognitive skills through heavy analysis cognitive strategies and rules via knowledge compilation.

Forum 13: A 5P Look at Elaboration Theory

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qmH6mjBRz9LgepbMWqBy_x3SGtkCnXZF/view?usp=sharing

1. Usability with respect to your present or project teaching/design situation.

 I definitely plan to refer back to this theory in designing my capstone lessons, particularly the
"simplifying conditions sequence" with a topical approach.

2. Your recommendation(s) and opinion to your colleagues (recommend, not recommend, ease of
difficulty in understanding the approach, etc) 

Unlike the "Ten Steps" theory, I find this one to be useful and not difficult to understand. Their
schematics help rather than hinder an understanding of their theory, and UNLIKE so many of the theory
papers we've read, Reigeluth actually gives specific examples to illustrate his concepts.  Thank you
Reigeluth!  Why don't more of these instructional design theorists utilize examples?

3. Your opinion as to which theory, or theories, is dominant.

With its emphasis on holistic, real-world problem solving, schemata and it's application to complex
cognitive skills, I would say Cognitivism is the dominant theory.

4.  The 5P Rubric is sort of like my old neighbor Dan.  Sometimes when I see him coming I think "oh no" -
but then a lot of times we actually have an interesting and edifying conversation.

Forum 14: A 5P Look at Online Communities

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IqzXLpi6POZce9REJubzJwD7YUbN4hpM/view?usp=sharing

1. Usability with respect to your present or project teaching/design situation.

I think this definitely can relate to my Capstone project.  The module I'll be making is just the start of a
larger effort.  I will be handing what I build over the Cal Academy of Sciences and it will become a living,
ever-changing online space for both novices and SME's to share content, species information and
improve upon best practices in citizen science.

2. Your recommendation(s) and opinion to your colleagues (recommend, not recommend, ease of
difficulty in understanding the approach, etc) 

In this day and age, I think everyone should be aware of the history of OCoP's and keep up with current
trends and best practices.  This form of learning is the present and the future.  It's not difficult to
understand, but it is a bit ubiquitous and can lead to the spreading of misinformation...which is why I
think educators and ID's need to always be aware of best practices.

3. Your opinion as to which theory, or theories, is dominant.

Collaborativism is the main theory here.  Also, Connectivism as much of this applies to group learning
through online interaction and collaboration.

4. A closing comment on the course and what you believe has been important to you.
I enjoyed the Harasim readings quite a lot, and taking a closer look at the theories that we began
learning about at the beginning of the program.  I also very much enjoyed the supplemental readings
and the way the theories seemed to build in complexity from week to week.  I really appreciated the
office hours - a chance to actually connect within a program where I often feel isolated.  I also very much
appreciated that we were given the opportunity to hand in rough drafts of our more difficult
assignments for feedback...there is important learning that occurs there in this interaction with our
professor.  

5. The rubric is a work in progress.  

I think the rubric provides an effective tool for analyzing learning theories and approaches to our own
designs as ID's.  I will definitely keep my rubrics and the blank rubric on hand to help me analyze
anything I design in the future.