Monica W. Tracey

Does Media Affect Learning: Where Are We Now?.

ConclusionA careful review of the arguments and counter arguments presented by Clark (1983; 1994) and Kozma (1991; 1994), responses published in the past 20 years (Jonassen, Campbell & Davidson, 1994; Morrison, 1994; Reiser, 1994; Shrock, 1994) and existing instructional design literature (Morrison, Ross & Kemp, 2001; Reiser & Dick, 1996; Smith & Ragan, 1999) indicates there is, and always has been, significantly more agreement on this subject than the debate would indicate.Clark never said that a textbook could deliver an instructional method requiring the use of a 3-dimensional graphic representation as effectively as a computer, nor did Kozma maintain that the computer was the only medium with the capabilities to do so. Both acknowledged that the two instructional components — the instructional methods and the delivery medium — must be aligned to facilitate learning.The debate is, and always has been, about the ability of more than one medium to support a selected instructional method, whether or not any given medium has capabilities that cannot be replicated by another medium, and the validity of the research. We believe that today, in 2005: • Computers are capable of supporting instructional methods that other media are not • Computers, by means of their unique capabilities, affect learning • Computers are often the most cost-effective, efficient delivery method for any given unit of instruction We also: • Acknowledge the limitations of media comparison studies • Acknowledge the need to align the message, the medium and the learning task • Agree that some media are interchangeable and • Support the use of the most cost-effective, efficient delivery method for any given unit of instruction We believe that after 22 years it is time to reframe the original debate to ask, not if, but how media affects learning. We agree that media comparison studies are inherently flawed and support the argument that we must identify research designs that will provide answers to this question in significantly less time.

Preparing Instructional Designers: Traditional and Emerging Perspectives

While official definitions and textbooks in the field reflect a conception of design in which little has changed in decades, there has been a growing awareness since the early 1990s that broader conceptions of design could benefit practice in instructional design. Preparations of instructional designers in college programs traditionally include the use of instructional design models and processes incorporating project work. Approaches based on studio design are recently emerging in some programs. Research on design practice and the effectiveness of design pedagogies in the field are called for.

Design, Designers, and Reflection-in-Action

The role of the designer is ever changing and we are constantly looking to improve our designer preparation methods. Reflection-in-action, an interdisciplinary design principle, is emerging as an important component in instructional design. This chapter explores reflection-in-action in design by defining reflection-in-action and by discussing theoretical foundations, perspectives of reflection within design, and its implications on design and designers. It also illustrates each of these principles through examples in a case study.

Examining the factors of a technology professional development intervention

This article discusses technology integration literature used to guide the design and implementation of a technology professional development intervention (TPDI) for secondary education teachers. Qualitative multiple-case research methods were used to examine teachers’ perceptions of the TPDI factors to provide a deeper understanding of which factors teachers’ perceived to be beneficial to the quality of the TPDI. A content analysis methodology was used to compare teachers’ perceptions at two different phases throughout the study: Phase 1: while participating in the TPDI and, Phase 2: after transferring the knowledge and skills taught in the TPDI to teaching practice. The results demonstrated seven beneficial factors to include when designing technology curriculum for adult learners: relevant, learning, access, reactions, interactions, clear and easy, and instructor. While this study examined a specific TPDI, the instructional design incorporated factors rooted in constructivist design principles, making the implications of the findings relevant to the instructional design of technology learning environments for higher education and business environments.

Design Team Collaboration with a Complex Design Problem

To what extent does collaboration impact complex ill-structured design? This research project focused on design meetings held during the first year of a 5-year, grant-supported effort to develop an innovative, 6-day course that integrates cutting-edge radiation physics and radiobiology content aimed at physicians and researchers working in the field of radiation oncology. The data set included over 568 pages, 208,842 words of written transcripts of a total of 15 two-hour meetings held over 6 months. Results indicate that designers use collaboration to manage constraints throughout the design process, inclusive leadership and decisive leadership are both used to keep the design process moving forward and designers use collaboration to build and rebuild prototypes in order to envision and refine solutions.

Repertoire of Precedents: Designers Kindling Fatwood During Reflection-in-Action

Fatwood is old pine tree roots that are split into kindling and used as a fire starter. As a metaphor in design thinking, designers call their fatwood a repertoire of precedents. Designers kindle their fatwood when reflecting-in-action. What impact does a designer drawing from a repertoire of precedents inside and outside the project have on the reflection-in-action process? This chapter explores the give and take relationships that eight designers designing projects had with their personal repertoire of precedents and frame experiments. From the exploration of the give and take relationships, we discuss how we can design fatwood learning experiences.

IBPRO – A Novel Short-Duration Teaching Course in Advanced Physics and Biology Underlying Cancer Radiotherapy

This article provides a summary and status report of the ongoing advanced education program IBPRO – Integrated course in Biology and Physics of Radiation Oncology. IBPRO is a five-year program funded by NCI. It addresses the recognized deficiency in the number of mentors available who have the required knowledge and skill to provide the teaching and training that is required for future radiation oncologists and researchers in radiation sciences. Each year, IBPRO brings together 50 attendees typically at assistant professor level and upwards, who are already qualified/certified radiation oncologists, medical physicists or biologists. These attendees receive keynote lectures and activities based on active learning strategies, merging together the clinical, biological and physics underpinnings of radiation oncology, at the forefront of the field. This experience is aimed at increasing collaborations, raising the level and amount of basic and applied research undertaken in radiation oncology, and enabling attendees to confidently become involved in the future teaching and training of researchers and radiation oncologists.

Monica’s Voice: Developing Designer Professional Identity

Design thinking locates the designer as the mediator of the design space, personally responsible for managing uncertainty, leveraging failures, and gaining insight through reflection to maintain momentum and deliver meaningful outcomes. As design education becomes more closely aligned with these principles, the development and understanding of the role of the designer is viewed as an intricate component of design. Much of my academic research on designer professional development focuses on how these professionals develop their identity. What characteristics do they embrace and how do these characteristics impact their design work? Do they become innovative, intuitive, and/or courageous because they are designing or do they bring these traits to their work? As I ponder these and many other questions, I think about my own professional development journey. Identifying some of my own characteristics has caused me to reflect on those who modeled, taught, and assisted me in developing as a designer. Although not an inclusive list of professional traits or people who have impacted my development, I illustrate a few of examples in an effort to provide snapshots of my professional identity development.

Graduate Students in a Service Learning Design Case: The Development of a Parenting Program

Abstract The following design case illustrates the approach a group of advanced graduate online-design students, two design coaches, and an instructor used to design an online instructional intervention as a service-learning project for parents interested in improving their parenting skills with their pre-teens. This design case is distinctive in that it explores the online collaboration for this service-learning project using email, instant messaging, Google Hangout, Google Documents within Google applications and Skype.