As this virtual experience started a new chapter in my life sprung. With the purpose of solidifying weaknesses and redesigning my professional profile, I decided to start this degree. I was not expecting that I was going to auto asses myself as a learner. But that was the best thing that happened to me. I take every opportunity to re-evaluate my steps, actions, and improve myself as a person and professional; this was the first step to a great path, my definition as an instructional designer.
I started this walk expecting multiple things and I should say that I found more things than what I expected, and it opened my eyes to a new light that at the beginning blinded me, but later on my eyes got used to it. I was able to wrap my brain around it and developed a strategy that helped me understand these new topics, when I saw the word “people” I changed it to some of my family members’ name, including myself.
A door was opened
The journey begins with understanding how people learn and how does the brain work. My first experience was trying to understand the magic of the thinking process. Yes, I associate it with magic, I think about it like twinkling Christmas lights in my head every time there is a synaptic action/reaction.
Another “popular myth” that was busted was the one about the “right brain” and “left brain”. I believed that lefties’ right brain was the dominant side, and righties’ left brain was their dominant side. There is only one brain that, yes, it is divided in two hemispheres and each has its own strengths, but Ormond helped me understand that the brain has multiple departments (lobes) that are in charge of specific functions, and the “constant communication” between all these “departments” is what allows us to process information (Ormond, 2009).
Another awakening moment was about synaptic pruning. What a surprise to realize that those parts of my life that I do not remember, could have been synaptic pruning or did I chose to do “selective pruning”? I guess synaptic pruning is the brain’s own way of applying that phrase “Don’t use it, you lose it”. From now on I will try to review my courses notes often to make sure my brain is well trained like an old Bonsai with no excessive pruning. That way I will be able to remember information and applying at work or life.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
The fact that Gardner made uncharacteristic changes from the rest of the strict cookie cutter way traditional education had been training teachers and forcing parents and student to believe in specific categories (Gardner, 2003) was enlightening for many followers, prompting them to develop more ideas based on his ideas. If a student performance did not fit with the highest percentile of the student population he/she would be labeled, branded, and treated differently. Gardner was able to break those students free of being stereotyped by the education system. For a long time I was labeled, by the system, peers, teachers, and occasionally my parents, until recently I was diagnosed with ADD, so, for me, Gardner, is my hero!
Different strokes for different folks
Something that I really enjoyed during this course was reading on how the face of a classroom and its environment is changing, how diversification has come to academia in different forms, demographically (like Knowles Andragogy theory of adult learners and their specific needs), there is no way to ignore the percentage of adults returning to school to either make themselves marketable, reinvent themselves, or to secure their current jobs. Strategically, educators are using different techniques to engage and motivate students of different learning styles bridging a generational or academic gap It is important to point out that although different theories are out there, educators are aware of the differences in the classroom, face-to-face or online, where they have the tools to stabilize the teaching learning process with activities that will engage and motivate diverse learning styles. The combination of all these schools of thoughts makes educators able to apply the perfect techniques that will address specific learners’ needs, supplying their academic demand. Most important is that technology plays an intrinsic part on virtual as face-to-face classrooms.
The beginning of the road
Where I am heading I have never been before and the methodology although I know it from backstage as a course developer, the responsibility of an instructional designer is broader than the one I am in. Like a good chemist an instructional designer is able to add the right amount of ingredients to make a course effective, assertive, creative and motivating to all parts involved in the teaching learning process. This has been a wonderful experience where I have been able to get the knowledge and part of the tools needed to deal with new techniques and strategies while incorporating new technologies that will keep me abreast of what it is to come in the future of the virtual classroom. The experience has been motivating enough to keep my interest and look forward to the ultimate goal of becoming an instructional designer.Gardner, H. (2003, April 21). Multiple intelligences after 20 years. Paper presented to the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL. Retrieved from http://www.pz.harvard.edu/PIs/HG_MI_after_20_years.pdf
Lim, C. (2004). Engaging learners in online learning environments. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 48(4), 16-23. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson
Worthman,C. (2008).The positioning of adult learners; appropriating learner experience on the continuum of empowerment to emancipation . International Journals of Lifelong Education, vol 27(4) July-August,2008, pp:443-462, Routledge: Cicago, IL. Retrieved from Walden Library.