Since you have now read for the past few weeks about instructional design/technology in three different contexts (business, P -12 & higher ed), identify 2 or 3 significant themes or differences you have noticed across these contexts and describe them. Is there a particular area or way that you believe your current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters?
The themes among the chapters I found significant are the collaboration and process. Everything is put together by a team of members whom collaboratively work together to complete a process of steps to obtain a specific goal. Ch. 22 refers to the five stories shared about the common roles of becoming a full professor. Again these are two process where each individual is working for a goal that can only be met through collaboration. Ch. 21 discusses Product vs. Process approaches (Reiser & Dempsey p. 211). This approach to change must occur with collaboration, research teams are actively working towards a better understanding of the process and how schools should be transformed.
I believe my professional working environment could learn from the Step-Up-To-Excellence piece on page 213. Our district is going through drastic changes that need to follow a systematic approach to ensure a design is implemented that will positively affect the families, students, and staff. I have faith that the administration department followed some type of process that they collaboratively worked on to choose the best decision for everyone. It is difficult to watch all of this happen and not know what is actually happening to the schools. Everything is planned out through meetings and so forth, but it is not until a decision is made that faculty finds out information regarding their jobs. For me, this feels as though it has some gaps in the plan for smooth tranistions. Hopefully with practice, but not too much, the district will have implemented a well developed process for conduting business such as school closings.
Sharon Peterson edited Week 2 Wikis
16 years ago
5 comments:
The Step-Up-To-Excellence piece sounds so interesting to me. It makes me wonder why it isn't widely used and then maybe there is a reason for that.
Darcy,
I personally find it very frustrating when an administration makes changes to a system and does not consult with the people “on the front lines”. Making changes to an educational system and not asking the teachers for input does not seem right.
I remember reading an article about a very well paid business consultant that would be brought in to “fix” an organization when it was performing poorly. He honestly stated that he would become familiar with the organization by getting to know the employees and then would ask them what they thought was wrong and how would they fix it. They we would go and do what the employees recommended. He stated that he was very often stunned how an organization would hire outside people to fix problems when the answers were already with the people who work there every day.
Jeff Tyler
When admin doesn't consult the front lines it just shows their lack of understanding of what systematic change looks like. This is especially when they have no process or system to administer the change.
That must be really hard just sit back and wait with all the changes that you talked about without knowing exactly what is in store for you or your co-workers. It is too bad we cannot dedicate more money toward education to avoid things like this.
Katherine
Darcy,
I agree that collaboration seemed to have been a very important element. And I think that it should be more important,for as you stated, the administration decides and then you find out later.
I am going through the same thing. The most unfortunate part about my situation is that some of the things that we are doing have been done before and there are reasons why we stopped. The new "administration" doesn't want to listen to the voice of experience. Thus, the students will be the ones that suffer as a result.
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