MSIDT 540: Systematic Approach to Web and Multimedia Design and Development

Hello!

The fourth semester of my CSUF MSIDT program (Fall 2015) included MSIDT 540, Systematic Approach to Web and Multimedia Design and Development. The course objectives were (from syllabus):

- Examine, explain and plan effective web design to facilitate instruction online;

- Utilize the internet to locate resources for research and teaching;

- Critique, assess and evaluate the design of internet pages and sites used for instructional purposes;

- Plan a website or multimedia project for instructional purposes;

- Appraise and synthesize the theoretical basis and issues involved in using the internet in teaching and learning; and

- Research and complete a literature review using APA guidelines, based on a topic related to the teaching and learning process.

These are solid and achievable objectives and I feel that they were met through the course activities and assignments. Students in Cohort 13 were expected to participate in the group discussions and critiques, complete a web search/evaluation project, design a proposal for an instructional multimedia/website project, and write a literature review.

The group discussions were standard fare, and the web evaluations were very straightforward to complete. The real meat of the course was in the project plan and literature review. As I already knew what my final project was going to be I spent a lot of time writing and revising these documents, as much of the material could be carried forward to the final semester to be used for the thesis and instructional project. I was very fortunate to have two excellent editing partners who helped make sure that everything I was writing was heading in the right direction. For anybody else who goes through this program, I cannot recommend highly enough that they make good connections and have friends from their cohort who will be available and committed to the peer review process.

Supporting the course were two main texts:

-- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Edition)

-- Web development and design foundations with HTML5 (7th edition) by Terry Felke-Morris

I really struggled with the HTML5 book, as it was really huge and I had trouble sifting it down to a level where it helped me with the Dreamweaver project that I was completing in the concurrent 545 course. Thank god for Lynda tutorials!

Thanks for checking out the blog today, and next we will take a more in-depth look at the Felke-Morris text that we used for this course.

Mahalo!

MSIDT 530: Planning, Designing, Developing, and Evaluating Technology-based Instruction

Hello!

The third semester of my CSUF MSIDT program (Summer 2015) included MSIDT 530, Planning, Designing, Developing, and Evaluating Technology-based Instruction. The course description and objectives were (from the university website): “1) The ability to determine appropriate design strategies for an assigned instructional program. 2) The development of storyboards and flowcharts for an interactive lesson with appropriate tools. 3) The recognition and assessment of factors impacting cost and scope of multimedia projects. 4) The assessment of the capabilities of authoring tools, programming languages, and HTML.”

The course met these objectives for me. Students in Cohort 13 were expected to work in small groups to produce a multimedia learning object using Captivate 8, prepare small group peer reviews of other groups’ projects, lead a discussion thread (again in a small group), complete weekly assignments on the web forum, and write a summary paper. There was also a final exam thrown in for good measure.

Supporting the course were three main texts (reviews of two these will be provided in subsequent blog posts, and one has already been reviewed):

-- Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development, by Alessi and Trollip (already reviewed)

-- Management Challenges for the 21st Century by Peter F. Drucker

-- A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink

There was nothing in the coursework that was really hard to do, but the small group dynamic did give me some problems. The instructor assigned the small groups (3 students in each), and this was the same group that worked with on each of the projects (except for the final exam and the summary paper). I had difficulties understanding my team mates and communications were poor at times, so there was a lot of stress involved with the projects as my grades were dependent on what I thought they were supposed to be doing. I would have preferred to pick who I worked with, which was the case in the rest of the courses in the IDT program. Everything worked out well in the end, and overall this course was very beneficial.

Thanks for checking out the blog, and next we will take a look at the texts we used for this course.

Mahalo!

CSUF MSIDT Summer Semester of 2015

Hello!

My third semester in the MSIDT program was in the Summer of 2015, and like the other four semesters, it lasted for 16 weeks. Six units are taken at a time, so there were two courses: IDT 530: Planning, Designing, Developing and Evaluating Technology-Based Instruction and IDT 535, Instructional Strategies and Universal Design Issues in Learning Environments.

This third semester was the toughest one of the program, and it got off to a rocky start for me because there was a very short break after the Spring term, so there was not much time to recharge my batteries. Once things got started, the 535 course was very straightforward as we prepared lesson plans and worked on research papers. The 530 course was difficult, mostly due to a group project that I was involved in where things just did not go very smoothly. As a result, there was a lot of stress for me (though I still learned a lot). When it was all over I was relieved to get a few weeks off before the Fall semester, and had the chance to take a wonderful vacation with my family.

Stay tuned to the blog –- I will be writing in more detail about both of the Summer semester classes as well as the texts we used in them.

Mahalo!

Rex

MSIDT 525: Instructional Approaches in Learning and Cognition

Hello!

The other course in the second semester of my CSUF MSIDT program (Spring 2015) was MSIDT 525: Instructional Approaches in Learning and Cognition. The university website says that this course “Focuses on behavioral, cognitive, constructivist learning theories, related concepts, and their implications for designing instruction. Develops students’ critical thinking about desirable cognitive outcomes when designing educational experiences.”

The course objectives were (again from the university website):

- The ability to examine learners’ learning preferences and their capacities to organize and coordinate information

- Comparing and contrasting emerging theories of adult learning (andragogy) with theories of how children learn (pedagogy)

- Recognizing the impact of learning theories on the design of learning environments including environments where technology supports learning

The highlight of this class for me was fulfilling the second objective, and to this end I wrote a research paper on Knowles’ andragogy and its application to multimedia learning. This helped me to bridge the gap between theory and application, and components from this paper will be essential in the preparation of my final program thesis and project.

On the fun side of things, I got to work in a small group to author a PowerPoint presentation on learning theory as it applies to online learning. This was probably the most enjoyable group project that I worked on in the program, as the other members were cool people and everybody pulled their weight and respected each other.

And lastly, there were ten discussion forums that the members of Cohort 13 were expected to participate in. These provided a lot of different viewpoints on learning theories and helped to continue building the learning community that was established in the first semester.

Supporting the course was only one main text:

-- Merriam, S., Caffarella, R. and Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in adulthood (3rd Edition). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

The readings were difficult ( a review is on its way) and in this course it took a surprising amount of time to do everything right. There were no quizzes or exams, and from the course description it may look like there was not a lot going on, but the paper and discussion boards were very involved and we kept busy throughout the 16 weeks of the course.

Thanks for checking out the blog, and next we will take a look at the text we used for this course.

MSIDT 520: Instructional Design Level 1: Issues in E-learning and the Design Process

Hello!
The second semester of my CSUF MSIDT program (Spring 2015) included MSIDT 520, Instructional Design Level 1: Issues in E-learning and the Design Process. The course objectives were (from the university website):
- The ability to recognize and evaluate applications appropriate for designated learners
- The identification of appropriate applications for interactive courseware
- The specification and evaluation of appropriate use of media in interactive courseware
- The development of storyboards and flowcharts for an interactive lesson
- The design and development of a prototype
We did all of these things in this class! Students in Cohort 13 were expected to participate in group discussions, complete software evaluations, complete a prototype project, and write a final research paper. There was also a midterm examination.
Most of these activities were fairly straightforward, but the production f the prototype project had a cool twist. We were asked to prepare all of the documentation for the prototype project, so I prepared objectives, a content outline, a flowchart and complete storyboards for the project. Then all of this documentation was anonymously given to another student to build in Captivate 8, and I reccived another student’s work to program. All of this was anonymous, so there was not chance to ask the developer questions about what their intentions were for the project, so the documentation was crucial. I thought this was a great activity, and I think everybody learned a lot about how important proper preparation is before the actual production of a learning object starts.
Supporting the course were three main texts:
-- Alessi, S.M., & Trollip, S.R. (2001). Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development (3rd Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
-- Reiser, R. and Dempsey, J. (2011). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd edition). New Jersey: AB Longman.
-- Williams, R.. 4th Edition. (2014). The Non-Designer's Design Book. San Francisco, CA.: Peachpit Press.
I have already reviewed the Reiser & Dempsey book as it was used in a previous course, and you can find a review of it on this blog. A review the Alessi & Trollip and the Williams books will be provided at a later date.
The coursework was not difficult, but it required a lot of time to do everything right. The instructor was actively involved, and the syllabus provided an accurate roadmap for how the course actually progressed. Also, it was good to get more experience with creating a learning object in Captivate. This was probably the most “fun” class of the program, at least so far…
Thanks for checking out the blog, and next we will take a look at the texts we used for this course.

CSUF MSIDT Spring Semester of 2015

My second semester in the MSIDT program was Winter/Spring of 2015, and like the other four semesters, it lasted for 16 weeks. Six units are taken at a time, so there were two courses: IDT 520: Instructional Design Level 1: Issues in E-learning and the Design Process and IDT 525, Learning and Cognition Theories for Post Secondary and Adult Instructional Settings.
The second semester was much easier for me than the first semester, and it might end up being the easiest one of the whole program. I got into a good groove, and the study habits I developed over the first semester really started to pay off. Most notably, I got a good system down for taking text notes on the computer, so they were more legible and could be readily searched.
There was a lot more writing in the second semester, so I got a lot of practice with APA formatting (which has come in handy now that my son is in high school). There were also fun projects to be done in Captivate, with emphasis placed on the planning and design stages.
How did it all turn out? Pretty darned well! I put in a lot of hours (almost 35 per week), but I learned a lot and got grades I was happy with.
Stay tuned to the blog –- I will be writing in more detail about both of the Spring semester classes as well as the texts we used in them.
Mahalo!
Rex