Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology: Due 12/16/2011

The last section of your textbook discusses the concepts of distributed learning, reusability, rich media and the future of instructional design. Focus on the following for your post:

• From Chapter 28 locate 5 examples of distributed learning. You may pick and choose from the following list.  
• Corporate distributed learning
• Academic distributed learning
• Distributed resource support
• Hybrid classes
• Virtual classes
• Distributed learning based at physical locations
• Distributed learning via virtual institutions
• For-profit distributed learning
• Free distributed learning
• Skills-based training
• Knowledge based learning
• Chapter 29 discusses the concept of reusability. Think back over the courses you've had over your educational career and identify one with poor reusability characteristics. Explain how the course could be redesigned to improve reusability without changing the underlying content.
• Chapter 30 takes a look at using rich media. Find or create a visual for instruction describing its surface and functional features. 
• Chapter 31 discusses the future of instructional technologies in the near future from metadata to nanotechnology. Describe how nanotechnology could be used to improve a specific job or task you are familiar with.  
• And finally! Chapter 32 provides two points of view on the direction of the field - the straight and narrow road and the broad and inclusive road. Which point of view do you agree with and why?

Section 6: Getting an IDT Position and Succeeding at It Due 12/09/2011

Section 6 of your textbook focuses on how to get a job in the profession of instructional design. These rules can also apply to educational technology as well since the two are so intertwined.

• Chapter 24 takes a look at lessons learned from the chapter's author for obtaining a position in instructional design. Take a look at a few of the sources provided for job openings from lesson 1 and search for at least 3 positions that are of interest to you. Describe the general nature of the positions and list the skills required for the job. Do you have these skills? 
• Remember that the field of instructional/educational technology is not just focused on education, but on business and industry as well. Look at the resources provided on page 258 in chapter 25 and select one of these links and complete the self assessment. What did you learn about yourself from the assessment? 
• Chapter 26 lists several websites for professional organizations and websites for professional publications. Visit 2-3 websites for professional organizations and 2-3 websites for the professional publications and address the following:
• Professional organizations:
• Mission
• Cost of membership
• Publications
• Conferences and meetings
• Opportunities for professional development
• Professional publications:
• Focus/Goals of the journal
• Submission guidelines
• Is this a peer reviewed journal?
• Is the journal online? 
• How is the journal and organization useful to you and your career? Were you aware of the organizations/journals that you researched? 
• Chapter 27 looks at competencies for instructional design and technology professionals. If you were responsible for identifying the domains, competencies, and performance statements for a performance technologist, what would they include and why?