On Learning Design

In the process of doing my first review of a journal article, I noticed a frequent reference to the concepts of 'instructional design' and 'learning design'.  While I recognise 'instructional designer' as offering occupational identity, I have never personally resonated with 'design' as a term.  The work I create mixes thought and spontaneity.  Although I plan, why don't I design?

In my last post, I looked at a number of different educational concepts from an etymological position.  'Design', when treated similarly, is related to the Proto Indo-European *sekw- which means "point out".  The Oxford Dictionary of English (3rd ed.) suggests the mass noun version of 'design' as the "purpose or planning that exists behind an action, fact, or object".  Oxford Art Online notes the term's wider use "to describe the aesthetic and functional characteristics of an object" and "as an essential part of the process of making, marketing and selling mass-produced goods".  In general, these definitions construct 'design' as a concept located in development towards production and distribution.

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Like its root term, 'learning' is derived from *leis- meaning "to furrow; learn".  In contrast, 'instruction' is related to *ster- meaning "to strew, scatter, spread out".  Where 'learning' provides a space for knowledge to grow (and stand), 'instruction' distributes it (if somewhat haphazardly).  When related to 'design', 'learning' and 'instruction' acquire externally-driven structures and procedures.  These constructs find context online.

As those involved in online teaching and learning know, 'design' is a technological approach to education.  Its focus in periodicals, like the Journal of Learning Design (Australia), is "the design of learning experiences for ... students in online, blended and offline learning environments".  Indeed, instructional design is defined as "a technology for the development of learning experiences and environments which promote the acquisition of specific knowledge and skill by students" (p. 2). 

The 'how' versus the 'why' dominates the discourse.  This is reflected in a theoretical application where "few if any designers actually use models to confine their practice" (p. 89).  However, early pioneers founded "much of their work on instructional principles derived from research and theory on instruction, learning, and human behavior" (p. 58).  Indeed, the history of design in online education presents strong theoretical positions.  The influence of behavioural psychology on instructional design is seen in references to Robert Gagné and B. F. Skinner.  Whilst acknowledging the technological core of instructional design, Merrill, Drake, Lacy, and Pratt (1996) acknowledge empiricism as a source of validity (p. 1).  There seems little justification for a purely instrumentalist approach.

When I analyse 'learning design', I see a practice-emphasised interpretation of education.  The benefits of this approach is that students are "active inquirers, working on problems that [can be] genuine problems for them (rather than merely problems the teacher ... imposed)" (Phillips, 2007, p. 238).  Unfortunately, the major limitation is relational: participants are easily located as (at best) designers and end-users or (at worst) producers and consumers.  One means for overcoming this may be identifying 'design' as just one means of constructing both the relationship and the process.  Thus, like the ADDIE model for which it forms an integral part, 'design' could be seen as one path to good teaching.

Unlinked Reference

Phillips, D. C. (2007). Theories of teaching and learning. In R. R. Curren (Ed.), A companion to the philosophy of education (pp. 232-245). Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Etymology: The Poster

Along with my colleagues, I developed a poster for the 2012 Vice Chancellor's Symposium held on 30 October at Wellington, New Zealand.  Each poster illustrated a response to the question: "How are we defining ourselves as 21st century scholars?"  The teaching consultants approached the question as a team with multiple posters answering the question in different ways, and branding for uniformity.  My poster (see below) offered an etymological treatment.  This blog post allows me to expand on that poster, and use the research that would not fit on it.

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There are a large number of words associated with academic scholarship.  The poster covered four: "scholar", "learn", "research", and "academic".  In three of the cases,  the poster showed the progression up from the Proto Indo-European root towards the modern English term.  In the fourth case, 'academic', a description in narrative form was offered.

The placement of 'scholar' and 'learn' next to each other was purposeful.  'Scholar', and the related 'scol' (school), is from *segh- which means "to hold in one's power; to have". Comparatively, 'learn', and 'lār-hūs' (lore-house) are from *leis- meaning "to furrow; learn". 'School' replaced 'lore house' over time, moving the linguistic emphasis of education from learning to having.

Outside of the poster, I considered related terms.  'Train', for example, is a derivation of the *tragh- meaning "to drag, train, pull, move". Other derivations include 'abstract', 'distract', and 'portray'. Comparatively, 'teach' is a derivation of the PIE deik- meaning "to teach, show". Other derivations include 'dictate', 'judge', and 'predict'. The two words are connected in matters of the body: tragh- is related to 'foot' as deik- is related to 'toe'. Further, the approaches suggested by the two PIE sources require different but related skillsets.

I continue to be attracted to etymological understandings of the world, and welcome commentary from any who may use this method in their teaching.

Tweeting & Other Addictions (Part 2)

Earlier today I made a rather spectacular confession: I am a daily Twitter user.  A progressive addiction, the wonders of Bebo, Facebook, and blogging eventually led me into the "hard" stuff of Twitter.  This, the second in a two-part series, provides some hints and a Twerminology, so that you too can start down the slippery slope towards Twitter.

Some Hints

Twitter Help Centre

If you need help, use it.  The Twitter Help Centre provides information on everything from the Basics through to Apps, SMS, and Mobile.  To access Help, click on the Gear icon on the top right to open the dropdown menu, and select "Help".

Lists

I strongly endorse lists.  Lists is a function available from your profile page that curates groups of Twitter users.  You can only read the Tweets of people in a list - it doesn't allow you to "bulk Tweet".  Lists can include people you do and don't follow.  I have created some lists around topics like "Journalists & Editors" and "Higher Education".  You could create your own list or subscribe to someone else's.  Information on lists (and everything else) is available through the Twitter Help Centre. 

Finding People 

"Who to follow" is a common complaint.  The Huffington Post seems to suggest listening to your existing pool (if any); friend recommendations account for 69 per cent of follows.  Twitter offers some good advice.  I personally recommend using the search function to find Tweets, people, images, and videos of interest.  For example, if you like Massey University, searching "Massey University" will bring up a list of people and Tweets about this topic.  Give it a go.  It could surprise you.

Twerminology

• At sign (n.): The @ symbol used in tweets to call-out to a specific user.
  I sent a Tweet to @TeachingConsult.
• Direct message (n.): A private message visible only by the sender and recipient.
       I tried to send him a direct message, but he wasn't following me.
• Follow (v.): Subscribe.
       I followed @KimKardashian and @KateEMiddleton.
• Follower (n.): Someone who subscribes to someone else's tweets.
       I have 103 followers. 
• Gear icon (n.): A tab on the top-right for editing your profile, getting help, or accessing your direct messages.
• Hashtag (n.): The # symbol used in tweets (without spaces) to mark keywords and topics.
       I searched for #justsaying and found too many Tweets.
• Home page (n.): Where you land when you sign into Twitter.
       On the right of your home page is your timeline.
• Me (n.): A tab on the top navigation bar used to open your profile page.
• Search (n.): A box on the top navigation bar for finding Tweets and people. 
• Timeline (n.): The stream of the Tweets made by those you follow.
• Tweet (n.): A 140-character, publicly-visible post.
       I deleted my Tweet, because it made me sound like a twit.
• Tweet (v.): To compose and make publicly visible a 140-character post.
       I clicked on the blue, quill button, and Tweeted the link.
• Twitter (n.): A social media site.
       Someone saw my Twitter profile and signed up to follow me.
• Username (n.): Or "Twitter handle". Identifier of 15 characters or less.

Tweeting & Other Addictions (Part 1)

I have a confession to make: I am a daily Twitter user.  I gained this addiction progressively, moving from the "soft stuff" of Facebook to the "hard" world of Twitter in what seemed like moments.  Once I hooked my Twitter up to automatically update my work Facebook profile and page, I never looked back.  It was a fast and glorious fall.

If you're new to social media, Twitter may seem ridiculously complicated.  Don't worry; you're not alone.  The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports that while 66 per cent of online adult Americans use Facebook, only 16 per cent use Twitter.  The Otago Daily Times reports a rise from 12 per cent (2011) in New Zealand to 19 per cent (2012).  Despite the article's title, I'm not sure Kiwis really are "tweety birds".

The difficulties of negotiating social media (and its wider societal implications) can make even well-respected bloggers cautious. And that is why this hardened social media addict is here to save the day, providing advice to the Twitter newbie.

How to Twitter

Create An Account:
Visit https://twitter.com/ and complete the "New to Twitter?" box.  On the next screen, read the Terms and Conditions and click "Create my account".

Find Somebody to Follow:
Twitter will offer you a list of popular profiles to follow.  You must select (or find) 10 in order to progress to the next stage.  (Don't worry.  You can always "Unfollow" Kim Kardashian later.)  I recommend following @TeachingConsult.  Why?  Because it's me, of course.

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An option is offered to search your Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL contact lists.  You can select "Skip" to move on.

Build Your Profile:
You can now upload a photo of yourself and write a 160-character bio.  Or you can select "Skip" to move on.

Confirm Your Email Address:
Twitter will ask you to reconfirm your email address.

Get Tweeting!
Click on the blue, quill button on the top right.  A box will appear.  Type something spectacular.  Click "Tweet".

(Then Deleting...)
Twitter regret is more common than people like to think.  To delete that errant Tweet, click "Me" on the top navigation bar to open your profile.  A list of your Tweets will appear.  Locate the Tweet.  Hover your mouse and click "Delete" when it appears.  For more information on deleting, see the Twitter Help Centre.

Teaching as Training

For two days in September, I attended a workshop  by a facilitator from Forum Corporation.  It was the first time I had been a participant in 'teaching as training'.  As outlined by Clabaugh and Rozycki (2011), this conception of teaching is intended to "meet certain external demands imposed on the individual".  In addition to the functional improvements, I found interaction with this conception of teaching incredibly informative.

The workshop was entitled Leading Change.  The primary teaching material was by Forum New Zealand and Massey University (2012).  Of the two days, I found the first the most useful.  Our group of 10 participants learnt about building adaptability to manage continuous change. The first skill we learnt was to raise our "ambiguity threshold" through five practices:

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• considering future impacts,
• being open to uncertainty,
• employing self-determined improvisation,
• applying perseverance; and
• leveraging inquisitiveness. (ibid., pp. 8-12)

The second skill involved managing our "internal monologue[s]" by finding and applying controls, taking responsibility, scoping, and judging the duration (ibid., pp. 13-15).  The third skill was the one I found needed the most improvement: developing my "energy supply" (ibid., pp. 16-18).  Although I assessed myself as having a good understanding of my meaning-making processes, healthy behaviours (for example, adequate sleep, drinking enough water, and not exceeding my limits) required significant and immediate improvement.  Thus, I could perceive ways to apply the skills to manage external pressures.

Unlinked Reference

Forum New Zealand, & Massey University. (2011). Leading change at Massey University [Workbook]. Christchurch, New Zealand: Forum New Zealand.

Women in Academia: Are We Really Having It All?

During a period where an extension to paid parental leave is under discussion, are women in the university considering whether or not being an academic is actually part of 'having it all'?

A Los Angeles news report this week looked at whether women in academia are able to have both a family and a career.  The report notes a 2008 study of 8,000 doctoral students where "more than half of all female candidates felt that having children would hinder their careers, and that fear of being held back postponed many academic women's child-rearing, sometimes permanently".

Catherine Fox (2012), a deputy editor of Australian Financial Review's Boss magazine, believes that "the attitudes towards mothers in the workplace are but one aspect of broader gender discrimination that kicks in from the time a woman enters it".

Siobhan Leathley (2012) notes how in accounting "the biggest income discrepancy was between men and women with 16-20 years experience".  As identified by both commentators, years of experience can mean little for women in the workplace.

For women who are new to academia, the problem is compounded by the permanent position to graduate ratio. For example, at the time of posting, University of Otago has 15 permanent academic positions, Massey University has 11 , and Victoria University of Wellington has 6.  That's a total of 32 positions across three of the eight universities.  Last month, 38 PhDs were awarded by Auckland University of Technology alone.  The likelihood that a new academic will achieve a permanent academic position in New Zealand does not appear great.

Are you a New Zealand woman considering or currently in academia?  How easy do you think it is to find academic work?  And do you think having it is part of 'having it all'?

Peer Mentoring & the Dialectic

As a teaching consultant, I benefit from the opportunity to examine and practice different methods of teaching.  This means I am able to learn more about my teaching and the teaching of others.  One of the processes which I value most in my learning is peer mentoring networks.  This value is partly inherent in the networks' ability to foster dialectic dialogue.

Mentoring has been defined as "a process in which one person, usually of superior rank and outstanding achievement, guides the development of an entry-level individual" (Savage, Karp, & Logue, 2004, p. 22).  In comparison to debate (where unaligned positions may remain fixed), dialectics involve resolution of different positions through logical discussion.  Dialectics have a number of forms in teaching/learning settings, including the Socratic Method.  The "dialectical character" of mentoring offers personal as well as academic development for participants.

Two alternatives to the "formal, hierarchical model of mentoring" are individual peer mentoring and peer networks (Osgood Smith et al., 2001, p. 198).  Individual peer mentoring possesses dialectical characteristics, but constructs relationships between equals.  Peer mentoring networks, comparatively, are collectives of people interested in learning something through conversation with others.  "Looking more like a network or web than the traditional hierarchical ladder image" of mentoring, academic peer networks offer community within and across disciplines (Osgood Smith et al., 2001, p. 199).

In higher education institutions like mine, some peer networks are centrally-administered and programmatic in style.  This means they offer reportable development opportunities as an institutional benefit in addition to the direct outcomes experienced by participants.  Of the five networks I am currently involved in, three of these could be identified as peer mentoring programmes.  In a review of general and new faculty mentoring literature, Lumpkin (2011) identifies four common characteristics of peer mentoring programmes, including connecting and preparing members, organising meetings, and evaluating processes.  I have found that  institutional support has neither hindered nor constrained the capacity for dialectic dialogue.  I would be interested to research this issue further. 

There are many resources available for supporting those who choose to learn through peer mentoring.  Brown University, for example, offers  specific support for "women faculty peer mentoring groups", whilst Yale has reviewed a number of individual mentoring programmes for "junior faculty".  I will continue to add to this post, in order to extend the list of resources available.

Your feedback is appreciated.

References

Jacelon, C. S., 

Zucker, D. M., 

Staccarini, J.-M., & 

Henneman. E. A. (2003). 

Peer mentoring for tenure-track faculty. Journal of Professional Nursing, 19(6) 335–338. doi: 10.1016/S8755-7223(03)00131-5

Kaye, H. J. (2000). One professor's dialectic of mentoring. Chronicle of Higher Education, 46(33). Retrieved from http://www.chronicle.com

Lumpkin, A. (2011). A model for mentoring university faculty. The Educational Forum, 75(4), 357-368.

Osgood Smith, J., Whitman, J. S., Grant, P. A., Stanutz, A., Russett, J. A. , & Rankin, K. (2001). Peer networking as a dynamic approach to supporting new faculty. Innovative Higher Education, 25(3), 197-207.

Savage, H. E., Karp, R. S., & Logue, R. (2004). Faculty mentorship at colleges and universities. College Teaching, 52(1), 21-24.