November 21, 2010

I have found the enthusiasm and the participation in the weekly discussions on the ITFORUM overwhelming. Just when I am ready to read and participate, they are moving to a new topic. The main discussion lately have revolved around the following

“Designing instruction approaches the subject domain from the vantage point of the facilitator who will "instruct," whereas designing "learning" is from the vantage point of the learner's experience. With that said, a good Instructional Designer will take both needs into account” Dallas

I think this is very important for all of us to consider as we begin our journey in the doctoral program. We must consider our audience and the learning experiences we provide. While it may be easy to design a course based on the teaching style of the facilitator, facilitators need to step out of their comfort zones to include styles of all earners in their courses. Yes, I will add that learning styles can and should be taken into consideration to help student learn to their best ability. Easily we can provide visual and audio, materials, like screenshot movies (Camtasia), group discussions and group work, and individual work or combinations of group and individual activities from which learners may choose.