There's Got to Be a Better Way to Do This
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12 ; iTECH DIGEST Volume 4, Number 3, Summer 2014 Volume 4, Number 3 Summer 2014 “There’s Got to Be a Better Way to Do This”: A Qualitative Investigation of Informal Learning Among Instructional Designers Stephen C. Yanchar and Melissa Hawkley Brigham Young University (Editor’s note: See full text for reference and experiences associated with everyday, citations.) informal learning among instructional de- signers and developers, or the difference this Studies of instructional design practice kind of learning makes to their practice…. have, in recent years, begun to illuminate the The overall purpose of this study, then, was to complex nature of work in the field…. While explore everyday, informal learning among prior research has offered insight into design instructional designers through a research expertise (versus novice practice) and topics strategy designed to be sensitive to the mean- pertaining to formal designer training, there ingfulness of those experiences. has been no focused exploration of the in situ ! efforts of instructional designers and develop- Participants in our study were employees ers to learn ‘‘on the fly’’ as the contingencies at an instructional design center at a major of projects seem to demand. That is, there has university. Our study included six partici- been no in-depth examination of the meaning pants—three women and three men—with This article is excerpted from Educational Technology varied degrees of experience as instructional Research and Design, published online first, April 10, designers and developers; however, all 2014. Read the full text by logging in at the AECT website, http://aect.org/, and clicking on Publications. continued on page 4 CALL FOR PAPERS JOURNALS ISSUES IN FOCUS Check out calls For papers, Members have instant online The column this month proposals, and participants. access to a wide variety oF discusses Pearson’s Digital Get involved. journals. Ocean report. Page 2 Page 5 Page 61 12 ; iTECH DIGEST Volume 4, Number 3, Summer 2014 Online Registration Calls for Papers, Proposals, and Participants Is Now Open Call for Proposals. Need Call for Manuscripts. funding to develop a research AECT, in collaboration with proposal? Consider applying Springer, has announced a for a Collaborative Research new series of books and Grant. The purpose of the monographs under the title, grant is to provide monetary “Educational Communica- 2014 AECT support to enable association tions and Technology: Issues members to develop research and Innovations.” International project proposals that include The purpose of the series active collaboration among is to extend AECT’s ongoing Convention researchers, research institu- publications with Springer November 4-8 tions, and AECT. Informa- and to offer the Springer Jacksonville, Florida tion at: http://aect.org/. Briefs innovative format to AECT authors and contribu- “Learning, Design Call for Papers. The AECT tors. For more information and Technology” flagship practitioner journal, potential authors are asked to TechTrends, is seeking manu- see: http://aect.org/. script submissions, including Association for from international and newer Call for Videos. “We Are Educational authors. For more informa- AECT” is an opportunity to Communications and tion, see the Instructions for share how members define Technology Authors online by clicking on AECT. What’s your “elevator 320 West 8th Street Publications on the AECT speech” description of Suite 101 website: http://aect.org. AECT? Think of this project Bloomington, IN 47404-3745 AECT’s premier research as making your “elevator journal, Educational Tech- video,” 3-5 minutes (or U.S. Toll-Free: nology Research and shorter, 15-60 seconds), 877-677-AECT Development (ETR&D) also something you might share Local Phone: welcomes submissions on on your smartphone with a 812-335-7675 topics of interest from new new colleague who asks, and experienced researchers. “What’s AECT all about?” Email: Complete directions can be [email protected] Call for Speakers/Writers. found at: http://aect.org/. Website: Looking for a keynote http://aect.org/ speaker or someone to write for your publication, or want iTECH DIGEST to be that speaker or writer? Copyright © 2014 Association for Educational Check out the new AECT Communications and Speakers/Writers Bureau on Technology the homepage: http://aect.org/. 2 12 ; iTECH DIGEST Volume 4, Number 3, Summer 2014 Tablet Technology as a Moving Target Donovan R. Walling Chapter 2 in Designing Learning for Tablet Classrooms: Innovations in Instruction On November 2, 1936, the British Broad- ers work with classrooms of students, whether casting Corporation (BBC), operating out of kindergartners or coeds, with tablet computers the Alexandra Palace in London, began trans- in everyone’s hands…. The potential power to mitting the first regular, high-definition, pub- transform teaching and learning is more likely lic television service. It is estimated that about to be realized if dedicated student tablets 500 television sets would have received the arrive in conjunction with tablets for teachers. first broadcast…. On April 3, 2010, Apple A growing number of school districts are revolutionized the portable computer world moving in this direction—in spite of the when the company launched the first-genera- relatively high cost and some noteworthy tion iPad. The slim, handheld computer fea- policy ramifications— because the payoff in tured a 9.7-in., full color, liquid crystal touch- increased student learning is substantial. screen display. Some 300,000 iPads were sold ! on the first day they became available…. Tablet computers are revolutionizing the Today tablet technology is as controversial as notion of what a computer is, increasing early television. Enthusiastic proponents see technological capabilities while downsizing Digital Age education propelled by tablets as scale and price. The tablets that are on the a door into a new dimension previously only market today and those new and improved hinted at…. Opponents, however, question versions that will arrive tomorrow can po- whether the door to this new dimension in tentially level the education playing field for education ought to be opened more cautious- students of all socioeconomic backgrounds ly—or perhaps not at all. while simultaneously expanding what and ! how students learn. Tablet technology is a Tablet computers at present represent a moving target, but it is one worth following. pinnacle in intuitive technology. Intensive in- struction is not necessary for most users, at Editor’s note: Designing Learning for Tablet Class- rooms: Innovations in Instruction offers K-12 educa- whatever age, to pick up a tablet device and tors, teacher educators, and prospective teachers philo- quickly learn how to use it in basic ways…. sophical and practical insights into designing and de- Therein resides the power and learning po- livering instruction using iPads and other forms of tab- tential of tablet computers. It takes little ima- let computer. Courtesy of Springer, AECT members gination to realize how much more powerful have online access to this new book, published in February 2014. Read the full text at http://aect.org/. learning might become when engaged teach- Click on Publications. 3 3 ; iTECH DIGEST Volume 4, Number 3, Summer 2014 “Better Way”…continued from page 1 iTECH DIGEST is published participants but one had been employed at this institution for at quarterly by the Association for least several years…. We conducted two semi-structured in- Educational Communications and Technology. terviews per participant, in order to become familiar with their regular work responsibilities and to see how informal learning Stephen Harmon may have been involved in their efforts to perform their duties President competently. Two interviews allowed us to gain sufficient ex- posure to our phenomena of interest and delve into topics Phillip Harris Executive Director fairly intensively. Time between interviews varied, due to par- ticipants’ schedules…. All interviews were transcribed Donovan R. Walling according to a predetermined protocol. iTECH DIGEST Editor ! ✶ Designers in our study reported learning topics such as technology (e.g., software, online resources, etc.), course content, people skills, design strategies, and details regarding AECT Mission specific projects in order to create effective learning experi- The mission of the Association ences. This everyday, informal learning was not viewed as for Educational Communica- tions and Technology is to optional or as an occasional necessity; in more ways than one, provide international leadership it was described as integral to the work of designing in this by promoting scholarship and field at virtually every level. Design and learning of the sort best practices in the creation, we have explored here are, in this sense, inseparable; design use, and management of could not happen without such learning; and such learning—in technologies for effective teaching and learning in a wide all its breadth and variability—covers a large proportion of range of settings. what designers do. For this reason we have suggested that in- structional design might be best viewed as a multifaceted form Goals: of learning and that the results of design work might be view- • Define the disciplines and ed, most fundamentally, as an expression of what designers professional activities that comprise the field of have learned, both in general and what they learned on that educational communications specific project.