ADDIE

I enjoyed class last night. Even if we didn't get as far as I had hoped, I thought the discussion at the end about the types of information that would have been useful to have in the ADDIE activity was helpful. I've since posted what we came up with (as well as some additions I thought were missing or we just ran out of time to add) in WebCT. I look forward to the modifications that the class will suggest next week.

I had a great question at the end of class. Tony asked if this was to be documented as thoroughly as the EDIT 6170 projects had to be. On one hand, you want to be as fully documented as possible - after all, that’s one of the purposes of this program. On the other hand, it may be unreasonable to think that teachers and LSTCs will document projects that thoroughly in real life. Now, the nice thing about graduate classes is that they offer an opportunity to be much more thorough than real life usually allows. My response to him was - somewhere in the middle between that project and real life.

My whole purpose in weaving ADDIE in through this course is that I believe it provides a nice, reasonable framework for planning and executing a plan. We just don't always have the luxury to be so purposeful in the course of being busy teachers.

Tensions

So as the group is beginning to find collaborative partners for their class projects, I am reminded that this process, while a lot of fun and full of learning opportunities about oneself, the role of technology in the classroom, etc. is also one that is fraught with tensions.

• Meeting the needs of this class vs. needs of the teacher your working with.
  
• Using technology to engage students in new ways vs. easy outs.
  
• What you know technology can offer vs. what you collaborating teacher knows/doesn't.
  
• Believing you have something to offer others vs. fearing you don't.
  
• Beginning to think of yourself as an instructional consultant vs. thinking of yourself as a colleague.

And while these tensions can be difficult to navigate, it is also in exploring them fully that the most growth occurs. They can't be ignored, and they can't be swept under. I hope the students in this class will use this project as an opportunity to fully explore all of these tensions and not be afraid of them.