Instructional Design Website Review

This is my first time creating a blog. Wow! I didn't know the world of blogging ever exist. I anticipate that I will learn a wealth of information from Ed.6115 Learning Theories and Instruction at Walden University. My first assignment is to review three blogs on-line and give my opinion and thoughts about what I have researched. Hope you find them as interesting as I have. Darlene

1. Ten Qualities of the Ideal Instructional Designer:
http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/10-qualities-of-the-ideal-instructional-designer
This blog represents solid ideas in becoming an effective designer for online courses? The blog strongly suggest that having a solid foundation in learning theory and cognitive science enables the designer to adapt learning strategies to varied audiences and content. The blog recommends that the instructional designer should instinctively understand how people learn. A designer must be able to connect emotionally with the learner and place oneself in the learner/audience position. Be passionate with learning everything and be creative. Try to imagine how the viewer comprehends instructional graphics. While designing, think about how is the message and directions easy to master for the learner? The designer needs to write effective copy, instructional text, audio scripts and video scripts. Finally, work with experts on your team and stay current with technology tools and software.

2. How to add realism to eLearning:
http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/how-to-add-realism-to-elearning

How do you add realism to your courses? This blog is about placing yourself in the learner’s seat. This blog gives you insight to questions to think about before creating the lesson for the viewer. Who is your audience? Where do they work? How do they learn best? Some of the answers to these questions are through interviews and observations at the learners work place. This will enable the instructor to obtain an assessment of the daily workplace, environment, task, and problems they endure daily. These simple ideas will add realism and assist in the preparation for designing the online learning products. One idea is referred to as the flat case study. This study is presented to the audience in a form of a realistic scenario relevant to the learning objective and simply asks learners to consider what they would do in a similar situation. If the case study is dramatic, this can add interest and motivation. This study enables the learner to interact. Second, have the learner solve a problem. Give the learner two choice enabling them to solve a problem that has no right or wrong answer. What is it that makes them laugh and what is that can make the learner engaged to your instruction. Finally, researching what makes them become active learners is the key. The learner needs to become active through some type of interaction within the learning process incorporating realism within the work place. Furthermore, adding realism to your instruction transfer positive learning in their everyday world.

3. Twenty reasons why students should blog:
http://murcha.wordpress.com/2008/03/14/20-reasons-why-students-should-blog

How effective are blogs in the classroom? This blog indicate many reasons for students to utilize this technology. It indicated many strategies that teachers use to motivate students to want to learn. As a result, students are motivated and have fun while learning in the process. Learning with blogs differentiates all types of learners: special education, gifted, visual, and typical students. A benefit for the student is that blogging set a motivation for reading, writing, editing, mapping skills and motivation for subject areas that most students lose interest in during the conventional classroom instruction. Blogs help to improve peer collaboration and student self confidence. The student shares their interest and hobbies with other students through the utilization of multimedia, widgets, audio and digital imaging. As a result, the parent becomes active in the child’s academic learning. The teacher begin to identify different skills and hobbies about their students. The teacher connects in a different relationship with their students through the world of blogging.