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Recently a friend told me "Just Do It". It has taken me almost two years to get back on my horse! I graduated with my degree in Instructional Design and Technology. And although I had some experience; I felt I didn't have enough. I was looking for the right job. One that would take a "green" instructional designer, turn her into a descent designer. In these two years I was looking for someone to give me what I already had. Well, I guess what? Nobody's coming! Lately I've been listening to an excellent podcast called "Dear Instructional Designer". The shows creator and host is Kristen Anthony. In it she discusses what's the latest trends and tools in the instructional design world. She also has an impressive list of guest who all talk about how they got started in the industry. One thing I noticed about of her guest, many of them are "Accidental Instructional Designers". Meaning none of them went to school for instructional design. So what the hell was wrong with me? Nothing! Here I am sitting around waiting for the right "job" to come along and give me what I wanted. When I had what it takes to put together my own portfolio all along. So what am I doing now? Just doing it! Above is a video I created for some special ladies in my family. Initially I wanted to use I iMovie, but I couldn't do what I wanted. So I turned to the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. I created this video with programs that I have never used before. Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2017, Adobe After Effects CC 2017, and Adobe Audition CC 2017. I also used Adobe Photoshop and Bridge CC for this video project. I found Premiere Pro easy to use. Many of the elements reminded me of Adobe's eLearning authoring tool Captivate. Features such as the ability to drag and drop your assets on to the timeline and layer them. One feature I particularly like is the Adobe Dynamic Link, which allows you to create compositions in After Effects. After Effects is used to create motion graphics and visual effects that can be used to animate images and videos. Once saved, you can drag the newly created asset on to your timeline. Need to edit what you created. No problem! Simple! Just return to After Effects, revise and save. Adobe Premiere will automatically update the linked After Effect file. Easy! There is much more for me to learn. That’s is what I've always enjoyed, Learning, creating, doing!

#instructional design #elearning #adobe creative cloud

As I sit here reflecting on the last 12 months of my masters program at Full Sail University I can recall the sense of excitement I felt in the weeks leading up to the first day of class. I remember asking myself if this was the right choice. I did a great deal of research on various instructional design programs. Full Sail offered to very important items, No GRE and a 12-month program instead of a two-year program. I had just completed my bachelor’s degree and had no desire to be in school for another two years.

I wanted a program that offered hands on experience in the instructional design field. I got my wish. I learned a great deal over these past twelve months. In the process, I learned a lot about myself, and my desire to succeed. The first goal I set to complete my degree. My second goal was to chart a new career path for myself. The third was to expand my Personal Learning Network. Although I did not join any clubs on campus, I got the opportunity to network with my classmates. I also participated in the Adobe Education Exchange programs. Through this program I was able to meet educator and designers from all over the world.

In our first months, we were instructed to seek out mentors in the field of instructional design. I reached out to several ID professionals on LinkedIn. Two responded. The friendship I developed with these two ladies has been very valuable. Their insights into what to expect once I graduate and begin to work my way into the field has been very helpful. One mentor actually gave me projects to work on. This turned out to be a great experience. I was able collaborate with another instructional design student in New Hampshire on a curriculum development project for a help desk certification program. I also expanded my personal network by taking part in a five-month volunteer instructional design program called Designers for Learning. This was a virtual internship in which I was a part of a three-person team designing instructional materials for the Social Studies portion of the GED exam. All of this was made possible because of one assignment in which we were required to find mentors in our field. The questions was asked, did I achieve my goals? The answer is a resounding YES!!!

My second month into the program, we were asked to presentation on Prezi describing our "Journey to Mastery." This quote beloow is atrributed to May Sarton. We came and we conqured. Way to go class of 2015!!

"WE HAVE TO DARE TO BE OURSELVES, HOWEVER FRIGHTENING OR STRANGE THAT SELF MY PROVE TO BE."

Here is the trailer for my instructional module Landscaping 101-The Basics

#video #instructional design

EME6630 Learning Management Systems and Organization

This course was an interesting class. The ability to take my Captivate and turn it into the course is excited. As I look back on the instructional design process for my project I realize the creation of my module helped me to create my LMS environment. For instance, the design brief helped to create my course syllabus. The main topics, the subtopics, and the learning objectives were all used to create the learning environment for my LMS. The process of designing an instructional design system can be long and involved. Through this process I learned how to create assignments, discussions, and assessments. The most important consideration in developing my LMS learning environment is the ease in which it can be administrated. The LMS environment should be one that gives instructors the flexibility needed to add content, activities, as well as the ability to create or integrate student assessments. Having the ability to add outside resources helps to reinforce what is being taught. For the student an important consideration will be how easy can the LMS be navigated. Another important consideration is the need for a clearly defined navigational system. If LMS is hard to navigate it would be turn off for both the instructor and the learner. The ability to incorporate offline media platforms is also important. The ability to link sites such as YouTube and Vimeo is helpful in disseminating information. The ability to use the LMS across multiple browsers and operating systems is also an important consideration. The final consideration would be how easy it is to implement and how much training will be need for the administrators and users of the system. In learning the ADDIE process, what stood out the most to me is how much work goes into creating instructional materials for a course. While completing this program I also had the opportunity to participate in two internships. The first opportunity came through an assignment in month 1, to get a mentor within the instructional design industry. In this internship I learned how to apply the ADDIE model to the corporate environment. I learned how to analyze and design a curriculum for a help desk certification program. The project is currently the development phase of the ADDIE process. The experience gave me an opportunity to experience how instructional design works in the real world. My next experience, I was a volunteer instructional designer on a service-learning project where the participants were tasked with creating instructional modules for a nonprofit organization. This organization runs a program for recovering substances abusers. In exchange for these services, participants of the program must complete their GED. I worked with two other students who are also in the process of completing their degrees in instructional design to create an instructional module for the Social Studies portion of the GED test. We were required to complete 50 hours over the course of the project. Through this process I was able to apply what I have learned to another real world project. During this yearlong process I gained valuable insights into what it takes to be an instructional designer. What stood out most for me was learning how to use Captivate to create my instructional module. If I had to do this program over, I would take more time to learn the graphic design portion of instructional design. The most difficult part of this process was getting an understanding of how to incorporate music and sound into my module. Applying the terminology and the concepts was a challenge for me. What worked well for me was the process of creating the LMS. This is because I used the instructional design concepts to create my module. Know that I have created one full main topic, I can know take what I have learned and complete the remaining two main topics. Although I chose to use Schoology for my LMS during this course, I plan to test my module on other LMS’s. From the feedback I received, I plan to create colored folders group all related items into teach folder, I will add instructor information, and correct one or two items on my course syllabus.

With the help of my 10 year old son/design assistant, I was able to finish my Mastery Journal for this month. He is currently taking a film class at the charter school he attends. This month, I learned how to create games to engage students in the learning process. I learned how to creat no tech/low tech games, which is interesting. Learning how to put down the technology and get creative. I also learned how to create assestments, which are big part of the learning process. The information in this class was valuable.

My first encounter with video came in the second month of the program when I created my very first video about myself. That experience was the beginning of me honing in my narration skills. At first I was very nervous. But with each class my comfort level increased. Although, I had difficulty understanding the technical aspects of audio and video, I enjoyed the process of creating instructional videos for my module. The addition of transitions and music helped to enhance my videos. My difficulty came with my imported images. Although resized my images to the iMovie standard, it was still grainy. I believe the first video will enhance the learner’s engagement with my module. As I continue towards the end of the program, it can only get better.

Music and Audio for Instructional Design

Well, a new year has begun. It's been a long time since I've posted a journal entry. This month I learned a great deal about what it takes to make music. I found the process to be both frustrating and fansicating. Frustrating because of my need to understand these new technical terminologies. Fascinating because I gained even more respect for those who make the music I love to listen to. So what are the three concepts during this month that has made an impact on how I see music's role in instructional design. The first "listen with your eyes closed." This concept helped me to visualize how my module flowed with my eyes closed. I was able to pick up on areas that I had not focused on when my eyes opened and focused on the screen. The second concepts that was helpful is "scripting voiceovers." In The Soundrack Success, Jeffrey Fisher gives excellent advice on how to avoid long streams of compound adjectives, run-on sentences, and fragmented sentences. Fisher also discuuses the concept of keeping it simple, the art of reading your script aloud helps in assessing what neceesary changes need to be made to your narration. Now, I'm not an audio engineer. Many of the concepts Fisher discussess in his book are over my head! But I understood the need for setting the right mood. For example, if you don't have an actual recording studio recording inside a closet helps to reduce uncessessary background noise. All in all, I enjoyed learning how to use Garage Band and Adobe Audition. One thing I do know, I will hire a professional to assist with any projects that require voiceovers. Below is a is my creative narration. I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Month 6 Mastery Journal Reflection

As a kid, I hated school. As an adult, I love school! As I complete month 6, my learning as increased tenfold. I have delved into Captivate. Learning everything from adding Neospeech voices to understanding how to effectively use the timeline. I have learned how to install and modify interactive widgets. Modifying them to fit with the course design. I learned the importance of having a consistent layout. As I continued to practice my narration skills, I found that recording to the object is easier than recording to the slide. This method does take some extra time, but I think it’s well worth the effort. Using this technique has helped me tremendously. In the previous paragraph, I mentioned the timeline. The timeline is your friend! It is important to master the timeline. Knowing how to place your images, graphics, and text is key to maximizing the user engagement and the project’s flow. I have made several changes to my module since month 5. I have revised my narration making by simplifying the content. I learned how to stack my images, which helps to reduce the number of slides needed for my project. I found that recording to the object enables me to determine when and where my images enter on the slide. In section 1, I added additional images in to both the Characteristics of Annuals and Characteristics of Perennials lessons. I also removed the video and replaced it with a knowledge check section, which comes in at the end of the second learning objective. I used multiple images and transitions to keep the module interactive. During this phase of the project, I used the contiguity principle of placing graphics and text next to each other on the screen. I also utilized the modality principle making sure that the narration coincides with the images and text being displayed on the screen. In the Six Principles of Effective e-Learning: What Works and Why, Ruth Clark writes, “An effective technique to promote broader learning with multimedia explanations is to use the auditory and visual modalities simultaneously for verbal information if no other visual material is presented concurrently.” (Six Principles of Effective e-Learning: What Works and Why, 2002) Through this process, I have learned so much about my abilities. Using programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator helped to enhance my images and graphics. I also took the time to understand Adobe Captivate. It has been said that Captivate is similar to PowerPoint. In some ways, yes, but in other ways it far exceeds PowerPoint. The ability to create advanced actions, advanced interactions, quizzes, and so much more, make Captivate an important tool for anyone who is an instructional designer. As I month six comes to an end, I look forward to my upcoming classes in 2015. I have learned a great deal from both my classmates and my instructors. 2015, here we come! Works Cited Six Principles of Effective e-Learning: What Works and Why. (2002, 09 10). Retrieved 12 17, 2014, from Learning Solutions e-Magazine: https://assethub.fso.fullsail.edu/assethub/6Principles_a7b1200c-bc14-4171-9fe2-95ee45e10922.pdf

#treetrimming2014

#Givingthanks

#givingthanks

Learning ADDIE

During this month I continued my journey. In the fourth month of the program we each chose a topic which would later become our eLearning modules. After choosing my topic, Perennials 101- The Basics, it was now time to begin the process of turning into a eLearning module. Through this process I learned the importance of understanding how each of us as individuals learn differently. Some of us learn better with images, others learn with text, images, sounds, and voice narration. Applying the learning theories to this process is part of knowing who your audience is and how you will engage them. Month five began with learning how to apply the ADDIE Model to my project. Here's is a brief overview of what I learned. My first task was to create a roadmap of my project. This is known as a Design Brief. The design brief outlines the project. It also helps to answer two important questions: Who is my target audience? What is the purpose of this module? I revised this document several times. After answering the questions, I began the process of outlining the content for the module (task 2). There are three main topicss and two-three subtopics. Under each subtopic I identified the learning objectives. These objectives describe what skills the learner will obtain at the end of the module.

Next, I began to develop my chosen topic (task 3). Two important parts of this phase are developing my instructional strategies and the logistics for my project. To do this I created a flow chart of how users will navigate through the learning module and it's courses.

The next part of the process was to take the learning objectives I created in my design brief and build it out. This process is known as storyboarding. As with the design brief, I went through several iterations before I was satisfied with the final version. Click below to view

Finally we have implementation and evaluation (task 4 and 5). Over the next several months these two tasks will be added to the project. The design brief, the flow chart, and the storyboard come together into what is now a client presentation video. This also serves as an introduction video for the learner and was completed in Captivate 7. Click below to view

#full sail university #storyboarding #video introduction #design brief

5.4.1 Mastery Journal Reflection

5.4.1 Course Reflection As month five of this program comes to a close, the intensity and learning continue to increase exponentially! Each class completed builds on the next. This month we began the process of apply the ADDIE model, ARCS Model, and the Flow theory of learning. All three an important part of the instructional design process. During this process I learned how to refine my design brief (Analyze) and create a flow chart of my project that helped me during the storyboard process. As I went through the process of revising my storyboard (Design and Development), I realized the flow was off. This meant I needed to revise my flow chart as well. It is a process that is time consuming, but an important part process of designing instructional materials. Over the next few months I will learn how to apply the implementation and evaluation process within the ADDIE Model to my learning module. I have also learned how to apply learning theories such as John Keller's ARCS Model and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Flow Theory to my project. The importance of paying attention to the methods we use to grab the learners attention such as text, images, and sounds. How to create projects designed to increase the confidence of the learner. Finally, I learned the importance of creating a module that will bring satisfaction to the learner upon completion. I am excited to see this project become a life learning module. References ADDIE Model. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.learning-theories.com/addie-model.html Flow. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.learning-theories.com/flow-csikszentmihalyi.html ARCS Model. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.learning-theories.com/kellers-arcs-model-of-motivational-design.html

In this short video presentation, I am presenting my flow chart on What Are Perennials. This flow chart represents what will later become a learning module project.

This is my current logo. It was created using a combination of photoshop and Illustrator. What do you think?

25 posts!

#25 posts #tumblr milestone

This is a draft design brief that will be used to create a Captivate learning module on How to Plant Perennials

Well said....

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