It's a Beautiful Thing When a Career and a Passion Come Together
When I started teaching in 2002, I was convinced I'd found my calling. Naturally there
were not-so-great lessons, days and even weeks, but they were mirrored by just as many
positive experiences
After almost twenty years and 'in dire need' – of energy, enthusiasm and change. I
walked away with an attitude of gratitude, from classroom teaching.
were not-so-great lessons, days and even weeks, but they were mirrored by just as many
positive experiences
After almost twenty years and 'in dire need' – of energy, enthusiasm and change. I
walked away with an attitude of gratitude, from classroom teaching.
What is an 'Instructional Designer' exactly?
If you’re a writer, teacher, multimedia designer, or IT guru – you could be a brilliant Instructional Designer waiting to happen. If that sounds like a vast background spectrum, you’d be right. I’m yet to meet a “purist Instructional Designer” who has studied the craft, as someone will usually enter this field via an associated side-step.
A month down in the job and the question, “What do you do for a living?” still has me on my toes, because a successful Instructional Designer is a jack of all related trades and a master of many, who also possesses a little bit of magic.
To do this kind of work you'll need to conjure your inner writing wizardry to create content for varied audiences, maintain a consistent trickle of creative juices, be all about effective chunking and organization of content, AND you will need to keep your finger on the pulse of technology trends. Yes, being an Instructional Designer requires a juxtaposition of many skills.
A month down in the job and the question, “What do you do for a living?” still has me on my toes, because a successful Instructional Designer is a jack of all related trades and a master of many, who also possesses a little bit of magic.
To do this kind of work you'll need to conjure your inner writing wizardry to create content for varied audiences, maintain a consistent trickle of creative juices, be all about effective chunking and organization of content, AND you will need to keep your finger on the pulse of technology trends. Yes, being an Instructional Designer requires a juxtaposition of many skills.
Why?
My background is in primary teaching where I have worked as a Y5-Y6 classroom practitioner for approximately twenty years. Besides teaching face to face, I have actively contributed to online forums and integrated digital citizenship into the curriculum.
Whilst designing for online and blended learning in a classroom setting, I came to realise the complexity that each delivery mode can present, so I've endeavoured to join and facilitate a number of COPs or Communities of Practice.
I also enrolled in the Postgrad Certificate in Applied Practice with Unitec/Mind Lab that has consolidated my understanding of Virtual Learning Environment’s theoretical framework and graphic design, as well as experiencing online learning as a student.
My decision to become an Instructional Designer was a natural evolution of my interests for learning rather than a career change.
I think that teaching provided me with a set of transferable skills that have offered me the opportunity to design courses in a creative yet pedagogically, rigorous way.
Whilst designing for online and blended learning in a classroom setting, I came to realise the complexity that each delivery mode can present, so I've endeavoured to join and facilitate a number of COPs or Communities of Practice.
I also enrolled in the Postgrad Certificate in Applied Practice with Unitec/Mind Lab that has consolidated my understanding of Virtual Learning Environment’s theoretical framework and graphic design, as well as experiencing online learning as a student.
My decision to become an Instructional Designer was a natural evolution of my interests for learning rather than a career change.
I think that teaching provided me with a set of transferable skills that have offered me the opportunity to design courses in a creative yet pedagogically, rigorous way.
Tips for Initiating an Instructional Designer Journey
Never stop learning. Become a learner yourself and you’ll have the edge when connecting with your audience. Develop a passion for knowledge and always pay attention to how content is structured and presented.
Wield your words. Get writing, it’s one of the key skills that set a 'GREAT' Instructional Designer apart from the good. Start a blog or write articles and remember to practice many styles.
Cultivate creativity. Whether it’s writing, information structure problem solving, or devising multimedia elements, you need to access your creative flair to bring new perspective and breathe life into your work.
Wield your words. Get writing, it’s one of the key skills that set a 'GREAT' Instructional Designer apart from the good. Start a blog or write articles and remember to practice many styles.
Cultivate creativity. Whether it’s writing, information structure problem solving, or devising multimedia elements, you need to access your creative flair to bring new perspective and breathe life into your work.
Top Trends for 2016
Each year, CORE Education’s experienced staff of researchers, educators, and digital technology experts pool their expertise and combine their understanding and evidence of the ways that digital technologies are influencing all aspects of education. The result is CORE’s list of the ten trends that are expected to make a growing impact upon education in New Zealand in the coming year.
Five Categories of Change
Ten Trends 2016 from EDtalks on Vimeo.
Cultural
The culture of an organisation is the product of the collective values, beliefs and principles of its members, and comprises an interlocking set of goals, roles, processes, values, communications practices, attitudes and assumptions. Influences that change or alter any aspect of this mix will likely have an impact on the overall culture.
Diversity -
As seen in pedagogies that cater for diverse learners and groups of learners, UDL, different belief systems, and multiple languages in schools
Digital fluency -
Driven by personal responsibility, online identity, digital literacies and citizenship, cyber security, access and equity of opportunity.
Diversity -
As seen in pedagogies that cater for diverse learners and groups of learners, UDL, different belief systems, and multiple languages in schools
Digital fluency -
Driven by personal responsibility, online identity, digital literacies and citizenship, cyber security, access and equity of opportunity.
Technology
The pace of change driven by new technologies and technological advances looks set to continue and even accelerate, meaning that existing skills in the teaching workforce will need to be frequently upgraded.
The important thing here is the pervasive nature of change that occurs when a new technology is introduced, because technological change is not additive, it is ecological. When you add a new technology you don’t simply change something, you change everything.
Equitable access -
Including BYOD, home access, leases, libraries, public spaces, OER and the digital divide.
Data driven organisations -
The smart use of Big data and analytics, e-portfolios and evidence driven transformation.
The important thing here is the pervasive nature of change that occurs when a new technology is introduced, because technological change is not additive, it is ecological. When you add a new technology you don’t simply change something, you change everything.
Equitable access -
Including BYOD, home access, leases, libraries, public spaces, OER and the digital divide.
Data driven organisations -
The smart use of Big data and analytics, e-portfolios and evidence driven transformation.
Structural
Educational institutions are by nature, very reliant on the structures that give them their identity and serve to support what they do and the way they do it. Structural change refers to the deep reaching change (link is external) that alters the way authority, capital, information (link is external), and responsibility flows (link is external) in an organisation.
For educational institutions this may mean changes to existing structures (e.g. modern learning environments) or the emergence of completely new structures (e.g. virtual schools).
Networked communities -
The rising importance of Communities of Schools, Communities of Learning, IES, with new roles for teachers and leaders.
Community focus -
Strategies for engaging parents, using portfolios, two-way interactions, and effective community participation in schools.
For educational institutions this may mean changes to existing structures (e.g. modern learning environments) or the emergence of completely new structures (e.g. virtual schools).
Networked communities -
The rising importance of Communities of Schools, Communities of Learning, IES, with new roles for teachers and leaders.
Community focus -
Strategies for engaging parents, using portfolios, two-way interactions, and effective community participation in schools.
Economic
The way we generate wealth and the skillsets required to contribute to this are key elements in any economy. In the past, economic activity was determined by the combination of natural resources, labour, and capital. This view is now challenged by consideration of the value of things such as technology and creativity, giving rise to alternative views such as the concept of a knowledge economy.
Sustainability -
Education for sustainability, green waste and climate change in an educational context.
Computational thinking -
The impact of STEM on curriculum, coding, the drive for skills for employment vs holistic education outcomes for all, and play-based curriculum.
Sustainability -
Education for sustainability, green waste and climate change in an educational context.
Computational thinking -
The impact of STEM on curriculum, coding, the drive for skills for employment vs holistic education outcomes for all, and play-based curriculum.
Process
In business terms, process is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a specific service or product. Simply put, process may be understood as ‘the way we do things’.
Educational institutions are generally very process-driven, from enrolment, to curriculum, to assessment and graduation — each is defined by the process that is adhered to and which determines how things are done.
Design Thinking -
The emphasis on innovation, creativity, and the use of design thinking in education transformation
Change Leadership -
The critical role of Professional Learning and development based on inquiry, coaching and mentoring in change leadership.
Educational institutions are generally very process-driven, from enrolment, to curriculum, to assessment and graduation — each is defined by the process that is adhered to and which determines how things are done.
Design Thinking -
The emphasis on innovation, creativity, and the use of design thinking in education transformation
Change Leadership -
The critical role of Professional Learning and development based on inquiry, coaching and mentoring in change leadership.
Wero: Challenge
How might knowing about the Top Trends for 2016 make a difference NOW in your life and in the lives of others?
EBOP Digi Day: Have You Registered?
Date: Friday 01 April 2016
Venue: TWWoA
Time: 8am - 3pm
Cost: $50
The EBOP ICT (Eastern Bay of Plenty Information, Communication and Technologies) Digi Day is a professional learning and development conference for primary, secondary, school staff, teacher trainees and tertiary educationalists in the Ngati Awa region.
Participants are invited to register and attend three professional development ICT and/or e-Learning workshops of their choice. They also have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with like-minded others throughout the course of the day. The keynote speakers include Stuart Hale, business owner of iEducator Ltd and Thomas Mitai, Studio Producer for Tech Pa.
The EBOP ICT Digi Day is part of a learning continuum and ongoing cycle of development to help build professional ICT communities of practice within the Eastern Bay of Plenty educational sector. The organisers are Jude Cornelius-Nuku, Schools Co-Ordinator for EastBay REAP and Hinerangi Murphy, Curriculum Designer for Te Whare Wãnanga o Awanuiãrangi.
Venue: TWWoA
Time: 8am - 3pm
Cost: $50
The EBOP ICT (Eastern Bay of Plenty Information, Communication and Technologies) Digi Day is a professional learning and development conference for primary, secondary, school staff, teacher trainees and tertiary educationalists in the Ngati Awa region.
Participants are invited to register and attend three professional development ICT and/or e-Learning workshops of their choice. They also have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with like-minded others throughout the course of the day. The keynote speakers include Stuart Hale, business owner of iEducator Ltd and Thomas Mitai, Studio Producer for Tech Pa.
The EBOP ICT Digi Day is part of a learning continuum and ongoing cycle of development to help build professional ICT communities of practice within the Eastern Bay of Plenty educational sector. The organisers are Jude Cornelius-Nuku, Schools Co-Ordinator for EastBay REAP and Hinerangi Murphy, Curriculum Designer for Te Whare Wãnanga o Awanuiãrangi.