Critical Thinking Questions & Questionnaire:

Read Chapters 1, 2, and 3 from Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology. You will then complete two Critical Thinking Questions from each chapter. Your answers must include at least two references in addition to the course text Each question should be addressed with a minimum of 50 words.

Chapter 1 – What Field Did You Say You Were In? Defining and Naming 

In addition to the difficulty of describing to your friends and family what instructional technology designers actually do, what other challenges might arise from not having an industry standard, agreed-upon terminology for labeling or describing what IDT is?Describe how Instructional Design has evolved from its beginnings through to present day. What changed in the 50s-70s?Compare and contrast the two definitions of Instructional Design in 1970.Why do you suppose the latest AECT definition of educational technology includes the word “ethical” where prior definitions did not?

Chapter 2 – Characteristics of Instructional Design Models 

Pick any three of the nine characteristics that the author uses to describe the systems concept and describe a scenario where these three characteristics interplay with one another.Explain why taking a student-centered approach to instructional design can be a powerful paradigm shift. Compare and contrast this approach to a “teacher-centered” approach.Explain why it is difficult to write meaningful objectives early in the design process. How do the Pebble-in-the-Pond and Ten Steps to Complex Learning approaches address this challenge? How do they differ in their approach?

Chapter 3 – Characteristics of Instructional Design Models 

Do you agree with the traditional role of instructional media and teachers that the broad educational community has held for the past 100 years; or do you agree with the viewpoints of some professionals in the ID&T field? Why?What do you think the authors of Visualizing the Curriculum (1937) meant when they stated that the value of audiovisual material was a function of their degree of realism? Why do you think this was such an important book at the time? Compare & contrast the Cold War impacts on the development of an instructional design process (IDP) with an instructional design technology (IDT). Which field (IDP or IDT) do you think was more effected by the Cold War? Why? While the private sector and the military have been early adopters, the author notes that the education sector has been remiss in integrating both new technologies as well as new processes for teaching. What is your reaction to that trend? What do you think are the main barriers and how might you see them being overcome going forward?Critical Thinking Questionnaire:Critical Thinking Questions.docx 

1. What assignment was most engaging? Why?
2. At what moment in this week were you most distant from the class? Why?
3. Were you confused about any assignment or learning activity?
4. What surprised you the most this week?
5. Evaluate your work this week. What assignments and/or activities did you excel in? What could you have improved on?