Doctorate of Education

Breadth and Integration

Throughout our coursework, I was exposed to and explored theory and practices related to instructional technology and design systems that is vital to the success of a candidate in a doctoral program. In our primary courses, Issues in Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, I have researched and evaluated the meaning of the field, developed a vision for learning, identified the wide-berth of career options, and reflected on important characteristics of how learning takes place in different, online settings. One of the key foundational understandings of ITDS, is how I define the field as this relates to my application of principles in my future research.

Defining the Field

What is Instructional Technology and Design Systems? This field allows professionals in the field to bridge learning from valuable past research and theories, and encourages advancement in the future “using IDT (instructional design and technology) foundations and the philosophy of ET (educational technology)” (Ipek & Ziatdinov, 2017). It is a term based on systematic founding principles of past labels, with enough flexibility to promote learning in various forms. As Schiffman (1986) stated, “ISD (Instructional Systems Design) is a blend of psychology, education, communications, management, systems theory, and social science” (Schiffman, 1986, pg. 18). Given the purpose of instructional design and educational technology is to engage learners and promote knowledge with skill retention and application. Furthermore, as Gagne proposed, “conditions of learning are unique to each learning outcome, [and] there are conditions of learning that facilitate the process of learning in general” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2018). The label of instructional technology and design systems is a title that facilitates the challenge of personalizing the methodology for the organization to achieve their goal. As stated by West (2014), “many of these [educational technology] scholars concentrate their publications in one or two journals, perhaps limiting the overall influence they could have by dispersing their ideas more widely” (West, 2014, pg. 554). By labeling the field as anything less, we are by definition, compartmentalizing the field, and thereby placing a limit to the direction the field can and will take in the future.

These conclusions bring focus to an overwhelming environment of literature, research, and evaluation. Furthermore, my other courses in Leadership in Technology Administration, Instructional Planning, and Professional Development provided opportunities to internalize what type of leadership skills are required and important contextual and social influences to designing effective, research-based curriculum.

Leadership Manifesto

A leader is not just an occupational role, rather it is an evolving commitment to improve yourself and your organization.

All of our coursework, research, and instruction are like little puzzle pieces designed to create a picture of what instructional design really entails...regardless of the chosen industry, the organization and its potential lies in the potential of the people. Howard Behar discussed how a leader must dedicate themselves to a mission that improves their people. In doing so, everything else: profit, success, innovation, and everything else will fall into place (Carmichael, 2018).

Therefore, the importance of understanding culture and environment is, if anything, MORE IMPORTANT to the efficacy of instructional design (ID) than what I believed before. Effective leadership is the answer to meet the challenges of personalizing methodology for an organization to achieve intended goals. “Change is heavily influence[d] by power, culture, and politics” (Hussain, Lei, et.al, 2017; Salem Press, 2013).

How do you create change?

Start with a baseline-knowledge of where you are and identify the vision of the project. Consider what leadership tactics achieve more through movement beyond an orientation of power and dependency, towards collaboration and service relationships that focus on partnerships (Azzarello, 2016; Carmichael, 2018; Taylor & Lynham, 2013). This also coincides with research on motivation and volition regarding human performance, and reminds us to formulate projects and assignments strategically through teaching, mentoring, coaching, and open communication is one way to foster that (Case, 2016; Chaleff, 2015; Comey, 2018; Kunich & Lester, 1999; Mason & Simmons, 2012; Reiser & Dempsey, 2018; Song, 2016; Stefaniak, 2017). The manifest leadership styles that put principles and people first, including: ethical leadership, servant leadership, team leadership, situational leadership, and transformational leadership, strive to bring out the best in people given in complicated situations, which I feel are vital to ITDS (Bledow, 2017; Caniels, et.al., 2018; Chaleff, 2015; Comey, 2018; Kunich & Lester, 1999; Mason & Simmons, 2012; Palanski et.al., 2015; Penny, 2017; Stefaniak, 2017; Sturges, 2012; Taylor & Lynham, 2013; Turaga, 2017; Vecchio, 2007).

Additionally, my courses in Educational Network Design, Program Evaluation, Technology Sustainability, and Qualitative Analysis presented procedures and challenges of implementation of instructional technology systems and identified the importance of purposeful design and evaluation analysis to create effective projects. These courses highlighted the various roles an instructional designer has, and how stakeholders affect projects. Also, Instructional Technology Research Methods and Statistical Analysis provided opportunities to experience the research process and proposal writing practice for my dissertation.

Finally, my Doctoral Internship in Summer 2019, with the department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology allowed me the opportunity for learning design and service. During this time, I was able to conduct various professional development sessions for teachers on designing interactive mobile technology materials such as Google Certification Level 2, Screencastify, and Coding Robotics.

Examination of Relationships

As I begin to apply second language acquisition (SLA) theories and instructional design models for effective instruction, I am achieving the intended goal of engaging learners and promoting knowledge and skill retention of SLA. The relationship between second language learning and instructional design is two-fold as each requires a systematic approach to effective implementation. In order for organizations to create and develop programs to address language proficiency, the appropriate theoretical framework that matches the learning context is necessary to guide the practical application. In my on-going research, I am being exposed to specific learning contexts, unique to my demographic and geographic location, which assists me in identifying strategies to facilitate the learning process further. Specifically for my research topic, scaffolding and comprehensible input and output theories are vital to determining potential intervention strategies that utilize instructional technology. Simultaneously, having a clear understanding of instructional design and educational technology frameworks allows me to be cognizant of the process for what conditions are ideal to achieve learner success.

Competencies Achieved and Plans of Action

Although I have garnered much knowledge and experience in the learning design and service competencies, as presented in the following pages, I feel I need to continue developing in the scholarship competency. My current experiences in K-5th evaluating student language development with instructional technology initiatives and continuing research of literature on second language acquisition provide me with ample understanding of service competencies and especially learning design. However, I feel that while I have submitted several grant proposals, I have yet to have a major one accepted. In addition, I have submitted, several journal articles, which were rejected for publishing. Nonetheless, I have had a book chapter version of my dissertation published. I look forward to continuing my research and publishing more articles in the future.