I enjoyed reading
about the different industries and the trends and issues in IDT in each of the
industries. My favorite part of this week’s assignment was researching the
different educational methods and practices in European and Asian countries. It
allowed me to reflect on how I view things, and to see how other countries are helping
make their students be successful.
Below are the three contexts that I chose to compare to teaching. I am a first-grade teacher so this is the filter that I used to compare and contrast.
Business & Industry: After reading about the trends and issues in IDT in the business industry I felt like the contextual constraints were similar to the constraints I see as a teacher. Time and resources was a big constraint in the business industry. In the business industry, there is a lack of time, support, and money to perform the instructional design activity (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). This is also true for teachers. The time is very limited to teach content. Sometime we do not have support from parents, fellow teachers, administrators, or our district. There is most definitely a lack of funding as a teacher. I can’t tell you how much of my own money I spend every year on my students and classroom. Another constraint in the business industry is locus of control for decision making. In the business industry, many decisions are made before the designers are involved in the design project. I feel that is true in for teachers too. We do not get to help make any decisions in regards to state testing or new programs that will be started in our districts (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012).
Health Care Education: Health care education is complex and it is broad. After reading about health care education, I think the way that it is most similar to K-12 teachers is that we both have regulations, standards and have to have a license. In health care “regulations and standards affect education and training because they dictate what has to be learned” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). This is the same for teachers. In Texas the TEKS tell us what we have to teach. There are also requirements regarding the certification and continuing education has to be done in order to keep up your license in the health care field. This rings true for teachers. We have to participate in professional development so many hours and we have to renew our teaching certificate. What I found most interesting is that there is research being done to find better ways to assess clinical problem solving on licensing exams by using PBL (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). In the K-12 education field, there has been a big push for the use of PBL in classrooms.
We can prepare our youth to address the problems of living in an overcrowded world with not enough resources by teaching them the 21st century skills that are vital for them now and in the future. By providing them with these skills, we are giving them the ability to problem-solve, collaborate, and think creatively on how to handle the challenges that lie ahead for them.
I do believe, for the most part, that our current education system, curriculum, and instructional practices help prepare our learners for the future because I have seen a big push for STEM and other programs that focus on preparing students for 21st century skills that they will need for future success. The earlier we expose children to these skills the better they will be able to improve in these areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and team collaboration. These are just a few of the 21st Century Skills. “The rapid changes in our world require students to be flexible, to take initiative and lead when necessary, and to produce something new and useful” (What Are 21st Century Skills).
I was not familiar with methods and practices used in European and Asian countries so I had to do some research. After researching a little, I think the United States could definitely use some of the methods used in European and Asian countries. I found information on a great model called Creative Partnership that is used in some European countries. “Creative Partnership is a creative cooperation of schools’, teachers, parents and developers to implement changes in the practices of creative learning and teaching” (Bylaitė- Šalavėjienė, 2014). This model basically creates a project and the project has a name. Each project is geared toward a certain age group, and it has specific real-life goals for students to accomplish. Sometimes real experts are brought in to make the project more authentic. This sounds similar to PBL to me. I’m not familiar with PBL since I don’t use it in my first grade classroom. The focal point of this model is creativity. Allowing students to integrate creativity into the learning process is a key piece. In order for the program to be successful, it is necessary to adopt creative learning principles and for attitudes towards creativity to be positive (Bylaitė- Šalavėjienė, 2014).
“But the expectation and insistence that all students will meet high standards is the single most important explanation of the success of these Asian countries with students of every description, including disadvantaged students“ (Tucker, 2016) . We must hold all
of our students to high expectations regardless of their challenges. I know that
many teachers already hold that belief, but we need to do a better job of all
being united in this belief.
After researching practices in Asian countries, I found that they are very proactive when their students are struggling. In the article, Asian Countries Take the U.S. to School, Mark Tucker reveals that fewer than 5% of 15-year-old students in Asian countries do not meet the basic proficiency level in reading, math, and science, whereas the United States 12 percent to not meet the basic proficiency level in the same subjects. In the United States, when a student begins to fall behind we start with interventions. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes they are not. Students begin to fall behind year after year. Teachers may fill in some of the gaps, but we have to teach the material for that grade level. In small group, we can teach the student at their level, but we all know that the time we have for that is just not enough. In Asian countries students take comprehensive assessments to identify weaknesses. They “deal with the downward spiral by stopping it before it gains momentum” (Tucker, 2016). If students are struggling they hire more teachers. Sometimes this means more than one teacher for students. It also might involve teachers coming in earlier, staying later, or even working on Saturday to get the students on grade-level. Whatever is needed they do it so that the learning gaps don’t become bigger. Teacher are paid well in Asian countries, and they are supported by each other and their schools.
References:
Reiser, R. A. & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in Instructional Design and Technology. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson.
What Are 21st Century Skills?. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2017, from https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-21st-century-skills
Bylaitė- Šalavėjienė, Danguolė. (2014). Creative learning practices in Lithuania and other EU countries. Retrieved June 27, 2017, from https://leu.lt/download/19146/creative%20learning,%20en..doc
Tucker, Mark. (2016). Asian Countries Take the U.S. to School. Retrieved June 27, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/02/us-asia-education-differences/471564/
Below are the three contexts that I chose to compare to teaching. I am a first-grade teacher so this is the filter that I used to compare and contrast.
Business & Industry: After reading about the trends and issues in IDT in the business industry I felt like the contextual constraints were similar to the constraints I see as a teacher. Time and resources was a big constraint in the business industry. In the business industry, there is a lack of time, support, and money to perform the instructional design activity (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). This is also true for teachers. The time is very limited to teach content. Sometime we do not have support from parents, fellow teachers, administrators, or our district. There is most definitely a lack of funding as a teacher. I can’t tell you how much of my own money I spend every year on my students and classroom. Another constraint in the business industry is locus of control for decision making. In the business industry, many decisions are made before the designers are involved in the design project. I feel that is true in for teachers too. We do not get to help make any decisions in regards to state testing or new programs that will be started in our districts (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012).
Health Care Education: Health care education is complex and it is broad. After reading about health care education, I think the way that it is most similar to K-12 teachers is that we both have regulations, standards and have to have a license. In health care “regulations and standards affect education and training because they dictate what has to be learned” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). This is the same for teachers. In Texas the TEKS tell us what we have to teach. There are also requirements regarding the certification and continuing education has to be done in order to keep up your license in the health care field. This rings true for teachers. We have to participate in professional development so many hours and we have to renew our teaching certificate. What I found most interesting is that there is research being done to find better ways to assess clinical problem solving on licensing exams by using PBL (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). In the K-12 education field, there has been a big push for the use of PBL in classrooms.
We can prepare our youth to address the problems of living in an overcrowded world with not enough resources by teaching them the 21st century skills that are vital for them now and in the future. By providing them with these skills, we are giving them the ability to problem-solve, collaborate, and think creatively on how to handle the challenges that lie ahead for them.
I do believe, for the most part, that our current education system, curriculum, and instructional practices help prepare our learners for the future because I have seen a big push for STEM and other programs that focus on preparing students for 21st century skills that they will need for future success. The earlier we expose children to these skills the better they will be able to improve in these areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and team collaboration. These are just a few of the 21st Century Skills. “The rapid changes in our world require students to be flexible, to take initiative and lead when necessary, and to produce something new and useful” (What Are 21st Century Skills).
I was not familiar with methods and practices used in European and Asian countries so I had to do some research. After researching a little, I think the United States could definitely use some of the methods used in European and Asian countries. I found information on a great model called Creative Partnership that is used in some European countries. “Creative Partnership is a creative cooperation of schools’, teachers, parents and developers to implement changes in the practices of creative learning and teaching” (Bylaitė- Šalavėjienė, 2014). This model basically creates a project and the project has a name. Each project is geared toward a certain age group, and it has specific real-life goals for students to accomplish. Sometimes real experts are brought in to make the project more authentic. This sounds similar to PBL to me. I’m not familiar with PBL since I don’t use it in my first grade classroom. The focal point of this model is creativity. Allowing students to integrate creativity into the learning process is a key piece. In order for the program to be successful, it is necessary to adopt creative learning principles and for attitudes towards creativity to be positive (Bylaitė- Šalavėjienė, 2014).
“But the expectation and insistence that all students will meet high standards is the single most important explanation of the success of these Asian countries with students of every description, including disadvantaged students“ (Tucker, 2016) .
After researching practices in Asian countries, I found that they are very proactive when their students are struggling. In the article, Asian Countries Take the U.S. to School, Mark Tucker reveals that fewer than 5% of 15-year-old students in Asian countries do not meet the basic proficiency level in reading, math, and science, whereas the United States 12 percent to not meet the basic proficiency level in the same subjects. In the United States, when a student begins to fall behind we start with interventions. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes they are not. Students begin to fall behind year after year. Teachers may fill in some of the gaps, but we have to teach the material for that grade level. In small group, we can teach the student at their level, but we all know that the time we have for that is just not enough. In Asian countries students take comprehensive assessments to identify weaknesses. They “deal with the downward spiral by stopping it before it gains momentum” (Tucker, 2016). If students are struggling they hire more teachers. Sometimes this means more than one teacher for students. It also might involve teachers coming in earlier, staying later, or even working on Saturday to get the students on grade-level. Whatever is needed they do it so that the learning gaps don’t become bigger. Teacher are paid well in Asian countries, and they are supported by each other and their schools.
References:
Reiser, R. A. & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in Instructional Design and Technology. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson.
What Are 21st Century Skills?. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2017, from https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-21st-century-skills
Bylaitė- Šalavėjienė, Danguolė. (2014). Creative learning practices in Lithuania and other EU countries. Retrieved June 27, 2017, from https://leu.lt/download/19146/creative%20learning,%20en..doc
Tucker, Mark. (2016). Asian Countries Take the U.S. to School. Retrieved June 27, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/02/us-asia-education-differences/471564/
What stands out in your comments with regard to Business & Industry as you compare to your role as a first grade teacher is how much money teachers spend to support their students. A lack of funding is an important aspect to consider. I thought that I would be hard pressed to find businesses and others in industry spending their own money on projects; however, I did. I searched businesses that give back to the community and the numbers were impressive. Now, the money doesn’t come specifically from the individual working in the industry, but it was refreshing to note that money is poured back into communities. It is good to know that businesses do give back. In an online article that I found on the National Restaurant Association website, it noted that 80 percent of consumers agree that restaurants are good corporate citizens and 72 percent agree that operators give back to their communities. The site indicates that 94 percent of restaurants make charitable contributions. Whether they assist with a crisis or support a local team, boost a community project or start a charitable program of their own, America’s restaurants are there to help, contributing food, donating their time, writing checks. Again, I know I am not comparing apples to apples and I do know the struggle of teachers, but it help me to know that for-profit businesses do give back.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all that you do to support students. I feel that one inconsistency between European and Asian countries versus the US is that in those countries, teaching is a highly regarded profession. Teachers in the US are underpaid and truly overworked.
Military: The trends and issues in the military environment were interesting.
International responsibilities, cultural diversity and funding. Great parallels- You are right. Budget constraints most certainly affect continuing education, items purchased for the classroom, and technology available which affect educators as well as military personnel.
I had the opportunity to go to The Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio last summer. http://www.fallenheroesfund.org/getdoc/2761743f-a99f-4f06-93d4-431a3bed0c26/cfibrochure.aspx Money for programs like these are funded from the public sector where people and companies donate funds for such projects like CAREN- Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment. This is a 21 foot dome with a 300 degree screen upon which several different virtual reality simulations take place. This is used for rehabilitation as well as research. This is an amazing program that was created by a team of individuals who infused the perfect instructional technology design in order to meet the needs of this population.
Health Care Education: Health care education is complex and it is broad. After reading about health care education, I think the way that it is most similar to K-12 teachers is that we both have regulations, standards and have to have a license. Indeed- Most practitioners within the healthcare arena do have licensure requirements, standards, and accreditations much like those in K-12. For me, I have to make sure that I maintain my national certification through the National Board of Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), my state license through the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE), and also keep up with various immunizations, CPR and continuing education. Health Care facilities seek special accreditations so that consumers are ensure quality care and treatment.
National Restaurant Association, retrieved from: http://www.restaurant.org/Industry-Impact/Giving-Back/Contributing-to-Communities
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback and for the interesting information. I am glad to know that businesses do give back to the community. I think that is fantastic! I'm also surprised that so many participate in this practice. That is good news!
In my research on European and Asian education practices, I also read that teaching is an important job in those countries. Teachers are highly respected. I know in the United States some people do feel that way, and others do not.
Desirae, excellent insight! You and I made a lot of the same connections through the elementary lens. As I read about the constraints in business and industry both in your post and in the text, I found myself nodding my head in agreement. These constraints are all too familiar. However, what I have learned from teaching gifted students has really taught me to embrace these constraints. As mentioned in the text, these constraints are what really propel innovations toward success in business and industry. I find this to be true in my classroom as well. Sometimes it is the presence of constraints and a little determination that bring out our most creative efforts. Furthermore, so many of the constraints or considerations in instructional design you described in the other contexts are all too true in relation to elementary education as well. At times it can seem we aren’t in control of much (standards, student diversity, student abilities, curriculum, etc). I hadn’t really thought about how each of these constraints relates to these other contexts. It makes me even more determined to show my students that while constraints may not be in their control, they can harness these parameters in working towards success. These are exactly the 21st skills you mention to sum up your post! Great job!
ReplyDeleteTiffany,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback. I think that is a great way to positively look at the challenges that we face. You are correct that it is a way to problem-solve and think about how we can rise above the challenges and really see our students shine.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Can you imagine dealing with the downward spiral of learning by hiring more teachers and teaching more students on or very close to grade level?! I have so many students in 7th and 8th grade classes who are reading on a 3rd grade level or lower. Our teachers try to catch them up but lack of support on many fronts is definitely a problem. The Creative Partnership you mentioned sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteYour comments on business, healthcare and the military and how they relate to education were very insightful and gave me food for thought. I hadn't really thought about regulations and standards in the medical field and how similar that could be to education. We know that it happens but I guess I was so focused on what I deal with as an educator, that I forgot that other professions face the same issues. If I could count up all the dollars I have spent over my teaching career, I could retire a happy woman.
Isn't it funny that time and money are constraints in almost every industry? I like the similarities that you pointed out between the different industries and education. And I agree that there is definitely a need for more PBL in our classrooms in order to support the medical industry.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about taking a page from the education system in Asia. To have only 5% below grade level in high school is amazing. I wish our priorities as a nation were the same to fund this critical need.
Great post!
Desirae,
ReplyDeleteI was very interested by the statistic you shared from Asia. It is excellent that they have a proactive approach to set their students up for success. Having 5% of students not meeting basic proficiency is remarkable. The flexibility to hire teachers to bridge the gap must play a crucial role. Unfortunately, many of our districts often deal with hiring freezes and have to cut positions or eliminate them through attrition. If we had interventionist readily available, we could see growth in this area of deficiency.