Sunday, September 29, 2013

Section 5: Trends and Issues

Chapters in Section V identify trends and issues in IDT in various contexts: business & industry; military; health care education; P-12 education; and post-secondary education. Select at least 3 of these 5 contexts and compare/contrast the IDT trends and issues. Then explain how they are similar or different from the IDT trends and issues in the context in which you work.

I teach in a PK-4th grade school, so I chose to compare/contrast military, health care education and business & industry. 
In the business & industry area, there are instructional design team members working together.  Depending on the size of the companies and/or size of the projects will determine what team members they each have.  Businesses can now communicate through online tools which are now inexpensive and efficient.  The designers must develop cross cultural training.
Working in a military environment is challenging and provides great opportunities for growth.  The instructional designer in the military field requires skills that go beyond basic information learned in any class setting.  Military instruction has certain procedures that are uniform across the board, they are very consistent.  The instructional designer working with the military must encourage lifelong learning.  There should be opportunities for continued learning whether you continue in the military or leave the service.  The military has the same funding/budget constraints that are present in P-12 schools today.
The health care education is the leader in instructional design methods.  Methods are rapidly changing in the medical field.  These employees must participate in training seminars and simulations to be up to date, having the best knowledge to help their patients.

I believe that available resources and time are concerns across the board.  I also feel that having enough funding for training that is needed is a concern for all areas.

2 comments:

  1. Melissa,
    Way to go on trying to learn something new and compare 3 industries in which you are not involved. Admittedly, I am a teacher and chose P-12 as one of my areas to read about. Regarding business ID, a cross-cultural perspective to training is needed in our global economy.
    In military you say that ID “requires skills that go beyond basic information learned in any class setting”. This absolutely makes sense when you consider that a classroom could never prepare a person for combat or many other real life military situations.
    In healthcare “having the best knowledge to help their patients” is of utmost importance. The book pointed out that errors in learning can have life or death consequences.
    Good discussion.

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  2. Hi Melissa-
    I also choose to compare/contrast business, military, and healthcare to the P-12 setting. I am currently a teacher that teaches in a very global high school. I can relate to the business industry having to think cross-culturally, and having to design with a culture in mind.
    As with all industries funding to me was the one common denominator. Whether the industry has the money or has limited, the goal is to spend it the most effectively. I do agree with you on the military with the purpose of learning is life long. When most military leave the service, they have taken what was learned while enlisted and use it as a career.
    I do believe there are similarities with both the military and healthcare depending on the field of course, learning the proper, correct information is at the utmost importance.

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