Society is indirectly forcing us to implement new teaching strategies into the curricula. Integrating multimedia technology into education can be both fascinating and challenging. Selecting only those concepts and ideas that can be most effectively presented through interactive media requires good instructional design--using the right multimedia products for the right tasks.
Multimedia technology should focus on the curriculum and the teacher first. When the teacher's implementation of multimedia is curriculum-driven and designed to be learner-centered, it can dramatically enhance and support the appropriate teaching models, learning situations, and learning styles.
Teachers are the key component to insure that multimedia integration embellishes the teaching process. They often lack resources--time, finances, and equipment--to explore the possibilities. For the teachers in North Dakota, a grant made a formal teacher training program in multimedia design a reality.
With financial support from a US West Foundation grant awarded to North Dakota State University's School of Education/Tri-College University's Educational Administration program, a consortium of universities and school districts is developing a multimedia training program for teachers. The Project, "Collaboratively Created Multimedia Modules for Teachers", is developing and implementing a series of multimedia modules to assist K-12 teachers and university teacher educators to integrate multimedia educational tools into their day-to-day teaching.
FIVE PHASES OF PROJECT
This project is separated into five phases:
The first objective of the project was to develop competency-based training modules for preservice and inservice education through a systematic curriculum and instructional development process. The SCID (Systematic Curriculum Instructional Development) model for curriculum development from the Center for Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, was chosen. The process began in Phase I.
PHASE I: ANALYSIS PROCESS
A significant part of the instructional systems model is the analysis phase. The foundation for the planning and training activities is determined in this step. The purpose of the job analysis is to identify all of the crucial tasks performed by workers in a particular job; in this case study, the workers are the teachers using multimedia to enhance their lessons in the classroom. The data obtained is used to design new occupational training programs or to revise and update current training programs. In business, management can also use the information to write relevant job descriptions, determine work flow, and improve work efficiency and effectiveness.
The DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) method of conducting a job analysis has proven extremely successful for the Center for Education and Training for Employment. The DACUM philosophy places significant importance on using expert workers in an occupation to describe what tasks they perform. Two basic roles existed in this process: 1) those determined to be expert workers in multimedia and 2) a facilitator from CETE who collected the information and put it in final form.
Twelve local men and women were carefully and prudently selected to participate on the DACUM Panel. Each individual profiled expertise in different skills and competencies and were considered to be top performers in their area. To cover the range of teachers who would be involved in the training, the panel was selected to represent a cross-section of people: elementary, middle school, and high school teachers; a university teacher educator; a university multimedia coordinator; a technology trainer; a university student; a computer science professor; and two public school district technology coordinators.
After two full days the DACUM panel of experts, under the guidance of a facilitator from CETE, generated a DACUM chart--the product of the job analysis process. The chart encompasses a list of general task categories called duties and many tasks for each duty. In addition to the duties and tasks, the panel of experts also identified general knowledge, skills, important worker behaviors; tools, equipment, supplies, and materials; basic media skills; and future trends/concerns that may cause job changes for teachers integrating multimedia into their curriculum and classrooms.
The DACUM chart, the duties and the number of tasks it
encompassed, is listed below:
Duty A: Acquire Basic Computer Skills (5 tasks)
Duty B: Improve Curriculum with Multimedia (14 tasks)
Duty C: Deliver Instruction with Multimedia (11 tasks)
Duty D: Utilize Support Services (5 tasks)
Duty E: Improve Teacher Communication with Multimedia (12 tasks)
Duty F: Promote Multimedia in the Classroom (6 tasks)
Duty G: Pursue Professional Development (10 tasks)
Besides the twelve DACUM Panel members, an additional thirty qualified individuals reviewed and verified the DACUM list of duties and tasks in a Task Verification process to determine the competencies needed by teachers who integrate multimedia into their lessons. The question they asked themselves when completing the questionnaire was, "Is this task actually performed by the teacher using multimedia technology?" A comment section was available following each duty. Once the DACUM duties and tasks were verified, it was sent to CETE where it was printed and returned for distribution to all personnel associated with the Project.
PHASE II: DESIGN
This phase involved 24 people who were trained by the Ohio State CETE personnel to use the SCID process. The SCID trainers came from varied backgrounds: computer technicians, multimedia experts, curriculum developers, classroom teachers, teacher educators, students, administrators, and practitioners. Seven of the participants in the DACUM Panel were also involved with SCID.
After a five-day training session, the 24 newly trained SCID facilitators formed Design Teams to develop the Modules and Learning Guides for the competency-based curriculum. There will be seven Modules which reflect each of the duties: A-G.
PHASE III: INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
This phase determines what will be taught and what learning activities, materials, and instructional methods will be used in the teacher training program. The program-based curriculum that was chosen focuses on the learner/trainee.
The modules (duties), which are comprised of learning guides (related tasks), will become the competency-based curriculum package. At this time, all the modules/learning guides are using a standard format, presented during the SCID training from the CETE facilitator. This allows the designers to be free of routine decisions and they can concentrate on the content. The basic structure of the learning guide includes identifying the performance required, the conditions under which it will be performed, and the criteria or standard to be met. These learning guides are designed to be used independently.
When the learning guides are completed, the design teams will gather to validate the articulation between all the learning guides for each specific module. Naive readers will then read for clarity. Instructional design and competency-based authenticity will be evaluated. Technical designers will then be engaged putting these learning guides into electronic form (i.e., code them in the hypertext markup language) for access via the World Wide Web.
Field testing and pilot testing will complete the cycle in this ongoing refinement process.
PHASE IV: TRAINING IMPLEMENTATION
This will be carried out in the 1996-97 school year.
PHASE V: PROGRAM EVALUATION
This is an on-going process. A overall program evaluation will be carried out after Phase IV is complete as well.
SUMMARY TO-DATE:
The targeted date for piloting and implementing the Collaboratively Created Multimedia Modules for Teachers is the 1996-97 school year. During the implementation process the teachers will be mentored by trained personnel. An ongoing updating system will ensure that the modules will remain current of technological innovations.
The project's impact on the learning environment in North Dakota's schools and universities remains to be seen. Evaluations from the DACUM process and SCID training sessions have assured us that the project has already motivated and enlightened approximately thirty educational professionals.
Multimedia can amplify the teacher's performance in the classroom. To be the catalyst in the empowerment process will be both a privilege and a responsibility. North Dakota teachers deserve the helping hand provided by North Dakota State University's US West Project to enhance their lessons with the motivation and pizazz that multimedia offers.
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