Pepperdine University is a Christian university that is aimed at providing both academic and Christian knowledge to its students (Boschee 1). It is located in California and has a good reputation all over the world. My dream of joining Pepperdine University started early during my childhood age. I worked very hard in the lower levels of my education so that I could attain good grades for admission at the university. I can describe my father to be the mentor of my dream since he was the one who motivated me to take a course in Business Administration. His insight and knowledge are what taught me the true meaning of success (News & World Report 1). I, therefore, believe that I will be able to learn the most advanced knowledge and skills in the university so as to pursue my career.
I believe I will be a great asset to the university once admitted. I know it will be a system of mutual benefit as I will get the best education as I also deliver to the university as well. I am from a strong Christian background and will therefore be in a good position to instill it to the rest of the students who might not be well conversant in it (Skinner 1). Since this is a Christian university, there is freedom of worship, which I will make sure is fully utilized so as to work as per the universitys motto.
The lessons and experiences I have attained during the past years in college and high school will also come into play during my study period at the university. I have learned various methods of enforcing teamwork, which I will teach my fellow colleagues. The teamwork will be a strategy of improving the universitys performance academically. I also gained interactive skills in college, thus will be able to easily and freely communicate with my tutors and professors. I know this will create a good learning atmosphere and thus attract many other students from different countries. I also promise to work hard in my course of study and excel academically.
Apart from being focused on my book work, I have developed many hobbies such as basketball, tennis, and golf so as to balance my life, which may prove to be stressful at times (Guido1). My involvement in sports will also be an added advantage as I am hopeful that I will perform well in them, thus capturing as many trophies as possible for the university. A good performance in sports will be strengthening the already good reputation of the university. This is because not only academic excellence is considered during ranking but also the performance of the university in extra-curriculum activities.
My personality of being strong, of willpower and persistence, makes me very proud as I am able to face challenges and endure any suffering. I know I can make a good peer counselor as well as a confidant. This way, I will be willing to help the other students who might be having problems preventing them from working hard. I have undergone so many hurdles in life and usually have the power to face any challenge. Hence I am positive that I will be of great help to the entire fraternity of the university.
I conclude by saying that given the opportunity, I believe that I will be of importance to the university in the achievement and fulfillment of its motto.
Works cited
Boschee, Jerry. Pepperdine University- Graduate School of Education and Psychology 2010. Web.
Recently, diverse trends in instructional design emerged. As a rule, their development is related to broader availability of the instructional tools and increasing popularity of instructional practices (Reiser, 2017). At present, instructional design is under the influence of information technology and the trends are determined by the achievements in IT sphere. The major goal of trends in instructional design is the improvement of learning process.
Trends in Instructional Settings in the Next Ten Years
The diversity of instructional design trends makes them appropriate for various instructional settings and modalities. In the context of on-line education setting, mobile learning will probably gain more popularity. It can be explained by the rapid development of mobile technologies that empower access to learning facilities without being linked to the computer. In the next 10 years, education opportunities of mobile devices are going to increase. In the adult education setting, attention will be probably focused on the shift from tutoring to open learning design (Paquette, 2014). A rationale for this trend is that in adult learning, people usually value the opportunities for new skills and experiences than tutoring. Open learning design will provide interactions and problem-solving situations.
Predictions Concerning Academic and Professional Learning
In academic and professional learning, there will probably be two major trends. First of all, academic and professional learning of the future will be technology-based. It is not a new trend but a demand of time. Secondly, learning will focus on adaptive skills. Easy adaptation to new conditions that change due to the rapid technology development will be crucial for a specialist.
Impacts on the Content of Courses
The content of educational courses varies with time. It looks probable that the content of courses will be under the impact of learners demand. Learners as consumers of education service will select the courses they consider appropriate and necessary. Another factor that can have a strong influence on the content is the situation on labor market. The need for specialists can determine the direction of preparation and its content.
Stakeholders of Adult Learning Development and Design
The development and design of adult learning involves some stakeholders. Since adult learning is mainly professional, it will be significantly influenced by the labor market in general and employers in particular. They will define the need in specialists and thus determine the design of adult learning. Labor market, in its turn, will be influenced by the economic situation that will regulate the demand for the future working force. Research institutions that deal with education trends can become another stakeholder of adult learning development and design. They can predict the need for different professionals and thus stimulate change in learning design.
Influence of Changes on the Instructional Design
Changes in technology have a strong impact on the instructional design. The development of technology provides broader opportunities for learning that demand new instruction approaches. The demand of the society also is an influential factor for instructional design. Increasing interest in online learning with broad opportunities also need change of instructional design.
Conclusions
On the whole, instructional design is an integral component of learning process. The choice of instructional design depends on the instructional setting, the needs of learners, and the peculiarities of the course. Instructional design is constantly changing and is determined by the general trends in learning and society.
References
Paquette, G. (2014). Technology-based instructional design: Evolution and major trends. In J. Spector et al. (Eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology. New York, NY: Springer.
Reiser, R.A. (2017). Eight trends affecting the field of instructional design and technology: Opportunities and challenges. In F.Q. Lai, & J. Lehman (Eds.), Learning and knowledge analytics in open education (pp. 139-148). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
How do you deal with difficult co-workers or teammates?
Difficult co-workers and teammates can drain ones energy or the energy of an entire team or department concerned. I feel that there are different ways to deal with the various situations brought about by difficult co-workers or teammates. Firstly, I always endeavor not to pass judgment on my co-workers/teammates. I have realized that a person may be difficult or stubborn often because the matter at hand is important for them than the rest of the team may be realizing. Therefore, my initial reaction is to try to view the problem at hand from the point of view of the difficult teammate.
Furthermore, I always make sure that I take my time to understand the issues raised by this difficult colleague. A quick reaction delivered in anger will only serve to worsen an already bad situation. Thus taking time to respond is vital in cooling things down.
Additionally, when dealing with difficult colleagues, I consistently treat each new confrontation as unique. Thus I avoid any preconceived notions arising from previous arguments or confrontations we may have had from clouding current and future engagements with the involved colleagues. In conclusion, I believe that all workers in an organization have professionally earned the positions and roles they play. Thus all confrontations can be sorted out professionally and in ways that retain the dignity of the offending co-worker.
What steps did you take to reach a goal that is important for you?
A few years ago, I was in need of a job, and the only post available was for a tour guide, and the position required that the person be fluent in Spanish.
Throughout my life, I have always desired to learn an additional language, and my inability to qualify for that job due to a prerequisite I had always felt I needed to gain hit me. Since the positions for tour guiding would always be available in the summer, I resolved that by the following year, I would be ready and purposed to learn Spanish. Consequently, I decided to use the little money I had, not in applying for another job, but in starting classes on basic Spanish to me, this was a long-term investment that I felt I needed to make.
I started the classes soon after, dedicating my days and nights to reading and understanding Spanish; I borrowed money from friends and family to buy Spanish language books and novels. One of my short term targets was to read a Spanish storybook every week, and my daily targets were to converse exclusively in Spanish with my Spanish class colleagues for practice.
Through hard work, consistency, and practice, by the following years summer, not only was I able to get the job but also I always felt I had attained a bigger goal a lifelong habit of pushing my limits and trying out for new things.
Aligning Summative and Formative Assessments at Maine West
Students need to be placed in the environment that contributes to their further progress. Therefore, the design of formative and summative assessments must be flexible enough to align with the district standards and at the same time invite opportunities for learners from different backgrounds. Therefore, it is crucial to align the standards used at school with the assessments carried out to test the students knowledge.
Standards Used at School and the Sources Thereof: An Overview
At present, The Common Core language Art Standards (grade 9-10) are used in the school. These include Reading (9-10.RL.1-4 and 9-10.RL.6-9), Writing (9-10.W.1-9-10.W4, 9-10.W.7-9-10.W.8), Speaking (9-10.SL.-2-9-10.SL.5), Language (9-10.L.3 and 9-10.L.5), Reading Science and Technical (9-10.RST.1-9-10.RST.10), and Writing History (9-10.WHST.1-9-10.WHST10) standards. The existing standards tend to focus on promoting critical thinking among students. For example, the Reading section mentions the analysis of the writers intent (RL.1-4) and culture-related experiences (RL.6-9, RL.11-13). Similarly, the Writing standards embrace the assessment of the students ability to engage in a meaningful discussion and provide support for the claims that they make (901-.W.1-9-10.W.4). The Reading Science and Technical standards of assessment also allow shedding light on the learners ability to deploy analytical skills since the capability of students to use the available grammatical forms to express their ideas and thoughts to the best of their abilities. Consequently, the framework allows testing the students skills of applying particular language tools to give their speech meaning and purpose ( Common Core: Language arts standards, grade 9-10, n.d.).
The strategies of formatting and summative assessment used at school allow covering some of the gaps in the current assessment framework. For instance, the fact that the approach currently used for evaluating the students skills does not include the test of listening and speaking standards is covered by a very strong emphasis on developing the ability to use reasoning and critical thinking in students. Brainstorming, analogies, and concept maps are some of the examples of the tools that support the idea of developing critical thinking and, therefore, align with the suggested assessment system (Regier, 2012).
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Standards: Evaluation
The curriculum used in the specified school setting has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the suggested approach allows for a continuous development of critical skills among learners. On the other hand, it does not seem to offer support to the students with special needs, e.g., ESL students, learners from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, etc. Therefore, the existing standards will have to be altered slightly so that the needs of multicultural audiences could be taken into consideration.
Impact of Alignment with SEDL
When considering merging the standards described above with the SEDL principles, one should bear in mind that the specified process may entail the chances of creating a framework for meeting the needs of diverse learners. While SEDL is admittedly commonplace, it serves as a tool for encouraging student-teacher communication and the active collection of feedback. Therefore, the SEDL-based assessment results will inform the further student-oriented teaching strategies (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 2004).
Role of the Leader: Description
The role of an educational leader is rather challenging in the identified context. For instance, it is necessary to make sure that the assessment tool allows retrieving a detailed and accurate description of the target audience. However, as stressed above the lack of opportunities for meeting the needs of diverse learners may make the process of students skill evaluation rather convoluted. Therefore, making sure that the current assessment framework aligns with the set standards and at the same time provides essential information about the target populations needs should be viewed as the primary role of the leader of the institution,
Helping Students Develop Academic Skills
In order to promote the active acquisition of the required knowledge and skills among learners, a leader may want to consider focusing on the culture-specific characteristics of the target demographics. As a result, the opportunities for using Vygotskys framework as the means of encouraging the students to engage in the meta-cognition process and learn to study efficiently should be viewed as a grand opportunity (Chappuls & Chappuls, 2008).
Common Core Standards: Suggestions and Personal Opinion
I believe that the framework that is currently deployed in the target educational setting is very efficient and, therefore, very good for students. The existing assessment system helps not only test the learners ability to carry out basic tasks but also serves as the means of determining whether they are capable of engaging in the creative thinking process. In other words, the existing system helps determine the presence of analytical skill in students. The identified characteristic of the tool aligns with the current standards and, thus, should be viewed as an important platform for developing new and improved teaching strategies that will help meet the needs of diverse learners.
Developing a Better Understanding of the Standards
There is no need to stress the significance of learning about the crucial standards of students performance seeing that the identified knowledge allows building an efficient teaching framework. For this purpose, ones should consider carrying out an experiment and exploring the effects of the said standards in the context of a classroom. Thus, the platform for creating a new and improved assessment tool can be created.
References
Chappuls, S., & Chappuls, J. (2008). The best value in formative assessment. Informative Assessment, 65(4), 14-19.
Common Core: Language arts standards, grade 9-10. (n.d.). Web.
Regier, N. (2012). Book two: 60 formative assessment strategies. New York, NY: Regier Educational Resources.
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. (2004). Alignment in SEDLs working systemically model 2004 progress report to schools and district. Austin, TX: SEDL.
This paper reveals the importance of resource evaluation for the selection of appropriate learning materials for the education of occupational nurses. It provides four examples that can be used for the proposed curriculum and their assessment. This information is important because appropriate materials increase chances to accomplish a course and acquire needed knowledge and skills. Those materials that are used by an educator should make it easier for students to perceive the information but not to confuse them. Evaluating selected resources, teachers receive an opportunity to influence learners educational experiences positively (Selecting teaching and learning resources 2017). The use of technology for conveying information requires special attention because everything found on the Internet may be biased or full of errors. In this way, evaluation allows ensuring that course materials are reliable and accurate, that they cover topics discussed in a class, and meet the statements of intent. As the proposed course will be focused on safety and health surveillance, resources used for it will focus on the related information. All of them will be technological, due to the advantages they provide (not costly, easy to use, available, correspond to students interests, etc.). In particular, online published textbooks, presentations, film clips, and virtual reality will be approached.
Resource evaluation can be conducted in different ways. Here, it will be mainly focused on their contents connection with the statements of intent. Additionally, their utility and significance will be discussed. Learnability and interest will also be included, due to the necessity to meet learners demands (Course design and instructional materials adoption guidance 2017). In this way, the way resources will be used and what will be learned from them will be outlined, considering appropriateness to the course.
Resource Evaluation
In general, many people associate education with the utilization of textbooks. Nevertheless, it is much easier to access those that can be found online and to carry them to any location. For instance, a book written by Thornbory (2014) can be obtained from the Internet in pdf or read on Google Books and other online libraries. This source is appropriate for occupational nursing students because it focuses on the most important topics, including public health, management of health and safety, health promotion, etc. (Thornbory 2014). All information is presented in a logical order and provides a complete program. Unfortunately, it does not answer the needed questions and fails to take into account students background knowledge, which is critical (Selecting teaching and learning resources 2017). Nevertheless, being applied along with other materials and teachers explanations, it is likely to be suitable for the course and can be used during individual and group work.
Using presentations, educators can make their lectures easier to understand, as the most important information is perceived by students both with their vision and hearing. For example, a presentation prepared by IHNA Hcig and Nursing Institute at Health Careers International (2014) is appropriate for the course because it educates students on the variety of risk assessment tools. Having this material at home, learners will easily revise important information when needed. Moreover, images used in it can make it easier for students to memorize data. The content of this material is appropriate for the course, as risk assessment is vital for both patient and nurse safety (Course design and instructional materials adoption guidance 2017). However, sometimes presentations attract more attention than a lecturers speech. To avoid disconnection with the audience, educators should ensure that the information they provide is not identical to the content of the presentation. In this way, they can add additional facts to the discussion, beefing up students knowledge.
Occupational nursing students can be taught using various film clips that reveal cases faced by nurses because verbal, visual, and non-verbal cues are considered. Moreover, film clips can replicate real-world scenarios showing students how theory and experience can affect the performance of nurses. The information they provide is often more understandable than in a text. Film clips demonstrate information so that students do not need to imagine situations. However, the use of these resources is often time-consuming, and many educators are afraid of missing an opportunity to teach a complete course (Course design and instructional materials adoption guidance 2017). To improve this situation, they can resort to the most important fragments of the whole film or short videos that provide limited information. For example, Risk management for nurses uploaded by VEA Australia New Zealand (2012) is one of the educational videos that can be used in the framework of risk management for nurses program. It reveals that occupational nursing has many inherent risks that are present on a daily bases and have serious consequences. This material can be used during the introduction of the topic, for instance, to grab students attention. Other film clips can be purchased for the following classes.
One of the educational resources that become popular today is virtual reality. It allows students to use their knowledge and skills in practice without actual participation, ensuring engaging and exciting learning (Jacobs & Carter 2017). They are both fun and complex because students are not only enjoying the possibility to get into an imaginary world but also solving some tasks. Moreover, they can learn from their own mistakes because no one can be hurt in virtual reality. Nevertheless, its integration is rather costly because of the use of advanced technology (Selecting teaching and learning resources 2017). Simulations can be focused on the identification of risks present in a particular environment or ways to ensure safe patient transportation. Moreover, these simulations can be adapted to those topics that are to be discussed in the course (Jacobs & Carter 2017).
Reflection
This assignment provided me with an opportunity to realize the importance of evaluating teaching resources and expand my awareness of its value. I understood that all needed information cannot be learned by students if they are not provided with those materials that cover appropriate topics. Moreover, I realized that if some data is not provided by a teacher, students usually find it on the Internet. However, they do not pay attention to the fact that it is full of inaccurate information. Thus, I realized that it is vital to ensure that educational materials are aligned with the course aim, objectives, and outcomes. In addition to that, they should be appropriate for the students level so that they do not face difficulties when using selected resources. Finally, I acknowledged that the data received by students should be up-to-date and valid, as the education of occupational nurses may affect the well-being of the whole community.
Jacobs, R & Carter, K 2017, Interprofessional simulation education designed to teach occupational therapy and nursing students complex patient transfers, Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 67-70.
Selecting teaching and learning resources. 2017. Web.
Thornbory, G 2014, Contemporary occupational health nursing: a guide for practitioners. Routledge, London.
VEA Australia New Zealand 2012, Risk management for nurses, online video. Web.
Response to intervention (RTI) is a number of procedures, which can be used in determining why and how students respond to change in specific instructions (Muoneke, 2007).
RTI approach provides advanced procedures for school in designing, implementing, and assessing educational interventions; it helps students who are having difficulties in learning (Muoneke, 2007). This paper will discuss about the response to intervention (RTI) approach.
RTI approach has been designed to benefit students and education institutions. One of the greatest benefits of the RTI approach is that, it eliminates the wait to fail situations (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
With RTI approach, learners have access to immediate assistance and students learning difficulties are addressed directly. This reduces the chances of failure because teachers tackle students problems before they get worse.
Secondly, the RTI approach can be able to reduce the number of learners being referred for special education program. Considering that the RTI approach provides effective instructions and progress assessment, it has the potential of reducing the number of students being referred for special education while increasing the number of successful students (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
In addition to this, the RTI approach provides more useful instructions compared to the traditional approach (Muoneke, 2007). With the utilization of the student progress-monitoring program, the RTI approach is able to meet the needs of learners directly.
Parents and teachers have observed this benefit. On the other hand, when trying to put into practice the RTI approach, they are numerous challenges that hinder this model from being fully effective.
The first issue is the problem of limited progress and monitoring tools for secondary schools (Muoneke, 2007). According to Muoneke (2007), less attention has been focused in the secondary schools and this has resulted in having few tools for progress monitoring in schools.
Due to the nature of the secondary school system such as departmental structure, there has been a shortage of progress and monitoring tools making it hard to implement this particular model.
Secondly, there is the issue of funding. To ensure the RTI model is implemented successful, proper funding is required to enable the entire program to work properly. There is poor allocation of resources to support this model. This hinders meeting the needs of struggling students as required (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
The other challenging issue that must be addressed is redefining the roles of educators (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). While trying to implement the RTI approach in our schools, this issue is has emerged.
The existing educators such as classroom teachers and educational service providers have not been given enough orientation (Muoneke, 2007). As such, there is need to redefine the roles of educators to ensure that the program becomes effective.
For those schools already using the RTI approach, they are facing problems in clarifying the role of parents in this program (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). Notably, schools that have involved the parent in the RTI approach usually have positive results in students academic performance (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
However, most schools have not been able to describe the role of the parents in the RTI model. The involvement of the parents is helpful in promoting communication of the progress and monitoring program. There is need to clarify the role of parents when implementing the RTI model in schools (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
Another big challenge in our schools when implementing the RTI approach is incorporating culturally instructional practices (Muoneke, 2007). The use of cultural instructional from different backgrounds is beneficial to the students (Muoneke, 2007).
However, it has been very challenging in selecting the cultural instructional that can be able to work with the students of different cultural background (Muoneke, 2007). Finally, most schools using this model experience problems of understanding the scaling up RTI implementation (Muoneke, 2007).
Since RTI model is a new concept in education sector, a lot of time is required to develop guides that will facilitate understanding this model (Muoneke, 2007). However, until this is achieved, grading level will remain a big challenge for schools that are already using RTI approach.
To ensure effective implementation of the RTI program, all major challenges affecting this model must be addressed. Teachers, parents, government, and all other involved stakeholders should work towards ensuring effective implementation of the RTI model, which is no doubt very beneficial. Different strategies can be employed to overcome the existing challenges.
First, the government should focus its attention in supporting this program. It should provide schools with enough funds to facilitate implementation of the program. This will solve issues of funds shortage.
Secondly, teachers and parents should be given enough orientation through training and education programs to sensitize on the utilization of the RTI approach (Muoneke, 2007). This will clarify the roles of parents in the school concerning this particular model. It will also help in redefining the role of teachers in making the model to become successful.
To address the shortage of progress and monitoring tools in secondary school, the involved stakeholders and government should come in and emphasize the need to focus attention to our secondary schools. The government should also provide financial support to increase the necessary tools for progress and monitoring to be effective in the school system (Muoneke, 2007).
There are many advantages of intervening early in students learning experience. First, intervening early in childrens learning experience helps the parents and teachers to indentify young children who are at the risk of experiencing learning difficulties (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
The ability to recognize children with difficulties of learning enables the teachers and parents to develop policies that will facilitate learning among the affected learners. This helps in eradicating cases of school failure.
Early intervention of childrens learning experiences facilitates social change. The situation in which teachers can be able to detect difficulties in learning abilities of certain students revolutionizes the way childrens needs are addressed (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).
Detecting that a particular student has learning problems gives teachers opportunities to offer special care to the affected students. This facilitates positive change in the society.
Apart from recognizing students with learning difficulties, early intervention of childrens learning experience helps in making children with special needs to be successful in their first school experiences (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). RTI approach offers the necessary solution. It is the first step in making sure the needs of students with learning difficulties are addressed.
In summary, RTI approach is a developed system of instructions and intervention that has been created to cater for students with learning difficulties (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). There is no doubt that the RTI approach is useful and very beneficial in eliminating cases of school failure among the student.
This model represents the latest improvements in education sector since it ensures that students with learning difficulties are assisted. Despite the challenges facing implementation of RTI approach, this model can bring positive changes in our schools.
Reference List
Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. (2006). Introduction to response to intervention: What, why, and how valid is it? Reading Research Quarterly, 41(1), 9399.
Muoneke, A. (2007). Response to Intervention (RtI): A Systematic Approach to Reading and School Improvement. Web.
Education is an important step through which learners acquire knowledge and skills in a variety of subjects. This knowledge is important in the psychological development of these learners because it allows them obtain necessary intellect that pertaining to the subjects they learn. These skills could be of great importance once they become older. Childhood is one of the most important stages of human development and as such, children should be nurtured delicately for them to get the best out of their abilities.
Therefore, children should be allowed to learn within an environment, which can help to bring out their best talents and abilities while they are still very young to make them grow up effectively. There is an urgent need for the education system to be more responsive to the needs of these children in order to nurture and harness their abilities effectively. This would enable them excel in their fields of specialization later on in life.
Theory of multiple intelligences by Howard Gardner
The theory of multiple intelligences is one that has had a great impact on educational and growth values as far as early childhood education is concerned. This theory, as proposed by Howard Gardner (2006), views education as the practice through which societal problems can be solved through ways that cherish cultural setting within which that education is being offered. Therefore, education according to Gardner (2006) must have the ability to come up with products that can have a lasting impact on cultural advancement of a particular society.
The potential of children who are taught within such a system can therefore be assessed based on cultural beliefs and attitudes that exist within a particular culture. The intelligences offered within that culture will be mainly reliant on the types of opportunities that are dominant in that culture and the level of influence other society members have on learners regarding these opportunities (Gardner, 2006).
Societal members can include teachers, families and other individuals who play a big part in making decisions that govern how education system is run. Gardners theories advance the belief that each set of human beings has unique intelligences, which combine in different ways through abilities that manifest among themselves.
The eight intelligences in a human being play a part in determining a persons weaknesses and strengths and as such, two people can never have similar set of strengths and weaknesses based on the eight intelligences. Gardner (2006) shows that one or more of these intelligences can be enhanced through learning process within an ideal environment. This could actually determine a persons strength in a specific area.
Intelligence therefore within this line of thought is brought out more as a wide range of abilities that specific individuals excel in. This cannot be limited to perceived narrow views regarding human abilities and inner potentials. An individual can be able to perform several functions that are related to some of these intelligences. The ability to replicate exceptional performance varies from individual to individual (Gardner, 2006).
Individual Attributes
Gardner can be credited with bringing to the fore the importance of recognizing specific attributes that an individual possesses, which can be polished to make that individual stand out in whatever he or she chooses to do (Baum, Viens, & Slatin, 2005). In early childhood education, the unique attributes of every child can be recognized at a very early stage and teachers and parents are in a better position to evaluate the likely path that a child is likely to take as he or she grows up.
Baum, Viens and Slatin (2005) argue that one of the theorys intelligences regarding an identifiable core set of operations within each human being reinforces the argument that human ability is more individualized. Thus, a person who is outstanding in one field cannot be expected to be outstanding in a different field that is unrelated.
This is very relevant in early childhood education because based on this, children cannot be expected to have uniform strengths and weaknesses and as such, they cannot perform all tasks with similar sets of results. Baum, Viens and Slatin (2005) argue that teachers and parents should assess each child individually based on strengths of each child and evaluate how this can be of benefit later on in life.
A clear design in the learning methods adopted should be able to focus on areas that each individual learner has strength. Moreover, the design should seek ways in which this can be harnessed (Baum, Viens, & Slatin, 2005). The areas in which the learner is inclined to should be nurtured in early childhood development to ensure that he or she gets a solid foundation on which they can rely on later on in life.
The teaching methods used should be aligned to each individual childs talents and abilities and the teacher must be in a position to help each child to be at ease with anything that he or she is good at. The teacher should take the differences that are exhibited by the children seriously in order to identify a childs inner potential and how it can be nurtured to bring out the best rewards for the child as they grow up (Baum, Viens, & Slatin, 2005).
The values passed on to the children will have a big influence in determining their personality. These differences are vital in creating strong relationships between a child and other people. Appreciation of individual confidence is necessary in promoting a childs self worth and esteem. This can actually act as a big motivational tool in helping the child achieve his or her dreams (Baum, Viens, & Slatin, 2005).
Teachers recognition of a childs individual strengths and weaknesses enables the educator to be proactive in evaluating the best ways to teach that child. Baum, Viens and Slatin (2005), state that this recognition helps the child to be aware of what he or she needs to do to be prominent in society. Within the early childhood curricula, identification of specific talents and abilities that a child possesses can be an invaluable tool for making the child aware of the expectations that are bestowed upon him or her in the society.
Influence of the Natural Environment
Gardner s theory argues that human beings are able to emulate behavior from the natural surroundings within which they live and as such, this has a big influence in helping them nurture and grow their talents. Thus, in early childhood developmental stages, nature has a profound impact on growth and learning because the child is able to internalize whatever he or she experiences within a particular environment (Morrison, 2008).
The child therefore must be exposed to a positive and nurturing environment, which can leave a permanent impression on the child as he or she grows up. Morrison (2008) reveals that a negative environment can easily diminish a childs learning ability thereby proving more harmful to growth and development of that child. This can hamper the nurturing of positive qualities within a child.
Gardners argument that a positively rewarding environment is essential for learning holds a lot of weight. As such, it can have a lot of influence in developing human capacities and capabilities. Morrison (2008) notes further that an environment with resources gives a child an advantage of determining the path that he or she chooses and makes such a child more competent. Therefore, it is always vital to make sure that children are exposed to necessary resources and materials that would help them nurture and grow their abilities, both at home and at school (Morrison, 2008).
Early childhood learning facilities should be equipped to respond to the differences in abilities that might be exhibited by children at that early learning stage. Learning resources should be adequate and they should be able to give children necessary nurturing skills to enable them grow their abilities even further. A child internalizes the basics of an environment that he or she is brought up (Morrison, 2008).
Therefore, children would be able to follow natural tendencies that have been bestowed on them because of exposure to facilities and resources that exist within the environment. Morrison (2008) further argues that the society, which the child lives in, would greatly influence the nature of the activity that the child will adopt and as such, this may end up becoming the chosen path that such a child would pursue in life.
The influence of bodily kinesthetic intelligence
Gardners theory states that this intelligence enables a person to perform strenuous physical activities. It also helps an individual become skillful in regulating his or her bodily movements to produce desired action. Nardi (2001) shows that this is very relevant in early childhood education because children can be taught the value of endurance. The child can be able to nurture such abilities at a young age because they can be able to acclimatize to the physical exertion required to perfect their bodily intelligence.
The child can trained to acquire a clear goal regarding to the physical action. This would further help a child understand the rigors that are involved and the desired effect of such goals on his or her achievement in life (Nardi, 2001). Early childhood teachers can make such children cherish their participation in physical activities by emphasizing on the importance of training and staying fit all the time.
In the past, theoretical classroom aspects of learning have been given more recognition in early childhood curriculum compared to practical and outdoor aspects of learning. Therefore, this form of intelligence should be given the importance it requires. It is the role of early childhood teachers to ensure that more children can appreciate the benefits of physical outdoor activities (Nardi, 2001). This is a valuable way of making children utilize their muscular movements to achieve their abilities.
This would help children prosper in fields that require many physical activities. Nardi (2001) further adds that such children can be taught how to benefit from their physical tenacity and endurance. This would ensure that they cultivate the demands of the fields they choose to be part. Necessary training procedures can be used to help such children refine their skills. This ensures that they develop their reflexes and timing to become good at what they do.
Children who have an inclination towards bodily kinesthetic intelligence are taught best through physical and muscular movements. This allows them to acquire skills that are necessary in developing their abilities (Nardi, 2001). They learn well by engaging in such physical activities. As such, the teacher should ensure that there are adequate amenities, both outdoor and indoor, that can help such children exploit their abilities fully.
Nardi (2001) reveals that physical activities suit children who may want to pursue careers in theatre, dancing, singing and other performance arts. Such children may also have a desire to pursue careers in the military, sports, engineering and architecture.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences addresses the factors that affect child growth and education, and their impact on learning process. The theory addresses issues related to individual abilities and how they can be harnessed to make children more competent. Teachers play a big role in enhancing the talents of children.
It is noted that both teachers and parent have a role to play in nurturing childrens talents and abilities. It is also noted that children have varying talents and capacities. Each child should be evaluated carefully to determine his or her capability. Children with the same capacities are to be exposed to the same teaching methods and techniques.
References
Baum, S., Viens J., & Slatin, B. (2005). Multiple intelligences in the elementary classroom: a teachers toolkit. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Gardner, H. (2006). Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Morrison, G. (2008). Early Childhood Education Today. New York, NY: Pearson Education.
Nardi, D. (2001). Multiple Intelligence and Personality Type. New York, NY: Telos Publications.
Starting a new venture such as an online university is a risky affair under any circumstance. In fact, the risks are further aggravated when the new venture has few precedents.
In addition to the risks associated with a new venture, an online university must raise capital from cynical sources, hire inexperienced staff, and establish a new market for its services (Greenwood & Suddaby, 2006, p.29). This paper will address two problems associated with a novel venture and the different types of legitimacies that need to be garnered in relation to online universities.
There are two main challenges that an online university must face in new populations. First, it must devise efficient practices and capabilities under conditions of ambiguity and ignorance. Second, an online university must create relations with an environment that is ignorant to their existence.
In nutshell, an online university faces legitimacy issues as it strives to curve a niche in the market. The question that arises is: what is legitimacy? A number of social scientists have given different definitions of legitimacy. According Suchman, legitimacy is a generalized perception that the actions of an entity are desirable, proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms, values&and definitions (1995, p.574).
Legitimacy is socially constructed in the sense that it mirrors an analogy between the activities of the legalized entity (online university) and the common values of a particular social group (Suchman, 1995, p.574). There are three main types of organizational legitimacy that are relevant to the existence of an online university.
Pragmatic legitimacy entails the direct exchanges between the entity (online university) and its immediate audiences (Suchman, 1995, p.578). It also refers to the process where the public, main stakeholders, government officials and other influential leaders accept a venture as suitable and right (Aldrich & Fiol, 1994, p.648).
Moral legitimacy, on the other hand, mirrors a normative assessment of the online university and its activities. It is mainly concerned with whether the activities of the online university support the welfare of the society. Thus, moral legitimacy gives credence to the social welfare of the society over the organizations self-interests (Thornton & Ocasio, 2008, p.103).
Cognitive legitimacy involves the spread of knowledge concerning a novel technology. It can be ascertained by assessing the level of public knowledge regarding a new technology. An example is the introductions of online universities that have enable millions of students around the world to access education from their homes (Suchman, 1995, p.581).
Lack of adequate sociopolitical legitimacy is a major barrier to the introduction of novel technology. For example, online universities may fail to secure approval from vigilant government agencies because the society lacks knowledge about its activities and the related long-term effects (Aldrich & Fiol, 1994, p.661).
Government agencies can make a major contribution by restructuring the inter-organizational atmosphere of new entities (such as online universities) in order to foster understanding between firms. The methods for developing and sustaining trust, reputation, trust and institutional legitimacy are interrelated.
Obtaining the trust of stakeholders within and around the new entity creates a foundation from which to develop a knowledge base through mutual exchange rules with other comparable organizations. These interactions eventually enable member organizations to organize as a group and to create an expansive reputation of their industry as a permanent reality. Trust is an important element that facilitates a smooth flow throughout the legitimacy-building process (Aldrich & Fiol, 1994, p.663).
References
Aldrich, H.E., & Fiol, C.M. (1994). Fools rush in? The Institutional Context of Industry Creation. Academy of Management Review, 19, 645-670.
Greenwood, R., & Suddaby, R. (2006). Institutional Entrepreneurship in Mature Fields: The Big Five Accounting Firms. Academy of Management Journal, 49: 27-48
Suchman, M.C. (1995). Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20, 571-610.
Thornton, PH & Ocasio, W. (2008). Institutional Logics. New York: Ashgate Publishing.
In the article put down the script, Marquart, and Sorden (2007) advices trainers to avoid using a trainers manual as it makes the training session like a dictation class. Instead of over relying on the training manual, authors advice trainers to tailor their presentation with regard to 10 tips. First, the leaders guide should be far to avoid temptation of looking into it. Second, the agenda should be on the wall whereas the audience should not see the accompanying notes. Third, the trainer should make the presentation visible. Fourth, the trainer should summarize the information on a one page cheat-sheet. The cheat acts as a reference point instead of the training guide.
Fifth, the trainer should position objects related to the topic on the table in front of the room to enhance comprehension. Sixth, trainers should place a welcome sign to promote friendliness and create a warm environment. The sign should involve visual clues. Seventh, the trainer should use different colors to bring out each point. Eighth, the trainer should ensure the audience has workbooks or binders to enable them ascertain what will be covered. The trainer should place sticky notes into the trainees workbooks to guide them thereby holding their interest.
Finally, the trainer should post the flip chart on the wall in time to prepare the audience avoid wasting time during the transition. During the presentation, the trainers should also avoid obvious mistakes. They include failing to provide refreshment, blocking the screen, giving the audience an excuse to shun listening, ending late, failing to include a lesson in the story, and failing to give a room for both positive and negative comments.
I agree with the writer of the article about effective presentation. The authors emphasize on providing effective presentation without using a training guide directly. The trainer is supposed to communicate with the audience by acting as a source of the resource being presented. This means if the trainer will read directly from the guide, he or she will not be acting like a resource guide but rather as a facilitator in a dictation class. In this case, the audience will opt to read for themselves rather than enduring the session.
However, I disagree with the authors idea of leaving the manual behind. The manual should be within the access of the trainer but out of sight of the audience. In case an issue beyond the scope of the trainer arises, he or she will access it from the manual. This means the trainer should refrain from reading directly from the training manual but have it ready for references in case a need arises.
The information in this article is consistent with my prior knowledge of presentation, but for a small deviation. Most of the authors tips fall within the confines of the knowledge of effective PowerPoint presentation, holding audience attention, and managing the stage. However, the idea of leaving the training manual behind is not consistent with prior knowledge but is a very useful inclusion.
I will apply the authors information in my future presentations. I will avoid referring to the training manual when doing my presentations. To achieve this, I will use the authors idea of creating a cheat-page summary of the entire information to act as a reference guide.
I recommend this article to a friend. It provides a fresh challenge to the traditional method of presentation. By reading this article, he or she will be challenged to avoid using a training manual during presentation and instead use the tips given in this article to improve presentation skills.
References
Marquart, M., & Sorden, A. (2007). Put Down the Script. T+D, 61 (4), 26.
In the contemporary world, the audiences of learners in all types of educational institutions, ranging from kindergartens to universities, tend to become more and more diverse. Because of the differences between various learners, it becomes increasingly inadequate to utilize the same instructional methods for all the students. Therefore, a need arises to use instructional methods and techniques which would be either flexible enough to suit all students or would allow for adapting instruction to individual learners. This paper examines two instructional techniques, namely, Differentiated Instruction and the Universal Design of Learning, which is aimed at satisfying the diverse needs of the contemporary learners of virtually all educational levels. After discussing Differentiated Instruction and the Universal Design of Learning separately, the paper compares the two techniques to find out which similarities and differences these two approaches possess.
Differentiated Instruction
Generally speaking, it is possible to define Differentiated Instruction (DI) as an approach to providing instruction to students in a manner which would take into account the peculiarities of each student and adapt the teaching materials and techniques to these peculiarities to find a match for each learner (Dixon, Yssel, McConnell, & Hardin, 2014; Ernest, Heckaman, Thompson, Hull, & Carter, 2011; Taylor, 2015). However, it should be stressed that researchers have different opinions about what aspects of instruction should vary in DI according to the peculiarities of a particular learner. According to some authors, differentiated instruction can take into account such individual aspects of learners as culture or ethnicity, gender, learning style, and so on (Dixon et al., 2014; Ernest et al., 2011). On the contrary, other authors, such as Pham (2012), state that the concept of learning styles has a poor evidential basis and should not be employed in differentiated instruction.
Instead, the author suggests that the teacher should emphasize the identification of the level of the readiness of their students; modify the contents, process, and products of instructions that they deliver; and improve collaborative efforts and autonomy in the process of learning (Pham, 2012). It might be possible to state that Pham (2012) argues that taking into account these three factors may allow for providing high-quality instruction for any student by estimating how ready these students are to learn; adjusting the instruction accordingly to meet these readiness levels; and enhancing both the individual and collective efforts of students to learn (Pham, 2012). On the other hand, such authors as Ernest et al. (2011) also propose to concentrate on other aspects of differentiated instruction, such as changing four main components of instruction chosen from a particular area: content, product, process, learning environment. On the whole, however, the crux of differentiated instruction is that this approach attempts to take into account the needs of virtually every student in this or that way, and adjusting the instruction to the needs of that particular student.
Universal Design of Learning
When it comes to Universal Design of Learning (UDL), this notion can be defined as one that denotes an instructional framework which is used as a guide for developing the curricula and teaching practices while taking into account the needs of the learners, therefore providing all the learners with the access to the curricula, eliminating obstacles to learning, and supplying alternative methods for providing instruction to students (Abell, Jung, & Taylor, 2011; Edyburn, 2010). On the whole, it is possible to state that UDL accomplishes the goal of making instruction appropriate for every learner by designing it in a manner which would allow for a high degree of flexibility in the provision of instruction, as well as for eliciting student response and promoting learner engagement via proactive planning (Courey, Tappe, Siker, & LePage, 2012; Spencer, 2011). It focuses on such aspects of teaching as expression, representation, and engagement (Spencer, 2011).
It should be pointed out that the framework of UDL has found its uses in a wide array of instructional techniques in both sciences and arts. For instance, Katz (2013) and Spencer (2011) proposes to use it in inclusive classrooms; Marino, Black, Hayes, and Beecher (2010) offer to employ this technique in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), in particular, in such a field of science (or, more specifically, in such a branch of physics) as astronomy. Such methods as the utilization of arts (Glass, Meyer, & Rose, 2013) or assistive learning technologies (Messinger-Willman, & Marino, 2010) are proposed to be integrated into instruction to make UDL more effectual in engaging learners.
Generally speaking, it may be stated that the crux of UDL is the creation of a single but very universal approach to instruction tailored for the given audience, one that would permit for effectually teaching all the learners thanks to the great amount of flexibility of that approach (Courey et al., 2012; Spencer, 2011).
Comparison
From the discussion above, it is clear that both approaches to instruction, DI and UDL, are aimed at supplying the learners with the opportunity to achieve the best learning outcomes by designing instructional activities, materials, etc., in a manner that would be suitable for those learners. Therefore, a common feature of both DI and UDL is that they stress the importance of custom-tailored instruction for learners, instead of using only a single curriculum that would be non-flexible, and would not be adjusted to the peculiarities of the audience of the instruction (Dixon et al., 2014; Ernest et al., 2011; Marino et al., 2010; Spencer, 2011).
However, DI and UDL are different in the manner in which they approach tailoring the instruction to different learners. Indeed, DI proposes to take into account the individual differences of learners, such as their learning styles, cultural or gender specifics, and so on, by continuously assessing their needs, and to adjust the instruction for each student individually (Dixon et al., 2014; Ernest et al., 2011; Taylor, 2015). On the other hand, UDL is aimed at making the instruction more universal by enhancing its flexibility and adapting it to potential peculiarities of different learners (Courey et al., 2012; Spencer, 2011). Nevertheless, both approaches to instruction are effectual when teaching different audiences a variety of subjects (Ernest et al., 2011; Katz, 2013; Spencer, 2011).
Conclusion
All in all, it should be stressed that both DI and UDL are aimed at modifying instruction in a manner that would allow for satisfying the educational needs of diverse learners. However, DI does so by constantly monitoring the needs of individual students and adjusting instruction to their learning needs, whereas UDL creates instruction that is flexible enough to be able to accommodate the teaching to the needs of all the learners. Both DI and UDL are important ways that permit adapting education to the needs of modern society, which becomes increasingly diverse as time passes.
References
Abell, M. M., Jung, E., & Taylor, M. (2011). Students perceptions of classroom instructional environments in the context of Universal Design for Learning. Learning Environments Research, 14(2), 171-185.
Courey, S. J., Tappe, P., Siker, J., & LePage, P. (2012). Improved lesson planning with Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Teacher Education and Special Education, 36(1), 7-27.
Dixon, F. A., Yssel, N., McConnell, J. M., & Hardin, T. (2014). Differentiated instruction, professional development, and teacher efficacy. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 37(2), 111-127.
Edyburn, D. L. (2010). Would you recognize Universal Design for Learning if you saw it? Ten propositions for new directions for the second decade of UDL. Learning Disability Quarterly, 33, 33-41.
Ernest, J. M., Heckaman, K. A., Thompson, S. E., Hull, K. M., & Carter, S. W. (2011). Increasing the teaching efficacy of a beginning special education teacher using Differentiated Instruction: A case study. International Journal of Special Education, 26(1), 191-201.
Glass, D., Meyer, A., & Rose, D. (2013). Universal Design for Learning and the arts. Harvard Educational Review, 83(1), 98-119.
Katz, J. (2013). The three block model of Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Engaging students in inclusive education. Canadian Journal of Education, 36(1), 153-194.
Marino, M. T., Black, A. C., Hayes, M. T., & Beecher, C. C. (2010). An analysis of factors that affect struggling readers comprehension during a technology-enhanced STEM astronomy curriculum. Journal of Special Education Technology, 25(3), 35-48.
Messinger-Willman, J., & Marino, M. T. (2010). Universal Design for Learning and assistive technology: Leadership considerations for promoting inclusive education in todays secondary schools. NASSP Bulletin, 94(1), 5-16.
Pham, H. L. (2012). Differentiated Instruction and the need to integrate teaching and practice. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 9(1), 13-20.
Spencer, S. A. (2011). Universal Design for Learning: Assistance for teachers in todays inclusive classrooms. Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 10-22.
Taylor, B. K. (2015). Content, process, and product: Modeling Differentiated Instruction. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 51(1), 13-17.