Week 1 Assignment

     As I venture into the blogging world, I did not realize how uneducated I am with this technology. I am still learning and I can say that I am starting to feel a little less intimidated by this. One of the things I had to do this week in class is to find blog sites or resource sites that I think would be helpful for me as an instructional designer. I visited many websites (no kidding!) and it was overwhelming. So I took a step-back and thought, what is it exactly that I am looking for in a blog site? I think I narrowed it down to the following:

·         A blog site that can provide tips and ideas to become an effective teacher and instructional designer.

·     A blog site that will keep me updated on cool tools, new technology and maybe give me some guidance on how to use it for my courses.

·         A blog site that is focused on professional growth.

With these 3 things in mind, the first blog site I found interesting was Cathy Moore's blog (http://blog.cathy-moore.com). As I read her blogs, she focuses on adult learning in a fun way. Her writings are organized and conveyed in a manner where it is understandable and easy to follow. I found her blogs very useful especially because I do not have any training as a teacher. My training has always been in the laboratory to perform tests and as an instructor in the Medical Technology Program, my expertise is in my clinical experience. Using Cathy's blogs will guide me in my instructional methods, design and style so that I can communicate the information to my students. In her blog: "Scenarios, What are they good for" (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2012/05/scenarios-what-are-they-good-for/), Cathy Moore provided examples on different answer feedbacks in a traditional multiple-choice question. In another blog post: "How to create a memorable mini-scenario (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2011/10/how-to-create-a-memorable-mini-scenario/), Cathy Moore again provided excellent information on how to engage the students and learn the concept.

The second blog site that I think would be very useful is the Rapid E-learning blog (http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning). To become an effective instructional designer, one must know the different tools and technologies that are available to be utilized in your own classroom. Technology is rapidly growing and I have to keep up with it and for me to do so, I need to know what's new. This website is very informational and provides helpful insights and detailed instruction, especially with PowerPoint presentations. I did not know that I can be very creative with PowerPoint presentations!

The third website that I found very informative is Faculty Focus (http://www.facultyfocus.com/). Sometimes with our schedule, we, as instructors, often find professional development, at the bottom of our list. If we have time to go to seminars, conferences, workshops, then we are lucky enough to get the information we need to increase our knowledge and to be in the loop with what's going on and what other educators are facing. This is the answer to that "lack of time" issue. This website is full of articles focused on professional development.