One more reflection

The development phase, which I actually touched on in the other reflection, oops was really exciting and fun. Being able to create this flashy document with all these clip art and pictures in it was really cool. Never really realized how cool a word document can look.

Coming up with the instructional materials was a lot of work yet it was so much fun. I finally got to see how my knowledge of amusement parks would be put to the test. I never realized how much I knew, and how I can make documents look pretty neat and something that in the end I can be very proud of.

Seeing all of the materials completed and put into their little binders was really nice. Knowing that I have created something that will be teaching people is pretty cool. It's like being a teacher but yet not.

I was also surprised with how much of the information just came from me. I've always had a passion for roller coasters and amusement parks but I never really realized how much I knew just from watching all those Roller Coaster specials on the Discovery Channel. I also have become more interested in amusement parks, and found that to be true when I bought a book about Pennsylvania Amusement Parks.

With the Instructional Materials I thought that this was the only time that group work didn't help. We were all at that point where our own projects were more important helping each other really didn't happen. But also when working on your own materials it's hard to work in a group just because your project is your baby and you want it to come out a certain way.
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The evaluation phase is something that will both be extremely beneficial yet hard, because you are basically giving something that you have worked on for the past 6 weeks to three learners that can either love what you did or tear it to shreads. The formative evaluation report will not be too bad because writing it will be very similar to the learner analysis. I think making the rationale of why or why you didn't change something will be tough, because your IM is like your baby and you don't want anyone to hurt your baby. But this will be a learning process and in the end it will make a stronger product, that you can be prouder of. (wrote this on 8-11-05 before my first learner does the training.) After my three learners completed the training, I was surprised to find that they all had enjoyed the manual and saw that it took a lot of time and effort. My first learner TyLean noticed somethings that I knew I had changed but just forgot to print out a new copy of that page (I accidentally printed out the page before it). Also TyLean noticed that I was missing an answer in one of my answer keys. That was quickly changed, although my other two learners did not notice the mistake. The second learner was my mother. She had a little trouble with it just because she was over analyzing things, and thinking about other situations, she was having trouble realizing that it was a hypothetical situation. Also she was the one that pointed out all my grammar mistakes which I went in and fixed. The third learner was Adam, and he enjoyed the fact that it was a way for him to take a break from him moving. It allowed for him to relax, which I know wasn't the purpose of the training, but if it makes someone feel better, then so be it.

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My expectations of this class seemed to have been met, but I have learned so much more. Looking back I really had no expectations except to survive without a mental breakdown. Well it's safe to say that I didn't have a mental breakdown (came close a couple of times though) and I survived and I have a product that I will hopefully be able to be very proud of. Right now, I'm kind of nervous because you will be grading my materials, and even though everyone else loved them it's the grade that matters.

One thing I must complain about is the fact that this was taught as a 6 week class. I definitely think that if this is going to be taught over the summer again, it needs to be during session 8 that way it is the 12 weeks which is a lot closer to the 16 weeks of a fall/spring semester. I felt so rushed during the time here, and if I was confused or just a little slow in grasping a concept I felt like I was completely blown away and left behind. Eventually I caught up and did get ahead at some point, but there was always this doubt that I was forgetting or missing something huge.

Well this is my last entry for ID

Over and out,

Nicole