Category: Blog

  • 2+ Year Anniversary of Using ChatGPT!

    The talk of $200 a month for ChatGPT has got me thinking how I may have altered the course of humanity by creating a conversation with a robot in it’s early stages. How much of it did it learn from US? The earliest adopters. The first generation, before web search and $200 a month ChatGPT.…

  • The Evolution of Instructional Design Expertise: From Petroglyphs to Modern Problem Solvers

    When I first ventured into Learning Design and Technology, I described instructional design as a process where learners build their skills using tools and technologies beyond oral tradition. I imagined the earliest instructional designers drawing petroglyphs on stone walls, teaching others about survival through the visual depiction of predators and evasive tactics. My original definition…

  • Designing a Historical Game: Lessons Learned for My Next Role

    In my recent project, Surviving the Camps, I had the opportunity to design a game that explored the complexities of decision-making during the Japanese American internment camps of World War II. This experience combined my passion for educational technology, historical empathy, and instructional design, resulting in an immersive strategy role-playing game aimed at fostering empathy…

  • Protecting Your Privacy Online: What to Share and What to Keep Private

      It’s fine to share certain information online, like scenic photos or funny videos. However, it’s important not to share private information. Sharing personal views and opinions may not always be wise since opinions can change, and they may not age well over time. You don’t want your words to be misunderstood or attract unwanted…

  • Navigating the New Digital Landscape: Key Online Safety Protocols for Educators

    In many extreme cases, one doesn’t need to search far to find a former teacher in the news caught up in an OnlyFans scandal that ruined their career and anyone else associated with that level of drama. Breanna Coppage didn’t exactly show any remorse in her Nightline interview stating, “I wasn’t doing anything illegal…I’m there…

  • Goldilocks and Triadic Reciprocity

    This is my childhood home on Cape Cod. My family moved when I was 15, but the house on Edgewater Drive (a dirt road) will always feel like “home” to me. I made sure to include details I’ll never forget, like its simple, split-level design with shingled siding—nothing too fancy. My dad and I built…

  • Social Cognitive Theory and the #TrashTag Challenge

    The #TrashTag challenge is a great example of a positive social media trend that originated with Steven Reinhold and gained traction in 2019 and demonstrates key concepts from social cognitive theory, such as peer modeling and social reinforcement. This viral challenge has made a significant impact, especially when combined with Earth Day projects, and reportedly…

  • Differentiating Learning Theories

    When I hear the word “theory,” I rarely consider its practical validity or think about how it applies to my real-world experiences. Ertmer and Newby (2013) explore the theories of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism, offering insights not only into their historical development but also into how these theories can be effectively applied in instructional design. The…

  • Ethics and Growth as an ID Professional

    From my original post:Learning with design and technology appears to have almost limitless possibilities in 2024 because of the number of online tools available from YouTube videos to personalized AI tutors that can be fed datasets to help teach on a specific topic. I would summarize by saying that LDT is the process by which…

  • Merrill’s First Principles Framework Comparison: Behaviorism vs. Gagné’s Theory of Instruction

    Below you can find an in-depth breakdown of two theories of instructional design that interests me. This information is crucial for developing high quality instructional programs!  Questions  Behaviorism  Gagné’s Theory of Instruction  Compare/Contrast  1. Solving Real-World Problems  Despite its limitations, behaviorism is seen most prominently in [real-world] contexts where the objectives are unambiguous, where their…