Reading 1: ASSURE Model
After reading the paper "ASSURE Model Creating the Learning Experience" of the week, I found the reading useful and effective for E-learning specialists especially for teachers who would like to integrate technology in their lessons. The ASSURE model provides clear identification and guideline for instructional design from a wide perspectives in terms of educational, pedagogical, and psychological theories practically. However, though ASSURE model is well-organzied and precise, it still takes a great amount of time for teachers/course designers to develop such a lesson/unit plan. The better way for creating ASSURE model is to discuss the whole-year lesson schedules with colleagues/other professionals at the same time to cut down on the time/efforts takes. For a more practical use, the ASSURE model lesson plans are supposed to stored and shared for future studies. The course developers can adapt current plans and modify appropriate materials in accordance with the core skills of the century. The plans, on the other hand, could be share with alliance schools or institutions for efficient practice. All in all, ASSURE model could be seen as an ideal, workable and well-sturctured instrument for developing E-learning curriculum.Actually, I studied ASSURE model in undergraduate course and created a course of English storytelling for 4ed graders on tablets. After implementing the course in primary school, the results were not so appealing since I didn't consider the technical affordance well when developing the lesson plan. First, I was not able to describe the learners characteristics properly since I didn't get the students/school's information beforehand. What I did for that part depended on my imagination and guess. Second, the technical problem of the Internet access. The WiFi was not strongly covered the whole classroom and afforded 35 students to get online at the same time. When my partners attempted to help students with this difficulty, she found that the Internet access is a unsolved problem. Third, since it's the first time for the children of the school to use the tablets, they all got amazed and thrilled, unable to focus on my instructions in front of the classroom. Fourth, the interactive whiteboard was shot down due to unexpected reason. Thanks to additional paperback teaching aids, I survived for that moment. Last, the limited time for the class, since the class was at morning study hall (40 mins in total), interfered with the going of the activities. Our course ended in an wired moment. The experience reminded me of the importance of well-design and organization of any E-learning course. Since then, whenever I design E-learning program, I'd consider the ASSURE model in mind to develop better effective lessons.
