This blog is a bit over a year old now and in keeping with last December’s “tradition,” I’ve collected my posts from 2011 in a LiveBinder. I’ve found that reviewing these articles gives me a good opportunity to reflect on how I’ve changed as an instructional designer and as a learner.
2011 trends
In collecting my blogging resources, I noticed some topics I blogged most often about included:
- Games for learning and social impact
- Performance improvement
- Health literacy
- Collaboration principles and tools
- Using scenarios and stories for learning
In reviewing my posts, I noticed a lot of “crossover” articles that could easily fit into multiple categories–mobile learning intersected quite often with games. Informal learning and performance improvement are always partners, but became increasingly tied together in 2011. This was the year of Google + (yes, I am a fan) and collaboration, curation, and technology merged as we increasingly had to grapple with an onslaught of information and technological change. Some technologies, like augmented reality, showed exciting promise but aren’t yet user friendly enough (from a DIY perspective) to become mainstream learning tools in 2011.
From a personal standpoint, I increasingly realized that, as an instructional designer, it’s critical to keep a generalist’s mindset–looking to a variety of disciplines as I try to improve my craft. That gave me a great excuse to find eclectic circles on Google + and hashtags on Twitter to keep up with .
Looking forward
I think 2012 will continue to be a “fusion” year as more and more people recognize that an interdisciplinary approach is needed to solve “wicked problems” and unfortunately education and health literacy, continue to fall into this category in tough economic times. But if I learned anything in 2011, it’s that passion makes a difference and can spark whole movements for change. So here’s to staying passionate in 2012.
Instructional Design Fusions 