Reflection of Fall 2009 Semester

I'm back!

I feel guilty for not updating this blog (my Personal Learning Environment) regularly. Semester is fleeting, and now I'm in my last semester in SU. My goodness, what have I done?!

Okay, reflection time!

Last semester (Fall 2009) was a great semester. I took IDE 651. Instructional Message Design course and IST 616. Information Resources: Organization and Access. Both courses were great! The former was in School of Education, and the latter was in School of Information Studies.

The Message Design course evoked my creative side. Finally, my design skill matters. Not just that I had the liberty to use that design skill, it was being encouraged! (as long as I follow the graphic design principles). I notice, before I took this course I did everything instinctively. I didn't cram texts in a powerpoint slide because I thought it's uncomfortable for the eye. But what I didn't know was there is a scientific reason behind that. It increases the cognitive load! Making it harder for the audience to process the information, hence counterproductive. Message might not reach the audience as it intended. Well, that's just one of the many great principles I learned. I took delight in every assignment Jerry Edmonds, our professor, assigned us. From re-constructing powerpoint slides to creating wireframe of our instruction. Instead of being elective course, I think this course should be a core course. I believe every instructional designer should have this knowledge. By the way, I would recommend the textbook we used in the class for everyone who delivers information, message, instruction for other people, no matter what the medium (prints, audio, video). Our textbook was: Instructional Message Design: Principles from Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (by Malcolm Fleming & Howard Levie) How fun it is to learn the principle of designing instruction from the design perspective! (with the support of cognitive and behavior theories) Total FUN!

The Information Resources: Organization and Access course is a different thing. It was actually a course for students in Library Science program. The reason I took it was because I have interest in organizing, categorizing information, and a bit database. I always wondered how do people organize tons of information with different kinds of topic, and of course mediums, and still making it easily accessible. So, best way to answer that question is to ask the librarian! Study the science behind that process. As I expected, the course was great. I got the chance to learn different way of classifying information. I enjoyed each assignment, no matter how challenging they were. First assignment was about Indexing. We should evaluate a website's index. Second assignment was about Classification. This was my favorite assignment, because when doing the research, I get to read many interesting articles about my topic, which was The Seven Deadly Sins. Yup, I tried to analyze the Seven Vices! That's not the only thing I enjoy about this assignment. It was truly fun reading my classmates assignments. Some friend tried to analyze the classification of Angels (the Cherubs and friends), Snowflakes, Colors, even Wine, Beer, etc. My favorite part was learning the Dewey Decimal Classification and LOC (Library of Congres) Classification. It was amazing learning how people categorized information. The third assignment was, analyzing the non-book resources. I chose to analyze DVD (movies). Again, it was fun yet challenging to learn all the issues. Some friends chose to analyze map, CD, DVD (TV shows), paintings, etc. What a pleasure to read their assignments, as I also learn from them. Of course the final assignments was the most challenging one. We need to evaluate an Information-Retrieval System of our choosing. I decided to evaluate my favorite Design blog! I know it's unusual to choose a blog. But I chose Design*Sponge website because it meets the criteria of an Information System: a store of information, a set of potential users, and an interface by which users can interact with the system.

By the way, there was one session where we discuss about good & bad design (of an interface). My professor, Mrs. Barbara Kwasnik, referenced a book that was also being used as a textbook in my Message Design course: The Design of Everyday Things (Norman). What a delight to know that the two different courses I took (from different departments) somehow relate to each other.

Alritey, I didn't plan to write this long, but what can you do when you have so many things to share?! By and large, I had a great time last semester. I knew.. learning can be fun! It should be fun! :)