Debbie Morrison, M.A.: Education and Human Development, focus on Educational Technology Leadership, George Washington University, B.A.: Organizational Management, The Master’s College, Diploma: Business Administration, Ryerson University.
Instructional Designer, Educator, Writer and Blogger
Open and online learning is the theme of the blog. It’s also about learning, change and how to teach online in the open, networked, connected and rich platform we call the World Wide Web.
Mission
I’m passionate about education and lifelong learning yet see traditional education as failing students of all ages. I see open and online learning as a vehicle, part of a solution to reforming education, improving access, quality and lowering costs. A changed system will give K-12 and college students access to educational opportunities that will lead to dynamic, skilled and innovative individuals. My goal is to contribute to a solution that will make education relevant, accessible and more effective.
Bio
Debbie Morrison is an instructional designer and educator with ten years experience in creating meaningful, rich learning outcomes in higher education, K-12 and business settings. Debbie’s work focuses on online instructional design and education, most recently as the Lead Curriculum Developer, Online Programs at a four-year university. She currently collaborates with organizations to develop effective online programs, and is the learning mentor for online department at liberal arts college. She writes and blogs about online education.
She holds a Master’s Degree from George Washington University in education and human development with an emphasis on educational technology leadership, and a bachelor’s degree with a focus in organizational management. Debbie also studied at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada where she graduated with a Business Administration Diploma in 1985.
Places where I’m on the Web
Email: morrison6[at]sbcglobal.net
Twitter: @OnlineLearningI
Linked In: Profile
Pearltrees: Pearltrees.com/debmorrison
Personal website: debbiemorrison.net
Other blogs: School and Sports, and The Runners Muse
Goodreads: Book Reviews
This unique posting, “About | online learning insights” was in fact fantastic.
I am impressing out a clone to present to my friends. Many thanks-Heidi
Hi Heidi, Thanks for taking the time comment, and for reading! Debbie
Hi. Is there a list of your blog posts by title that I’m not finding? That could be useful…
HI Ilan, Thanks for your interest. I just added two options for searching for blog posts – you can search by ‘category’ from the drop down menu found on the right hand side of the blog main page, or from ‘archives’ which, when clicked list all posts by a given month. Hope that helps and thanks for the suggestion. Debbie
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Hi Debbie! My name is Wallace and I am only beginning my journey into the field of instructional design. I am a civilian instructor for the military and I would like to comment/ agree with you in regards to “on-line” schooling. Often when we think of military training, we envision tanks, guns, planes, and ships firing away but it is quite the opposite. Our Armed Forces are offered many opportunities to advance their military education and many of those schools have an on-line requirement that has be accomplished prior to the beginning of classroom training. For a long time, I was dead set against it saying that training had to be face to face in order for it to be effective. I have seen the error of my ways…to a point.
We must never forget that on-line learning is only as effective as the presentation. I have been required to attend on-line training and it was simply death by PowerPoint. The on-line classroom is the future with overcrowded classrooms, disgruntled teachers, and simply put, the technologically advanced student. On-line learning only makes sense so we must stay ahead of the wave to produce academically sound and effective on-line training. We, as the architects, must learn to be facilitators as well as instructors. Learning is best when it happens naturally.
Keep up the good work. I’ll be following you.
Hi Wallace! Thank you for your sharing your insights about online learning! Welcome to the world of training, instructional design, and online learning! Your observations about online learning are astute, and I admire your willingness to be receptive and open to ‘new’ methods. You are already ahead of the game by identifying that the only way to produce quality and effective online training and learning is to create ‘instructionally’ sound programs, and I’ll go one step further – to use an instructional design model to create a sound learning strategy.
That is interesting that you are training with military, as the military has been a leader in instructional design for face-to-face training – it is the military that developed the now famous model of instructional design, ADDIE, Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. Face to face training that doesn’t follow this model can be ineffective, yet can be ‘saved’ by a charismatic and/or experience facilitator – yet this is much more difficult in online learning – the design is absolutely essential!
Here’s a very good website you might find helpful needsassessment.org it is created by one of my professors, who I consider to be an expert in needs assessment and instructional design.
Thank you for your comment, and I hope can bring something of value to you in your training endeavors!
Debbie
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