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Julie Whitehead

Julie Whitehead Post 1

• 3 June 2018, 12:03 AM

Gain but what can I contribute

When joining a CoP, I always feel like I can gain something from others but are not sure what I can contribute. Writing is not my thing. I tried writing a blog and I lost interest fast. 

I can build things. Interactive things, video things, audio things, images and animations. Here is an example of a work in progress:  https://360.articulate.com/review/content/7af3becf-2120-471f-9c3c-52bfee4c4d54/review. This is a work in progress but it gives you an idea of what sort of things I do.

I am an instructional designer at WesternU. What is an instructional designer? Nobody knows. Everyone I have met does the job differently. The job is in its infancy. I am a builder, a doer, a helper and for my faculty a consultant, enabler and support system. I work within a context. Currently, I am working on creating online courses for Adult Learners. 

We have a face2face CoP for all the instructional designers on Campus at WesternU. I enjoy that group and every time we meet I get something out of it.

I enjoy CoP for specific topics like Articulate E-Learning Heroes Community, a community for users of Articulate Storyline. If I get stuck on a task or need inspiration I go there. Everything is shared. A 'just-in-time' CoP is very helpful to me as I am sure it is for many.  I often fill that role for my faculty. I am a 'just-in-time' solver of tech issues with our LMS and advisor on instructional technologies.

Am I part of a CoP in our faulty? Does that fit within the definition of a CoP?

Jenni Hayman Post 2 in reply to 1

• 3 June 2018, 12:52 AM

Hi Julie, its sounds like your instructional design CoP is definitely a CoP, you are practitioners trading ideas and strategies, ideas about technology to help each other do better work (likely). Observing a CoP like open educators can take a bit of time, but it's at least pretty transparent. Many of the things about open education may be things you are already doing, but don't call them that or define them in the somewhat formal way they're defined for this course. It's still open, and still related to your education profession. My sense of where you might fit in the higher ed CoP context is CoP with your fellow instructional designers and technologists, and more of a client relationship with faculty members, at least that's been my experience as a designer. 

Great to have you with us!

Laura Killam Post 3 in reply to 1

• 3 June 2018, 1:48 AM

Julie, 

That link about the Mnemonic is really neat - I want to make one! This is kind of off topic, but can you point me in the right direction? 

PS: I love instructional designers, and although I feel like I am good at it I am not a big fan of writing. Good news, students don't like reading either. They love cool tools like what you just showed us. 


Laura