As a teacher, my key aim was to design leaning environments and experiences which are conducive to learning. As an Instructional Designer, my key task was to ask, listen and co-construct relevant solutions. As a Faculty Development Specialist for Educational Technology, the lion share of my work was to facilitate meaningful/relevant exchanges and shared learning .
A SAMPLE OF SOME OF MY PAST PROJECTS:
The following few projects represent a small segment of my work as an Instructional Designer, Faculty Development Specialist for Educational Technology, Teacher and Learner. I see all these roles not only just as related but as complementary and intertwined.
Please click on the links below to interact with or view a sample of each project. Please note that some of these projects were designed and developed with FLASH (AS 3) and thus would not run on Apple devices such as the iPad. Additionally, some of the content on this page is driven by JavaScript (JS) and may thus require you to enable JS on your browser. These projects were designed with specific audiences in mind so I apologize in advance for any inconvenience these specifications may cause.
Flipping the Classroom and Enhancing Learner-content Interaction
As an Instructional designer in the Directorate of Language, Science and Technology (LST) at the Defense Language Institute (DLIFLC), I was selected to serve on the institute’s “e-Learning with Web 2.0 Project.” The project was commissioned bt DLIFLC to ACTFL, and its aim was to foster more engaging and participatory learning activities for beginner language learners by effectively incorporating various Web 2.0 tools. In addition to designing and developing the project’s Gateway Website for DLIFLC, I was also tasked with designing various language-specific (Hebrew) content. Below is an example of a beginner-level activity (“Introductions”) for Military linguists, and the supporting instructional content which I developed in order to introduce learners to military ranks, insignia and key branches in the Israeli army.
Technology: Captivate Show/Hide Sample
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Sample Activity - Introductions: To create your own Voki: Go to www.voki.com, click “Create” and then click “Customize Your Character.” Once you have chosen your character and modified it appearance to your liking, record your introduction. Preview your Voki, make any necessary changes and then share your Voki Introduction with us. Please check box for helpful resources to complete your assignment |
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Military Ranks, Insignia and Key Branches in the Israeli Army: |
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As a Faculty Development Specialist for Educational Technology in an online course for Distance Learning teachers,I was asked to produce a more interactive way to introduce the ADDIE Model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate) rather than just providing participants with a static diagram and text. I thus developed a simple drag-and-drop activity that was weaved into an online class discussion on the applicability of the model to participants’ context.
Technology: FLASH, ActionScript 3 - Show Sample
As a Language Teacher and Technology Specialist, I wanted to provide my learners with simple learning aids for reviewing and learning basic vocabulary and grammar concepts at home. To achieve that I created dozens of simple videos which students were able to download to their iPods, study in their own time and pace, and then come to class better-prepared for practicing the targeted new vocabulary or grammar concepts in more communicative activities.
Technology: Ulead video editor, PowerPoint, stills camera and the SmartBoard Recorder - Show/Hide Samples
| A simple video for reviewing the Days of the week in Hebrew | A class PowerPoint presentation for introducing the main vocabulary from Hebrew from Scratch about the Dead Sea, which was then converted into a video |
| A video composed of a series of stills images introducing basic body parts with the help of Mr. Potato | A video captured with the SmartBoard recorder for students to review the writing of the Hebrew Alphabet |
As a student at CSUMB my team and I were tasked with providing a target audience of 3rd graders with an engaging way for practicing the use and meaning of key prefixes. As the team’s production manager, I came up with the idea of a Learning Game where the game’s rules and structure can be simple enough as to not to destruct or overwhelm the learners and yet get them engaged in a meaningful practice activity.
Technology: Captivate - Show Sample
On-the-job interactive tutorials and Human Performance Technology (HPT) Projects
As an Instructional Designer and Faculty Development Specialist I conducted numerous face-to-face and online trainings and produced dozens of on-the-job video tutorials. However, in light of organizational objectives and participants needs, I also developed and implemented large scale HPT solutions where trainings were avoided all together or drastically decreased.
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 Most recently, I was awarded the Department of the Army Medal of Achievement (11/2011), the fifth highest civilian award in the Department of the Army, for designing and implementing an institution-wide (over 3,000 students) HPT intervention which allows language teachers across DLI to conduct and complete students’ evaluations electronically. Please click on each image to view and try out the old, paper-based, and new fillable e-Version of DLIFLC Assessment and Counseling Form (Form 864)  |
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Below is a sample of one of my first projects, where a cumbersome paper-based administrative process was transformed into a paperless, efficient process using Live-Cycle Designer, JavaScript and some Xhtml:
- The MIST e-Newsletter (Master of Science in Instructional Science and Technology, at CSUMB) provides a brief overview of the project - Open Link
- The following short video introduces the raison d’etre of the project -
- The following Presentation was delivered in the context of the CSU Student Research Conference for best papers in the California State University network, representing CSUMB in the category of Business Improvement - PDF Version
- The following Captivate tutorial was provided as a guiding tool for one of the Beta versions of the e-form. Later, it became clear that no further training was needed to integrate this solution - Show Sample
Facilitating self-directed Learning via Project-based Instruction
As a Language Teacher at DLI I initiated and implemented two key instructional programs, the Student-directed program, where learners were given the opportunity to co-direct lessons and HW assignments, and the Virtual Immersion Program where students immerse in the TL via interactive multimedia and collaborative Web 2.0 tools.
Following are a few aggregated screen shots of some of the online activities with which my students engaged. These screenshots were captured by the students and then published in their class site and individual electronic portfolios, which they created with Google Sites - Show Samples.
The following article, discussing the structure and implementation of the Virtual Immersion Program, featured on DLI GLOBE (Winter 2010) - PDF File, See p. 23: "If you can’t take DLIFLC to Israel, bring Israel to DLIFLC"
Following the successful implementation the Student-directed and Virtual Immersion Programs, and following students’ consistent 100% graduation for five consecutive years, I was selected as DLI Teacher of the Year and received the 2010 Allen S. Griffin Award for Excellence in Teaching for Post Secondary School, featured on DLI GLOBE Magazine (Summer 2010, p. 7): "Hebrew department pulls 2010 Allen Griffin Award"