Unit One: My respose to the ASSURE Model

For this week, my class learned about the ASSURE Model, a model which involves a very delicate process for establishing, creating, implementing and revising instructional technology.  The most interesting aspect of the model for me involves the steps for selecting methods, media and materials in addition to the utilization of media and materials.  Upon exploring the ASSURE Model, I discovered that perhaps the most important aspect of instruction is not necessarily the topics themselves, but how one utilizes the teaching tools to successfully instruct others on the topic.

To me, pedagogical learning has always been the most beneficial form of learning.  I can read the same chapter on repeat multiple times, understand it, memorize the facts for long enough to perform well on a test but ultimately never remember the subject or any of the actual vital information.  It has thus always been upsetting to me when teachers and professors spend a great deal of instruction time just relaying facts, or reading lectures from a pre-written script.  I need to visualize examples and absolutely have to participate in experiences or discussions to fully understand something.

I do not think I am alone in this.  I vehemently believe that as a young professional, I have grown up with and in the Information Society.  I know technology because I have been surrounded by it: I remember in sixth grade my teacher chastising me for "writing" my rough draft on the computer rather than with a pencil and paper (as an aside: does anyone even do assignments with pencils or paper anymore?!).  I know that during my undergraduate career the course entitled "Critical Theory of Literature" was often the most intimidating to students--but a class I took so much from because it involved an expectation for me to continually place various works of literature in a variety of different lenses.

In a way, teaching instructional technology involves a very similar process to any other type of instruction.  As an instructor (whether as an academic librarian teaching actual courses or a public librarian providing seminars and instruction on e-readers and transferring VHS to DVD), I must remember that having only one method for instruction is never a good idea.  In the same way that reading or hearing a lesson does little for me, visualizing a technology process may be fervently unhelpful for someone else.  I must also remember that just because I grew up with computers and technology, does not mean everyone else understands it or is as comfortable with it in the same way as me.  Technology is important to instruction because it allows us to attempt all of these different teaching styles in effective and innovative ways.  I could teach a course on downloading a book to an e-reader by doing it in front of a crowd, or I could find multiple e-readers and go through the various processes of each.  I could have a Prezi presentation in the background, or videotape the processes and make the instruction available on the library's website.  Each method will appeal to different types of people, which is why variety in teaching instruction is so vital.  The ASSURE Model ensures this, which is why I enjoyed the topic so much!

A sample of a possible survey that could be sent out to patrons upon completing an instructional session on downloading e-books to their E-Readers is available here:
Click here to take the survey on the E-Reader Instruction as a follow-up to help your library improve future seminars!