Goal 3: Leadership & Social Responsibility
(student) I developed competencies for socially responsible technology leadership.
Goals 3: To provide students with experiences to become socially responsible, reflective/sensitive on the interaction of technologies & society and act ethically in response to current and future challenges of emerging technologies for learning.
Objective:
-
Objective 3.1: Students demonstrate technology leadership and knowledge of ethics as applied to current and future socio-technical context.
Designing Online Learning
Summary: I was tasked with designing a game that could be played online based on the MIT balanced design framework. Since the topic for the game could be of our choice, I selected a safety/self-defense evaluation game.
Process: I chose this game because of my background in law enforcement and self-defense/safety courses I have developed and taught. I was unsure of how I would structure the game or make it accessible online as self-defense applies in physical confrontations. I remembered a training simulation I completed in the police academy called the FATS machine. It was a use of force simulator where we (the player) had to choose what actions to make based off visual and audio stimuli. It was a fast-paced game and I decided to replicate that experience. I created the concepts of the game, involving a voice over to let players know the rules and what actions they can take. The rest of the game plays out similar to a movie, but the player makes the choices of the main character. After the player succeeds or fails, their scenario would provide a score and give feedback based on their performance.
My role: This was an individual project so I did all of the work in development, and design of the game. I developed the game based off of a previous training exercise and I created the information regarding how the game would function. I ensured my game would comply with the MIT Balanced Design framework and gave my defense in the project. Finally, I developed the storyboard which gave detailed descriptions of how the game would work, examples of what would happen in the game, and give details on what would happen after the game was completed.
Artifact: The artifact is an explanation of the game, how it follows the MIT Balanced Design framework of Content model, evidence model and a task model. There is also a storyboard explaining how the game would flow when students would play it.
Artifact - Self Defense Game for Online Learning
Reflection: This assignment pushed for me to create a game that would give value if applied to real life scenarios. Looking back at this game, I realized that it could be updated depending on changes in the most updated self-defense praxis. As models of communication and learning are changing, there is a need for training to be online. With the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and people having to stay home, being able to adapt, move lessons, games and teaching materials online for instruction while keeping the validity and intensity of courses is paramount. Besides the relevance of the game topic, ensuring scenarios that are not biased as to age, race, sexual orientation or ethnicity would ensure that training of this type be current to the social situations of the time.
Microlearning
Summary: In this course we were tasked with exploring how microlearning works and to incorporate that into our daily lives. As microlearning is quick bursts learning (usually no longer than 3-6-minute courses) I chose to create a critical incident response sheet based on the environmental emergency of a tornado.
Process: I decided on creating a response list for police officers regarding response and preparation to tornados as it was applicable to my life as a police officer. As tornados do not happen throughout the year but are more seasonal, response protocols are not second nature and always remembered in detail. Having a way for officers to have a form they could keep in their patrol bags, in their vehicles or other commonly accessible locations would allow for quick refreshers in times of emergency. If there is not a unified front by all first responders, the result could endanger people by not getting help to them as soon as possible.
My role: As this was not a group project, I designed the response code and used my agency’s policy as a basis for the project. All first responder agencies have protocols developed to handle emergency situations. As the policies are not necessarily in a format that is quickly and readily available in a time of crisis, I was careful to include all pertinent information and response actions in the policy.
Artifact: The artifact is a form that is simple to follow and provides all required facts for the officers to assess and address in times of crisis regarding a tornado. With time being of the essence in an emergency situation, policy needs to be found in a direct, concise and practical format.
Reflection: Microlearning is invaluable when it comes to making adjustments in real life scenarios while on the job. It happens all the time without anyone realizing it but is best utilized when planned and executed with specific goals in mind. Police work is primarily person to person, but we still grow with the times including our use of technology. Each vehicle has a computer in it for dispatch notes, the ability to look up information and a multitude of other functions. Making small notes or having emergency response guides that are easily accessible is not only necessary but would be irresponsible not to have. Police and first responders are questioned and evaluated as to our performance and we respond to an extreme amount and variety of incidents. Because of the stressful nature and diversity of situations it’s to an officer’s benefit to have response codes quickly accessible, especially for events involving citizen safety. The Critical Incident Response Sheet I developed could be a model for response needs either by law enforcement or any agency or personnel tasked with the protection and safety of a community.