Judy Gehr – Re-designing a Course from Sequential to Global Views

Judy Gehr, an educator and teacher for over thirty years,  has been working as a Performance Learning Systems Facilitator for over 10 years.  Judy has 32 years of experience as a classroom teacher for Caroll County Schools in Maryland, and now she currently shares her talents as a middle school math resource teacher working with all nine middle schools in her county.  She facilitates both face to face and online courses for Performance Learning Systems and also acts as mentor for online courses including  the Algebra course.  Judy took some time to answer my questions and tell about her experience in helping to develop the new versions of STAR (Sucessful Teaching of Acceptance of Responsibility Online) and DI (Differentiated Instruction Online).

Judy Gehr

What did you learn while developing the courses?

Where do I begin? I learned so much this year revising DI and STAR.  The instructional designer had so many creative ideas that she helped open my mind to new ways for participants to share their learning.  Having someone take my thoughts and expand them into more engaging activities was remarkable.  It is amazing how much goes into building a course and my hat is off the instructional designers. I think I took all of this for granted in the past.   What a talented group of individuals the IDs are, not to mention patient, especially with me being a new SME.

What was the most challenging aspect of being a SME and developing the course?

I am such a sequential person that it was difficult for me to step back and look at the big picture.  We worked more sequentially on DI so I felt pretty good about the process.  With STAR we took a more global approach and with the help of a variety of STAR maps the ID created I was able to visualize the big picture.  I think the global part of my brain is now a big larger!!

What was the best part of the course development process?

The best part was to see all of your hard work come together in a final product.  It seems like you inch along for months and then when the end is near, it all starts to fall in place.  Once you get a chance to review the final product you realize you and the ID deserve a pat on the back.  The best next step is to facilitate the course and see how smoothly it goes!

Do you feel that serving as a SME will influence your approach to facilitating in any way?

This was such as amazing process that it will definitely influence how I facilitate.  I have a much better understanding of the whole online process, which is very complex.  I feel like my horizons have been broadened which should make me more effective as I facilitate.  I have a deeper understanding of the course content and the way it should be approached.  I even find myself looking at some other courses I facilitate and thinking how.