Reflecting on the Definition of Instructional Technology

How do the definitions in the first chapter of Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology by Reiser and Dempsey compare to your own definition of instructional or educational technology?

 

The definitions broaden over time from highlighting the method of delivery to encompassing the process of the learner.  My definition has evolved over that same path.  Early in my teaching career, the focus was on the method of delivery and making sure that I included the mandatory “use of technology” in each of my lessons.  Now that I better understand the art of teaching and the process of learning, excitement over the method of delivery comes second to the ability of the medium to effectively teach the stated objective.  Instead of using technology for technology’s sake, I now strive to only use technology when the medium can add depth to my lessons.  I agree with the second definition given by the 1970 Commission on Instructional Technology—teachers utilizing instructional technology should “employ a combination of human and non-human resources to bring about more effective instruction.”


What experiences or other influences have shaped your definition?

The change that has most shaped the broadening of my definition of instructional technology most is my recent ability to easily access so many different technologies.  When I started teaching in 2000, overhead projectors were still the main electronic equipment in classrooms, with a few very fortunate teachers having access to old Macs loaded with Oregon Trail.  At my last campus, we were excited just to have a 15-computer lab.  Now that I teach at a brand new magnet school in Dallas ISD, I have been inundated with equipment, apps and training.  We have Kindles, iPads, DLP projectors, interactive whiteboards, document cameras, microphones, self-paced computer-based engineering curriculum, Youtube.com access, and the list gets longer by the day.   Having all types of instructional media has made me hone my knowledge of each and more specifically examine how to best utilize the different types.  

How has your definition changed from examining the definitions in the first chapter of this book?

The AECT defines the adjective “technological” to describe both processes and resources—“technological processes are those that involve ‘the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to accomplish practical tasks.”  As I was reading the chapter and the various definitions, I kept wondering how in some sections, the authors were talking about instructional technology, but no electronic devices were mentioned.  Technological processes describe how you use and apply information, versus technological resources which are the means by which you apply the information (i.e., videos, MP3s, apps, etc.).