Week 1: Defining the Field

1). My definition of instructional technology is using computers, smart boards ipads and any other electronics to help assist in teaching and the improvement of learning of students. My experiences taking educational courses, teaching and attending educational workshops has helped to shape my definition of instructional technology. My definition hasn’t changed but I did realize that my definition is similar to the some of the definitions in the book. By reviewing all the definitions in the book and reviewing my own definition I can conclude that my definition and the book definition have a lot in common. Both definitions state that the use of technology can be used to help improve learning experiences for students.

            “Early definitions of instructional technology focused on instructional media, the physical means of via which instruction is presented to learners (p. 1). In 1963, the first definition to be approved by the major professional organization within the field of educational technology was published, and it too indicated that the field was simply about media (p. 2).” The 1970 definition states that instructional technology is “media born of the communications revolution which can be used for instructional purposes alongside teacher, textbook, and blackboard. The pieces that make up instructional technology include television, overhead projectors, computers, and other items of hardware and software (p. 2).” Seven years later in 1977 the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT) revised a new definition of instructional technology. The definition reflects that “educational technology is a complex, integrated process involving people procedures, ideas, devices, and organization, for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluation, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning (p. 3).” During 1994 the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT) published a book called Instructional Technology: The Definitions and Domains of the Field. This book contained a detailed and concise definition of instructional technology that stated “instructional technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning (p. 3).”

The latest definition was established in 2008 by the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT) committee. “Educational technology is the study an ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources (p. 4).”

2). The six characteristics of instructional design that should be presented in all instructional design efforts are:

1.    Instructional design is student centered.

2.    Instructional design is goal oriented.

3.    Instructional design focuses on meaningful performance.

4.    Instructional design assumes outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way.

5.    Instructional design is empirical, iterative, and self-correcting.

6.    Instructional design typically is a team effort.

In each of my lessons I believe they consist of the six characteristics of instructional design. I make sure that my lessons are student centered. When I taught a lesson about measurement, I would ask the students do they know what measurement is then I would give them the definition after a few of them would give me their responses. Then I would let them share their measurement experiences with me if they had any after I gave the definition. Each of my lessons have goals, for instance, my measurement lesson goal was for all students to be able to understand and know what measurement is and to be able to use measurement tools like inch tiles, paper clips and linking cubes. Meaning performance would be me demonstrating to the students how to use the measurement tools. I measure outcome by letting the students work a few problems alone to see who needs more assistance. I give students a chance to self-correct themselves by informing them they might need to recheck an answer before I give them the answer. During each of my lessons I do whole group learning then sometimes I will break them into small groups or partners to learn as well. This is how I incorporate the six characteristics of instructional design.

3). Media is the main means of mass communication like television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet. I believe teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks are all instructional media, because instructional media is materials use to teach or communicate knowledge to students. The teacher relays information to the students by speaking or by writing information on a chalk board. People who write textbooks are relaying knowledge and information through their writings for others to read and media is all about different forms of communication. Yes, I believe the purpose of instructional design is to incorporate media into instruction. Teachers need different forms of media to help communicate their lessons to the students because not all students are able to understand the lesson from just a textbook, they have to watch videos or see it written on the whiteboard as well.

Reference:

Reiser , R. A. & Dempsey, J. V. (2002). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall, c2002.