Defining the Field

Developing a Definition of IT

Because I have been studying Instructional Technology for over fifteen years, my own definition of it has developed over time. While the authors, in Chapter 1 define IT as:

“. . .the study and ethic practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources”

my own definition started out about where the chapter began: The adding in of technology elements such as movies, computer programs, etc. to a lesson plan.

But, as I began to teach in schools that provided more access to different and more advanced technologies, I started to question that view. I reasoned that, after all, if it’s just an add on, why keep advancing to newer and newer versions of the same thing. Why not develop different forms of technology. For example, we had word processor software on computers back in the 1980’s which worked pretty well. So, if technology is just an add-on, why would we need newer, better versions of word processors? We wouldn’t!

Then, I was introduced to Alan November at a professional development seminar. His philosophy that technology should not be additive, but transformative addressed the very questions I was debating in my own mind. According to November, technology should not be just a bigger faster way of doing the same old things. Instead, it should be a new way of thinking, of doing, of learning, of functioning.

At that point, I thought I had my definition of IT set. It was using technological tools to find new ways to do the tasks that we, as teachers and students, have to do.

Then, on reading Reiser and Dempsey’s definition, I was brought to the realization that educators also need to contribute to the development of new technologies. After all, who is better qualified to guide the process of creating and developing new educational tools?

Applying IT

During a class for my current degree, I created the design of a game-based lesson to teach students holiday and party vocabulary, customs and traditions in Spanish. This game was designed to allow students to first practice their vocabulary in a home setting where they were playing the role of exchange students in a Spanish speaking country. Then, as the game progressed, they were assigned by a member of the host family to go into the market place and get the supplies for the celebration that they were preparing to celebrate. At each “vendor” the student had to request what was needed from that shop and successfully secure the needed supplies. Only upon successfully completing the shopping at that particular shop could they move on to the next shop. If they requested something incorrectly, the shopkeeper would present them with what they actually requested. Then, the student would have to correct and clarify, re-attempt the request. The game was successfully completed, or won, when the student had successfully completed all shopping tasks, assisted with preparations, and celebrated with the family.

1. ID is student centered – focused on elements that the student would enjoy and be likely to actually use in life

2. ID is goal oriented – prepare students for life in a foreign country where they would have the potential to visit through either a foreign exchange program or an educational travel opportunity

3. ID focuses on meaningful performance – celebrations, holidays, culture, traditions are part of life for everyone, in every part of the world

4. ID assumes outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way – every “level” of the game and the game as a whole required students to achieve a minimum level of proficiency before moving to the next level

5. ID is empirical, iterative, and self-correcting – students had the opportunity to improve their performance at every “level” even if they achieved more than the minimum level of proficiency; when students did not meet the minimum level, they were presented with review materials that would help them to brush up on their language before the next attempt at that level

6. ID typically is a team effort – This one was minimal in this particular development. I consulted with other Spanish teachers who approved different aspects and offered suggestions, but nothing beyond that.

Instruction Media – What is Included?

Instructional design and instructional media are different things, as Reiser points out, but they do work together. Without media, at least a minimal amount of it, no amount of ID will get us very far. For example, in my game that I designed, there wouldn’t be any progress toward the goal of learning a chunk of the Spanish language without the media of the software, the computer or other device on which to run the software and the media through which the lessons were presented prior to the students attempting the game.

While I agree with Reiser that chalkboards (or marker boards) and teachers are not instructional media, I have to disagree about the textbooks. Books are media. Textbooks are created with the purpose of educating someone on some subject. Therefore, textbooks are instructional media. Admittedly, they are a very old technology, but are still in use and still useful.

On the other hand, teachers and chalkboards are like the printers and paper that we use with our computers. They aren’t the media, but rather one means of creating that media.

Instructional design must incorporate media in order to be successful. As I mentioned above, without some form of media through which to transmit the lessons of the ID, there would be no point in creating any amount of instructional design, because it would serve no purpose. However, I do not believe that ID should designate any particular media as the only means to use. Rather, it should offer suggestions of different media that could be used, but allow that the teacher could reasonably adapt the design to whatever media is available. This is especially important if we want teachers to push the envelope of incorporating new technologies into their classes.