Section 1 - Defining the Field

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I must admit that until recently I was one of those people who considered instructional technology to be any media (hardware or software) used for instructional purposes. I gave little thought to what was actually involved in instructionaol technology and usually thought only of the physical components used to present the instruction such as computers, software, and audio/visual equipment. I have come to realize, however, that instructional technology is much more than instructional media.

I would agree with the authors of the text that the field should be termed Instructional design and technology. I would define it as a systematic process that includes the design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of instruction that uses technology to facilitate learning and improve performance. The process should be based on research findings, goals should be specified at the outset, and the user should be the focus of the instruction.

After studying the Dick, Carey and Carey Model, it all begins to make sense to me. I wouldn't change anything in the model as I consider every facet to be an integral part effective instruction. In fact, as I begin to think about how we are using technology at out elementary school, I realize that much of what we do with technology follows this model. The model supports all six characteristics of instructional design. According to Dick, Carey, & Carey, the first step in the process is to assess needs of the learners and identify the goal(s) of the instruction. If the goals are specified at the outset, then learners will know exactly what is to be the desired outcome of the instruction. In addition, if the learner's needs are assessed and the learners are analyzed early in the process, the instruction can be designed to accommodate the needs and goals of the learners. Therefore, the instruction learner centered and goal oriented. As stated in the text, "learners may be given opportunities to select their own objectives and/or learning methods in some circumstances". The power to learn is then placed in the user's court resulting in meaningful performance that is relevant for the learner.

One of the characteristics of instructional design is that outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way. This is a major component of the Dick, Carey, and Carey model. Performance measures must be clearly identified and reliable and valid assessment instruments developed. Instructional design should be research-based and as the model indicates, instruction should be revised as needed according to data collected throughout the process. This process often requires a combined effort of a team.

I felt a little nostalgic after reading the history of instructional design and technology in Chapter 3. As a young elementary student in the early 1960's I remember watching science films and viewing slides in school. When I compare the films of that era with the amazing multimedia presentations of today, I realize how far audiovisual instruction has come. The first interaction I had with a computer was in high school, and no one that I knew was very knowledgeable when it came to using one. Even as a college student and a beginning teacher, I had not been exposed to the modern technology of today. In my early years of teaching we were still using overhead projectors and cassette recordings, and the few computers that we had access to were used for word processing, record keeping, and AR quizzes. It was not until recently that I began to use technology as an instructional resource. After beginning my quest to become a certified librarian/media specialist, I became more interested in how to use technology to enhance learning. I now consider myself to be a facilitator of learning and instruction for students and teachers.

Technology has opened many avenues to education at all levels. In rural communities or small school districts, students are offered opportunities to enroll in online courses and distance education classes that would otherwise be unavailable to them. High school students can take courses through distance education . When I decided to further my education, the graduate degree plan that I was interested in was not offered in my area. I would not be able to travel the distance required to physically attend classes at TAMU. The perfect solution has been the online coursework that I have taken through TAMU-Commerce. I have come to realize after taking many online courses that the best teachers are often the students' themselves and that online learning is not impersonal...rather that it can more effectively meet the needs of the learner.

With the increased presence of technology and the introduction of the Internet into schools, the uses of technology in the field of education are endless. However, we must be careful not to use technology for technology's sake, but we must keep the needs of the learners as the focus of instruction. One way I anticipate using technology as an elementary librarian is to allow my young students to create a blog in which they share their thoughts and reflections about what they are reading with their classmates. The blog that we are using for this class has given me insight into how blogs allow students to express their thoughts and opinions in a very non-threatening way.