Instructional Technology
There are two views for the definition of technology. Traditionalists view it as the systematic application of science to practical problems. A more contemporary view is that technology is the application of knowledge so that it can be built from one generation to the next (Braudel in Seels & Richey, p. 7). The second view is not synonymous with integration, although it certainly does have implications for integration, but in a systematic way. As such, technology includes tools, processes, applications, skills and organization.
The field of instructional technology (IT) is not synonymous with the use of technology in education, either. Instead, it is a discipline, a field of study, a craft, and an art. In 1994, the Association for Education Communications and Technology (AECT) defined instructional technology as "the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning" (Seels & Richey, p. 1). This definition emphasized the need for balance between the field's theory base and practical use. Additionally, it outlined the domains IT seeks to influence.
IT meets most or all of the six characteristics of a profession as described by James Finn (1969):
- An intellectual technique
- An application of that technique
- A long period of training
- An association of members
- Enforced standards and a statement of ethics
- A body of intellectual theory (p. 232)
At the time of Finn's original writing (1927), he was pushing for the field to develop a foundational base for becoming a true profession. At the time of his writing, he noted that of the six defining characteristics of a profession, IT only possessed two. Finn's point is that IT will become more credible and profesionalized as more members of the field participate in these activities.
As reflected in the list of topics below, the interests of IT are broad and varied, encompassing a wide range of topics related to practice, application and theory. This book is a collaborative effort between graduate students in the Instructional Technology program at Wayne State University; and, an introduction to the field of instructional technology.
Topics
Bibliography
Finn, J. D. (1969). Professionalizing the audio-visual field. In D. P. Ely & T. Plomp (Eds.), Classic writings on instructional technology. Volume 1 (pp. 231-241). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Seels, B. B. & Richey, R. C. (1994). Instructional technology: The definition and domains of the field. Bloomington, IN: Association for Educational Communications and Technology.