How do the definitions in the first chapter compare to your own definition of instructional or educational technology? What experiences or other influences have shaped your definition? How has your definition changed from examining the definitions in the first chapter of this book?

In the first chapter of Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology by Robert Reiser and John Dempsey, we are introduced to a variety of definitions  associated with educational technology. I found myself able to connect with the 1970 definition. An excerpt from the text states this, “Instructional technology is more than the sum of its parts. It is a systematic way of designing, carrying out, and evaluating the whole process of learning and teaching in terms of specific objectives, based on research on human learning and communication and employing a combination of human and nonhuman resources to bring about more effective instruction.” I felt that I could easily relate to this definition due to the amount of staff developments and trainings we recently received before school started updating us on technology. The trainings were designed to help teachers recognize that the technology is there to enrich lessons and take a lesson to a higher level of learning. I believe that educational technology is utilizing a combination of media and technology to improve our instructional designs. Educational technology is facilitating learning through the use of appropriate technological tools where students are able to tap into their imagination and create new ideas. Careful thought and consideration should be applied when choosing technology to incorporate in a lesson, just as it was stated in the quotation.

In more recent times, the 1994 definition is also something I firmly believe in when discussing the topic of educational technology. “Instructional technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.” Technology is such an important tool in the 21^st century classroom. But to me, it’s more than just handing a student an Ipad. You have to be knowledgeable on theories, be educated on software, and evaluate whether or not the tool is actually improving learning. I also believe that many educators can relate to the 2008 definition which looks to be the most current. The teacher acts as a facilitator and students use appropriate technology to create and bring ideas to life.

There are other experiences that have helped to shape my view and definition of educational technology. This would include previous Educational Technology courses, research on theories/theorists, and personal experiences in the classroom with my 6^th graders and technology. I've watched my students grow academically when I was able to successfully incorporate media into my lesson designs.

After reading this first chapter, I realized that the definition for the field is constantly changing and evolving due to the fact that technology is ever changing. Our world today is much more innovative than it once was. New ideas, technologies and theories will affect the way we practice and present technology to students.

Next, think of a lesson or unit of instruction that you have developed. Or if you haven’t ever taught or developed instruction, think of one that you have received. How does that lesson adhere or fail to adhere to the six characteristics of instructional design? How would you redesign it to better adhere to the six characteristics?

One unit of instruction that really stands out to me is when I had my sixth graders participate in National History Day. They all had assigned topics that were important events in history. I guided them through the process of research where we spent many afternoons in the computer lab and library. We used the internet as well as other databases to search for information. Afterwards, they had to present their topic using some type of web 2.0 tool. The students could use weebly, prezi, video recording or powerpoint to present their information. For this assignment the students were allowed to work in groups, partners or individually. The students had an amazing experience as they worked collaboratively by creating a presentation piece from their research. According to the 6 characteristics of instructional design I felt that it was student centered. The students were able to research using each other as resources and create their final presentation without much help from the teacher. My role was to simply guide them throughout the process. I also felt as if the project was goal oriented. They wanted to win and advance higher in the competition. I believe that every single student took pride in their work and felt that it was meaningful. They weren’t simply recalling facts or applying a rule. They participated in meaningful discussions with one another to create a shared project that they would soon present to an audience.  I felt that their project could also be measured in a reliable and valid way as they had a rubric with guidelines and expectations to follow. They had to demonstrate and present their knowledge to prove they were experts on their topic. It was not a multiple choice or paper pencil assessment. I feel that the fifth characteristic of instructional design could have been better and more improved for this project.  There was no data or research collected about the instructional approach. As a teacher, I also did not have any prior experience with this because it was my first year to lead the students in the competition.  To change this for the next time, I could assess what the students may already know about their topic and have other adults or experts provide feedback other than myself.  The instructional design was also not a team effort. I agree with the article that it takes a variety of people with different skills to perfect lesson and instructional design. The next time we do National History Day it would be a better idea to have several other teachers to have input for the project.

In the 3rd chapter, Reiser distinguishes instructional media from instructional design, excluding teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks from the definition of instructional media. Why? Would you consider teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks instructional media? Is the purpose of instructional design to incorporate media into instruction? The first three chapters of your book define the IDT (Instructional Design and Technology) field and provide a history of how it has evolved over time. In your blog post for this week, reflect on the following:  

 

I believe that media is the use of communicating through television, radio, magazines, internet etc. So why wouldn’t teachers, textbooks and chalkboards be considered media? We are a source that delivers information and communicates learning to others. I think that instructional design, when planned carefully, can be better enhanced when we incorporate media into instruction. The graphic represents the different stages when implementing technology into instructional design. Each step is a critical and crucial part into integrating media successfully into lesson designs.