Defining Instructional Technology


Instructional Technology is a broad field! Jump in with me to start exploring.

Januszewski and Molenda (2008) define instructional technology as “the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources” (p. 1). I have studied this definition many times and feel that it appropriately describes our field of instructional technology (IT). It also highlights the importance of creating, using, and managing technology, which is a hallmark of our field. It is what makes our field separate from others. 

We not only use learning theories, social theories, and the like, we also create, design, develop, and manage technology to enhance our literature and understanding of each of the fields that we touch.

When thinking about the layman's definition of IT, I was reminded of the definition that I use for IT in my dissertation. I define IT for “instructional technology,” the tools that we use to learn, as opposed to defining IT as a field, because I refer to the IT tools that professionals do not adopt. In my dissertation, I define IT as the tools used to accomplish instructional tasks (Galbraith, 2007). 

In other words, IT is a technological item or idea used for instructional purposes (Galbraith, 2007; Rogers, 2003; Seels & Richey, 2012). Even though my definition is for the actual IT tool as opposed to the field, I think that both my definition and the definition of the field focus on how IT enlightens either the field or the tool. The IT is what makes the learning enhanced; it is our differentiator.

References

Galbraith, J.K. (2007). The New Industrial State. (Kindle ed.). Princeton University Press.

Januszewski, A., & Persichitte, K. A. (2008). A history of the AECT's definitions of educational technology. In A. Januszewski & M. Molenda (Eds.), Educational technology: A definition with commentary (pp. 259–282). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Januszewski, A., & Molenda, M. (Eds.). (2008). Educational technology: A definition with commentary. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.

Seels, B. B., & Richey, R. C. (2012). Instructional Technology: The Definition and Domains of the Field. Information Age.


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