Week 3, Reflection

REFLECTION:

Before taking this class, my definition of instructional technology aligned with the more pragmatic definition of the 1970s. I thought of instructional technology as media that works to support traditional teaching methods and tools. I saw it as media that would enhance the teacher, textbook, etc. Just in this very short time, I have learned instructional technology expands much further than that limited definition.

Each time I read a new definition, it pushed my understanding of instructional technology and reinforced its importance. There are pieces of every definition update that I appreciate. I like the 1977 visual of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation, as a wheel.  I also like the notion of technology facilitating learning.  That is also what we do as teachers, we facilitate learning. I also agree that instructional technology is meant to improve performance of learners and instructors.

As an art teacher, I can apply both key elements of instructional technology to my own practice. Media can help with my instructional methods, for instance, using YouTube to show demonstration videos. Technology can also assist with performance. For instance, using online quizzing tools, grading can be done automatically, therefore enhancing my own performance. Most importantly, I would like instructional technology to transform my teaching to make a more individualized, relevant, engaging learning experience for my art students.

I am embarrassed to admit, something surprising to me was the use of instructional technology in the workplace. I thought the definition of instructional technology was limited within the realm of education, but see now it can extend past education. I started thinking about how some of the tools and exercises we have done in this class could assist my husband in his role of training a sales force. Some of the tools could be used for professionals that do not train at all, for instance, customer service.

I didn’t notice anything to be missing from the most recent definition. I felt it encompassed what it needed to and left the definition vague enough to evolve into the future.

APPLICATION QUESTION:

A.) There could have been a variety of reasons why the 24/7 lap top project for teachers and students did not work.

One reason the project could have failed is the technology didn’t work the way it was intended. In the 1930s, audiovisual enthusiasts thought the radio would revolutionize education. The radio never had the impact enthusiasts thought it would. Cuban (1986) indicates poor equipment and poor reception of radio signals resulted in a lack of impact. If the students needed an internet connection to complete their homework, but did not have access to the internet at home, that could cause a lack of performance. Or if the internet connection at school was not reliable, that could have created issues. If the laptops broke and could not be fixed on time, or the school’s technology department could not support the program, that could also impede progress.

Another reason for the project’s failure is there could have been teacher resistance to the change over to laptops. Similar to the failure of instructional television, teachers may have resisted the top-down change. 

Another reason for the lap top project’s lack of success could have been teachers had difficulty operating the laptops and/ or had insufficient funds. The visual instruction movement found itself in a similar predicament. Teachers had difficulty using the film equipment and did not have a budget to maintain the equipment.

B.) Two strategies that could have been employed to mitigate the factors contributing to the minimally effective program are: an orientation for the teachers and a budget to support the program.

Teachers may have resisted the change because the laptops were mandated by administration. They may not have known how to access the curriculum materials on the laptop or how to use the programs to support it. The administration could have set up an orientation showing the benefits of the laptops to both teachers and students. If they had a presentation showing the enhanced performance or time saving capabilities of the laptops, the teachers may have embraced the new technology. The orientation should include training. The teachers needed training on how to use the programs on the laptops to make the curriculum more engaging. If teachers were introduced to online quizzing tools, blogs, or other creative ways to transform their teaching methods, maybe the project would have been more successful.

Another strategy I would suggest is having a budget for the teachers or tech support. The budget could be used to support the simple maintenance of the laptops. Money allocated to have someone service the laptops or give on-call technical advice could have kept the technology running more smoothly. The budget could also be used to purchase more individualized equipment. Maybe the science teacher would have liked cameras for the students to make movies for a project. This more individualistic approach could have allowed each teacher a little more creativity to make the project more successful.