Toward a philosophy of instructional technology: thirty years on

Abstract

A current assessment of the "philosophy" of instructional technology is made using a 1970 BJET article as the basis of comparison. Each hypothesis of the original article is revisited and updated according to contemporary trends: (1) instructional technology is not yet a discipline; (2) the behavioural science concept of instructional technology is more valid than the physical science concept; (3) technology offers the best organizing concept for the development of the field and its evolution into a discipline; and (4) any statement of philosophy regarding instructional technology is tentative. The influence of distance education, public acceptance of media and technology, and training by artificial intelligence procedures in business and industry are nominated as important factors in bringing about major changes in the field. Each professional should develop a unique philosophy based on personal experiences in the field. A personal noteThis article has been written at the request of the Editor as an update of "Toward a Philosophy of Instructional Technology" published in Volume 1, Number 2, May 1970. The follow-up, like the former article, is a personal synthesis regarding the emergence of instructional technology as a field related to teaching and learning. The first article was largely oriented toward North American developments and drew on major trends at the time. The update includes European trends as well as those from other parts of the world.Since then there have been many new developments. The microchip was invented and connections have gone beyond telephone and post. The Open University that was just a gleam in Harold Wilson's eye is now a model for open learning internationally and BJET has established itself as a major journal in a rapidly changing field.

Effective Technology Integration: A Plan for Professional Development

“…This means that instruction is learnercentered, not curriculum-centered (Ely, 1999). The curriculum should be tailored to individual learners to fit their backgrounds and skills (Aiken & Aditya, 1997).…”

“…Researchers understand that there are times when a collaborative, research-based method is best and there are times when direct instruction will best suit the needs of the students. (Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow, 1995;Ely, 1999;D. DeCamilla, personal communication, January, 20, 2002 In the constructivist model, the role of the teacher changes from instructor to guide.…”

“…As research has pointed out, technology use is most effective when it is integrated into a constructivist approach to teaching (Sandholtz, Ringstaff, & Dwyer, 1997). After all, many teachers are being asked to change their entire philosophy of education (Ely, 1999).…”

Toward a post-modern agenda in instructional technology

“…Still, philosophical inquiry has been relatively absent from the IT literature (Koetting & Januszewski, 1991). In an update to his 1970 article, Toward a Philosophy of Instructional Technology, Ely (1999) reminded us that philosophies change in response to social conditions. Ely (1999) suggested that "if there is any new dimension to the philosophy held by many professionals in the field it is change itself--the readiness to consider, test and adopt new procedures and processes in the goal of obtaining more efficient and effective learning" (p. 2 [online]).…”

“…[] Throughout its history, the field of instructional technology (IT) has been focused on improving teaching and learning through technology (Ely, 1999;Saettler, 1990). Over the years, various interpretations of the word technology have provided a foundation for both inquiry and debate in our field.…”