Section 1

Reflect on the definitions the book has provided and develop your own definition as it relates to your work environment.

The definitions of instructional technology has evolved as much as the technology itself has over the years. I think it's important to continually reflect, both personally and professionally, so it only makes sense that definitions of technology-related concepts should, as well.

As a teacher, instruction and technology go hand in hand. I know from personal experience how technology can enhance instruction, facilitate learning, and help students apply what they have learned. Based on my experience, I have formed the following definition of instruction technology:

Instructional technology uses a combination of the teacher, media, and technological resources to facilitate learning and apply knowledge & skills for the purpose of improving instruction, learning, and performance.

The following Wordle contains a combination of concepts from the definition of instructional technology through the years:

Study the Dick, Carey and Carey model of instructional design. Redesign the model excluding and/or adding components as needed. Describe how the model adheres to the six characteristics of instructional design and how it fits in your work environment relating to your definition of instructional design.

1. Instructional design is student-centered: The model focuses on the needs of the students.

2. Instructional design is goal oriented: The ultimate question that is asked is, "Have the goals of the project been attained?" At that point, the cycle goes back to conducting a needs assessment, allowing for a new process to occur.

3. Instructional design focuses on meaningful performance: The performance of both the deliverer (the teacher) and the recipient (the student) needs to be meaningful.

4. Instructional design assumes outcomes can be measured in a reliable and valid way: The objective written based on the needs assessment, performance problem, and goal should be measurable so that the outcome can be assessed to determine if the goals of the project have been attained.

5. Instructional design is empirical, iterative, and self-correcting: The instructional design model encourages empirical evidence of the desired outcome, the flow is repetitive, and allows for self-correction in the evaluation phase in order to improve performance.

6. Instructional design is typically a team effort: In an optimal situation, the Instructional Design Model is implemented using the efforts, skills, and resources of a team, such as teachers, librarians, and instructional specialists.

The school or education setting offers a prime example of how the Instruction Design Model can be implemented. Often unknowingly, I do follow these steps when planning instruction for my classroom. It seems to be a natural progression of steps that build upon one another.

In Chapter 3, there is discussion on how the Internet and World Wide Web will have a major influence on the way instruction is delivered to learners. Based on what you know about these technological innovations combined with what you have read about the history of instructional films, television, the computer and more, discuss how technology is generally used in the field of education and how you foresee technology being used in the future in the following areas: K12 Education, Higher Education and Adult Education (continuing education). For example, think about how we are using the blog to capture learning in higher education. How could it be used in K12?

It's hard to say what is coming on the technology forefront. If you had asked me this question even just a few years ago, I probably wouldn't have been able to predict the technologies that are available today! My best guesses are as follows:

• Online higher education courses will continue to be an important means of instruction, but will most likely evolve as newer technologies become available.
• For K-12 education, I think online portfolios will become more popular, if not required, so that student work can be easily tracked from place to place, similar to student records.
• Particularly for high school students, I foresee online education becoming more popular for K-12 students.
• Online or computerized textbooks will probably be implemented.
• A dramatic increase in iPads and e-books will occur in libraries.

The extent of my knowledge of how to make certain technologies happen is limited, but one can dream, right? After all...

Today's dreams are tomorrow's realities!