ETEC 561: Section 1- Defining the Field

Defining instructional design (ID) has become an evolving process much like the subjects and mediums it strives to encompass. As a result definitions for ID began by describing the mediums which were used to deliver educational content. As time progressed the other side of the spectrum was a focus of definition, the subject learners and the learning pro0cess which took place during instruction. As a result in the late 1970s the Association for Educational Communication Technology (AECT) began to define ID as a process and the use of technology mediums for instruction (Resier & Dempsey, 2007). Leading in to the 1990s and millennium the ID definition included a combination of the learning process, the mediums/resources used, evaluation, measure of learning improvement and the evolution of the creation process.

When I discuss ID and educational technology with my university colleagues they are initially perplexed by what I am referring to. As I continue in my explanation I find that I lean towards defining ID as part creative development process, part expansion of learning to initiate a higher level of learning application and demonstration, part evaluation and assessment and part the utilization of tools to execute learning instruction and tasks. 

This applies to me and my position because I am not a "classroom" instructor. I work in student affairs and enrollment management. Often times it is my responsibility to educate our students prior to their arrival on campus, during the enrollment process and while students are enrolled. I love working in co-curricular education which allows me to engage with students in a passive manner while ensuring their success at the university. My position is fairly new and is evolving in itself so one day I may be studying marketing strategies for recruiting prospective students while the next day I may be working with health and counseling services to develop an educational module regarding alcohol and drugs or the orientation office to develop online modules. The definition I have provided helps me stay focused when beginning project management and working with content experts. 

The model is centered around four main ideas of identifying the learner and the environment they will be completing the task in (i.e. classroom, online, etc.), the criteria for assessment (goals & objectives), the development of the actual ID component (i.e. module) and the performance of the assessment measures. The fifth component, revisions, is to ensure that the ID does not become static in nature but dynamic to adjust as needed for the learner and instructor. To tie in with my ID definition this revised model emphasizes a learner centered approach focused on development and assessment. 

When analyzing the six characteristics of ID the revised model easily identifies these concepts. The learner is the center of the audience, goals/objectives and assessment ideas which help develop an appropriate ID for a user centered experience while incorporating the units for measure (characteristics 1-4). With a dynamic revision process built in the design allows itself to be self-correcting, flexible and adaptable to the learner's needs (characteristic 5). Additionally, the easy break-out and clear partitions of the revised model allow individuals or small teams to take on a component to allow for intense collaboration and cohesiveness (characteristic 6).  For example, the development component would likely require a graphic designer, content expert and media expert at a minimum.

The internet is the ultimate vehicle for information dissemination. The ability to communicate synchronously across cities, states and countries is amazing. With this in mind we can now combine all of the media types (tv, radio, etc.) into web based content. This allows learners and educators to capture content anywhere online and contribute content as well. 

My favorite example of educational technology in higher education at the moment is The Open University.  The focus is on open "source" education, sharing and collaboration of learning tools. In K-12 students are diving into multiple web 2.0 tools such as Glogster and completely online public schools such as Florida Virtual School. In the future I see students completing more "core" or basic materials at home for homework including tests and reviews using Moodle or another LMS. Class time would be used for group work, presentations and "workshop" style learning. Continuing/adult education is already being dramatically impacted by the internet and software to complete online courses. In the future I see online courses evolving into more interactive tasks that employ a learner centered experience versus a syllabus and lists of tasks.  Regardless of the age of the learner I believe strongly that technology will help instructors complete core education standards online and use classroom time to explore those "higher level of thinking" areas. For online education I would like to see it evolve into a more interactive experience with face-to-face time (Google+ Hangout, Skype, Voicethread).