Assignment 3 - Instructional Technology



Assignment 3 - Instructional Technology

Jessica Foley (Hingle)

jhingle@vt.edu

March 2, 2009

Reflective activities

1. Describe and discuss how you viewed instructional technology prior to beginning this program and whether or not your view has changed.

Prior to beginning this program, I viewed this instructional technology as technology, such as a computer, that “told you how to do something.” It didn’t necessarily teach a skill or assist with transferring knowledge. Instead, it gave direct orders. My view of both instruction and technology, and therefore instructional technology, has indeed changed. I now understand instructional technology to be much more than my original narrow viewpoint. The word “instruction” is not just referring to a dictating action. Instead it is the facilitation of learning through arrangement of information and orchestration of activities. The word technology does not just mean “a computer.” Instead, it refers to “…the willful application of a relevant body of knowledge to appropriate inputs in a purposive and replicable manner and, in a specific context, to yield a predetermined output or outcome,” as discussed in the previous activity.

2. Discuss whether or not the definition of technology given in Lesson Two can be extended to provide a meaningful definition of instructional technology. Think beyond simply words that are alike in each definition. Does the extension of the definition provide an accurate description of instructional technology?

As mentioned in the answer to the previous question, I do believe that the definition of technology in Lesson Two can be extended to provide a meaningful definition of instructional technology. Instruction can be accomplished through the use of appropriate inputs, within a specific context, and yield a predetermined outcome, which is the successful arrangement of information.

3. Think more about the outcomes of instructional technology. In your view, do you, as an instructional technologist, produce outcomes and, if so, what are they?

I believe that I, as the instructional technologist, create the structures that facilitate learning and guide the leaner to a final product, but the actual outcome (learned information) is produced by the learner, who is utilizing the instructional technology.

4. Think about the instructional design process as a form of technology. What is the predetermined outcome of the instructional design process? Is the outcome the same every time the process is conducted? If not, do resources, processes, and knowledge have any effect on the changing outcomes?

The predetermined outcome of the instructional design process is instructional technology, whether it is a lesson plan for a teacher to follow or a computer program that guides students through information without teacher interaction. The outcome is not the same every time the process is conducted. Instead, the available resources, utilized processes, desired knowledge, and intended context has an effect on the resulting product. The product should be tailored to meet the requirements of those areas.

5. Decide if you agree with the statement that learning is not an outcome of the instructional technology process. Explain your justification for this position.

I do agree with this statement. I believe that the instructional technology process results in instructional products that can be utilized. The application of those products within an appropriate context is what results in the outcome of learning. Instructional technology that is not utilized by learners will never result in learning.

Applied activities:

1. Describe a predetermined output or outcome you produced by instructional technology.

Based on the definitions above, I have produced software manuals through instructional technology. These software manuals are utilized by professionals as input to facilitate their learning of the software package.

2. Describe how instructional technology was applied to produce that predetermined output or outcome. In addition, describe how the instructional design process, as a subset of instructional technology, affects you to produce the predetermined output or outcomes.

I willfully applied my relevant knowledge of effective instruction to appropriate inputs, such as the computer keyboard and word processing application, in a purposive and replicable manner to yield software manuals, within the context of my employment. The instructional design process, as a subset of instructional technology guided and formed my relevant knowledge of effective instruction. Without the instructional design process, the resulting software manual would most likely be ineffective at its purpose.

3. Describe what inputs or resources were used in the process of producing the outcome.

In the process of producing the software manuals, I used many inputs and resources. My knowledge and my colleagues’ knowledge of the software, basic processes descriptions from the software engineers, the instructional design process and all of its inherent components, as well as computers equipped with the necessary peripherals and applications with which to create the final product were utilized.

4. Describe the body of knowledge you employed to perform the application and/or produce the outcome.

Very simply, in order to produce the software manual, I utilized my knowledge of how to manipulate the inputs and resources. This knowledge was learned through the courses within this Master’s program. Without effective use of this body of knowledge, the resulting product would take on a different form or have a different outcome, which could result in a product does not facilitate learning.

5. Discuss the specific context in which the application of the body of knowledge to appropriate inputs occurred.

The application of the body of knowledge to appropriate inputs listed above occurred in the context of a team environment at my place of employment, where we were tasked with creating the software manuals. My role was to lead the team that constructed the end product. Two other team members assisted with information pertaining to the actual software and editing the final product.

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