Week 1

1.    How do the definitions in the first chapter compare to your own definition of instructional or educational technology?  What experiences or other influences have shaped your definition? How has your definition changed from examining the definitions in the first chapter of this book?

In my opinion, instructional technology is computer, more specific is using computer to show how things are going on. But according to the book, it has a history to shape the whole thing. From beginning instructional technology viewed as media, which I can understand that people were using visual instructions to present that instruction. Then during 1960s to 1970s, instructional technology viewed as a process. Finn indicated that instructional technology should be viewed as a way of looking at instructional problems and examining feasible solutions to those problems. As I knew, that instructional technology is constantly changing. So until 1994, the definition changed to be “Instructional technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.”Moreover, the definition highlights two practices that have, over the years, formed the core of the field: the use of media for instructional purposes and the use of systematic instructional design procedures.

I had my first computer when I was in middle school, but I did not really use it for study that time or say I did not know it could be used to be a study machine. Until I got into college, almost everything related to computer. We used it selecting courses, evaluating courses, and preparing the presentation. However, adding with internet, computers are more popular in recent life.

After read the first chapter, I learned that instructional technology is not only a method to present the knowledge but also a product of human’s wisdom throughout all these years. Honestly, I did not treat instructional technology as an independent science, while I thought it was only the method to make the knowledge visible. It is more than a tool, that it is a path which could make success alive and colorful. I wish I could give it a personal definition myself after learn this course.

  

2.    Next, think of a lesson or unit of instruction that you have developed. Or if you haven’t ever taught or developed instruction, think of one that you have received. How does that lesson adhere or fail to adhere to the six characteristics of instructional design? How would you redesign it to better adhere to the six characteristics.

According to the book, instructional design is a system of procedures for developing education and training programs in a consistent and reliable fashion. Instructional design is a complex process that is creative, active, and iterative. There are several characteristics that should be present in all instructional design efforts:

1.  Instructional design is learner-centered.

2.  Instructional design is goal-oriented.

3.  Instructional design focuses on real-world performance.

4.  Instructional design focuses on outcomes that can be measured in a reliable and valid way.

5.  Instructional design is empirical.

6.  Instructional design typically is a team effort.

For my situation, think back my student life I barely learned a lesson is learner-centered, so did my peers I guess. In China, children are forced to remember all formulas, definitions and operations for the College Entrance Examination. Actually, the lesson I have taken that definitely failed to adhere to the very first characteristics. According to the definition of the first characteristics, learner-centered instruction means that the learner and his or her performance are the focal point of all instruction. In my case, we were not only fail on the first one but also the second one, saying establishing well-defined project goals is central to the ID process. Say I remember that I have learned complex number theory in my college, and I did not know what I was doing and no wonder I was sucks. Until this semester I learn this course here again, and I understood why I did so. Suddenly, anything comes easy and reasonable. I realized that I did not keep that knowledge in my mind, and all I did just simply copied it temporally for test, while now I realize that I should keep it in mind for future using.

If I had a chance to design a class I would like to do the following:

First of all, I would like to give everyone a paper to let them write down their expectation to themselves which is their goal for the whole semester.

Second of all, I would focus on their real-world performance by applying the acquired knowledge or skill.

Third of all, focus on outcomes that can be measured in a reliable and valid way. According to my experience, I would like to assign some projects to students and they should finish it by group and using what we learned in the class. They can use internet to work on it and discuss it with partners. All I want are they can do it in their own way.

Finally, I am not evaluating their projects good or bad, I will combine their own expectation and what they did and their effort to give them the grade.

3.    In the 3^rd chapter, Reiser distinguishes instructional media from instructional design, excluding teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks from the definition of instructional media. Why? Would you consider teachers, chalkboards, and textbooks instructional media? Is the purpose of instructional design to incorporate media into instruction?

According to the book, instructional media has been defined as the physical means via which instruction is presented to learners. Under this definition, every physical means of instructional delivery, from the live instructor to the textbook to the computer and so on, would be classified as an instructional medium. It might be wise practitioners in the field to adopt this viewpoint; however, in most discussions of the history instructional media, the three primary means of instruction before the twentieth century—the teachers, the chalkboard, and the textbook—have been categorized separately from other media.

In my opinion, the teachers, the chalkboard and the textbook are still the instructional media. They are playing fundamental roles in the instruction, while more and more instructional media come out, which they just stand on the ground stably. Like, teachers can be in a video to teach class for distance-class and chalkboard are still hanging on the walls of each professors office for them sketching and the textbook, I guess, will finally replaced by eBook.

I think the answer is positive. From what I have read, that there is an obvious overlapping between these two areas. Many instructional solutions arrived at through the use of instructional design processes require the employment of the instructional media discussed in the first half of this chapter. Moreover, many individuals have argued that the effective use of media for instructional purposes requires careful instructional planning. In the field of instructional design and technology, those whose work is influenced by the lessons learned from the history of media and the history of instructional design will be well positioned to have a positive influence on future developments within the field.