Philosophy of Instructional Technology

Woraya Laephuang

First, let’s lay out what instructional technology is. IT refers to the theories and practices of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of the processes and resources for learning. It is not just the use of electronic devices and computer software. It is a tool that helps shape how we learn, how well we can learn, the different avenues to send and receive information, and who the information is intended for. Instructional technology coincides with educational technology in the framework of teaching and training. Instructional technology is designing, implementing, and evaluating a learning process. It creates learning resources (Techopedia, 2015).

In recent decades, classrooms have been utilizing technology to share lessons and complete assignments. As the modern world becomes more digitized, tech literacy becomes increasingly important. Teachers who use technology to support learning in meaningful ways can help prepare students for success in the digital era (How Instructional Technology Can Improve the Learning Process, 2020).

Technology is also adaptive for those who need different kinds of learning tools to process information, such as closed captions or other sensory features. With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools, institutions, and businesses are more aware of how technology can benefit change and progress. For the first 3 months of the new school year, my children were learning remotely. My high schooler decided to stay remote for the rest of the school year when the district began to allow student back on campus, but my grade schooler needed to be back in the classroom to progress, my son thrives better with live and interactive learning. As for business, I worked remotely for at least 4 months before we were allowed to come back into the office. However, my work did not falter in those 4 months because I was already comfortable with technology tools to still meet all my expectations. I think with the developments of virtual reality, 5 to 10 years from now, our classrooms and business offices will transform again, and there will be more interpersonal connections using technology.  I believe that instructional learning is still developing tools and innovative ways to engage learning with various audiences. Gamification continues to thrive among learning platforms, allowing instructors to encourage learning through play.

My experience with the University of Alabama was not my first time learning online or achieving a degree online. I took courses in 2005 through the University of Phoenix, which was still a fairly new concept at that time.  There were other institutions offering online courses as well, but UoPX had the best marketing techniques at the time.  I do not recall what LMS was used, but it was similar to Blackboard where discussion and assignments were submitted online in threads. Live synchronous activities did not happen then and I do not remember a lot of interaction with instructors or other students. Fast forward to today, my learning experience online is more robust and interactive. There are more tools and apps to help me complete assignments such as FlipGrid, shared documents, and more ways to connect with instructors and classmates such as Zoom, shared drives, or using different texting applications.

Instructional technology is still in its early stages.  Even though it has been an avenue for learning for more than 15 years, developers and educators continue to work together creating applications and platforms that suit every type of learner.  I believe the mission of instructional technology is that anyone and everyone can learn from anywhere with the use of smart devices, assistive tools, and an internet connection.

References:

How Instructional Technology Can Improve the Learning Process. (2020, May 8). Https://Online.Lsu.Edu/. https://online.lsu.edu/newsroom/articles/how-instructional-technology-can-improve-learning-process/

Techopedia. (2015, March 17). Instructional Technology. Techopedia.Com. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/20045/instructional-technology