ETEC561 Week 1 - Defining our Field

In my mind, educational technology means using technology to improve student learning.  This week we read many different definitions and observed the transformation of educational technology resulting from advances in educational tools and the world of technology.  A teacher one hundred years ago would have never imagined the way we engage and teach students now.  Each new day brings new ways to reach and inspire students.
I most readily identified with the AECT committee's 2008 definition of the field of educational technology.  "Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources." (p.4)
The textbook authors refer to educational technology as instructional design and technology.  I think this term is appropriate because it implies not only are we using technology to improve student learning, but we are doing it on purpose for a purpose.  We are designing instruction around technology to improve student learning.
After reading all the definitions of educational technology, I still like mine best.  Instructional media,  performance improvement, and systematic processes are all implied when saying we are going to do what is necessary to teach kids better by using technology.   A sixteen page definition of our field does not change what we do or why we do it.

I have created a NearPod lesson for my class on business ethics.  The purpose of the lesson is to teach students the definition and importance of business ethics and provide real-world examples of the type of ethical dilemmas they may encounter in the future.  The NearPod lesson begins with a classroom discussion on what ethics is and its definition as well as other terms to consider like morals and values.  The students are then given a scenario to read either together or on their own.  The NearPod then surveys students to see how each student would decide the ethical scenario given.  The results are shared with the class.  The presentation then presents three questions that should be considered when faced with an ethical dilemma and allows them to discuss the issue as a group to see if the three questions change their answer and if they can agree to an appropriate course of action.  The class is then surveyed again to see if the results have changed.  After the NearPod lesson, we will break in to groups of three or four and each group will be given their own ethical situation to consider.  They will decide how they should respond to the problem as a group and report a summary of their situation to the class along with why they decided the way they did.
Considering this lesson when looking at the six characteristics of instructional design I believe this is a well designed lesson:
  1.  The lesson is student centered because the NearPod lesson allows students to be involved, asks for their input and in no way forces a student to choose one solution over an other.  The student must simply be able to make an argument for their ethical decision to the class.
  2.  The lesson is goal oriented because the purpose of the lesson is clearly stated and focuses all aspects of the lesson on the goal of understanding and solving ethical challenges.
  3.  The lesson focuses on meaningful performance because there is no correct answer, just a justifiable answer.  Students are given real-life likely scenarios to consider and must be able to defend their answer to their peers.
  4.  The lesson should have measurable outcomes based on classroom discussion and meaningful answers to the scenarios given.  Will I be able to judge if a student will make an ethical decision in the future, given an actual ethical dilemma?  Unfortunately, no.  I can only hope they will remember the three questions and use them to their benefit.
  5.  The lesson is new and untried in my classroom.  I will definitely make changes to it as necessary to improve student outcomes.  I believe the lesson is self-correcting because students will be expected to justify their conclusions to the rest of their class.
  6.  The lesson incorporates group work and student accountability as students must agree to a solution and present the results to the class.  Any group that agrees they would do something illegal or unethical will have to justify that decision to the rest of the class.
Overall, I believe this lesson is an example of good instructional design and meets the recommended characteristics.  I will honestly have a better idea of how well this lesson reaches kids once I try it out, but I hope it is engaging and fun as well as something students will remember when faced with a difficult ethical decision in the future.
 
The definition of instructional media has certainly changed over the years.  If we look far enough back, there was a time when textbooks were advances in instructional media.  As electronics replace pens and paper, textbooks, chalkboards and classroom teachers seem to fade from prominence.  While none of our schools have traditional chalkboards anymore, we still use plenty to textbooks and printed materials.  I would also argue there is no better instructional media tool than a classroom teacher.  Nothing can evaluate, revise and redirect classroom instruction better than a teacher.  While many see the future of our field consisting of nothing but online instruction with computers and videos, I can not imagine a future without the human touch of a caring instructor who has facilitates and encourages student learning.


Work cited:
Reiser, Robert A., and John V. Dempsey. Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology. Third ed. Boston ; Munich: Pearson, 2012. Print.