Educational Technology Definition

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This assignment really made me consider much of what I thought about educational technology. I had mistakenly thought it to be a fairly new field. I found it of particular interest that the term ‘new media’ was being used to describe the inclusion of motion picture in curricula in 1922. Although familiar with SCORM, the I did not realize it was a concept created by the DoD and ADL.

While watching the Looking Backward, Thinking Forward video, I made several notes from the timeline. I could not help but notice the similarity in delivery methods despite the differences in technology. Lectures via radio and motion picture projectors have simply been replaced by podcasts, webinars and online video tutorials on YouTube, an LMS or MOOC.

Our society equates change with risk. By definition, innovation is constant change. Due to this fluidity, technological innovation is often met with skepticism. Although it is prudent to avoid the ineffectual adoption of technology, it is imperative that fear of the unknown not be allowed to stagnate all progress.

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My definition:

Educational Technology is the proactive pursuit and timely implementation of the most innovative, effective tools, processes and perspectives to ensure learners move beyond mere memorization to full comprehension, application, and most significantly, retention of knowledge. All adopted methods should be evaluated for relevance, appropriateness and accessibility to the target audience. Consideration should be made to ensure the security of the learners, infrastructure and intellectual property. Constant, objective evaluation of the chosen tools and procedures is necessary to avoid rigidity.

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Module 1 Reflection Melissa St. Laurent 504 – Spring 2013 I have been a corporate trainer for 7 years. I believe in what I teach and I am passionate about improving the employee experience through training. Until recently, this training was very application specific and heavily laden with demonstration. I was the subject matter expert who stood before the group and imparted my great wisdom upon them. Because it was very specific and role based, it was productive but lacked longevity.

I am a perfectionist. Settling for being a productive trainer would never do. It frustrated me to visit trainees after the sessions and find they had not applied what they learned. I was fully confident that I had the knowledge to make people’s jobs easier and enjoyable, IF I could capture their attention. Since standing before a group of trainees and yelling ‘listen to me, I can help you,’ was not an acceptable method, I had to find a better way to engage them.

Prior to the company wide implementation of a new software system, we began investigating the use of a learning management system. This seemed the ideal time to re-evaluate all my training methods. In addition to researching, population and maintenance of a newly deployed LMS, I began actively searching for resources to make me a better trainer. I researched educational blogs, participated in Adobe webinars, and scoured the web for information about effective training methods for adult learners. After paying $1400 for a Captivate training session that provided very little return on investment, I decided it was time to seek more formal education. That is how I found the M.E.T. program. My current career goal is to be a brilliant trainer, able to engage and enrich adult learners to improve their efficiency and work experience. 

This is only my second semester at Boise State. In the first semester, I learned of many great tools to make me a more successful student. I tried to apply some of the technology to my professional life but for the most part, the tools were not really relevant. I did benefit a great deal from using the LMS. It gave me the opportunity to experience distance learning from the student’s perspective. This semester, I am able to see how different professors utilize the flexibility of the LMS to manage their course. With each applying different preferences, every course assumes a different style. Seeing this showcase of available tools allows me to better understand how the design of the user interface affects the user experience. With a smaller staff, we have the ability to unify the user interface.  Although a standard layout may make the navigation of the site easier for the user, I do not want to limit the use of the technology.

I have found the first assignment energizing. As I mentioned in my definition post, the readings and videos caused me to delve deeper into my understanding of educational technology. This assignment is a relevant and necessary step to reach my goal. Highlights from the assigned material: History of Ed Tech Timeline 1922    Motion picture defined as New Media 1930    University student listens to lecture on radio 1943    World market for computers = 5 I found this particularly interesting given that I have:

  • Smartphone with Windows OS
  • iPad
  • Samsung tablet with Windows 8
  • Dell laptop
  • Custom built desktop
  • Dell media server
Graphic courtesy of E.L. Counts, Jr.

Graphic courtesy of E.L. Counts, Jr.

1946    Dales Cone of Experience

1949    Computers may weigh as little as 1.5 Tons Consider smartphones & tablets. More power, smaller device.

1950    TVs introduced into classroom 1970    Texas Instrument calculator

1981    640k ought to be enough for anyone – Bill Gates

This seems funny now. I remember buying a computer with a 40G hard drive and thinking I would never fill it up. Ironically, many of the devices that are on the market today have moved to much smaller internal storage, as they utilize cloud storage. Bill Gates may be proven right after all.

1990    Web & Disks

2000    Blackboard | Smartboard | Moodle | Internet | Facebook | MOOC | YouTube | Smartphones | Text

  • New Media is not a new term or movement, just relative to the era
  • Change is constant
  • Many classrooms of today resemble those of the past
  • How much has the teaching & learning process really changed?
    1. Motion picture replaced by YouTube, video tutorials online or on LMS
    2. Radio lecture replaced by podcasts
    3. Smartboards replace blackboards
    4. Blackboard replaces Smartboard
    5. Moodle replaces grade book
    6. TBL is synchronous with eLearning
  • TBL Benefits
    1. Accessibility
    2. Scalability
    3. Ease of updates
    4. Self paced
    5. Cost
    6. Learner centric
    7. Discovery learning
  • TBL challenges
    1. Digital divide
    2. Absence of authority figure – social loafing
    3. Attrition
    4. Device compatibility
    5. Initial investment
    6. Access for learners with disabilities This is not something I had considered with our corporate LMS. How will an employee with a disability achieve same level of training? The tutorials rely heavily on visual cues.
    7. Although acceptance continues to grow, online schools may not get the same respect as traditional brick & mortar universities.
    8. This does not really affect the corporate system. I have encountered a similar situation with customers who still believe the employees would benefit more from face to face training than the same training given remotely.
    9. How do we create simulations, goal based scenarios and games out of the application? We need a way to entangle employee education with entertaining user experience.
  • Our current blended training process is both asynchronous & synchronous.
    1. Videos and quizzes can be taken on users’ schedule
    2. Videos can be paused
    3. Specific dates for live trainings via gotomeeting
    4. Users must have related videos & quizzes completed prior to live training.
    5. Instructor-Centric, Content-Centric and Learner-Centric Teaching
  • SCORM developed by DoD’s ADL
  • Personal growth courses
  • Former employees cite lack of training as reason for leaving.- Home Depot
    1. A well trained employee is a productive employee
    2. A productive employee has confidence in their contribution
    3. A productive, confident employee is a happy employee.
    4. Happy employees is less likely to seek other employment
  • According to the Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States, the number of students enrolled in one+ online course(s) increased by to 6.7 million. Full 2013 report available here.
  • University of Phoenix
    1.  “rolling-cohort” enrollment model 8-13 students
    2. Instructors must work in the field they teach
    3. Working students take only 1 class a semester
    4. outcomes-driven
    5. assessment of the course material
    6. assessment of the students
    7. modules completed in order by specific date
    8. content via online media
    9. professors are advised not  to lecture
    10. small classes = low attrition rates
    11. 97% completion rate
  • Assessment
    1. Reaction – surveys
    2. Learning – pre & post training evaluations
    3. Behavior – Are the users transferring the knowledge to action?
    4. Results – Was the goal met?
    5. ROI
  • Key principles
    1. Do not forego Human Interaction
    2. Active engagement is critical
    3. Content must be relevant & timely
    4. Feedback eliminates isolation
    5. Change is continuous.

Great work is risky & challenging. As you increase competency and comfort, great work becomes good work. (from Do More Great Work by Michael Bungay Stanier.) I believe the same is true for technology. Watch the Great Work you tube video.

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