My Role in Instructional Technology

Past, Present, and Future

Kevin L. Fowler

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

My Past
I am the product of a lowincome family and a rural school system with very

little resources. What little technology that the school had was used mostly as an
instrument of recess or busywork; either we used classroom media to watch a
Disney film during our holiday celebrations, or we used the technology to take
standardized assessments. We students simply did not view our classroom
technologies as instruments for learning.

I think that it can be said that two things can motivate you to go into

teachinggood teaching and poor teaching. Throughout the years I had seen great
teachers poorly disregard the rich resources that had been provided to them
because of intimidation, fear, or tradition. Being a child who was known for
bypassing the toy department to go to the electronics department, I longed to learn
from these technologies. Yet, to my young perspective, the teacher who captivated
their students through this medium was a myth.

I went to a small liberal arts college where through an array of experiences I

found particular gifts in public speaking and technology. Since I was raised in a
technologically deprived culture, when the statistics professor asked for our student
presentation group to develop a PowerPoint for the next class meeting
embarrassingly enough I had no idea what he was talking about. Once I began
exploring, I quickly found not only how to use this particular software but how to
maximize it as a tool for teaching and learning. Soon enough, I had fellow students
approaching and asking me if I could assist them in technologyrelated assignments.

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

When I finally declared as an education major, I was delighted to discover

that one of my first courses would be on classroom technologies. I could literally not
get enough information out of each class activity. My partner and I excelled in the
class, particularly in a new mediumpodcasts. Before long, my partner and I were
invited to teach inservices in local school systems on podcasting in the classroom.

I did not fully appreciate the usefulness of classroom technologies, however,

until I had a classroom of my own. My goal of becoming the mythological techie

teacher was wrought with hardshipeverything from inherited lackluster
technologies to the lack of funding for new technology. Also, I found that it was
difficult to find the time and energy to develop highquality instructional content
when so much of my time was needed in meetings, bus duty, and other assignments.
However, eventually I found that technology cannot only be my weapon in the battle
for young minds but it can also be a valuable tool for my daytoday tasks.
Whenever I found these timesaving innovations, I simply could not help but
share them. I found myself volunteering to speak before all the faculty to show them
new tools that could shave the time it takes them to answer emails, disburse
makeup work, and collaborate in IEP and parentteacher meetings. I found that
technology is the key to victory not only at the students desk, but also at the
teachers desk.

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

My Present
I discovered the field of instructional technology by accident. Unbeknownst

to me, I was given a job in this new field. In this particular position, I have so many
roles and responsibilities that sometimes I am inadequate in describing exactly
what I do. Many have also struggled to define this field, yet I found myself partial to
the definition termed by Robert Reiser and John Dempsey (2013), as I feel that it
aligns closely with my current professional role and my experience as a
technologicallysavvy classroom teacher. According to them

The field of instructional design and technologyencompasses the
analysis of learning and performance problems, and the design, development,
implementation, evaluation and management of instructional and non
instructional processes and resources intended to improve learning and
performance in a variety of settings, particularly educational institutions and
the workplace.

Professionals in the field instructional design and technology often use
systematic instructional design procedures and employ instructional media to
accomplish their goals. Moreover in recent years, they have paid increasing
attention to noninstructional solutions to some performance problems.
Research and theory related to each of the aforementioned areas is also an
important part of the field.
(p. *406)

I find Reiser and Dempseys definition most appealing as I feel that it can

simultaneously describe a normal workday in this field, and, a long, fulfilling career
with many opportunities and roles. This term certainly does not shy away from the
main goal of not only instructional technology, but of education as a whole
improve learning and performance in a variety of settings. Technology,
indisputably, has a major role in improving learning and performancebut it takes
a village of instructional technology professionals to wield these tools.

Graphical Representation of Reiser and Dempseys Definition of Instructional

Design and Technology
The field of instructional
design and
technologyencompasses the
analysis of learning and
performance problems, and
the design, development,
implementation, evaluation
and management of
instructional and noninstructional processes and
resources intended to
improve learning and
performance in a variety of
settings, particularly
educational institutions
and the workplace.

Professionals in the field

of instructional design and
technology often use
systematic instructional
design procedures and
employ instructional media
to accomplish their goals.
Moreover in recent years,
they have paid increasing
attention to noninstructional solutions to
some performance problems.
Research and theory related
to each of the
aforementioned areas is
also an important part of
the field.

Reiser, R., & Dempsey, J. V. (2013). Trends and issues in

instructional design and technology. (p. 406 Kindle).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

There have been many identities in this field listed (collaborator, leader,

teacher, trainer, manager, evaluator, designer, developer, researcher/scholar, etc.)

and yet if given the opportunity, I could find contentment in each of these roles.
However, I believe it is most important to hone my skills as a collaborator.
Instructional Technologists often see themselves as a hybrid of roleswe
train, but we dont teach; we are infatuated with technology, but we are not IT; we
are professionals in education, but we are not oftentimes faculty. Ideally, I believe
that instructional technologists can be the perfect, collaborative bridge between
educators, administrators, and technologists. These parties often have similar goals
but different visions of how to reach these goals. Effective technological and
educational strategies, and trailblazing the new world of online content delivery,
takes a new breed of professionals who are able to collaborate with these major
stakeholders. I wish to fill this role.

My Future

Admittedly, I am not at the place I need to adequately meet these demands.
What are the competencies that an educational technologist needs to confidently
confront these major challenges in the field of instructional technology? There are
many professional organizations that have considered this question, one of which is
the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction, or
IBSTPI.

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

IBSTPI (2010) divides its standards in the four critical areas(1)

professional foundations, (2) planning and analysis, (3) design and development,
and (4) implementation and management. They further categorize individual
standards in these areas as essential or advanced.
Whereas in (1) professional foundations, there are standards in which I feel
are personal strengths, such as communicating effectively in visual, oral, and
written form and [identifying] and [resolving] ethical and legal implications of
design in the work place there are areas of true weakness like [applying] current
research and theory to the practice of instructional design and [applying]
fundamental research skills to instructional design projects. I am confident that
joining and participating in fieldrelated professional associations like EDUCAUSE
and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) will allow me to
gain valuable wisdom from professionals in the field on the manners in which they
have built their professional foundations.
I consider myself most comfortable in the area of (2) planning and analysis,
particularly in the realm of [selecting] and [using] a variety of techniques for
determining instructional content and [conducting]needs [assessments].
However, much work needs to be done to master the essential competency of
effectively designing a curriculum. This is where I am heavily relying on a rigorous
Instructional Technology degree program to refine my skills in designing and
developing curriculums for online learning environments. Although I have designed
curriculums as a classroom teacher and curriculum collaborator, I understand that
delivering a curriculum through an online medium will need much guidance.

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

Additionally, in the area of (3) design and development, I believe that

everyone in the field should continue to strive to find new and innovative ways to
teach to diverse learners, yet I think my strength of datadriven evaluation and
assessment of instruction and its impact could be of serious value. I have an
internal drive to not only do what I can to fix an issue, but also to prove that the fix
was of value. I believe that assessing the design and finished product of an
instructional strategy can be a rewarding venture for instructional technologists as
it has the potential to validate the fruit of their labor, which I am sure will be a
rewarding experience for all.
Finally, in the area of (4) implementation and management, I feel confident in
[promoting] collaboration, partnerships and relationships among participants in a
design project, yet no as confident in designing instructional management
systems. I believe in this area I can use a mix of the aforementioned professional
development areas to assist me in not only professionally planning and designing
instructional content but also in the implementation and management of this
content.
Whereas there are many reasons why an individual has found himself or
herself in the profession of instructional technology, for me it was seeing a valuable
resource neglected in multiple classrooms. I believe that my vocational calling is to
do whatever I can to fix these unfortunate scenarios. Thankfully, I am not alone as
there is an entire emerging industry dedicated to [improving] learning and
performance in our nations educational, forprofit, and other institutions through

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

technology. Yet, I recognize that I have a lifetime to learn and I am open to various
professional development resources to make me a better educational/instructional
technologist.

My Role in Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future

10

References
International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction. (2010,
March 17). Instructional design standards. Retrieved from
http://www.ibstpi.org/Competencies/instruct_design_competencies.htm
Reiser, R., & Dempsey, J. V. (2013). Trends and issues in instructional design and
technology. (p. 406 *Kindle version). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.