Week 2: What exactly are we doing here?
I'm perhaps in a unique position because I have been out of the field of education in a traditional sense for 14 years. My son will turn 14 tomorrow, and once I left for maternity leave, I intended to return to the classroom and just... didn't. Now, 10 years into my second career, I know I want to get back to education - it is the training portion of my current career - the advising, informing, problem solving - that gives me energy and breath. Finding new ways to communicate information to my colleagues and my clients, often through use of technology, is one of my favorite parts of what I do.
First, I renewed my teaching license. I realized that it was incredibly easy to do online, and to professionalize for 10 years. Check. Then I knew I didn't want to go back into a traditional classroom. I want to solve a problem, and the pandemic identified a big one - preparedness of public schools to move to virtual learning effectively. So I set off to look for careers that may fit what I wanted to do. This proved difficult as I didn't know HOW to search for these careers that would line up.
The article "What Field Did You Say You Were In?" by Robert Reiser explains why this is a problem. The common definition and even name of the field, perhaps best known now as instructional technology, is ever changing and, really, not so common. Unlike some field, the scope of technology in education has gotten wider as technology grows.
The article discusses the progression of technology in the classroom - instructional media such as audio recordings, film strips, to "the design and use of messages which control the learning process." In the 70s, the Commission on nstructional Technology highlighted the difference between media and process by including TWO definitions - the second focus on human and non-human resources used to reach objectives.
I remember taking driver's education in 1996. We sat behind machines that looked like dishwashers as a video reel ran in front of us and we had to "steer" our "car" and brake and accelerate based on the hazards that came our way. This was considered high tech at the time. Now, Dr. Bill Watson and others are designing TRUE virtual reality experiences used for training when equipment is too expensive to risk as workers develop skills. The goal is the same - to provide experiences that are as authentic as possible without an actual hands on experience to reduce danger, cost, risk etc.
Even still, many professionals in the field feel that their concept of instructional technology is the "true" definition, and they are doing the "true" work of the field, though another, equally successful and hearladed expert may completely disagree. As I continue to read this article and others for this course, it seems that the "true" definition is further from reach.
Kate, it is a great posting. I totally understand how hard living as a full-time worker and a mother is. I am in the same situation as you. I am a mobile app developer, EdD student and a mother with two teenagers. Also, my original major was electronic engineering and I went back to school to study education after coming to the USA. So, I deeply understand you and root for your current career and a new career in the instructional technology.
ReplyDeleteAs you point out, instructional technology is getting broader and broader over time. New technologies are being introduced every day and even every second nowadays. It is not possible to know and learn about many tools and software. The latest technology can be VR/AI in education. Near-realistic simulation opened the new world. Online is not supplementary as education platform. The breakout of COVID 19 and the introduction of VR/AI (even machine learning) presented the new place of education, online. We learn anytime, anywhere in the authentic learning space with the help of these emerging technologies. I agree that the latest technologies are not simple as we thought or learned before. As a Tech person, I think we cannot master all technologies and even learn them. In this respect, we need to work with people in different areas to achieve our goals, collaboration. The most important thing is to learn how to identify the problems and how to come up with solutions to them using various technologies (select the appropriate the best one from many tools). As you asserted, the true definition of instructional technology is not changed, but the actual technologies are updated. Communicating with people, working with people, and asking for help would be the best option to effectively apply technology to the learning environment.
I have worked in education over 10 years and technology over 25 years. However, I am still learning a new technology everyday. It is the reality to keep up with the speed of technology.
Best,
Sunmi
Hi, Katie,
ReplyDeleteI really related to your post; I, too, left classroom instruction for maternity leave when my youngest son (now almost 7) was born and haven't returned. Once he was old enough for preschool and my eldest child was in kindergarten, I got back into education more broadly by beginning work as an instructional designer for a textbook publisher. Working as an ID allowed me to work remotely with a more flexible schedule than classroom teaching afforded, so it was a better fit for my family at the time.
I definitely miss working directly with students, but my transition out of the classroom and your comments on this week's readings share the idea that is pervasive in this field that whatever we're doing is the "true" definition of our field. I found myself feeling like my work was less meaningful because I didn't see the direct impact on students, but I have shifted to a more holistic view of how the work that we all do across instructional tech works together to support our faculty and, therefore, students.