Defining Educational Technology

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Defining Educational Technology
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Definition of Technology
Greek techne art, craft or skill For
Aristotle, techne The systematic use of
knowledge for intelligent human action. The
name for the activities and skills of the
craftsperson and the arts of the mind and
the fine arts.
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Example of Soft Technology
Three-field system of crop rotation Middle
ages, Western Europe Increased productivity,
variety of crops Improved nutrition more
natural carbohydrates and protein Resulted
in rapid growth in population, the outreach
of commerce and new exhuberance of spirit
which enlivened the age.
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Example of Soft Technology

• Division of Labour
• Moved from individual responsibility for all
  manufacturing operations to each person
  performing few operations.
• Increased productivity.
• Technological focus on improvement of skills and
  the organization of work -- not tools and
  machinery.
• Currently, interest in return to former
  technology.

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Contemporary Definition of Technology

• " any systematized practical knowledge, based on
  experimentation and/or scientific theory, which
  enhances the capacity of society to produce goods
  and services, and which is embodied in productive
  skills, organization, or machinery.
• Bernard Gendron (1977). Technology and the Human
  Condition. New York St. Martin's, p. 23).

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Definitions of Educational Technology
Two aspects "hardware or product
orientation" and "software or process
orientation" to solve educational problems.
Lumsdaine (1964)
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Definitions of Educational Technology

• A "conceptual framework able to deal with
  problems stemming from the needs of an education
  or training system to survive, grow and develop
  the capacity to adapt and manage change.
• Davies (1971)
• In 1978, Davies added, "criticism and evaluation
  within a problem-solving approach."

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Definitions of Educational Technology

• The "discernible educational technologist" may
  perform as an educational materials producer, a
  manager of learning resources or a systems
  developer and planner.
• Mitchel (1975)

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Definitions of Educational Technology

• Educational technology "is a complex, integrated
  process involving people, procedures, ideas,
  devices and organization, for analyzing problems
  and devising, implementing, evaluating and
  managing solutions to those problems involved in
  all aspects of human learning.
• AECT (1977)

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Definitions of Educational Technology

• Philosophical assumptions that guide research and
  practice must reside outside of the "hardware
  and "software" components identified by
  Lumsdaine.
• Hawkridge (1981)
• Romiszowski (1981)

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Definitions of Educational Technology

• Three interacting dimensions ET1, ET2 and ET3.
• ET1 physical media developed to assist in the
  teaching/learning process.
• ET2 processes used for developing, designing
  and evaluating instruction.
• ET3 the philosophical and holistic orientation
  that is sometimes called the systems approach,
  whereby problems are analyzed and solved in their
  own context through a consideration of as many
  facets and interrelationships as possible.
• Pals and Plomp (1989)

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Definitions of Educational Technology

• There are nine ET functions organizational
  management personnel management research
  design production evaluation logistics
  utilization (teaching training) and
  utilization/dissemination (teaching about ET).
• Ely (1989)

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Definitions of Educational Technology

• The systemic and systematic application of
  behaviour and physical science concepts and other
  knowledge to the solution of problems.
• Gentry (1991)
• systemic application" everything in a system
  or environment has an impact on other things in
  the environment.
• "systematic application" must be diligent and
  procedural in order to not miss significant
  variables in a complex learning system.

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Gentrys Assumptions

• 1. Technology is value free its use or misuse
  depends on the values of those who employ it.
• 2. The application of technological solutions to
  one problem may create other, more serious
  problems.
• 3. Applications of technology should only be
  selected after determining desirable consequences
  outweigh undesirable consequences.
• 4. Fear of technology is based on fear of unknown
  consequences.

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Definitions of Educational Technology
Dyad Question "Discuss Gentry's assumptions.
Do they hold water? Defend your opinion."