Technology in Classroom Instruction

Distinguishing Characteristics of Instructional Technology and Distance Education

When most people think of instructional technology, they envision using computers or other devices to facilitate learning in a face-to-face setting. However, instructional technology can also be used to support distance education. In fact, there are several key characteristics that show how instructional technology plays a part in distance education. First, instructional technology generally refers to the use of technological tools to enhance teaching and learning in a traditional classroom setting, and with distance education it involves using technology to enable students to learn independently, without being physically present in a classroom (Jung, 2001). Second, instructional technology often relies on the use of multimedia resources, such as video and audio content, to engage students and support their learning, and in terms of distance education that means it may rely more heavily on text-based resources, such as readings and lectures. Finally, instructional technology is typically used to supplement face-to-face instruction, so with distance education it is designed to be primarily delivered via technology. These characteristics are important to consider when designing and delivering instruction using the ITDE approach. Indeed, as the graph below shows, instructional technology plays a large part in distance education.

Graph 1. Role of instructional technology in distance learning.

Although research in instructional technology and distance education shares many common features with other fields, there are also some unique characteristics that set it apart. One of the most important is the theory base. Research in instructional technology and distance education is heavily reliant on theories of learning and human behavior (Anderson & Dron, 2011). As a result, rigorous testing of these theories is essential to ensure that they are valid and reliable. Another key characteristic of high quality research in instructional technology and distance education is generalizability. Because instructional technology and distance education are used in a wide variety of contexts, it is important that research findings can be applied to a range of different situations. Finally, high quality research in instructional technology and distance education often has an applied nature. This means that it is focused on solving real-world problems faced by practitioners in the field. By taking into account these unique characteristics, researchers in instructional technology and distance education can ensure that their work meets the highest standards of quality.

Many of the historical problems associated with research in Instructional Technology and Distance Education (ITDE) and Curriculum and Teaching can be traced back to a lack of communication and collaboration between researchers in these two fields. For example, early research in ITDE tended to focus on the technical aspects of distance education, while researchers in Curriculum and Teaching focused on the pedagogical side (Van Straaten et al., 2018). As a result, there was little cross-fertilization between the two fields, and each remained largely ignorant of the advances being made in the other. This situation has begun to change in recent years, as more scholars have recognized the need for interdisciplinary research in ITDE and Curriculum and Teaching. However, there is still much work to be done in terms of developing a common language and methodology that can be used by researchers from both fields. Only by overcoming these historical shortcomings will it be possible to make further progress in this important area of research.