Although both Reiser and Weller discuss the history of ed tech in their articles, as Reiser\u2019s was written in 2001 it lacks the relevance of Weller\u2019s written in 2018 because the impact of the intervening seventeen years is of course, substantial. Specifically, when Reiser wrote the article in 2001 eLearning was just being introduced and the subsequent use of learning management systems (LMSs) had not even begun. As a result, a comparison of Reiser\u2019s and Weller\u2019s articles isn\u2019t truly possible in my opinion because the evolution of ed tech between the 2001 and 2018 has been substantial. That said, Weller\u2019s article does explore the history of ed tech comprehensively, however, I believe both articles fail to account for an important factor when considering ed tech in instructional design. And that is the cumulative experience that each learner brings to the learning environment, both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n
Reiser and Weller observe ed tech\u2019s primary success, or lack thereof, based on the technology<\/em> itself, and how it functions etc., rather than whether or not the learning was achieved. Additionally, how technology outside<\/em> of the learning environment is experienced by the learner is not considered. And this is the primary lesson I believe we can learn from the past because learners in today\u2019s world are using, and being influenced by technology in their everyday lives. Regardless of whether or not a particular technology is used in the design of a course or program, it cannot be denied that learners bring their expectations into the classroom, so their experience using technology should not be overlooked.<\/p>\n In my work as an instructional designer I must consider the body of knowledge that learners have, particularly as I design for adult learners in a corporate setting. Therefore, in the analysis stage of design, I need to determine what level of technology is required to best suit the learning objectives as well as the needs of my audience. As Weller (2018) states \u201cIntegrating into the mainstream the participatory culture that web 2.0 brought to the fore remains both a challenge and an opportunity\u2026\u201d (p. 40). Weller specifies \u201chigher education\u201d however, this is an approach that I believe is suitable for any setting with adult learners and it is a crucial component in my work.<\/p>\n Although I agree with Weller, I would argue that Weiser\u2019s prediction of the impact of media on the changes in instructional practices \u201c\u2026are likely to come about more slowly and be less extensive than most media enthusiasts currently predict\u201d (2001, p. 62) is incorrect. Based on my observations, the opposite is true. Instead the impact of ed tech has resulted in an increasing reliance on external eLearning courses populating our LMS at the expense of in-house expertise from subject matter experts and instructional designers. The danger I see is an increasing reliance on external providers who are viewed as the experts and whose course offerings often do not always meet the needs of the organization. \u00a0Although there are a number of factors, one of the main ones is the speed at which organizations feel compelled to implement ed tech. As a result, there\u2019s a need to slow down and truly analyze the needs of the organization and its learners, to successfully identify technologies that meet those needs rather than adopting the newest technologies in the race to keep up.<\/p>\n References<\/p>\n Reiser, R. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part 1: A history of instructional media. Educational Technology Research and Development, 49(1), pp. 53-64. Retrieved from https:\/\/link-springer-com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca\/article\/10.1007\/BF02504506<\/a><\/p>\n Weller, M. (2018). Twenty years of ed tech. Educause Review Online, 53(4), pp. 34-48. Retrieved from https:\/\/er.educause.edu\/articles\/2018\/7\/twenty-years-of-edtech<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Although both Reiser and Weller discuss the history of ed tech in their articles, as Reiser\u2019s was written in 2001 it lacks the relevance of Weller\u2019s written in 2018 because the impact of the intervening seventeen years is of course, substantial. Specifically, when Reiser wrote the article in 2001 eLearning was just being introduced and … <\/p>\n