What Is Instructional Technology?

by Endang Asrini and Widya Rahmawati

What comes up into your mind when hearing the words "instructional technology"?

Perhaps, you would imagine something modern like laptop, mobile phone, tablet or any other gadgets which can be used during the teaching and learning. Well, it is almost correct, but technology is not limited on modern devices. It is not only necessarily about the media, but also the process. A quotation says that technology is only one tool in the learning process. Instructional technology comes to aid the teacher to solve the problem in the class. The term instructional technology and educational technology are often used interchangeably. However, both terms are different since education is much broader than instruction.

To know further about what instructional technology is, it is better to look at the following map:

Definition:

1. Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological process and resources. (Januszweski and Molenda, 2010: 1)
2. Educational technology is a systematic and organized process of applying modern technology to improve the quality of education (effciency, optimal, true, etc.) (Stošić, 2015: 111)
3. Instructional technology includes practical techniques of instructional delivery that systematically aim for effective learning, whether or not they involve the use of media. (Gagne, 2011: 7)
4. Instructional technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning. (AECT in Luppicini, 2005)

References

Gagne, Robert M (ed). 2010. Instructional Technology: Foundations. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-89859-626-2
Januszweski, Alan and Molenda, Michael. 2008. Educational Technology: A definition with commentary. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8058-58-60-0

Luppicini, Rocci. 2005.  A Systems Definition of Educational Technology in Society. Educational Technology & Society, 8 (3), 103-109.
Stošić, Lazar. 2015. The importance of educational technology in teaching. (IJCRSEE) International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education Vol. 3, No.1