FOUNDATION

1950’s

The popularization of television allowed instructional technology to be utilized for educative means. This meant that devices such as early versions of televisions and computers began to be used for education and training. The trend of using technology as a vehicle for propaganda was also used during wartime America and continued throughout the Post-War years when other conflicts arose.

1960’s & 1970's

These decades witnessed the growing popularity of graduate programs wherein concentrations in instructional design were initiated. They were the decades of consolidation wherein we saw a proliferation of instructional design models.

1980's

The 80's saw a surge in the use of microcomputers within educational institutions and a systems approach became popularized. A systems approach is a mindset within management fields that stresses the interactive nature and interdependence of external and internal factors in an organization. It is commonly used to evaluate market elements which affect the profitability of a business. Noticeably, Asian markets, such the Japanese, profited greatly from IT applications. This led to them being economic powerhouses within the electronic and automotive sectors during these parameters.

1990's

The 1990's witnessed formal educational settings now having greater computer access, especially with the rise of corporations such as Apple and Microsoft who sought expansion into public and private sectors. Networking became one of the fastest growing applications in instructional technology and this would serve as a precursor to social media and online learning in years to come. School access to television became universal and educational technology in homes and community settings increased drastically. Additionally, distance learning was rapidly gaining ground among institutions of higher learning.

Three key learning theories that influence the field of instructional technology include:

Source

Ertmer, P. A. and Newby, T. J. (2013), Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26: 43-71.

eLearning / Distance Education

Distance education (also known as eLearning) is the process of educating students who may not always be physically bound to a classroom setting. Traditionally, this format involved correspondence courses where students interacted with instructors via postings. However, the refinement of technology and equitable access to faster internet has redefined what constitutes eLearning today. Nowadays, eLearning highlights a counterpoint to a traditional classroom environment that exists within an online space. Learning management systems (LMSs) and communication tools have personalized education, synchronized content across various platforms, and have generally facilitated 24/7 access to instructional content. As digital natives and working professionals continue to define current demographics in higher learning, online learning continues to thrive. Students are now demanding more online classes given the convenience it affords to learners. Colleges and universities are also making cognizant efforts to expand their online programs to ensure they have the right quality assurance measures in place to guarantee a top-tier learning experience.

Active Learning

Active learning is typically reflective of any instructional method that capitalizes on student engagement within the process of learning. In other words, it prompts students to partake in meaningful learning activities and think about what they are doing (reflection). The key emphasis in active learning is the focus on students and their "engagement" within the learning process. Generally, active learning is contrasted with its more traditional counterpart, teacher-centered learning. In that format, students typically are instructed via lectures and passively receive information from the instructor. Most time is spent with the professor lecturing and the students watching and listening (indicators that active learning is not being realized). Active learning seeks to implement more student-centered instructional practices in order to elicit engagement and accountability over work. Rather than work in isolation and with limited cooperation, active learning involves scenarios where students can solve problems, answer questions, formulate their own questions, engage in discussion, debate, reflect, and even brainstorm with the intention of enhancing academic outcomes. All of this comes with a learner-oriented focus and elevates the role of the student as an "active" participant in education.

Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)

Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) is a cooperative learning venture that is closely associated with constructivist teaching. It builds on the premise that social interactions allow for deeper understanding of concepts. In other words, collaboration equates to knowledge creation. OCL focuses on conversational learning (as manifested through forums). Technology via forums facilitates social collaboration and its inceptions date back to the 1970's. Even today, forums highlight text based principles, asynchronous structures (log in from anywhere), and make use of threaded connections to allow users the ability to follow multiple discussions over time (as exemplified by such modern platforms as Twitter & Reddit). Core principles of OCL include:

• Idea Generating: This involves brainstorming as a group.
• Idea Organizing: This involves the refinement of thinking skills via discourse and perspectives.
• Intellectual Convergence: This involves the synthesis of information via consensus by producing joint artifacts of learning (essays, documents, etc).

Another integral component of OCl is that the role of the teacher is viewed as that of a facilitator. This fosters a learning environment of support wherein all participants can extract meaning from their experience (constructivism).

Community of Inquiry (COI)

A Community of Inquiry (COI) is reflective of groups of people working in tandem to engage in discourse and reflection. COI is implemented for the purpose of extracting meaning and developing mutual understanding among people. It also represents a process of creating a rich and meaningful (collaborative-constructivist) learning experience through the development of three interdependent elements – social, cognitive and teaching presences.

• Social Presence: This allows for the ability of participants to identify with the community, communicate purposefully in a trusting environment, and develop interpersonal relationships by way of projecting their individual personalities.
• Teaching Presence: Warrants that educators facilitate learning outcomes and provide guidance to students.
• Cognitive Presence: This reflects the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse.

Whereas many people perceive COI and OCL to be competing against one another, the focus should really be about both concepts complementing each other for the benefit of all parties involved in the process of learning.