DefinitionsPresentation1972

1.Whatevents,needs,problemsledtothecreationofthisdefinition?

The1972definitionwasborneofdissatisfactionwiththe1970definitioncontained
withinthereportofthePresidentialCommisiononInstructionalTechnology
(Januszewski&Persichitte,2008b).Specificcriticismsthatacademicshadwiththe1970
workwerethatitstwotiereddefinitioncouldbeconfusingtopractitioners(Januszewski
&Persichitte,2008b)andthatitsemphasisontoolsandimplieddeemphasisonresearch
andtheorywasastepbackwardsforthefield.(Januszewski&Persichitte,2008b)
JanuszewskiandPersichitte(2008b)indicatethatdefiningeducationaltechnologyasa
fieldwasareactiontothe1963definitionofeducationaltechnologyasatheoryandthat
the1972authorswantedtobemoreinclusiveofdifferingeducationalphilosophieswithin
theirdefinition.

2.Whocreatedthedefinition,whatweretheirqualifications/authority?

The1972definitionforthefieldofinstructionaltechnology(whichwasreferredtoas
educationaltechnologyatthetime)wascreatedbytheDefinitionandTerminology
Committee,asectionoftheAECT(AssociationforEducationalCommunicationsand
Technology).Severalhundredpeoplearecreditedwithcontributingtothedevelopment
ofthedefinition.TheAECTistheleadingprofessionalorganizationinthefieldof
instructionaltechnologyandmembersincludeeducators,graduatestudents,schoolmedia
specialistsandlibrarians,researchersinthefield,andprofessionalsfromoutsidethe
educationcommunitywhoworkintheinstructionaldevelopmentfield.

3.Whatisthedefinition?

Educationaltechnologyisafieldinvolvedinthefacilitationofhumanlearningthrough
thesystematicidentification,development,organizationandutilizationofafullrangeof
learningresources,andthroughthemanagementoftheseprocesses.Itincludes,butisnot
limitedto,thedevelopmentofinstructionalsystems,theidentificationofexisting
resources,thedeliveryofresourcestolearners,andthemanagementoftheseprocesses
andthepeoplewhoperformthem.(AECT,1972,p.1)

4.Whataretheimportantelementsofthedefinition?

Thetermdefinedisnoweducationaltechnologychangedfromaudiovisual
communicationsinthe1963definition(Januszewski&Persichitte,2008b).

 Educationaltechnologyisafield,asopposedtoatheory.JanuszewskiandPersichitte
(2008b)listanumberofresultsfromthischange,includingrecognitionoftheexistence
ofmorethanonetheoryofeducationaltechnology.Bypromptingphilosophical
discussionwiththischange,theacademicstatusandlegitimacyofthefieldwasraised
(Januszewski&Persichitte,2008b).Also,thetermfielddeftlyencompassesboththe
toolsandtheorysectionsofthe1970definition(Januszewski&Persichitte,2008b).
Inthe1972definition,theAECTsayseducationaltechnologyuniquelybringsthree
elementsofeducationtogether:
a. expandingtherangeoflearningresourcesi.e.mediaandinformationalsources,
b. emphasizingindividualizedlearning,and
c. useofasystemsapproachininstruction.
Thesethreeelementsareconnectedinthattheexpandedrangeoflearningresources(for
example,theiPadsoftoday)leadtoindividualizedlearning,andindividualizedlearning
requiressystematicplanninginthatateachermaynotbepresent.
TheAECT(1972)alsostatedthatthisdefinitioncouldnotbeconsideredfinal.

5.Whatconnectionsexistbetweenyourhistoricaldefinitionandthecurrentdefinition?Whyare
theystillrelevant?NicoleOlson
In1972,theDepartmentofAudioVisualInstruction(DAVI)becametheAECTandwith
thechange,thetermaudiovisualcommunicationwasdroppedandthetermeducational
technologywasadoptedinitsplace.Thecurrentdefinitionstillincludestheterm
educationaltechnology.Thetermmanagementinregardstoorganizationandthepeople
initwasalsofirstusedinthe1972definitionandisstillpresentinthecurrentdefinition.
Thepositionofthewritersforthe1972definitionwasthattheteachershouldspendless
timetellingthestudentswhattheyneedtoknowandthatthelearnershouldmake
decisionsregardingtheuseoftechnology.Similarly,thecurrentdefinitionimpliesthat
technologysupportslearningbutitdoesntcontrolit.Technologyisusedtoassist
learnersinfindingtheanswerstotheirquestions(Januszewski,2008,p.4).

6.Whatimportantdifferencesexistbetweenyourhistoricaldefinitionandthecurrentdefinition?
Whyaretheydifferent?NicoleOlson
Oneofthemajordifferencesbetweenthe1972definitionandthecurrentdefinitionisthat
the1972definitionwasseenonlyasatemporarydefinition.Assoonasitwaspublished,
workonanewdefinitionbegan.
Anotherdifferencewasthatforthefirsttime,thecurrentdefinitionincludestheterm
ethicalpractice.Thedefinitionarguesthatethicsarenotmerelyrulesand
expectationsbutareabasisforpractice(Januszewski,2008,p.4).Furthermore,the

currentdefinitionvariesfromtheothersbecauseitislessexplicitandinsteadimpliesthat
goodinstructionandeffectivelearninggohandinhand.
Thecurrentdefinitionalsoacknowledgesthatfacilitatinglearningeventscantakeplace
infacetofacesettingorinvirtualenvironments,asinmicroworldsordistancelearning
(Januszewski,2008,p.4).ThiscanbedonebecauseoftheadventoftheWorldWide
Web,somethingthatwasnotavailablein1972.

7.IncludeaReferenceslidewithanyresourcesusedinthepreparationofthepresentation(use
properAPAformat).
AssociationforEducationalCommunicationsandTechnology.(1972).Thefieldof
educationaltechnology:Astatementofdefinition.AudiovisualInstruction,17,3643.

Brown,A.,&Green,T.(2011).Theessentialsofinstructionaldesign:Connecting
fundamentalprincipleswithprocessandpractice(2nded.).Boston,M.A.:Pearson.
Januszewski,A.,&Persichitte,K.A.(2008).Definition.InA.Januszewski&M.
Molenda(Eds.),Educationaltechnology:Adefinitionwithcommentary.Routledge
Januszewski,A.,&Persichitte,K.A.(2008).AhistoryoftheAECT'sdefinitionof
EducationalTechnology.InA.Januszewski&M.Molenda(Eds.),Educational
technology:Adefinitionwithcommentary.Routledge.

Reiser,R.,&Dempsey,J.(2012).Trendsandissuesininstructionaldesignand
technology(3rded.).Boston,M.A.:Pearson.