Instructional Technology

Instructional technology is a dynamic field. The term “instructional technology” has been used interchangeably with “educational technology.” Gentry defined instructional technology as a systemic and systematic application of strategies and techniques derived from behavior and physical science concepts and other knowledge to the solution of instructional problems. He defined educational technology as a combination of instructional, learning, developmental, managerial, and other technologies as applied to the solution of educational problems. Heinich and colleagues use technologies to emphasize the products and the process of technology as they are applied to human learning, and to highlight many different manifestations of technology. As Gentry noted, the boundaries of the educational technology field were poorly defined in the 1990s; they have continued in this state to the present. These definitions illustrate that the field of instructional technology is still an evolving area, and emerging technologies continue to complicate the situation. However, such difficulties also lead practitioners and researchers to new avenues for further research and to establish cross-disciplinary collaboration in the fields of education, computer science, communications, psychology, cognitive science, sociology, library and information science (LIS), etc