Historical Timeline for Instructional Technology

  • Physical Method of Instructional Media

    "Early definition of Instructional Design Technology is establish by actual physical matter.
    -Instruction takes place through audiovisuals and radio."
  • Period: to

    Visual Instruction Movement - Seeing is Believing

    Identified by films, pictures, lantern slides, visual aids, excursion, flat pictures, models, exhibits, charts, maps, graphs, stereographs, stereopticon slides, and motion pictures (Dorris, 1928, p. 6),
    -US Government during WWII successfully establishes "Division of Visual Aids for War Training."
  • Process Enters As Major Defining Factor - The IDT Field Advances

    The field of Instructional Design Technology undergoes momentous defining moments that remain influential.
    - School Museums emerge
  • Period: to

    Defining Outcomes

    • 1963 AECT: "the design and use of messages which control the learning process" (p. 38)..."These steps include:
      • planning
      • production
    • selection
      • utilization
    • management 1970 Commission on Instructional Technology focus on latter definition: "It is a systematic way of:
    • designing
    • carrying out and -evaluation of the whole process of learning and teaching -specific objectives based on research on human learning and communication." Computers enter instructional education arena.
  • AECT Revised Defination

    "Educational technology is a
    -complex
    -integrated process
    -involving people, procedures, ideas, devices and organizations
    -for analyzing problems
    -devising
    -implementing
    -evaluating and
    -managing solutions
    -involved in all aspects of human learning (p. 1)"
  • Period: to

    Influence of Theories Emerge

    "AECT published: Instructional Technology: The Definitions and Domains of the Field (Seels & Richey, 1994).
    Instructional Design Technology is the
    -theory and practice of design,
    -development,
    -utilization,
    -management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning (p.1)."
  • Period: to

    Textbook Ready

    AECT: definition "a focus on systematic processes and the use of technological resources are integral parts of the field. p. 5" Reference for this timeline is Trends and Issues in IDT, Reiser and Dempsey
    Timespan dates are of a nonspecific month and date. Accuracy is representative of the year indicated.
  • Newly Defined

    AECT: "Educational technology is the study of
    -ethical practice of facilitating learning and
    -improving performance by
    - creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources (p.1)."