The Evolution of Instructional Design and Technology
Over the years, the field of instructional design and technology has been referred to by different terms such as instructional technology, educational technology, instructional design, instructional development, instructional systems as well as instructional design and technology. According to Reiser and Dempsey (2012), the field of instructional design and technology “encompasses the analysis of learning and performance problems, and the design, development, implementation, evaluation and management of instructional and non-instructional processes and resources intended to improve learning and performance in a variety of settings, particularly educational institutions and the workplace” (p. 12). Two major areas can be deduced from this field: instructional design, and instructional technology. Instructional design can be referred to as the processes for developing education and training programs in an organized, effective, and efficient way (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). Instructional technology and educational technology are terms that have also been used interchangeably in the literature. According to Januszewski and Molenda (2008), educational technology can be defined as the study and practice of improving learning and learner performance by developing, using and managing appropriate technological tools and processes. Instructional design does not meet all that is needed to improve learner performance in this constantly changing global environment (Reiser & Dempsey, 2011). However, many technological processes, resources, and tools are being developed that bring continued innovation to the field of education.
Educational Technology Tools
Current educational technology tools include open educational resources, digital badges, social learning environments, game based learning, learning management systems, and learning analytics (Raths, 2013). Open educational resources (OER) are free online technological resources that educators and students can use to enrich the learning process at zero monetary cost. There are now so many OERs available that there may be difficulty selecting and choosing the most appropriate for a learning situation. However, there are also websites that serve to review these OERs. Digital badges are used in various massive open online courses in order to distinguish levels of achievement and student contributions in the learning environment. These badges serve as an incentive to motivate and engage students in the learning process.
Social learning environments help to bring education to non traditional learners. Many learners are accustomed to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and so educators are now bringing the use of these and similar platforms to the learning environment. This serves as a natural way to involve younger learners in more writing (Raths, 2013). Social learning environments use a familiar, more student-centric platform which learners can easily navigate in collaborating with peers and instructors. Thus education reaches a wider audience, including both traditional and non traditional learners. Game based learning is now more prominent in the education industry. With the proliferation of mobile technology, gamified apps have also increased. Game play has become a ubiquitous portable activity. This has stimulated the production of various gamified applications for learning that teach problem solving skills and also motivate and engage learners. These game based activities can be linked up with the classroom environment. Learning management systems provide an online interface to manage a classroom. Learning analytics is important because better qualitative or quantitative decisions about the delivery of learning content and personalized learning for students can be made, thereby promoting a student-centered environment. Mobile learning however, brings together all the benefits of these educational tools and is staged to be the most promising aspect in educational technology for improving education in the future.
Mobile Learning
The rapid advancement in mobile technology and smart phones have opened the way for innovative, effective and efficient learning methods. Smart phone technology is still advancing and the delivery of learning content is expected to continue to advance with it. The portability of mobile devices makes learning convenient and accessible, with the learner not limited to being in a room. Mobile learning enables students access learning content regardless of time or geographical region. The ease and accessibility of mobile learning has made it more important than ever (Göksu & Atici, 2013). A learner can take a stroll, relax on the beach or be in an airplane at 35,000 feet and still access learning content. According to Ozdamli and Cavus (2011), “The core characteristics of mobile learning are ubiquitous, portable size of mobile tools, blended, private, interactive, collaborative, and instant information. They enable learners to be in the right place at the right time, that is, to be where they are able to experience the authentic joy of learning” (p.1).
With mobile learning, class lessons are adapted into mobile phone apps to deliver lesson content. This also incorporates game based learning. For example, the Duolingo learning app is used by educators to teach languages (Duolingo, 2016). Another example of a gamified app is the HPCC Systems app which is used for learning various aspects of technology around the use of HPCC Systems for solving big data problems (Dasher & Foreman, 2016). According to Frey (2012), students were able to master the basic concepts of working with negative numbers in as little as two sessions of 30 minutes of play and in a traditional pencil and paper post test, the students showed significant gains though with some limitations. More innovations and developments are expected in this area of game based mobile learning.
Conclusion
In summary, mobile learning is expected to continue to advance education in the future with its portability, accessibility, interactivity, user friendliness, connection to social environments and user personalization. As mobile technologies continue to develop with innovative applications, learners have so much to benefit from their application in the mobile learning environment.
References
Dasher, D., & Foreman, B. (2016). How CPL online has progressed with HPCC Systems & enhanced HPCC Systems training. HPCC Systems Engineering Summit - Community Day. Retrieved from https://hpccsystems.com/community/events/hpcc-systems-summit-2016
Duolingo. (2016). Retrieved October 24, 2016, from https://www.duolingo.com/
Frey, R. C. (2012). Assessment in game-based learning. Assessment in Game-Based Learning: Foundations, Innovations, and Perspectives. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3546-4
Göksu, İ., & Atici, B. (2013). Need for Mobile Learning: Technologies and Opportunities. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103, 685–694. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.388
Januszewski, A., & Molenda, M. (2008). Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary (2nd ed., pp. 1-14). New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Ozdamli, F., & Cavus, N. (2011). Basic elements and characteristics of mobile learning. In Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 28, 937–942. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.173
Raths, D. (2013). What's hot, what's not for 2014. T.H.E. Journal, 14-20. Retrieved from https://thejournal.com/research/2013/12/magazine_december.aspx?tc=page0
Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
