Where it all Began...

The field of instructional technology constantly changes with new ideas and innovations. These new ideas that develop over time will change the way they go about making instructional materials and programs. This is all new to me and I never really thought of the origin of instructional technology nor the fact that it had many names. So it is interesting to learn the history behind it. As I read in the first chapter, I have noticed all the different labels that the field had and wasn't always known as instructional technology or educational technology. Just how the name of the field has changed over the years, so has the definition of it. I understand that the definition had to change every time there were new ideas and innovations. Therefore, I saw the definition grow and grow with time. New words like system development, process, evaluation, and analysis was soon added to the meaning. These words have grown to play a big role in this field. In the 1900s, it started off with the visual instruction movement which involved educational films then moved to the audiovisual instruction when new technology like sound recordings was created in the 1920s. By the 1960s and 1970s, leaders in the field determined that instructional technology was a process. I saw the process on which it took to develop the definition of instructional technology and how it is not just one simple part. The definition has many layers or steps I should say that goes along with it. Now in the second chapter, I was learning about the push back the teachers made about the instructional practice changing and I couldn't help but think how the teachers now don't like change either. Just how back then the teachers didn't like it because of the cost and maintaining the media, the teachers now refuse to learn the new technology that they can use in the classroom. Now I am not saying this is happening everywhere just at the schools I was a substitute teacher. I learned that the reasons were that the school didn't provide training on using the tools or that they believed the old fashion way of teaching was the best route.

I am excited about creating infographics for this class because I have done them before. I have used piktochart before, but I have never heard of the other tools that you have provided for us. I understand how Will Fanguy says "Classroom teachers are in a constant battle for attention, but maybe that's because they're using the wrong tools and methods" (2017). When I was teaching in the classroom, the students seemed bored of what the teacher left behind because it was just worksheets for the whole day. Visuals can grab peoples attention where it can keep them focus. There is a lot of visual learners around so they will benefit from infographics. It should be used in the classroom as an additional resource tool.

Reference:
Fanguy, W. (2017, March 26). Using Infographics in the Classroom: Our Tips and Advice. Retrieved February 4, 2019, from https://piktochart.com/blog/using-infographics-classroom/