The Field of Educational Technology: A Dozen Frequently Asked Questions

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Educational technology is a term widely used in the field of education (and other areas), but it is often used with different meanings. The word technology is used by some to mean hardware -- the devices that deliver information and serve as tools to accomplish a task -- but those working in the field use technology to refer to a systematic process of solving problems by scientific means. Hence, educational technology properly refers to a particular approach to achieving educational ends. Instructional technology refers to the use of such technological processes specifically for teaching and learning.

Other terms, such as instructional development or educational media, which refer to particular parts of the field, are sometimes used to refer to the field as a whole.

This digest provides background information and sources that help one to understand the concept of educational technology. It should serve as a "pathfinder" to relevant and timely publications that view the field from a variety of perspectives.

1. What Is Educational Technology?

The most recent definition of the field (which uses the term, instructional technology) has been published by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT):

Instructional Technology is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.

The complete definition, …