Department of Educational Technology
Charting the Future
The Past
The Educational Technology Programs at UNC have a long history; one that is interwoven with the tradition of the university’s original designation as a teacher
education college. The MA program was born in the 1940’s with the boom in educational media after its success in training millions of US troops in World War II. Through the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, the program continued to evolve and respond to changes in applications of media in training and instruction. During this period, K-12 educators began developing a fresh vision for the role of the library media center as the curricular hub of the school. The Educational Media Program trained school library media
specialists to manage these facilities, a tradition that has continued to this day. Teachers also needed training on integrating new technologies such as overhead projectors and 16mm film in their classrooms.
The 1980’s brought with it arguably the single most important development in the field since World War II, the invention and proliferation of the personal computer. This development would find its way into public schools, and the Educational Technology faculty would find themselves retooling MA classes and undergraduate teacher education classes to integrate the new PC’s in instruction. MA students in Educational Technology and Educational Media now found themselves producing instructional multimedia. In addition, training departments in multinational corporations were looking for computer savvy instructional designers; as a result, UNC’s graduate programs in Educational Technology continued to grow. Students who wished to pursue a doctorate in the field were required to enroll in an interdisciplinary Ed.D. program, and it became clear to the
faculty that the future of the Educational Technology was in establishing a Ph.D. program in the field.
In 1991, the five Educational Technology faculty members met to write a proposal for a new Ph.D. program to focus conceptually on the convergence of technologies and theories surrounding the adoption of innovations. This program was approved by the State of Colorado and a new era in Educational Technology at UNC began. The growth of the Internet and trends in distance delivery of instruction impacted the curriculum profoundly, and new generations of teacher education students were introduced to a new generation of powerful tools based on microcomputer applications.
Graduate students in the new doctoral program began working closely with each other and their professors on serious research. The result of this collaboration has been the development and delivery of hundreds of papers, workshops, poster sessions, journal articles, dissertations, etc. In the 1990’s MA programs were delivered to Grand Junction (twice), Pueblo, Colorado Springs, LaJunta, and Sterling. In 1999, the Educational Technology Program became the Department of Educational Technology and was home to nearly 200 students in its three degree and Educational Media licensure program. Faculty in the Educational Technology Department has won all three College of Education awards (teaching, research, and service). Faculty have been editorial board members of major publications, officers in national organizations, editors in top-tier journals, consultants of major industry sponsored educational initiatives, and program evaluators.
The Present
Unit DescriptionThe Educational Technology Department is central to the mission and vision of UNC. It prepares educators and knowledge workers for the technological challenges of tomorrow by offering an MA in Educational Technology, an MA in Educational Media, a Media Endorsement Licensure Program, and a Ph.D. in Educational Technology. UNC is the only institution in the state of Colorado to offer a doctoral degree in Educational Technology. In addition, UNC is one of only two Colorado schools to produce library media specialists.
Changes in technology have forced the department to become a dynamic learning organization. As a recent example, incoming students who once needed basic education in office productivity skills and software now enter the program at a much higher skill level. These students demand instruction in emerging technologies such as digital video, web-based communications and learning technologies, and virtual reality/3D modeling. The shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age requires significant change in the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by workers. Behaviorist-oriented education and training approaches were appropriate during the Industrial Age when workers were
needed for assembly-line jobs. However, this is no longer true of Information Age workers. These workers are faced with fast-paced environments that require novel problem-solving skills. Traditional education and training approaches that focus on lower levels of understanding typically do not meet the needs of these workers. Today, workers must think critically and know how to use problem-solving tools appropriately. The Educational Technology Department addresses this by requiring students to apply theoretical models to real-world projects.
Resources
The Educational Technology Program consists of five professors who generated a total of 3107 credit hours in 2003. The Educational Technology Programs currently consist of approximately 150 graduate students (MA Educational Media, MA Educational
Technology, Educational Media Endorsement, and PhD Educational Technology.) The faculty also serves all undergraduate students in Pre-Teacher Educational Preparation programs via the required two-credit sequence in technology (approximately 600 students per year). Additionally, the Educational Technology Department is responsible for the management of the college’s entire technology infrastructure, including the
64-workstation college computer lab.
Several grant proposals are under development in the department at this time. A
$1,357,000.00 grant involving collaboration with the UNC nursing department to run an on-line PhD in the Nursing program has been submitted for federal funding. Another grant for $300,000 has been proposed to run an Institute for Performance Technology, described later in this document. The PT3 grant, which is now concluding, generated $1,200,000 over the past four years.
The Educational Technology Department is housed on the 5th floor of McKee Hall. Five offices, one media room, and a conference room are used by the faculty. The media room (505) is in the process of being upgraded via internal funding and supports high-end video editing and multimedia development. The first floor Interdisciplinary Center for Educational Technologies (ICET) lab is managed by the department, and consists of 64 workstations for general student use. In the lab, students have access to the Microsoft Office suite in addition to an assortment of Adobe and Macromedia applications for multimedia development. It is the second-largest open lab on the UNC campus, and ranks first in regard to software availability. A smaller graduate student area, named the
Development Lab, is also available for students enrolled in Educational Technology programs. Faculty computer equipment and software has just been upgraded to match what is available to students. Software upgrades for the open lab and Educational
Technology faculty are fully funded for the next two years. Because of its degraded state, the Development Lab provides increasing challenges for faculty and students to learn about and produce state-of-the-art products. This area was originally funded during the creation of the doctoral program in Educational Technology and has received additional hardware and software during its existence, but suffers from the lack of a consistent source of financing.
The physical condition of McKee Hall is sub par. The facilities are not conducive to a quality learning experience. Several instructional designers on a recent program survey indicated that the atmosphere was a “downer” for people for study the design of effective learning environments. Offices are small and windowless, and in the Fall the Educational Technology Department is deluged with flies. All in all, the atmosphere is not one that stimulates intellectual activity. This does not promote a professional image. The Educational Technology Department is aware that the remodeling and replacement of McKee Hall is part of the campus-wide plan, and encourages collaboration between the Educational Technology Department and the facility planners to develop improved research and learning space in any remodeled or new structure.
To keep pace with global change, the faculty is continually learning new software skills and technology, participating in cutting edge research conferences, and modifying program curriculum. For example, the faculty has participated in programs to enhance their skills such as Apple’s Distinguished Educators Program. This program recognizes educators exemplifying best practices in the field. According the program’s website, when new technologies are developed, these educators are the first to make effective use of them in the support of classroom learning objectives. Another example is participation in the human performance technology (HPT) certification process under the auspices of ISPI and ASTD, two professional organizations within the field. HPT, a discipline within Educational Technology, provides approaches that more adequately support the role of the worker in the Information Age by being open to both instructional and
non-instructional solutions.
The multicultural nature of the Educational Technology Program also allows it to stay abreast of change through learning about different cultures. Graduates of the program have a 100% placement rate within the field, including positions in K12, business, and higher education. Recently, the faculty has made a renewed push in the quality of research being conducted here and is now represented in the top journals of the field. External and Internal Demand for Program/Service, Including its
Uniqueness
With worldwide trends demanding more and more knowledge workers who are technologically literate and possess skills in designing and delivering instruction,
training, and education, demand for programs in Educational Technology has never been higher. Students from all over the world including China, Taiwan, Korea, Kuwait, Latin America, Canada, and the African Continent have come to UNC to study Educational Technology. Additionally, there is strong regional, state, and local demand in K-12 schools for personnel who are trained in integrating technology and managing instructional systems. Another area of growing demand is the field of library media studies. New national and state standards require that students in K-12 schools must be able to effectively create, utilize, and evaluate information. School librarians must be specially trained to teach these skills, and most of them come to UNC for this training. Only UNC and the University of Colorado at Denver offer state-sanctioned Library Media Endorsement programs. UNC has offered its program at sites across Colorado
during the last decade including Grand Junction (twice), Pueblo, La Junta, Sterling, Denver, and Colorado Springs. More than 150 endorsed library media specialists have been trained in UNC’s off-campus programs. Media specialists who have received their endorsements through UNC can be found in every major school district in the state, and with President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” act, school districts are currently referring dozens of teachers who need training in Educational Technology and Educational Media to UNC.
The likelihood of continued enrollment is extremely high and will continue to grow as the State of Colorado grows. The population of the state is projected to be nearly 10 million by 2020, and much of the growth is being fueled by the creation of new high tech businesses centered around multimedia and telecommunications. Additionally, the creation of new schools, the aging population of classroom teachers and media
specialists, along with the items mentioned previously are contributing to growth in the Educational Technology Programs at UNC. Nearly 350 teacher education students enroll in the required Educational Technology undergraduate classes each semester as part of their teacher preparation courses. Students from departments across campus including Music, P.E., Kinesiology, Art, Special Education, Educational Leadership, take various courses in Educational Technology as electives. The Educational Technology Program offers a doctoral minor which is becoming increasingly popular as students recognize the need for high tech skills in scholarly endeavors, regardless of the field. Other programs such as Music require doctoral students to pursue secondary emphasis areas, and Educational Technology is one of the approved options.
This increased demand will require the department to make effective use of distance delivery of courses and programs, and plans are being made to deliver a hybrid program in Western Colorado which will include innovative use of the Internet along with necessary face-to-face meetings with students. This will help minimize the cost of delivering the program to the rural regions of the state by cutting faculty travel and making better use of their time. Faculty members are also using the Internet effectively in their on-campus teaching as well in order to reduce teaching costs.
Quality of Programs
The faculty members in the department are teachers first, and their teaching commitments are their top priority. However, they are all actively involved in research and their
research informs their teaching. For example, research on computer graphics in one course led to the creation of a textbook on the subject. The textbook not only contributes to the curriculum but has also resulted in consultative work with other departments and external agencies. Faculty members are actively involved in mentoring student research. Approximately half of the on-campus graduate students publish papers and present at national conferences.
The Educational Technology Programs are fully accredited by NCATE. The admission standards of the program are the highest on campus. The faculty is diverse and represents some of the best research-oriented programs in the field.
The Educational Technology Department is at a critical juncture in the development of the Ph.D. program. Capitalizing on the successful past, the department continues to modify and adapt the curriculum to current needs in the field. Educational Technology is a dynamic and transformative field that demands hard work from both faculty and students.
Future
Essential Functions of the New UNCBased on the mission of the university, it is essential to strive for excellence in providing students with the best educational experience in the state of Colorado. Students not only need theoretical knowledge, they need practical skills. The overall goal of the Department of Educational Technology will be to provide a strong research base with application to practice through internships and apprenticeships.
Students of the future will need efficiency in information and instruction from both time and financial perspectives. Increased delivery of online services such as access to library resources and databases, real-time video conferencing, and interactive courses will be demanded. Because of the diverse nature of emerging professions, cross-disciplinary skills will be required.
The Educational Technology Department faculty is committed to the mission of being student-centered and providing education based on current research and practice in the field. To this end, students will engage in practical experiences through internships and other structured activities, writing and conducting research, designing and developing learning and management systems, and implementing those systems as teachers and mentors. For example, Educational Technology students will be liaisons with local public schools, non-profit agencies, and businesses by providing research and skills to those organizations. The demand for these services is already here. For example, several students are currently interning with local hospitals as instructional designers. To realize its potential, the Educational Technology Department will be proactive regarding financial support. Because of dwindling state resources, the new UNC and the Educational Technology Department will need to generate more funds from grants, cash-funded programs, and consultative services. The faculty of the department is committed to exploring external funding opportunities and consulting activities (much of this will be done through the newly formed Institute for Performance Technologies as outlined below). A portion of the resources generated from these activities should be allocated back to the Educational Technology Program to enable an optimal learning and work environment and to sustain such programs. An undergraduate educational technology minor will allow graduates to use technology as a tool for effectively communicating within their discipline.
Undergraduate Liberal Arts Focus
The University of the Future needs to become a 24/7 open learning environment not bound by time and space. Credits will not be defined by seat time, rather by meeting objectives and demonstrating skills. Future learners will have low tolerance for inefficient methods of instruction. Many will be working full time and need just-in-time training. Training might take place starting at midnight and the resources to handle that need to be there to meet the demand. Certificate programs, such as those mentioned above, will become an educational option for more people.
The Educational Technology Department thinks all students need a balanced curriculum including: liberal arts, professional preparation, and real world experiences. In the Educational Technology discipline, it is not enough to be technically literate. Students need to understand the contributions of the arts and sciences to society and be able to integrate that perspective into effective problem-solving. Assessment of the
undergraduate program will take into account the marketability of students, feedback from employers, and the proliferation of lifelong learners as evidenced by the number of students returning for advanced degrees.
Graduate Experiences
The vision and mission of the future Educational Technology Program will be to continue its emphasis on a balance of theory and applied practice. Internships will be a hallmark of the new program. Faculty time could be bought out by area businesses to mentor student internships. For example, a faculty member might have a course release to work as an instructional designer with Northern Colorado Medical Center. In this role, the faculty member will mentor students in medically-related instructional design. Additionally, the faculty will be updated on real world trends and experiences, which translates into more realistic teaching practices.
Students will engage in seminars and faculty teas where discussions will be held and theories debated. Students will be actively involved in the learning and teaching process while collaborating with peers, faculty, and professionals in the field. Doctoral studies will take a more open and flexible approach of scholarly inquiry. All graduate students will take part in a cognitive apprenticeship approach to dissertation research and classes. Students will be mentored by faculty and engaged in authentic tasks throughout their studies.
The Educational Technology Program will develop a rich information system that represents knowledge in the field. Students will focus on using information to solve problems rather than attempting to memorize it. To perform in the future will require the use of technology as a problem solving tool. Students in the Educational Technology Department will access databases to write papers, conduct research, and to generate new knowledge that they in turn contribute back to the field.
Distance education will play an important part in the Educational Technology programs of the future. More classes and even complete degrees will be offered online. As
technology improves so will the quality of distance education. Students and teachers will be able to easily converse in real-time, avoiding the problems faced today by slow Internet access.
Based on the ET department’s vision of the future, an Institute for Performance Technologies has been proposed. This initiative will increase the role of electronic performance support tools in developing highly qualified knowledge workers within the state of Colorado. The Institute for Performance Technology (IPT) is based upon
successful models at other academic institutions. The IPT will place scholars of
instructional design and technology in close working relationships with many companies and agencies that specialize in or use instructional technology.
The purpose of the IPT will be to involve faculty, graduate students, and professionals in research and development of technologically-related instruction, training, and
performance enhancement. By aligning the intellectual capital of the university with the human and leadership resources of large and small organizations, the IPT will focus on technology, particularly in the area of e-learning, digital media, and electronic
performance support tools. For example, the IPT will develop just-in-time tools, knowledge management environments, electronic performance support systems, and highly usable interface design to interested area businesses and agencies.
Partnerships with Business
The IPT will continue the Human Performance Technology Research Group established several years ago to direct the focus of the Educational Technology program. This group consists of Chief Officers of Learning, Lead instructional designers, and practicing
novice designers. The outcome of this group to date is a suggested curriculum for more of a HPT focus, perhaps a “track.” Currently, this IPT is working on several research studies with ISPI, the leading professional organization in the business arena.
Partnership with Nursing
The IPT will also partner with the College of Nursing to undertake a major initiative with the purpose 1) to develop courses, materials, and instructional systems, which will
expand the scope of and capabilities of on-line courses for undergraduate and graduate nursing degree programs; 2) to explore the use of on-line and web-based tools (software, hardware, and course materials) to enhance teaching on-line courses for health care professionals; and 3) to improve faculty knowledge, skill, and comfort with applying academic excellence on-line.
Due to the current, severe, nationwide shortage of nurses and nursing faculty in nursing educations programs, there is a need to provide high quality on-line and web-based instructional systems, materials, and experiences in nursing education. With the support of external funding, this partnership will address enrollment issues, to retain qualified
students and faculty, to oversee and implement clinical practicum and internships, and to improve the quality of health care for underserved and high-risk populations, especially in rural settings.
IDT certificate and/or minor
The IPT will actively promote an IDT (Instructional Design and Technology) minor and certificate program. Because instructional design and technology is now woven into a variety of fields, students and professionals have the option of online courses that will give them a specific skill set and establish them as certified. The curriculum covers instructional design, interactive multimedia and web-based technologies in both
educational and professional training environments. The program is designed not only for undergraduate students of all majors, but also government and business training
specialists, web designers, instructional designers, and corporate managers interested in technology.
Redesign of First Floor Lab
The Educational Technology Department computer learning lab in McKee Hall will become increasingly involved with school districts, corporations, and agencies, all requiring additional services and equipment in this facility. The Educational Technology Department is developing a short- and long-term plan to remodel and update this facility. The revised lab will include space for small hands-on training sessions, collaborative teamwork sessions, and new technologies for instruction and design. The Educational Technology Department corporate and agency sponsors will play a major role in the planning and funding process because the lab will be a resource for these partners, for their interns from the Educational Technology program, and for Educational Technology students.
Redesign of the Education Programs
In order to facilitate the ideas presented in this document, the following changes are proposed.
• Analyze program assessment data collected from:
o past and present students
o employers of program graduates
o other Educational Technology Programs
o current faculty
o outside evaluator
• Use this analysis to inform curriculum changes:
o refining program goals
o redesigning courses
o updating methods of instruction
o assessing the need for new technological tools
o redesigning student assessments (portfolios)
o establishing new internships (cognitive apprenticeships)
• Establish opportunities for enhanced learning
o Student symposia and teas
o Educational Technology Department-based resources
