DOCUME T RESUME ED 054 642 EM 009 230 The Future of Educational Technology Research ...

20 Pages·2007·0.61 MB·English

DOCUME T RESUME
EM 009 230
ED 054 642
Molnar, Andrew R.
AUTHOR
The Future of Educational Technology Research and
TITLE
Development.
4 Feb 71
PUB DATE
19p.; Paper presented at the American Educational
NOTE
Research Association Annual Meeting (New York, N.Y.,
February 4,
1971)
MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29
EDRS PRICE
*Computer Assisted Instruction; Computers;
DEScRIPTORS
Educational Fieance; *Educational Improvement;
Educational Planning: *Educational Research; Federal
Aid; *Government Role; Research and Development
Centers; *Research Criteria; Systems Approach
ABSTRACT
Although there has been much criticism of research
and development activities in the field of education, the criticism
has not been aimed at the real problem. The large amount of
uncoordinated research activities and the lack of pre-planned
linkages between research and practice has led to the existence of an
expensive cottage industry in educational technology which tends to
re-tool every academic year. Computers hold much promise in solving
educational problems, but there are several questions which must be
answered if computers are to become internalized into the educational
process. Computers may be either a tool or a medium: they may be
internalized gradually or all at once; they may be centralized into
regional computer systems or diffused around the nation in the form
of mini-computers. What is needed now is not another demonstration of
the value of computer-based instruction, but a critical mass that is
capable of providing a complete system and total curriculum.
Educational research is basically sound; however, it must attack
larger, more complex problems in a systematic way if we are to alter
and improve the educational process. The necessary catalyst to unlock
the potential of computer-based instruction could come from business,
from education, or from the Fed ral Government.
(JY)
THE FUTURE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
u.s.
EDUCATION & WELFARE
OFFICE OF EDUCATION
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN RNPRO-
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM
"4t
THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATIOE 0MG-
INATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW C OPIN-
R
Andrew R. Molnar
%.0
IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY
REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF ELM-
'CATION.POSITION OR POLICY.
National Science Foundation
CD
C:3
La
and Development.
Federal Support of Educational Technology Research
I.
research and development
A recent historical review of educational
the beginning of
in the United States identified the mid-1850's as
One hundred years later the
study.(1)
education as a serious topic of
to promote scientific
National Science Foundation (NSF) was established
In 1954, in addition to suPport for
progress in the Un'ited States.
NSF began its first
research, graduate study and symposia in science,
Mathematics and Science in elementary-
support for Course Improvement in
Also in that year, the passage of the Cooperative
secondarY education.
Education and the U.S. laffice
Research Act authorized the Commissioner of
U.S.O.E.) t, enter into financial agreements for research,
of Education
And so began the Federal
education.
surveys and demonstrations in
commitment to educational research and development.
commitment of the Federal
While these Acts squarely acknowledged the
and Development, the
Government to the support of Educational Research
In fiscal year 1968, the
amount of support has been consistently small.
not necessarily represent
*The views expressed are those of the author and do
This paper is based upon comments
those of the National Science Foundation.
Aids to Instruction and
delivered at the Special Interest Groups, Computer
Research Association
Educational Technology at the Annual American Educational
Meeting, New York, New York, February 4, 1971.
2.
The
billion dollars.
education reached 54.6
total expenditure for
development for that
educational research and
financial resources for
dollars
to,be 193.3 million
Federal sources, was estimated
year, from all
education.(2)
for
of the total expenditure
or 31/100 of one percent
of
remained for the launching
technology research, it
For educational
Defense Education Act
enactment of National
Sputnik to stimulate the
and
provided for research
Title VII of that Act
(N)EA) of 19E8.
instructional media
findings in Lhe fields of
dissemination of research
40.3 million dollars were
During the following decade
and technology.
for research and
600 grants and contracts
spent on approximately
television, radio,
effective utilization of
experimentation in the more
impact
In a study of the
media.(3)
other related
motion pictures and
ed
educational purposes suppo
utilization of media for
of research on the
and Dr. Wilbur Schramm
1958-1968, Dr. Robert Filep
by NDEA Title VII
(a) to the application of
research did contribute
concluded that Title VII
individualiz d
education. (b) to providing more
the systems approach to
media.(4
of new
greater teacher acceptance
instructior, (c) to securing
established the
Broadcasting Act of 1968
More recently, the Public
provisions of Title III
Broadcasting and under the
Corporation for Public
Technology was established.
Commission on Instructional
of that Act, the
technology,
thorough study of instructional
The Commission, after a
technology medium are
injections of a single
luded that one shot
ineffective and at best offer only optional "enrichment."(5)
They
observed that technology can carry out its full potential for education
only insofar as educators embrace instructional technology
as a system
and integrate a range of human and non-human resources into the total
educational process.
The Commission extended the definition of Instructional
Technology beyond equipment to include process and procedures and defined
the ultimate goal of Educational Technology
as the improvement of education.
Finally, the Commission recommended the establishment of
a National
Institutes for Education and urged that one of the Institutes be
a Nati nal
Instute :4 Instructional Technology.
II.
Current Trends of Educational Technology Research and Development.
Today a wide array of scientific and social de4elopments
are reshaping
our society and with it modern education.
This trend hx; placed a great
deal of stress on education and has lead
some to lament that education is
failing and others to say that we don't know how
to teach.
J would argue
that it is not a question of whether we know how to teach, but rather
can
an instructor teach 40 students with a wide variety of backgrounds while
permitting the students to progress at their
own individual pace, in an
inadequately design d classroom, with minimal instructional materies in
a
wide variety of dynamic subject areas for a cost-per-student hour that is
about what we pay a baby-sitter.
Like a bridge designed for certain stress
loads, the educational system can fail if its critical limits
are exceeded.
More times than not, it is the limit that is in question and
not our
ability to teach.(5)
However, as educators and researchers, it is important to recognize that
as new requirements are placed upon education, it is only logical that
Today,
we should re-evaluate our techniques and examine new approaches.
we have been challenged to design new systems that will permit fewer
teachers to effectively assist larger numbers of students to attain
higher si)ecifiable levels of peformance for-lower costs.
Similarly, just as education has been attacked so has the educational
In spite of the excellent research,
researche,' drawn public criticism.
it is frequently pointed out that little if any of the new innovations
ever reach the classroom and none have effected any significant change.
Some say that educational researcher is someone who if you point a finger
Some say that there is no discipline
at a problem will study the finger.
with finer techniques and yet so little to show for them as educational
Some have said that the research produced is not relevant to
researJ--..
current needs and there has been at least one Congressional recommenda-
Again,
tion for a moratorium on Federal funding of educational research.
I would argue that there is nothing wrong with educational research and
that the discrepancy between performance and expectation is largely due
to the changing requirements and the creation of new educational needs
by a dynamic society.
Historically, most of the research on education and educational technology
has been done without Federal support. Both Federal and non-federally
supported research have been done in a piecemeal manner and could be
Individuals with good ideas
characterized as diffuse and uncoordinated.
have tended to follow them with little regari for other related research.
The laA of comprehen,ive, coordinated prograns is largely attributable
However, one wonders what the outcome
to the lack of financial resources.
of the space program might have Peen if it had been conducted by educa-
tional researchers in the same uncoordinated manner characterized by our
One could imagine dozens of superior nose cones and
previous efforts.
but no power units and
elaborate factorial studies on the flange,
certainly no plans to finalize or agree on one workable configuration.
Probably, the greatest critics of educational technolooy researcn are the
There seems to be a double standard in the
researchers themselves.
It seems to me that only
evaluation of educational technology research.
Unless
in educational technology is an "all-or-none" standard applied.
the innovation or development is capable of solving all educational
problems it is rejected, ignored or attacked as insignificant.
For example, the report and recommendations of the Carnegie Commission on
Education Television in 1967 are typical.
"even the claims made for instructional television by
It says:
its most passionate defenders are in their essence defeatist.
It is maintained that students lea.11 as well from television as
Such statements scarcely intimate that
by conventional means.
there is a powerful medium of communications cavAle of making
its own impress upon the process of education."%//
6.
One wonders if this same group of critics would attack researchers in the
physical sciences for finding no significant differences in well over
several hundred experimental attempts such as were found in the uses of
instructional television or would they accept the consistency of the
Or, would they chastise engineers because they found a cheaper
findings?
Many
substitute material or process that was as good as the original?
feei we should ignore educational technology until researchers can
demonstrate its superiority beyond a shadow of doubt for all kinds of
In the meantime, for a great
learning and for all kinds of students.
majority of our rural schools, migrant populations and children in the
urban ghetto who lack teachers, materials and funds, a technology that
produces student performance which is no better than that obtained in a
Educational tech-
conventional classroom is a significant improvement.
nology could substitute for missing teachers and inadequate materials and
Many times, a partial solution immediately
overcome the lack of resources.
applied is far more beneficial than delaying all action in the hope that
someday the perfect answer will emerge.
Correlation studies are no longer ends in
However, times are changing.
Today, the g'timate test is not statistical significance but
themselves.
whether the intervention is capable of producing demonstrable results in
the classroom.
7.
Local autonomy in
the classroom.
Similarly, attitudes are changing in
define
teachers and administrators to
the schools and an unwillingness of
demand for accountability
educational goals is yielding to a public
linkage
While there still is a lack of
and with it performance criteria.
educational practice, the pressures of a
between research findings and
with the educational status quo
changing society which is dissatisfied
in
education are forging major changes
and the increasing costs of
thinking.
lack of
research activities and the
Tho large amount of uncoordinated
practice has led to the existence
pre-planned linkages between research and
which tends to
in educational technology
of an expensive, cottage industry
frequently demon-
Researchers and educators
re-tool every academic year.
It
of someone else's innovation.
strate a strong resistance to the use
research,
Nobel prize for educational
has been said that if there was a
researchers for their
nominate an entire generation of
we would have to
This, too, is changing.
co-discovery of the wheel.
educational
research and development in
The pattern for Federal support for
policy, it is
While there is no formal
technology is also being affected.
are moving away from
becoming clear, in my opinion, that Federal programs
researchers to the development of
the uncoordinated support of individual
lay heavy emphasis on the
comprehensive, goal-oriented efforts which
education as a whole.
potential impact of the research products upon
In the past, in order to get support it was sufficient to have a good idea.
good idea
Later, during the Robert McNamara era, in addition to having a
Now, not only must
you had to be able to prove that it was a good idea.
be able to
ycu have a good idea and be able to prove it, but you must
demonstrate that others will be willing to use your findings or products.
Thus, some linkages, no matter how weak, are being formed between Federally
supported research and development and educational practice.
The Computer and Education.
III.
The United States is the first nation to have developed technology to
is required to furnish
a point where less than half the labor force
Our society has moved from one based upon industrial
material goods.
society.(8)
production to one based upon educated manpower -- a knowledge
It is estimated that by the end of the decade computers will be involved
The computer is
one way or another in 30% of our gross national product.
In addition
destined to play a significant role in the knowledge society.
to its influence on society the computer will have an equally significant
impact on education.
Within a relatively short span of 15 years, computing in education has
progressed to where nearly all universities and more than a third of the
four-year colleges provide computing services for research instruction.
Approximately 70% of all college rtuder"-s are enrolled at institutions at
Another large
which there is a computer of some kind for instruction.
9.
number of institutions are members of computing networks and have access
The National Science Foundation is
to a remote terminal on campus.
(9)
networks that
contributing to the support of 18 such regional cooperative
schools.(10)
include universities, colleges, community colleges and secondary
Still others purchase commercial computing services.
schools by the
A recent, soon to be published, survey of secondary
National Science
American Institutes for Research under contract to the
23,000
Foundation estimates that 34% of the nation's approximately
administrative
secondary schools have access to and use a computer for
Most of the use of the computer in
uses.(11)
and/or instructional
sub-
instruction has been devoted to instruction about the computer as a
However, the use of the
ject of study or as a tool in problem solving.
ENTELEK
In 1968
computer as ae instructional medium is also exending.
survey by
recent 1970
A more
programs.(12)
listed 230 instructional
proeides an
Dr.Helen Lekan which was'published by the Sterling Institute
programs.(13)
index to 910 instructional
computer-assthed instruction applications
In addition to the classical
breadth and depth
in education, it is of special significance to note the
in education.
of the adjunct use of the computer as an instructional tool
last year
The "Conference on Computers in Undergraduate Curricula" held
example of a multidisciplinary
notable
at the University of Iowa is one
A
education.(14)
conference on the instructional uses of computers in
year.(15)
second conference will be held at Dartmouth College this