Examining the Conceptualization of Instructional Technology in Turkey

Abstract

Instructional Technology is a field having approximately a century old past. From its initial conceptualization to date, it has been in question in terms of its label, definition, and scope. Parallel to international interest, Turkey has embraced IT as a field of study and practice. This qualitative study aims to investigate the existing conceptions of experts on Instructional Technology in Turkey and reveal the current status of the field from their perspectives in terms of its definition, purpose, scope, and research approaches. The experts were chosen from among Turkish academics having a PhD degree in the field. The results showed that diverse definitions were made with an interchangeable use of the labels “Educational Technology” and “Instructional Technology”. The emphasis for the purpose was on “how to” best support/facilitate/enhance/improve instruction and learning in a broad scope. The experts found gaps on the methodological aspects of existing studies. The results showed that there existed a dilemma between the conception of what IT should be and the practical use of what it really is. There were both common concerns with other countries and concerns unique to Turkey. The main challenges were discussed for further analysis.

Keywords

• instructional technology,educational technology,instructional design,instructional systems design,conceptualizations of instructional technology

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