Philosophy of Instructional Technology

My philosophy of instructional technology is informed by the work of Jean Piaget and cognitive constructivist philosophy. I believe learners cannot simply be given knowledge; they must “construct” knowledge through personal experiences. Learners will retain much more knowledge if they are actively engaged, and working toward a product that has significance for them. 

As an instructional designer, I always look at ways to actively engage the learner, and assist him/her in connecting new material with prior knowledge. I also strive to encourage the learner to take responsibility for his/her own learning. I incorporate authentic and real-world scenarios, into the design of my instruction whenever possible. I believe interaction is the core of knowledge construction process. Thus, in designing courses I build in activities that require a large amount of interaction among the participants and foster a safe environment for sharing varying perspectives. 

The instructional design principles and processes are what guide my practice. These include an analysis of the system, environment, and learners, the design of objective-driven instruction, the development of appropriate instructional materials, the implementation of instruction, and finally the evaluation of instruction. I believe it is imperative to first conduct a thorough analysis before any instruction can be designed or developed.  

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