Q8: What is the relevance of educational technologists in relation to educational strategic missions?
'a critical addition to the 2008 definition [of an educational technologist by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology] is the term "improving performance". This echoes the demands now placed on our field. Effective products are no longer the primary goal. Even learning is no longer the only goal. Our efforts are expected to impact transfer as shown in individual and organizational performance improvement' Richey (2008, p. 24)
To what extent is this new institutional emphasis evident in the literature?
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Comment 1 by Helen Beetham
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Helen Beetham
10:45am 11 September 2009
This is an interesting question and I think Tom has already dealt with it in his 2009 article which covered the context very clearly. In relation to the drive towards a post-fordist university, Tom says that 'a major innovation in human resources management now required of HE is a re-examination of the role and organisational position of educational technologists...' This does, though, beg the question of how institutional academic cultures are resisting the post-fordist vision, and particularly the role of ICT/TEL. LTists are politically as well as organisationally in a complex position.