Instructinal Technology Job Posting

I discovered the following job posting on HigherEdJobs.com. When I searched for “instructional technology consultant,” I found 18 listings. I then searched using “instructional technology” and “design.” This search gave me 60 hits, and is how I located the following job announcement.

Specialist, Instructional Design, IT/DE
Marshall University
Huntington, WV

This is a full-time position with a salary of $45,000-52,000.

This position provides support to faculty and administration in the “planning, design, production, implementation and evaluation of educational materials, on-line classes and hybrid classes.” This job is also responsible for creating and conducting technology training workshops and providing guidance to the university instructional technologists. From this last responsibility, it sounds like this position has more of a design focus and perhaps the university’s instructional technologist positions have more of media focus. After researching Marshall’s website, this appears to be the case – the instructional technologists work more with training in the media than in the design of materials for the media.

The qualifications required for this position include a master’s degree in instructional design, curriculum design, educational psychology or equivalent with a doctorate preferred. I thought it was interesting that the posting did not specifically list instructional technology as a degree option; however, I would think it would fit as an equivalent, especially considering the other qualifications listed as follows:

• Extensive knowledge of instructional technology software programs.

• Experience in project management.

• Knowledge of pedagogical theory as it relates to instructional design in distance education, hybrid courses and technology integration.

• Experience in web design and with course management software.

• Knowledge of computer graphic production software applications.

• Knowledge of interface design.

I would consider applying for this job at the completion of the MS in Instructional Technology. With the combination of this degree and my masters in adult education, I think I would meet the educational qualifications for the posting. I chose this job, because I especially liked its focus on design and project management. However, I did see several other postings that I liked that did not focus as strongly on the design aspect, but they did require 2 or more years experience in the field along with the degree.

The URL for the posting is www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175336096

An Initial Definition of Instructional Technology

If I approach the definition of Instructional Technology like the word association game where you say the first thing that comes to mind, I come up with a very simplistic definition – using the computer for the delivery of instruction. But the more thought I put into it, the broader and deeper and more overwhelming the task becomes. There is so much to consider and so much that I’m sure I’m not aware of yet, but here goes.

Instructional Technology is the use of technology to develop, deliver and present educational material. The technology can be interactive or static. It can be used to enhance face-to-face delivery or can be the sole method of instruction. Types of instructional technology are many including the internet, DVDs, teleconferences, and PowerPoint presentations. Instructional technology has the power to increase the availability of knowledge – providing it to learners who would otherwise not have access, but it also has the potential to limit access to only those who have the technology. Now I think I’m moving more from a definition standpoint into a philosophical standpoint, so I’ll close this blog sure that as the class progresses so will my definition.