Use of a Technology-Mediated Learning Instructional Approach For Teaching an Introduction to Information Technology Course

Journal of Information Systems Education, Summer 2005 by Hardaway, Donald E, Scamell, Richard W

ABSTRACT

Several years ago, Ives and Jarvenpaa (1996, p. 34) suggested: "To many, the Internet technologies resemble the personal computer revolution of the early 1980s, which transformed information management." Today, while educational institutions continue to expand the instructional use of the Internet and web-based technologies, there remains much to be learned about the effectiveness of various technology-mediated learning approaches. Various formats for course designs that use technology are being tried and are commonly referred to today as e-courses. Similarly, student learning constitutes increasing degrees of technology use as part of the course. This paper provides information on using the Internet and web-based technologies as part of an instructional design. The Introduction to Information Technology course upon which the paper is based features an approach that both exemplifies the benefits of using technology while maintaining the richness of a class setting. Student reactions to the course conclude the paper.

Keywords: Technology-mediated Learning, Self-directed Learning, Instructional Design

1. INTRODUCTION

The influx of information technologies, multimedia capabilities and authoring tools spawned by the Internet, has dramatically increased the number of creative opportunities and challenges for education. Today, with an abundance of authoring tools available to create digital content and learning management systems to administer online learning, both universities and companies (Good, 2001) are increasing their learning efforts. In fact, "publishers and software houses are developing multimedia products that will substitute for, rather than complement, traditional classroom education" (Ives and Jarvenpaa 1996, p. 33). Intel has predicted that online learning will be the next "killer" application (Mannion, 2001).

The Internet and web-based technologies have created a number of new options for teaching information technology courses. Possibilities range from using information technology (both sychronously and asychronously) in a traditional classroom setting to a distance education model where there are no formal meetings in an actual classroom. Key themes in IS educational research now include IT-enabled instructional methods in traditional settings, IT-enabled collaborative learning, virtual learning environments and student characteristics that affect outcomes of IT-enabled learning (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). Alavi and Leidner (2001) state that there is a need for much more exploration in terms of depth and breadth with technologymediated learning (TML).

Technology-mediated learning can be defined (Alavi and Leidner, 2001) as: "an environment in which the learner's interactions with learning materials (readings, assignments, exercises, etc.), peers, and/or instructors are mediated through advanced information technologies." TML contrasts with other instructional approaches where technology augments the students' efforts in the class but is not essential. Since there are a variety of technology tools and instructional strategies available today, the number of course design possibilities is large. As an example, a course could have students meet regularly in class but conduct class discussions outside of class using a discussion board. Another possibility could involve investigating textbook IT topics on the Internet. Both of these instructional strategies could be part of a course that requires the use of technology in the class. Other examples of TML can be found in Makkonen, (2000) and Piccoli et. al. (2001) while a theoretical discussion of various formats for using technology in the learning process appears in Leidner and Jarvenpaa (1995). A review of TML research is presented in Alavi and Leidner (2001) along with recommendations for research. Further, Alavi and Leidner (2001) stress the need for a better understanding of various TML options.

This paper explores TML by anonymously capturing feedback from students enrolled in a course that employed a TML orientation. It is organized as follows. section 2 discusses the motivation for the development of the TML orientation described in the paper. This is followed by a description of an "Introduction to Information Technology" graduate level course that was taught using a TML orientation. The next section describes how the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used in the evaluation of the course. A byproduct of this evaluation, five instructional design dimensions, is described next. The paper ends with some concluding remarks.

2. MOTIVATION

Just as information technology is used as a competitive weapon in industry, educational institutions are viewing it in a similar way as a result of pressure from stakeholders (students, parents and industry) for an education that better prepares students for being self-sufficient when confronting problems in the workplace. Additionally, it has been suggested: "Where once schools provided a discrete, career-spanning set of concepts and tools, now they will build the skills and motivation for lifelong learning." (Ives and Jarvenpaa 1996, p. 35) Utilization of the Internet and webbased technologies represent a way to translate this into a reality. For example, "In an hypertext world, students will be able to move directly between real-world application and conceptual underpinnings." (Ives and Jarvenpaa 1996, p. 35)