Problems and needed directions in the profession of educational technology

Conclusion Finn’s 1953 assessment added up, in his opinion, “to the simply stated fact that the audiovisual field is not yet a profession” (p. 16). The current assessment can be concluded differently. In the past 25 years, educational technology has grown into a profession, but it is not a fully grown and developed profession. Educational technology has accomplished a great deal in relation to each of the criteria for a profession; this accomplishment is spelled out in AECT’sEducational Technology: Definition and Glossary of Terms. In addition, it has written about its ideals related to each of the criteria, but has not yet reached those goals. Finally, educational technology is a profession with problems related to each of the criteria—problems discussed in this paper. I have suggested directions educational technology needs to take to overcome its problems. Others will certainly think of alternative directions. If it makes no effort to overcome its problems, the profession will remain only partially developed or, perhaps, regress to a less fully developed stage. But if its leaders, its professional association, and all its members work to overcome those problems, the profession of educational technology can fulfill Finn’s (1964) prophecy that “the educational future will belong to those who can grasp the significance of [educational and] instructional technology” (p. 26).     

COUNSELING THE ELDERLY: A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONALS

The present study examined the effectiveness of a training program designed to teach mental health professionals information and skills specific to counseling the elderly client. Twenty‐eight women and four men, ranging in age from 23 to 56, completed the 12‐hour training program. Results indicated that participants showed statistically significant gains on the two major assessment devices after completion of the training program. Concomitantly, job satisfaction and perception of preparedness for their current jobs as counselors to the elderly were affected in a positive direction, providing support for the efficacy of the program. The impact of the training was also sustained at the two‐month follow‐up. Regression analyses revealed that the trainee characteristic that was most predictive of success in the program was that having to do with prior knowledge; those entering the program with a higher level of basic knowledge tended to improve and learn more in training.     

An examination of group‐based treatment packages for increasing elementary‐aged students' reading fluency

Reading fluency has been described as one of the essential ingredients for ensuring that students become successful readers. Unfortunately, a large number of elementary‐aged students in this country do not fluently read age‐appropriate material. Because of this, small‐group interventions are practical and more time efficient than individualized intervention programs, but very few small‐group interventions have been developed to target students' reading fluency of connected text. The primary purpose of this study was to examine four group‐based treatment packages containing two or more of the following reading interventions: repeated reading, listening passage preview, and practicing difficult words in isolation. Effects of each treatment package were evaluated with 4 third graders using an alternating‐treatments design, and effects were evaluated for both immediate and retained reading‐fluency gains. Findings indicated that the combination of all three intervention components was most effective. Results also suggested some inconsistent relationships between immediate and retained reading gains for 3 of the 4 students. Implications of these findings, limitations of the study, and directions for future research are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 183–195, 2006.