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).