Technology

The beginning of the 21st century has been marked with the growing commitment to the use of technology in everyday life and the role of technology in curriculum and instructional design has become increasingly important. Throughout the history of instructional design, the impact of technology on student achievement has been the source of the continuous professional debate. In 1983, Clark wrote the best current evidence is that media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries causes changes in our nutrition. Basically, the choice of vehicle might influence the cost or extent of distributing instruction, but only the content of the vehicle can influence achievement (p. 445). That means that, according to Clark (1983), what matters most is the curriculum content but not the technology, which is expected to drive it.

Looking back to the times when Clark (1983) wrote his book, it is more than clear than the then state of technologies did not leave curriculum designers any chance to fully appreciate their instructional potential. However, from the viewpoint of the 21st century, technologies are no longer the vehicles but are the direct sources of significant influence on student achievement. As a professional, I no longer imagine effective instruction without technologies. I view technologies as the most promising element of any successful curriculum. My expectations and beliefs in technology are supported by a whole range of studies and researches for example, Harwood and McMahon (1997) confirm the direct correlation between the use of video media in high school chemistry course and student achievement. That, however, does not mean that the content of the curriculum itself is no longer relevant rather, both the content and the vehicle can be fairly regarded as the two contributing factors to student achievement.

From my experience, technology, like any other instructional vehicle, requires that students are prepared to use it in learning. I am confident that the effects that technology produces on student achievement will largely depend on how well this technology is integrated in the basic curriculum and what technology skills students possess. However, it is at least incorrect to limit the role of technology to a curriculum vehicle the 21st century creates almost unlimited opportunities for using technology as the basic driver of positive student advancement in all disciplines.