EdTech Program Rationale and Reflection

Ross Craycraft
Vice President at Dcere
Online/Blended Higher Education Curriculum and Service Provider
November 7, 2014

INTRODUCTION
My name Ross Craycraft and I live in Charleston, SC. I work for an education company that
partners with business schools in higher education institutions to develop curriculum, leverage
technology, market, recruit, and retain students for business programs. I began the Education
Technology program in January of 2012 not to just understand educational technology, but to be
a leader in leveraging educational technology and expand the delivery and reach of education
across the world, while improving the quality. As I conclude this program, I now feel I have the
ability to leverage my knowledge and experience gained within the program, to not only improve
learning and education for my own work, but to also help others improve and utilize technology
to accomplish their learning goals. This program taught me a vast amount of new information,
concepts, theories, and tools to utilize. In addition to the information I was taught, I believe that
I became a better student and learner at the same time. This program taught me in so many
ways, and I am grateful for the value it has provided. This paper is intended to share and focus
on the artifacts I created throughout this Education Technology program. These artifacts are
aligned with the Association of Education Communication and Technology (AECT) standards.

STANDARD 1: DESIGN
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to design conditions for learning
by applying principles of instructional systems design, message design, instructional strategies,
and learner characteristics.
In my line of work, design is something that I deal with on a very regular basis. Many times
inexperienced educators will want to simply take resources that are used in the classroom and
post them online, without much thought of the course design. Intuitive, sleek, and smart design
sounds like a very simple task, but it can be quite challenging. Education is constantly
challenged with providing an abundant amount of information in a simple design that best
facilitates learning. Not only can good design enhance a course, poor design can hinder a course,
and make achievement of learning outcomes much more difficult. There is an incredible amount
of data that proves strong design can improve learning, and education technology is challenged
with the task of ensuring those learning outcomes are being met through engaging design. This
program helped me understand design in education technology, and the artifacts listed below are
some examples of meeting the design standard.
1.1 Instructional Systems Design- Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is an organized procedure
that includes the steps of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating
instruction.
This program provided many different opportunities to work with Instructional Design Systems,
but one artifact that I believe best achieves this standard is my final Instructional Design project
from the EdTech 503 Instructional Design course. I chose this project as the artifact because the

EdTech 503 course took a thorough examination of the instructional design process. Although
instructional design can be very complex, and entire program can consist of just this subject, I
felt this course gave me a very solid foundation of the instructional design process, theories,
development, best practices, and creation. The instructional design final project was a
culminating project that was a building of knowledge and concepts throughout the semester that
resulted in a final project that I am proud of. Each week and module provided a stronger
foundation to apply to the final project. My final project was focused on teaching college seniors
how to create a resume that is properly formatted, well designed, and informative resume for
obtaining an entry level position in sales in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats after 3
hours of instruction. The project helped me understand the careful planning, improvement, and
steps that must be taken to create effective instructional design.
Another artifact that achieved this standard came from the EdTech 502 Internet for Educators
course. Within this course, we were asked to create various different webpages, but one project
called for a Virtual Field Trip. This project required me to take the learner through a field trip
virtually through smart and effective design of webpages. This project really challenged my
ability to effectively design the webpages to meet the learning outcomes and have the learner
feel as if they had really taken a field trip through the city.
1.2 Message Design Message design involves planning for the manipulation of the physical form
of the message.
For achievement of the Message Design, I chose a paper from my EdTech 504 Educational
Theories course. In this course, I gained a very thorough and deep understanding of theories
within Education, including the behaviorist theory. For my final synthesis paper, I chose to

focus on Special Education and Assistive Technology, which provided an example of

behaviorism at work in the classroom. This artifact provided a view of assistive technology as it
aids in achieving educational goals for students with learning disabilities. This paper examines
the behaviorist theoretical perspective and its impact on the integrations of technology in
learning, while also touching on the criticisms of the behaviorist theory and the positive
outcomes that derive from assistive technology rooted in behaviorism. This artifact achieved the
Message Design standard embedded within learning theories.
1.3 Instructional Strategies
Instructional strategies are specifications for selecting and sequencing events and activities
within a lesson.
This standard immediately brings to mind the jigsaw puzzle project from the EdTech 502
Internet for Educators course. Although, in my opinion, the entire EdTech 502 course required
instructional strategies, and careful selection and sequencing, the jigsaw project from this course
is a great example artifact for this standard. This project required careful selecting and
sequencing to create an effective learning tool. I created a webpage, and the purpose of the
activity within the webpage was to teach basketball fans the about the different levels of
basketball in the USA. It was a fun topic to cover, but required very careful sequencing, and
selection of resources to provide consistency and value to the learner.
Another course that required careful attention to this standard is the EdTech 541 Integrating
Technology in to the Classroom Curriculum course. This course really provided an incredible
amount of insight in to the careful selection and sequencing of technology as an enhancement to
the classroom curriculum, and strategies for avoiding technology becoming a distraction or not
providing educational value. The artifact that best represents achieving this is the Networking

Project Tutorial. This project required very careful sequencing to provide educational value to
the learner, without confusing a subject that is very complex and intermingled. I think this
artifact achieved and best represents the importance of instructional strategies.
1.4 Learner Characteristics
Learner characteristics are those facets of the learner's experiential background that impact the
effectiveness of a learning process.
Identifying and understanding the learner is an extremely important part of learning. If the
educator does not understand the audience he or she is intending to educate, developing
curriculum and tools to facilitate learning might be off target and fall short of reaching learning
outcomes. I believe the entire program helped me understand the importance of understanding
the learner and the characteristics that make up the intended audience. One artifact that focused
on achieving this standard is the development of the motivation strategy for the final project in
the EdTech 503 Instructional Design course. Of course, understanding learner characteristics in
instructional design is incredibly important, and in module 6 it provided opportunity to focus on
the ARCS Model of motivation. The ARCS model is based on a synthesis of motivational
concepts and characteristics into the four categories of attention (A), relevance (R), confidence
(C), and satisfaction (S). These four categories represent sets of conditions that are necessary for
a person to be fully motivated, and each of these four categories has component parts, or
subcategories, that represent specific aspects of motivation (Keller 2000). This project allowed
me to take an in-depth look at the motivation behind the learner, and better focus my final
instructional design project to achieve learning objectives. Another project that I think really
takes leaner characteristics in to heavy consideration is the Worked Example Screencast in the
EdTech 541 Multimedia course. This project gave me the opportunity to create a video walking

through the steps of using a particular technology or application, on video, and giving instruction
at the same time. This project required me to be familiar with the leaners prior knowledge level
of the technology at hand, so the instruction and video would meet the learners needs.

STANDARD 2: DEVELOPMENT
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop instructional
materials and experiences using print, audiovisual, computer-based, and integrated
technologies.
2.1 Print Technologies
Print technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials, such as books and static visual
materials, primarily through mechanical or photographic printing processes.
Although education is consistently and steadily moving to a more digital delivery through
technology, print materials can still play an important role in education and learning. Some print
materials can be difficult to substitute or replace with technology. One artifact that I think really
represents this is my Adaptive and Assistive Technology Presentation from the EdTech 541
Integrating Technology course. This project allowed me to research technologies available for
students with disabilities to help them overcome their disability. Many of the tools I researched
allowed the student to use technology and alternate print forms, including scheduling tasks and
organization. Another artifact that meets this standard is the RFP response project from the
EdTech 505 Education Technology Evaluation course. This project required me to respond to a
RFP issued by a company for evaluation services. This project gave a great insight of the RFP
evaluation process and how to create proper responses. In addition, it covered the amendments,

and response format, which in many cases requires a print version to be submitted in addition to
the digital version.
2.2 Audiovisual Technologies
Audiovisual technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials by using mechanical devices
or electronic machines to present auditory and visual messages.
There are several courses and projects throughout this program that meet this standard. The use
of audiovisual technologies is prevalent throughout the program. But, I think my best exposure
to audiovisual technologies came the EdTech 501 Introduction to Education Technology course.
Within this course we utilized VoiceThread on several occasions, but the project that I believe
best represents achievement of this standard is the VoiceThread I produced on the NMC Horizon
Report. This report provides a great synopsis of the comprehensive report and provides valuable
information through audiovisual technology. Another great example of audiovisual is the Digital
Story project that I completed in the EdTech 513 Multimedia course. For this project we were
asked to create a digital story using images and adding our own commentary and audio to the
images, which makes a short film or movie. This was one of the most rewarding projects of the
entire program. I felt like my final product was well produced, somewhat humorous, and
professionally done. This project represented a great example of audiovisual technology utilized
for learning and entertainment.
2.3 Computer-Based Technologies
Computer-based technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials using microprocessorbased resources.

There is probably no standard in this course that is met more than the Computer-Based
Technologies standard. There are several projects throughout the program that require meeting
this standard, so there are many I can choose from to present as an artifact. One artifact that I am
really proud of is the Podcast I produced from the EdTech 513 Multimedia course. It allowed
me to cover a topic that I am passionate about, in online education, and I was very pleased with
the final product. It gave me great experience working with audio editing and recording tools,
allowed me to form a complete program with topics and coherence. I think this is one computerbased technology project that really gave me great benefit in real-world application.
Another project that displays achievement of the Computer-Based Technology standard is the
group discussion we had on gamification in the EdTech 597 Gamification course. This project
required a group of 3 students to have a real-time video discussion about how gamification
theories can be incorporated in to classroom curriculum. I think this project represented
achievement of this standard in more ways than one. First, the discussion was based on
computer-based technologies, second, the media used to facilitate the discussion was done
through computer-based technologies.

2.4 Integrated Technologies

Integrated technologies are ways to produce and deliver materials which encompass several
forms of media under the control of a computer.
The work with integrated technologies in this program is one of the reasons I chose to get my
degree at Boise State University. There is significant use of integrated technologies throughout
the program. I wanted a program that focused heavily on integrated technologies because I think
they play enormous role in educational technology today, but will play an even larger role in the
future. One project that I believe met this standard is my project of RSS feeds in the EdTech 501

Introduction to Education Technology course. This project allowed me to create a video

instructing the learner how to set up RSS feeds for news in the area of my choice. I chose to
demonstrate how to utilize RSS feeds for online education, and I think the finished project turned
out nicely.
Another project that met this standard is the Instructional Software Project from the EdTech 541
Integrating Technology course. This project called for creation of a Google Slide deck covering
various forms of instructional software that I researched. Within the Google Slide deck I
incorporated links to references and tools I had researched. I integrated the entire Google Slide
deck within my Weebly learning log blog. This was a highly integrated project.
STANDARD 3: UTILIZATION
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to use processes and resources
for learning by applying principles and theories of media utilization, diffusion, implementation,
and policy-making.

3.1 Media Utilization

Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning.
The EdTech program provided endless opportunities to work with media for the purpose of
learning. The experience and knowledge that is gained from media within the program is one of
the major reasons I chose the BSU EdTech program. In my profession, the use of media for
education plays a very significant role, and I believe will play an even larger role in the near
future. The EdTech program has better equipped me to become an expert for use of the media in
education and learning.
One project that I felt really displayed meeting this media standard is the Multimedia Instruction
project I completed for the EdTech 513: Multimedia course. For this project, we were asked to

create a tool that provides instruction delivered through media. I chose to create an Introduction
to Business presentation in Google Slides. The presentation follows the contiguity principles
for multimedia, and I designed the presentation to have the teacher walk through the presentation
with the learners, ask questions, and requires interaction from the learners, followed by an
assessment or knowledge check.
Another project that is a great example of meeting the media standard is the VoiceThread I
created on the Abby Carlin case study in the EdTech 503 Instructional Design course. For this
project, we were given a case study in which a new instructional designer, Abby Carlin, found
herself in a challenging instructional design situation, and we were left to provide solutions for
how she could overcome the various challenges for this ID project. In the end, I created a
Powerpoint presentation, and walked the learner through my presentation by making a
VoiceThread. I was very happy with the solution I provided with the VoiceThread as well as the
media utilized to deliver it.
3.2 Diffusion of Innovations
Diffusion of innovations is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the
purpose of gaining adoption.
For achievement of this standard, I dont think there is a greater project to prove this standard
was met than the final Instructional Design project from the EdTech 503 Instructional Design
course. This project required a very thoughtful, detailed, and planned strategy to effectively
execute a successful instructional design plan. I thoroughly enjoyed this project because of the
attention to detail and strategy it required from the very beginning. It also gave me a greater
understanding of the difficulty and processes an instructional designer must go through to
implement successful instructional design. The awareness of the learning audience and trial of

various techniques to bring about change was unknown to me prior to this project. Instructional
design plays a very large role in my profession, and although I have always appreciated the work
the instructional designers produce, I had not been able to see the processes and trials that a
designer must go through on a day to day basis. This project changed that, and gave me a new
perspective for the role they play.
3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization
Implementation is using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings.
Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure
and culture of an organization.
When analyzing this standard, there are a number of projects that come to mind, but I believe
one of the best ones that displays meeting this standard is the final Evaluation Project I
completed for EdTech 505 Evaluation for Education Technologist. This project required
utilizing instructional materials and strategies for evaluating a software in a real setting, which
was for my former employer. The evaluation formally brought the effectiveness of the customer
relationship management system I evaluated to the forefront of my company. It highlighted the
strengths, and its weakness by providing a thorough and complete evaluation. The evaluation
provoked some changes to how the tool is utilized within the company and was the root for
innovative changes within the organization.
Another artifact that I believe directly meets this standard is the final Instructional Design project
for EdTech 503 Instructional Design. This project involved instructional strategies very closely
aligned and prepared for students in a real college senior course. The project requires close
communication between the course instructor and its students. This ID project involved creating
instruction for college seniors on how to properly create and format a resume to apply to

positions directly out of college. The final project ended in a success for my needs (for the
EdTech 503 course) but also a success for the students and instructor as well. The students
benefited from the instructional design project by being better equipped to prepare a resume, and
the instructor still uses this project in her courses now. I thought these two projects were very
rewarding because it allowed me to see the effectiveness and real world application the program
was providing in addition to the learning and educational value.

3.4 Policies and Regulations

Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the
diffusion and use of Instructional Technology.
The value that technology brings to education is undeniable. Technology has expanded the
capability and reach of learning and education exponentially. Although with that value, comes
increased responsibility. Throughout this program policies and regulations of technology were
consistently covered. One of the projects that best demonstrates achievement of this standard is
the Technology Use Planning Overview I completed in the EdTech 501 Introduction to
Educational Technology course. As the foundation for the program, the EdTech 501 course does
an excellent job of laying the groundwork for rules and regulations within educational
technology, and this project is a prime example. Within this project, I was asked to review the
artifacts Developing Effective Technology Plans (See 1992) and National Education Technology
Plan 2010 and give a synopsis and reflection of the artifacts. This project helped me further my
understanding of the rules and regulations within educational technology, which is an extremely
important knowledge base to have within my profession.

Another great artifact that displays meeting this standard is the Copyright Scavenger Hunt I
produced in the EdTech 502 Internet for Educators course. Of all the courses in the EdTech
program, I found this to be the most challenging, and the most rewarding. It allowed me to
explore creating of internet tools, but this project also involved studying the importance of the
rules, regulations, and fair play of utilizing resources within educational technology. This
project is another great asset and knowledge base for my profession.

STANDARD 4: MANAGEMENT
Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to plan, organize, coordinate, and
supervise instructional technology by applying principles of project, resource, delivery system,
and information management.
4.1 Project Management
Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and
development projects.
When reflecting on this standard, I think about the amount of planning and controlling of
instructional design this program provided. Immediately, the final project for EdTech 542
Project Based Learning comes to mind. This artifact involved creating a project based learning
tool, but the creation of the project also involved managing and controlling the process along
with evaluating and reevaluating the progress as each layer of the project was completed. I think
it gave me valuable experience and allowed me to learn the process behind an extensive project
and the careful detail and evaluation that must go in to each strategic decision that make up the
completed project.
4.2 Resource Management

Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems
and services.
In a time when resources and funds are continually being reduced and even eliminated, there
might not be a more important standard to meet. Effective and efficient resource management
can not only provide more resources for teachers, but it can improve and increase learning if
managed effectively. Conversely, if poorly managed, students and teachers might find
themselves receiving and providing an inferior education and learning experience. That is why I
really appreciated the School Evaluation Summary project for EdTech 501 Introduction to
Educational Technology, and believe it is the perfect artifact for achievement of this standard.
This project allowed me to evaluate the level of technology integration of an actual higher
education institution. I changed the institutions name in the report so they would allow me to
complete the evaluation and provide anonymity to them as well. In hind sight, it was a wise
move to allow them to remain anonymous because their level of technology integration was
poor, and reflected very poor resource management. Although the result was poor for the
institution, I believe I gained incredible value from this project by learning the resource
management evaluation process, and understanding how the evaluation can lead to more
effective resource management. Once again, this another incredible learning experience for my
profession and valuable asset to take with me in to the industry.
4.3 Delivery System Management
Delivery system management involves planning, monitoring and controlling 'the method by
which distribution of instructional materials is organized' . . . [It is] a combination of medium
and method of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner.

As the use of technology expands within education, the importance of the delivery management
system technology is delivered in has seen significant attention. As the use of MOOC learning
management systems and other management systems has expanded the capabilities for delivery,
scale and quality has also expanded. Understanding the delivery management system is a
standard that was well covered within the EdTech program. One artifact that is a great example
of meeting this standard is the final project based learning project from the EdTech 542 Project
Based Learning course. This project allowed me to create a learning resource for teachers to be
utilized with high school seniors to learn about researching and creating awareness of current
events in the world and their effect on business and economies. I was very pleased with the
content created and resourced in this project, but also thought the Google Site I created for the
delivery management system was very well designed and intuitive, and will help facilitate
achievement of the learning outcomes.
Another artifact that represents achievement of this standard is the creation of the Digital
Footprint Management Plan I created for the EdTech 543 Social Network Learning course. For
this project, I was asked to develop a digital footprint management plan and asked to utilize
some type of media as the delivery system. When I think back about this assignment, it was a
great example of media utilized as a delivery management system. I think it gave me a great
experience in the various types of delivery management systems that are available.
4.4 Information Management
Information management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling the storage, transfer, or
processing of information in order to provide resources for learning.
There might not be a hotter topic within education than information management. With the
wealth of resources made available by the expansion of technology within education,

management of the information has become more difficult than ever. Whereas there seemed to
be a somewhat finite number of possible resources to obtain information before the internet, now
in todays education environment, there are endless places to obtain information, so
understanding information management is at the forefront of education. One artifact that I think
gave me great experience and met this standard is the EdTech Research project for EdTech 501
Introduction to Educational Technology. For this project we were asked to create a learning
resource of our choice, but the assignment also allowed me to understand how to utilize
technology for information management. I was able to utilize some of the fantastic tools that
Google offers that allow the researcher to effectively and efficiently research topics, and properly
cite those sources in any format (APA, MLA, Chicago), once they are selected. I have used
Google to research topics before (as many others have), but not in depth in an educational setting
where the sources must be credible and cited. This activity allowed me to explore the Google
search features in that capacity, and the tools Google provides make locating and citing the
articles the researcher wishes to use to manage information very convenient.

STANDARD 5: EVALUATION
Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to evaluate the adequacy of
instruction and learning by applying principles of problem analysis, criterion-referenced
measurement, formative and summative evaluation, and long-range planning.
5.1 Problem Analysis
Problem analysis involves determining the nature and parameters of the problem by using
information-gathering and decision-making strategies.
Identifying problems and needs within education can be more difficult that it sounds. Common
sense would suggest that problems would be very evident and solutions would be the more

difficult aspect of education. But identifying problems within education and learning can be
equally as difficult. The problem analysis standard identifies a method and process for
identifying problems through researching and gathering information on a problem in order to
develop a strategy to solve the problem. The final project for the EdTech 542 Project Based
Learning course is the best example of identifying a problem and developing a decision making
strategy to solve the problem. This project allowed me to clearly identify a problem within
learning for high school seniors, and prompted me to develop a strategy and project to solve that
problem. The end result was a great learning resource for the student, and was a great learning
project for me as well.
5.2 Criterion-Referenced Measurement
Criterion-referenced measurement involves techniques for determining learner mastery of prespecified content.
For achieving the criterion-referenced management standard, I think my best artifact that meets
this standard is the Gamified Learning Environment project I completed for the EdTech 597
Edutainment course. This project allowed me to create a game like learning experience for the
learner, but provide instruction and education within that environment. To achieve this, the
project required measurement of the learner on previous levels and ensuring they had mastered
the objective within that level before moving to the next level. This was a great learning
experience for me as well because it really focused on the step by step process of requiring the
learner to achieve mastery of one objective before moving on the next objective. The game
environment that I created certainly achieved this standard, and was really the basis for the game
design.

5.3 Formative and Summative Evaluation

Formative evaluation involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information as
a basis for further development. Summative evaluation involves gathering information on
adequacy and using this information to make decisions about utilization.
Evaluation plays a very significant role within education, and really is a never ending process.
Educators must constantly evaluate themselves, their learning resources, lesson plans, etc. to
ensure there are meeting their learning objectives. When reflecting back on the projects I did for
this program, there is no better example of meeting this standard than the final Evaluation Project
I completed for EdTech 505 Evaluation for Educational Technologist. This course and project
required extensive research of formative and summative evaluation. The final project focused
primarily on summative evaluation, the course allowed us to explore both formative and
summative evaluation.
Another artifact that clearly meets this standard is the final Instructional Design project for
EdTech 503 Instructional Design. Evaluation plays an enormous role in instructional design, and
is really the basis for development and improvement strategies. This course long project allowed
me to explore evaluation in depth. Although the evaluation is considered the last step in
instructional design, it is never the end of the design process. The evaluation usually required
more adjustments or improvements to be made to the design. This project allowed me to
conduct different types of formative evaluation on the instructional materials I created for my
final evaluation project and gave me a great understanding of the types of evaluation and the
processes.

5.4 Long-Range Planning

Long-range planning that focuses on the organization as a whole is strategic planning. Longrange is usually defined as a future period of about three to five years or longer. During
strategic planning, managers are trying to decide in the present what must be done to ensure
organizational success in the future
Education requires very strategic planning on many different levels. From a teacher planning the
next days lesson, to an administrator planning for the long term well-being of an institution.
This program gave some great opportunities to work with planning, but probably none better
than the School Evaluation project I completed in the EdTech 501 Introduction to Educational
Technology course. This project allowed me to analyze the technology integration level of a real
institution through a very careful and thorough evaluation process. The end result allowed me to
understand the evaluation process and how to identify improvements or strategies that need to be
developed to ensure the institution is on the course to improvement in areas they may be weak.
This experience was incredibly valuable as it directly relates to my profession and is a key
component to the value my organization brings to institutions.

CONCLUSION
When reflecting back on this experience within the EdTech program at Boise State University, I
really cannot express how thankful I am for this program and my decision to become an EdTech
graduate. Honestly, finding time to complete this program and balance my personal and
professional life was very difficult at times, but the reward of completing the program and the
knowledge gained throughout was well worth the difficulty. I now feel like I am well beyond
just understanding Educational Technology, and now ready to be at the forefront of improving
and integrating technology within education. When I reflect on my goals when entering the
program, that is actually what I wanted to accomplish. The structure and scope of the projects

within the program gave me great experience, and the instruction and resources provided a very
academic and research based foundation. The EdTech program was a fantastic experience.

References:
Keller, J. M. (2000). How to integrate learner motivation planning into lesson planning: The
ARCS model approach. VII Semanario, Santiago, Cuba, 1-13.

See, John. (May 1992). Developing Effective Technology Plans. The Computing Teacher, Vol.
19, Number 8. Retrieved from: http://www.nctp.com/html/john_see.cfm

National Education Technology Plan 2010. (n.d). Ed.gov. Retrieved on November 14, 2013
from: http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010