PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUTURE OF EDUCATIONAL-TECHNOLOGY

This study was conducted to determine the opinions of a broad-based sample of educational technology professionals and students about the future of our field. A nationwide sample of 268 university personnel (faculty members, doctoral students, and master's students) and trainers completed a Likert-type survey that contained 30 items covering six topic areas: Educational Technology and Learning Theory, Instructional Design Models, Technology and Individualized Instruction, Advances in Technology, Educational Technology and Schools, and Employment and Job Opportunities. The overall results reveal that educational technologists have a positive outlook toward the future of our field. Opinions were most positive in the areas of Educational Technology and Learning Theory, Employment and Job Opportunities, and Technology and Individualized Instruction, and were least positive in the area of Advances in Technology. There were numerous significant differences of opinion on individual items across the four respondent groups, with the greatest number of differences occurring between faculty members and master's students.