Welcome to IT Definition & History!
IT History
Instructional Technology, also known as educational technology, has a rich and diverse history.
IT doctoral students at NIU begin an intensive study of that history through reading and studying Paul Saettler's book,
The Evolution of American Educational Technology, in the doctoral seminar, ETT 640. NIU doctoral students have
provided detailed, yet condensed overviews of some of the chapters in the text. Documents are in .pdf format,
so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader and MS Powerpoint or
Powerpoint Viewer.
Both are free downloads. All links to documents or outside websites will open into a new browser window.
Definition of IT
Over the decades, the field has engaged in ongoing dialogue about the rapidly evolving purpose and scope
of the field. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology are working to maintain an
official definition since. NIU doctoral seminar students prepare for candidacy Part 1
by reading, studying, and writing about different definitions. There are more resources about the definition of IT
and a core readings list on the Professional Resources page. Check back for updates!
