Toward a philosophy of instructional technology: thirty years on

A current assessment of the "philosophy" of instructional technology is mad e using a 1970 BJET article as the basis of comparison, Each hypothesis of the original article is revisited and updated according to contemporary tre nds: (1) instructional technology is not yet a discipline; (2) the behaviou ral science concept of instructional technology is more valid than the phys ical science concept; (3) technology offers the best organizing concept for the development of the field and its evolution into a discipline; and (4) any statement of philosophy regarding instructional technology is tentative . The influence of distance education, public acceptance of media and techn ology, and training by artificial intelligence procedures in business and i ndustry are nominated as important factors in bringing about major changes in the field. Each professional should develop a unique philosophy based on personal experiences in the field.