This document discusses leadership in the field of instructional technology. It profiles 4 leaders in the field: David Jonassen, Peggy Ertmer, Robert Reiser, and Barbara Lockee. It summarizes their research interests and contributions, including Jonassen's work in problem solving pedagogy, Ertmer's research on student-centered instruction and technology integration, Reiser's history of instructional design and evaluation of web-based instruction, and Lockee's research on distance learning strategies and tools. The document also discusses theories of transactional and transformational leadership as well as the characteristics of effective technology leaders.

1. Scholarly Representation of
Leaders in Instructional Technology
By: Emtinan Alqurashi
July 2014

2. Every government, organization, institution, business, and
community, in general, needs a leader. But what make
somebody a leader and how can someone be a leader?
It is important to understand the meaning of a leader or
leadership first before identifying its characteristics.
The term leader can refer to someone who is in charge of a
group of people. It can also refer to guidance, commanding,
and managing. A leader is someone who can motivate others
to achieve the desired goals and who create a vision for the
future.

3. This project focuses on the leaders in the field of
instructional technology and they are:
David H. Jonassen
Peggy A. Ertmer
Robert A. Reiser
Barbara B. Lockee

4. The first leader that I am talking about is Dr Jonassen. He was
the director for the Center for the Study of Problem Solving at
the University of Missouri-Columbia. His main research focus
was on the area of problem solving.
In his paper, Jonassane (2009), he gave students the chance
to investigate different perspectives and theories. he
introduced different methods, strategies and techniques to
engage students in in ethical problem solving, evaluate
solutions, enhance thinking and understand situations.

5. Dr Ertmer is second leader in this project. Her research focuses
on the impact that student-centered instructional approaches
have on both the processes and products of learning.
In her first paper (1999), she focused on how to effectively
overcome barriers in the classroom and what are the strategies to
address those barriers. In her second paper (1999), she focused
on how to integrate technology into the classroom effectively and
successfully. Her aim was to (a) develop effective relationship, (b)
provide responsive professional, instructional and technical
support, (c) train students experts as a mean to provide technical
support, (d) increase computer skills and self esteem.

6. Dr Reiser is the third leader in this project. His research
interests have focused on (a) incorporating technology in
classrooms, (b) techniques for evaluating and examining web-
based instruction and (c) improving the planning practices of
teachers.
He has focused on his two-part article (2001) on the history of
instructional design and technology. Many new technologies
and new ideas has occurred and affected the learning process
in last years, so Dr Reiser found it necessarily to update his
description of the field of instructional design and technology.

7. Dr. Lockee is the last leader in this project. Her
research generally focuses Her research interests
focus on effective instructional design strategies for
distance learning environments and the issues related
to it.
In her paper, she and Dr Reiser (2006) have described
an online information system tool which is called the
Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) program.
The propose of it is to encourage other programs to
join in this information sharing effort.

8. Sugar and Holloman (2009) have identified nine characteristics of a school leader
including a technology leader:
Corporate vision: have the knowledge and the skills, and offer leadership and
management to the vision and mission.
Development of others: understand the need of development of faculty members,
and provide them with the tools and skills in order to improve teaching and learning
with new technologies.
Facilitating: offer direction, guidance and assistance to enhance institutional
effectiveness.
Servant leadership: overcome barriers, difficulties and obstacles. “Servant-
leadership describes the need for leaders to confront obstacles while working toward
“healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous” members of the organization.” (Suagar &
Holloman 2009:70)

9. Problem solving: solve everyday problems, and have the
awareness and ability to address and plan to avoid potential
problems.
Resource management: analyze, plan, take the right decisions,
manage resources for the best system performance.
School communication: effective communication with staff, faculty
members, students and community is a very important factor in
leadership performance.
Student centeredness: maintain the communication, and
understand how to enhance the quality of learning for all learners.
Systems thinking: have the knowledge about how the organization
operates. An effective leader is “aware of the many systems at work
and can demonstrate strong leadership by making meaningful
connections across the organization in an effort to improve school
performance.” (Suagar & Holloman 2009:70)

10. “The distance education environment requires DE leaders to
have a well-founded vision of DE and its place within higher
education institutions, leaders who possess good people skills
that will enable them to work with their staff, faculty, and
administrators; understand the adoption process for emerging
technologies and innovation; are knowledgeable about course
design processes, essential teaching and learning theories, and
characteristics of adult learners and traditional-age students; are
able to manage change; and who understand and are able to
apply salient leadership qualities.” Nworie (2012).

11. Michael G. Moore is known in academic circles for leadership in the
scholarly study of distance education. His theory (1997) have suggested
three factors to take into account when considering the nature of
transactional development between students and teachers in distance
education. These are dialogue, structure and learners autonomy.
Dialogue: refers to all forms of communication.
Course Structure: refers to the course level of rigidity or flexibility.
Learners autonomy: refers to the learner’s sense of self-motivation
and self-determination, and it is affected by the dialogue and the
course level of rigidity or flexibility.

12. Transactional leadership usually follow the
traditional structure of leader-follower
relationship, where bonuses and rewards are
provided on completion of tasks or achieving
goals.
This type of relationship considered to have
positive affect performances and the
satisfaction of the followers.

13. Transformational leadership is based on ethics, morals and
consideration of everyone within an organization.
Transformational leaders are often motivational,
charismatic, intellectual, and considerate. They usually
show the qualities of honesty, integrity and self-confidence.
They are able to take new methods and strategies to
problem-solving and decision-making. They emphasize on
professional development. They also inspire their team to
be a source of inspiration to each other.

14. This project has developed my knowledge about leadership
generally and in the field of instructional technology specifically.
Each one of four leaders has something that I can take and learn
from that can be beneficial and useful to my future researches.
I am interested in reading more of Dr Barbara Lockee’s work as
she is specialized in distance education, how to improve it and
the issues related to it. I’m planning to read more of her work and
see how can I connect it to my researches. I also found Dr
Robert Reiser’ work interesting to me as he has wrote and
focused on evaluating web-based instruction and I would like to
read more about it.

15. I’m also inspired by Dr Michael Moree’s work, he is well-
known for his leadership in the study of distance education
and that is related to my research interest (i.e distance
learning in higher education). From that, I have planned to
read more of his work and try to connect that to my research
in the future.
This course made me aware of the term leadership for the
first time, and the difference between transactional and
transformational leadership.
I believe that both of them are important to improve the
quality of learning in educational institutions, and each has its
benefits that can lead institutions or organization to succeed.

16. Brymer, E., & Gray, T. (2006). Effective leadership: Transformational or
transactional? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education, 10(2), 13-19.
Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Addressing first- and second-order barriers to change:
Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology, Research
and Development, 47(4), 47-61. ProQuest Education Journals.
Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Impacts of a university-elementary school partnership
designed to support technology integration. Educational Technology,
Research and Development. 47(1), 81-96. ProQuest Education Journals.
Fallon, G. (2011). Making the Connection: Moore's Theory of Transactional
Distance and the relevance to the use of virtual classroom in postgraduate
online teacher Education. Journal of Research on Technology in Education.
43(3), 187-209. ProQuest Education Journals.

17. Jonassen, D. H.; Shen, D.; Marra, Rose M.; Cho, Y.; Lo, J. L.; Lohani, V. K. (2009).
Engaging and supporting problem solving in Engineering Ethics. Journal of
Engineering Education, 98(3), 235-254. ProQuest Education Journals.
Lockee, B. B.; Reiser, R. A. (2006). A Program Information Tool for Instructional
Design and Technology Programs. TechTrends, 50(6) 16-19. ProQuest Education
Journals.
Nworie, J. (2012). Applying Leadership Theories to Distance Education Leadership.
Online Journal Of Distance Learning Administration, 15(4).
Reiser, R. A. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part I: A history
of instructional media. Educational Technology, Research and Development. 49(1)
53-64. ProQuest Education Journals.
Reiser, R. A. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part II: A
history of instructional design. Educational Technology, Research and Development.
49(2) 57-67. ProQuest Education Journals.
Sugar, W. & Hallon, H. (2009) Technology leaders wanted: acknowledging the
leadership role of a technology coordinator. TechTrends. 53(6), 66-75.