Two months ago—and somewhat surprisingly—the college purchased a drone. The drone system consists of the aircraft itself (quickly nicknamed Lightning), a controller that is connected to a smart phone or tablet, and a high definition camera. According to the manual, it will fly to an altitude of 500 yards in a radius of half a mile. The drone apparently has a very powerful computer system that automates almost everything, including obstacle avoidance (a very important function).
The college purchased the drone not because it is fun to fly (though it certainly is), but because the claim was made that it was a new type of educational technology. Let’s consider that claim.
Educational technology is “the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources” (Januszewski & Molenda, 2008). Closely related to instructional technology is distance education, which is “institutionally based, formal education where the learning group is separated and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors” (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015). Because neither definition says anything about drones, a reasonable question is, “how does drone technology ‘facilitate learning and improve performance?’” Further, is drone technology an “appropriate resource?”
Drone systems are in the news a lot today—most often in stories about the military. Other uses are increasing, also, such as videos of storm damage in Puerto Rico and houses being repaired on shows on the HGTV network. The educational applications of drones—if there are any—are less apparent.
Telehealth is another “new technology” that has been much discussed. What is interesting is that many in the health professions are “lukewarm” on their role in determining the appropriate applications of telehealth. Like many professionals, health professionals are more interested in health than in “tele.”
In the fields of educational technology and distance education, there is a tendency to embrace new technological tools—even drones—as important, and in some cases even necessary. Learning about the hardware and software that make the machine function are the fun parts of being an instructional technologist and distant educator. Vendors can be crafty. They sometimes “manufacture” uses of their products. However, when new technologies are introduced, it is the role of the professional, not the vendor, to determine their appropriate educational applica- tion—and their importance to the field.
And finally, as Thoreau said “Beware of enterprises that require new clothes.” In the meantime, let’s all go fly our drones.
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