Introduction

Greetings!  Welcome to my blog.  I have started this blog for a class that I am taking at Idaho State University.  The class that I am taking that requires this blog is called Instructional Technology in Human Resource Development, OLP-4407.  During this class, I will be exploring different technology tools that HRD professionals can use in their work.  

Like many people in my generation, my understanding of technology has evolved with technology.  Although I was born before personal computers were common place, I am able to navigate most new technology with ease.  Unfortunately, as technology proliferates through almost every aspect of society and our daily lives, it is not easy to keep up will all of the nuance that these tools can provide.  As a professional training instructor, this is true in my work.  Essentially, I am of the opinion that before technology should be used in training, you should have a good idea of the value that the technology offers to the overall learning experience.  If the benefit of using technology outweighs the detractors of assimilating the skills necessary to use it, and it enhances the learning participants learning experience, then by all means use it.  However, if it doesn't, it may be best not to use it.

Practically, to understand whether or not to use technology in a training session, one needs exposure to different technology that can be used.  This is what I am hoping to get out of the class that I am taking.  I hope to have exposure to different types of technology used in the HRD profession, so I can make decisions on what will benefit a learner at what won't.  Additionally, through this class, with use of this blog, I hope to get over my fear of contribution to the HRD body of knowledge with my unique experiences versus only being a consumer and spectator of others ideas.