Instructor Competencies: Standards for Face-To-Face, Online, and Blended Settings

This edition is not just a rehash of old, albeit classic and still important, stuff. Instead, it provides a fresh perspective on a topic of perennial interest for those working in the field that has been variously called training and development, human resource development, performance technology, and workplace learning and performance. The fresh perspective takes into consideration two additional instructor settings to the traditional face-to-face environments that most instructors and trainers know -- that is, online and blended settings. These settings are, of course, becoming more critical as instruction moves beyond classroom settings to include virtual and combinations of classroom and other media delivery methods.

The ibstpi instructor competencies match up well to Mapping the Future (Bernthal, Colteryahn, Davis, Naughton, Rothwell, & Wellins 2004), the current ASTD competency study of the field now known as Workplace Learning and Performance (WLP) and previously known as Training and Development (T&D). WLP is more than a new name for an old subject and represents a fundamental paradigm shift in what it means to be a professional in the field formerly known as training. WLP is all about getting improved performance -- and therefore improved results -- in organizational settings through planned and unplanned learning interventions. Instruction is thus a means to an end and not an end in itself. The ibstpi instructor competencies dovetail well with that philosophy.

Rita C. Richey is professor and program coordinator of Instructional Technology in the College of Education at Wayne State University. She has been at Wayne State for over 35 years and has extensive experience in program design and development, teaching, and in education and training research. She is widely published in the area of instructional design and technology. She has written or edited 10 books, including "The Theoretical and Conceptual Bases of Instructional Design, Designing Instruction for the Adult Learner," and "The Legacy of Robert M. Gagne." She is also co-author of the third edition of "Instructional Design Competencies: The Standards," the third edition of "Training Manager Competencies: The Standards and Instructional Technology: The Definition and Domains of the Field." This latter book received the 1995 Outstanding Book Award and the 1996 Brown Publication Award, both from the Association of Educational Communications & Technology (AECT). It has been translated into three additional languages. She has published over 30 articles and books chapters. She is a past ibstpi vice-president for Research and Development and a past president of AERA's Special Interest Group on Instructional Technology. She has received four awards from Wayne State University--the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching, a Distinguished Faculty Fellowship, the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, and the award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement by Women Faculty. In addition, she has been inducted into the Wayne State University Academy of Scholars. In recognition of her career's work, in 2000 she received the AECT Distinguished Service Award.James D. Klein is professor and program leaderof Educational Technology in the Division of Psychology in Education at Arizona State University - Tempe. His teaching and research focus on instructional design, strategies for active learning, and performance improvement. He has published over 60 journal articles and book chapters related to instructional design and technology. He was principal author of the book, "Instructor Competencies: Standards for Face-to-Face, Online and Blended Settings" which received the 2005 Outstanding Book Award in Instructional Design & Development from the Association of Educational Communications & Technology (AECT). Dr. Klein serves as a director on the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (ibstpi). Previously, he served as development editor of "Educational Technology Research and Development ("ETR&D), as president of AERA's Special Interest Group on Instructional Technology, and as president of the Design and Development Division and the Research and Theory Division of AECT. He has been recognized as an outstanding alumnus of the Instructional Systems program at Florida State University and for his service to AECT.

J. Michael Spector is Professor and Chair of Learning Technologies in the College of Information at the University of North Texas. He was previously Professor of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, Doctoral Program Coordinator for the Learning, Design, and Technology Program, and a Research Scientist at the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory at the University of Georgia (2009-2011). Previously, he was Associate Director of the Learning Systems Institute, Professor of Instructional Systems, and Principal Investigator for the International Center for Learning, Education and Performance Systems at Florida State University (2004-2008). He served as Chair of Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation at Syracuse University (2000-2004) and Director of the Educational Information Science and Technology Research Program at the University of Bergen (1996-1999). He is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from The University of Texas at Austin (1978). His recent research is in the areas of intelligent support for instructional design, system dynamics based learning environments, assessing learning in complex domains, distance learning, and technology integration in education. Dr. Spector served on the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction ("ibstpi") as Executive Vice President; he is on the Executive Committee of the IEEE Learning Technology Technical Committee, is a Past President of the Association for Educational and Communications Technology (AECT) as well as a Past Chair of the Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. He is the editor (10th year as editor) of the Development Section of "Educational Technology Research & Development, " and he serves on numerous other editorial boards. He co-edited the third edition of the "Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology", is again lead editor on the fourth edition, and has more than 100 journal articles, book chapters and books to his credit. Dr. Spector is active in international educational technology developments and was the Conference Co-Chair and Local Organizer for the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies held at UGA 6-8 July.