Post-IT: Putting Postmodern Perspectives to Usein Instructional Technology—A Response toSolomon’s “Toward a Post-Modern Agenda inInstructional Technology”

Rick VoithoferAlan Foley

Following the publication of David Solomon’swinning Young Scholar paper, “Toward aPost-modern Agenda in InstructionalTechnology,” in issue 48(4) of ETR&D,several readers inquired asking for moreconcrete information on the meaning ofpostmodernism and its implications forpractice and research in instructionaltechnology. One reader in particular, RickVoithofer from Ohio State University, asked ifhe could submit a reaction to Solomon’s paper.I agreed to examine a draft, on which Iprovided feedback and encouragement tocontinue. I then invited David Solomon toprovide a brief rejoinder. The products of theseefforts follow.

Steven RossResearch Editor

In this paper, we respond to DavidSolomon’s construction of postmodernism andhis model of a postmodern agenda for Instruc-tional Technology (IT), “Toward a Post-ModernAgenda in Instructional Technology” (2000), byoffering an example of how postmodernperspectives can be used in IT research anddevelopment.

As Solomon and the extant literature indi-cate, the term “postmodern” is problematic andconfusing. While it is beyond the scope of thisresponse to address the contingency of the term,we do offer a definition that fits within our ownresearch. Simply put, postmodern theoriesframe research, learning, and instructionaldesign as processes that exist in a world of rapidtechnical innovation and increasingly unclearand quickly shifting social and cultural boun-daries, where objectivity and efficiency are lesseasy to generalize across multiple settings.Postmodern theories hold that particular groups(i.e., efficiency-minded, scientific) have histori-cally controlled not only access to knowledge,but also the standards by which knowledge isconsidered valuable or legitimate. As a result,postmodern perspectives question the authorityof traditional science, as well as any authorita-tive canon (or agenda) whether it is in art,science, philosophy, or instructional design, infavor of approaches that are more reflective,situated and responsive. Instead of looking forgeneralizable and universal approaches,postmodern perspectives tend toward ap-proaches that are applicable to specific situa-tions and are based on the conditions of those

ETR&D, Vol. 50, No. 1, 2002, pp. 5–14 ISSN 1042–1629 5

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