Lesson 7 - Choosing Media

9.2. Why We Need a Model

At the same time, every teacher, instructor, and increasingly learner, needs to make decisions in this area, often on a daily basis. A model for technology selection and application is needed therefore that has the following characteristics:

• It will work in a wide variety of learning contexts.
• It allows decisions to be taken at both a strategic, institution-wide level and at a tactical, instructional, level.
• It gives equal attention to educational and operational issues.
• It will identify critical differences between different media and technologies, thus enabling an appropriate mix to be chosen for any given context.
• It is easily understood, pragmatic, and cost-effective.
• It will accommodate new developments in technology.

For these reasons, then, I will continue to use the Bates’ SECTIONS model, with some modifications to take account of recent developments in technology, research and theory. The SECTIONS model is based on research, has stood the test of time, and has been found to be practical. SECTIONS stands for:

• S tudents
• E ase of use
• C ost
• T eaching functions, including pedagogical affordances of media
• I nteraction
• O rganizational issues
• N etworking
• S ecurity and privacy

I will discuss each of these criteria in the following sections, and will then suggest how to apply the model.