| Abstract: | Conclusion Any discussion of technology as a “tool-only” definition is incomplete. Instructional technology also refers to a systematic
means of solving problems (Reiser, 1987). In the case of Malawi and so many other low-income societies where tools are difficult
to purchase and maintain, one resource that is not in short supply is the number of able and willing people who could themselves
provide solutions to the country's many challenges. The important role of the instructional designer should not be ignored.
Mzuzu University has the benefit of having five trained instructional technologists among its faculty. Increasing the number
of designers with experience in distance teaching and learning would benefit Malawi. The insight provided by people who have
taken instructional design, educational psychology, and related courses, would undoubtedly open minds to new possibilities.
Not only could they guide instructional development for Web-based learning, they could design and offer training on new technologies
as they become available. Although consultants from outside Malawi can offer excellent advice based on their education and
experience, such input is necessarily limited by the lack of a true understanding of contextual issues. The advantage indigenous
designers have, of course, is first-hand knowledge of their own context, which plays a very important role in shaping instructional
decisions (Arias & Clark, 2004; Perkins, 2003; Tessmer & Richey, 1997). Indigenous instructional designers should be called
on first to offer guidance as leaders in ministries and at international funding agencies seeking reasonable solutions to
the challenges to access and growth that lie before them. |
