James D. Finn

James D. (Jim) Finn is considered one of the premier Instructional Technology specialists.  He was involved in IT before WWII and advocated the use of radio and film in education.  During WWII, Finn worked with the US military as an instructor at Ft. Leavenworth KS.  After his military service, Dr. Finn became a professor at the University of Southern California where he created IT as a field which could stand alone.  (Biography from Extending Educatioin Through Technology)  Online

 

James D. Finn - efforts to develop a professional association led to the foudign of AECT (Assocation for Educational Communications and Technology)  (James D. Finn and the Development of a Professional Association for the field of Instructional Technology  Donald P. Ely 1995-96)    

 

Was a strong propenent of changing the status of the audiovisual field and making it into a profession based on research and theory.  Early work attempted to automate education.  A major emphasis was the idea that technology was more than just machines, it included processs, management, human, and nonhuman controls.  Although his philosphy changed over time he remained an advocate that techology as a process.  (James D. Finn's contribution to the development of a process view of educational technology Alan Januszewski 1995)