The average person rarely thinks about the fact that color is one of the few things we see daily that simultaneously is systematic, scientific, messy,
descriptive and evocative of everything from the austerity of pure physics to the emotional states of people to the human mind at work.
In looking at the field of educational technology and it’s many dimensions: instructional design, instructional technology and human performance
technology, it can be said that color systems make a good framework and an interesting metaphor for describing the vibrant, scientific, chaotic
and changing nature of the field.
Educational technology, in many respects, contains every emotive aspect of color and through the related fields of cognitive science, law, computer
science, linguistics, visual art, statistics and assessment, ethics and teaching can comprise a large palette to draw from in developing educational
materials for schools and work, as well as examining organizations and their systems. Color can also reflect diversity of people, global
understandings, cognitive processing and the wide range of tools available to professionals in the field.
This paper will focus on the principles of additive color to describe the field of educational technology. Color has two fundamental
systems, one for mixing pigment and the other for mixing light. The system for mixing pigment has the familiar red, blue and yellow as
its primary colors. These colors mix to make black, and are referred to as subtractive color. The system for mixing light has red, green and blue
as its primary colors. These three colors mix to make white light and are referred to as additive colors.
Everyday we encounter additive color on computer screens, televisions, web pages and technology devices, since every pixel on a screen is
comprised of a red component, a blue component and a green component. As the poetic DNA of computers, additive color makes a strong
metaphor for the field of educational technology and it’s definitions. Additionally, the combination of red, blue and green light and the resulting
white light is a fitting way to help describe and define a field in education, where researchers and practitioners always hope to enlighten others
through learning.
SUSAN DETRIE Ed.S. 