Two of the most distinguished scholars in the field of instructional technology, Dr. Donald P. Ely from Syracuse University in the USA and Dr. Tjeerd Plomp from the University of Twente in The Netherlands, have recently edited a volume called Classic Writings on Instructional Technology, soon to be published by Libraries Unlimited. The book contains 30 readings that are viewed as having made "a significant substantive contribution to the conceptual development" of the field. The book contains two readings from the 40's, three from the 50's, eleven from the 60's, seven from the 70's, six from the 80's, and one from the 90's.
In light of the recent discussion on ITForum concerning the issue of objectivism versus constructivism, it is interesting to note that the one classic reading these scholars included in their book from the current decade is:
Jonassen, D. H. (1991). Objectivism versus constructivism: Do we need a new philosophical paradigm? Educational Technology Research and Development, 39(3), 5-14.