Educational Technology Changing the Game of Learning and Teaching
Educational technology is a field of study that examines the process of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating the instructional environment and learning materials in order to improve the process of teaching and learning. It is the modern form of education, as the world is transforming. We can see it clearly, how all the educational institutions shifted to online platforms and used internet to rescue the education system that has been harmed dreadfully by Corona virus. This is one pretty clear example of how educational technology is changing the whole game of education system and learning.
The main purpose of educational technology is to bring improvement and innovation in education. We have to define the goals and requirements of education first, following this; we can use all our knowledge, including technology, to design the most effective learning environment for students. Educational technology is also referred to as instructional technology.
Instructional technology is also playing a vital role in solving educational problems and concerns, which might include motivation, discipline, the drop-out rate, school violence, basic skills, critical thinking, and the whole list of educational concerns. The problem is identified first, an analysis of the factors of the problem is made, and possible solutions to the problem are offered. After that, the population of students and the curriculum are analyzed. The next step is to select the most suitable instructional strategies for the specific situation. Then, instructional materials and resources are selected that are appropriate for the curriculum and the mode of instruction chosen. In the final step, the program is implemented and evaluated as needed in order to meet the stated goals for school improvement.
The learning materials now have greatly expanded and are more modern because of the various technological advances. Instructional materials include more conventional materials, such as the overhead projectors, televisions, VCRs, slide projectors, and opaque projectors, as well as newer materials, such as the computer, various software applications, LCD projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, scanners, the Internet, satellite, interactive TV, audio and video conferencing, artificial intelligence etcetera.
One major hindrance, in adopting educational technologies at our institutions is that our teachers are mostly techno-illiterate. Teachers in the schools and at universities should understand what types of materials are available, how to use them, why they should be used, when to use them, and how to integrate them into the teaching/learning environment in order to meet the ultimate goal of improving education system.
Technology is all around us and can be used to perpetuate a teacher-led, knowledge-based learning approach or it can be used to help us implement a student-centered, constructivist, and progressive approach. With one touch, student can find out the information or update from any corner of the world. We need to make teachers think and understand the bigger picture of how technology can revolutionize education. By only teaching teachers how to use the technology properly, it will enhance the knowledge-level of educational system. Makingour teachers acknowledged about the real potentials of technology can surely lead in promoting high-level thinking, independent learning, and life-long learning.
Software Tools: Word processing, database, spreadsheet, telecommunications, presentation, authoring, graphic paint and other programs. Teachers will have to learn these software tools and come up with a plan of how to teach them to students, and how to use them in the classroom in front of students.
Integrated Learning Systems: It is also known as
computer-managed instruction. Teachers need to know what this is, how to use it
effectively, when to use it, in which grade levels and subject areas should
they be used, which students will use it, and its role in the educational
process.
Equipment Use: Digital camera, scanner, camcorder, CD-writer,
computer, modem, printer, VCR, LCD projector, laser-disc player, and other are
equipment used in educational technology. Teachers need to know how to use them
and build a strategy to use them in the classroom.
Multimedia Integration: Create and find graphics, images, audio
files, video files, and animations which can be an aid for students in learning.
How to import these multimedia objects into their presentations and learning
materials? Understand how and why the integration of multimedia helps teachers
to teach and how it helps students to learn.
Audio and Video Conferencing: Understand what these are and how
to include them into the educational process. Learn various teaching methods to
utilize these tools in the best possible manner. Understand how these can effect
on how we learn.
Distance Education: Self-instructional manuals, slides,
satellite, videotaped instruction, interactive TV, and the Internet are used in
distance education; teachers must adopt it for a better and wide transfer of
education. How to design courses using distance education, the differences in
this type of learning and teaching, techniques for delivering instruction in
this method, and why and how this approach can be used at various grade levels
are the questions, our teachers must have answers for.
Classroom Configurations: The students of this generation need
the classrooms equipped with best technology. Institutions need multimedia
technology in each classroom. Teachers need access to teaching computers, LCD
projectors, scanners, and other equipment in these modern classrooms. They need
to be able to quickly use this equipment and access software when needed.
Teachers should be able to access and display the Internet and know how to
utilize the Internet, software programs, presentation software, videotapes, and
other stuff, in their teaching methods. Classrooms also need software and equipment
available to their students.
Web Board: It is an
online discussion website which should be used among teachers and students.How to
set up discussion groups for students here, how to post assignments and
readings, and how to use it for students to post their assignments. Teachers have
to understand how and why this technology can affect their teaching approach.
Web Pages: How are web pages created how to use them in
teaching, and why teachers should use them. Web pages can have many functions
for displaying information and creating student interaction. Web pages can also
be used for helping students be more independent learners.
The Internet: What it internet? How to use it and how it can be
incorporated into the teaching/learning process. Teachers need to know how to
search for information, how to critically analyze and evaluate the information,
how to use FTP (file transfer protocol), telnet, email, mailing lists, and newsgroups.
Teachers will have to understand how this powerful system can affect what is
learned and how learning can be done in a much better way.
Software Review and Evaluation: How to select best and
appropriate software for specific grade levels and how to evaluate the
effectiveness of this software, and how many types of software are available.
Teachers should be thoroughly familiar with many of the software options
available and understand how to use them in the classroom.
In short, the world has adopted modern means of communications, commerce, travel and etcetera. So there must be a new and modern way of education too, which is possible and can make education sector much more efficient with the help of Educational Technology.
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Article By : scarlet madison
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