Educational Technology

The term “21st century” has become the central part of education thinking and planning for the future. Administrators and Teachers are actively searching for ways to prepare students for the future, and the educational system has been evolving faster than ever before. Creating a 21st century education system is about making sure that all students are prepared to succeed in a competitive world.

What is Educational Technology mean?

Educational technology is the effective use of technological tools in learning. As a concept, it concerns an array of tools, such as media, machines and networking hardware, as well as considering underlying theoretical perspectives for their effective application.

As an academic discipline, the study of educational technology prepares individuals by helping them acquire a deeper understanding and mastery of: learning resources: messages, people, materials, devices, techniques and settings;

• processes for analyzing and devising solutions to those problems through research, theory, design, production, evaluation, utilization;

• the processes involved in organization and personnel management.

• The focus is on effective processes to facilitate learning using technologies and understanding the impacts of technology on learners and organizations

Roles and Functions of Educational Technology in 21st century education

INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE STUDENT-

CENTEREDThe days of lecturing teachers has passed-though not entirely. While student-centered learning is strongly encourage in the 21st century, this does not mean that the teacher can never give lecture again.

Education is no longer about listening to the teacher talk and absorbing the information. In order to contribute to society, students will need to connect the new information with the knowledge they already have and apply it to solving the problem at hand.

Instead of passively receiving information, the students would gather information on their own, under the guidance of their teacher.

Different learning styles are encouraged, and students have an enhanced sense of motivation and responsibility.

They engage in many different types of hands-on activities, as well as demonstrate learning in many different ways. Learning is about discovery, not the memorization of facts.

EDUCATION SHOULD BE COLLABORATIVE

Students must learn how to collaborate with others. Society today has people collaborating across the globe. How can students be expected to work with people from other cultures, with different values from their own, if they are not able to work with the people they see each day in their classroom?

Students should be encouraged to work together to discover information, piece it together, and construct meaning

LEARNING SHOULD HAVE CONTEXT

Student-centered does not mean that the teacher give up all control of the classroom. While students are encourage to learn in different ways, the teacher still provides guidance as to the skills that need to be acquired.

The teacher can make a point of helping students to understand how the skills they are building can be applied in their lives.

The role of technology in 21st century learning:

1.Technology allows for 24/7 access to information.

2.Constant social interaction and,

3. Easily created and shared digital content

There is a call for action to integrate technology as a fundamental building block into education in three

broad areas:

Use technology comprehensively to develop proficiency in 21st century skills.

Even if all students mastered core academic subjects, they still would be woefully underprepared to succeed in postsecondary institutions and workplaces, which increasely value people who can use their knowledge to communicate, collaborate, analyze, create, innovate, and solve problems.

Used comprehensively, technology helps students develop 21st century skills.

Use technology comprehensively to support innovative teaching and learning

To keep paace with a changing world, schools need to offer more rigorous, relevant and engaging opportunities for students to learn and apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways.

Use comprehensively, technology supports new, research-based approaches and promising practices in teaching and learning.

Use technology comprehensively to create robust education support systems.

To be effective in schools and classrooms, teachers and administrators need training, tools and proficiency in 21st century skills themselves.

Used comprehensively, technology transforms standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development, learning environments, and administration.

IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHING

Educational Technology analyses the process of teaching thoroughly. It tries to find out the different variables of teaching, their interlinks, effects upon each other, relationship theories of teaching, phases of teachin principles of teaching, maxims of teaching ect. By developing the theories of teaching, it helps in improving the quality of education.

ANALYSIS OF THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

Educational Technology analyses the process of teaching thoroughly. It tries to find out the different variables of teaching, their interlinks, effects upon each other, relationship. It is concerned with various phases of teaching. The principles of teaching and maxims of teaching are also evaluated by it. Over all, it tries to establish better relationship between teaching and learning.

IMPROVEMENT OF LEARNING

Educational Technology analyses the process of learning and the related theories, It facilitates more and more of learning in less time. It takes the help of various empirically established generalizations from psychology, sociology, physical sciences, engeneering etc.

ENHANCING GOALS OF EDUCATION

The objectives of education are being reviewed and revised with the passage of time. Educational Technology helps in finding out the right objectives. Everything in this universe is undergoing tremendous changes and with a very fast speed. Educational Technology helps in enhancing the right objectives in the light of the changed circumstances and changed environment.

TRAINING TO TEACHERS

The changed type of environment with new curriculum and new materials is to be handled by the teachers. Right type of training to the teachers is the need of the hour. Educational Technology can render its valuable help in the training of teachers also.

DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULUM

Keeping in view the objective of education, which have been finalized by education technology there after, comes the question of developing right types of curriculum. Only a suitable type of curriculum will help in the attainment of goals.

DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING-LEARNING MATERIALS

Teaching-learning materialas are also as important as anything else in the teaching-learning process. They have to be in accordance with the environment of the learners. In the age of science and technology, the materials of teaching cannot be unscientific. Everything in the society including values of life need be reflectied in the materials.

TEACHING-LEARNING STRATEGIES

A strategy plays an important role in the hands of a teacher in every teaching-learning situation. The strategy has to be the right one, which should be according to the materials and is able to bring about effective teaching learning. The different strategies are being evolved by educational technology. The knowledge of those strategies is a must for every teacher.

DEVELOPMENT OF AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS

Audio-Visual aids have always played an important role in thr teaching-learning process. They need to used according to the times. The software aids , the hardware aids, the computer and other such appliances, equipment etc.,have” to be used in the present type of teaching-learning environment.

HELP IN OVERALL IMPROVEMENT

Educational technology helps in locating the problems in the different areas of educatioan. It also helps in remedying the draw-backs. Evaluation of the teaching-learning process is also made better because through feedback, things are improved thoroughly and there is better control over the process of education. Thus, education technology can revolutionize the whole process of teaching-learning.

IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY

Educational technology identifies the needs of the community. Ithelps in providing equal education opportunities to backward people, disadvantage. Students and deprived section of the society. Educational Technology aims at identifying the needs of the community from time to time. Then it tries to improve the community in every possible way.

THE END

SUBMITTED BY: ADRIAN B. PAGOBO BEED II

SCHEDULE 3:30-4:30 PM