I did not realize that it is so complex in this area before I read through this chapter. I thought that this field focuses only on how to use technology in education. Now I understand what I thought before is too narrow to capture the characteristics of this area.
The author said in this chapter that the definition of educational technology is always changing because this field is in a state of rapid change which is under the influences of the Information Age. I found that both the education and technology changed during the last century after I read through the history part of this chapter. So I think it is hard to say that the way we teach facilitates the technology or the technology which we employed (in education) facilitates the way we teach. They are integral and facilitating each other and moving forward together. Also with the development of education and technology they are becoming closer and closer. Still from the history of this field I can tell educational technology is always on the way of pursuing the purpose of improving the efficiency of human learning. This never changed during the past years and will not change in the future either.
As the author discussed in this chapter learning styles are different from person to person. Through the analysis of all kinds of learners and teachers and learning styles, people believe that the ways of teaching should vary too. Then how to realize this? As the author said Technology can help with this and also it can help educators to improve the efficiency of teaching. I understand when the author say that Lecture and oral presentation, when used along, can be a challenging for many students. In fact it was a challenge for when I was in my high school. Plus that the intelligences are different from person to person as explored in the video of Multiple Intelligences. This also asks educators to offer different ways of teaching. The other video gives us good ideas of Strategies for Teaching Diverse Learners. Now Educational technologies become the tools that a teacher might use to create an effective instructional event. That is why this area is so important to education.
Educational Technology is becoming widespread and is accepted by more and more people. Many people benefit from it and learning is becoming more and more convenient.
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3 comments:
I agree, education technology is fluid and ever changing.
Educational Technology tends to follow a changing cycle that educators have to adapt with. I am intrigued that we have many of the same thoughts. In its strongest favorable conclusion, the assessment of education technology seems to increase student involvement. Some Students where quoted stating,” They were staying in school because education technology offered them an easier alternative than basic academics lectures and because homework could e complete in the pawn of your hand.” For all the hand wringing in Washington, America's lack of a "formal system" for training youth may be strength, not a weakness. American youth engage in a sometimes frustrating, sometimes wasteful, but on the whole highly productive search for the right match between their tastes and skills and available jobs. They switch jobs several times before they are 30, usually enjoying substantial wage gains in the process. They often return to school at local community colleges or technical institutes to upgrade their skills or try out new fields. In a fluid job market, where employer demands are changing constantly, specific job training in their teen years may be wasted. Studies show that developing general skills and cognitive ability, rather than narrow education, helps students perform better on the job and in further jobs that require the use of technology skills.
It stand to say that all children are different and they learn different, which has been around for years, but until we as educator grasp that concept we will lose some of our students interest.
I to believe that it is ever changing, and we must continue to grow with it or we too will be lost.
Again, a great thought process, keeps me open to new thoughts and concepts....TB
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