EDTECH:

What Good is
it?

Agenda
What is educational technology?
What are some examples of
educational technologies?
What are educational technologies
good for?
Some examples of the use of
technology to support education
Should you embrace educational
technology?

What is educational
technology?
Technology: The body of knowledge available to a society that is
of use in fashioning implements (tools), practicing manual arts
and skills, and extracting or collecting materials

Therefore:
Educational:
Educate:
Serving to educate;
instructive
Educational
technology
is
1. To develop the innate capacities of, especially by
schooling
or instruction.
the
use
of
tools
by
teachers
2. To provide with knowledge or training in a particular
area
or
for a particulartheir
purpose capacity to
to
improve
3. To provide with information; inform
4: To bringeducate
to an understanding
or acceptance
students.
5. To stimulate or develop the mental or moral growth
of.
6. To develop, to transform or refine (one's taste or
appreciation, for example).

What are some example

technologies used in
education?
Quite old

Fairly old

Somewhat
old

Fairly new

Cutting edge

Oral language/stories

Written language

Printed books

Telephones

Computers

Pictures

Paper books

Ink pens

Adding machines

Educational software

Demonstrations

Formal schools

Chalkboards

Radio/television

Productivity software

Age grouping

Mimeographs

The World Wide Web

Standardized
tests

Scientific probes/ measuring devices

Cameras

Digital cameras (still/video)

Ball-point pens

Geographic Positioning Systems

Artificial Intelligence
Virtual reality
Simulations
Video conferencing (distance learning)

What is educational
technology good for?
The answer to this question depends upon how they
help educators in their main tasks, which are to:
inspire

communicate

assign

inform

motivate

demonstrate

correlate

narrate

stimulate

facilitate

relate

correct

explain

guide

prepare

protect

mediate

refine

assess

remediate

entertain (sometimes)

babysit (sometimes)

These tasks can be

summarized as:
to prepare students to learn
to manage their learning
to find out what they have learned

Some examples of the use of

technology to support
education

Download real data to learn about statistics and social science

Hear a traditional African folk tale
Hear Martin Luther King's historical "I Have a Dream" speech:
Listen to audio in various languages
Seeing video pictures in real time
Visit archaeological sites in Greece
Read a story about the ancient world
Explore some historical maps
Balance the Federal Budget
Play a game in which you learn about rotational angles
Practice location of elements on periodic table

ICT in the classroom

Final Words
The best use of technology
may be for you to learn more
about a subject or skill as you
prepare to teach it.

Final Words
Decide what your educational
task is first; then think about
how to use technology to help
you do that job

Final Words
If your students aren't
learning better with a
technology than without, don't
use the technology!

Final Words
Technologies have unintended
consequences; be willing to
alter course once you see how
something works with your
students

Final Words
Ask your technology
coordinator for help