Educational Technology
When used properly, educational technology is a powerful complement to traditional teaching methods. For example, it can help diagnose students’ initial learning levels and assign appropriate exercises. Without technology, individual educators would have to spend most of their class time lecturing, with little time for practical application. It can also help students master basic skills by providing opportunities to practice and review topics at their own pace.
Educational technology can also be used to help students with special needs learn better. It can double as assistive technology in special needs classrooms, and it allows teachers to cater to multiple learning styles. It also encourages collaboration and breaks down barriers. It can also give students the opportunity to provide feedback to their teachers, whether in the form of questions or suggestions on how to improve teaching techniques.
Mobile devices are often overlooked as EdTech, but they can be a powerful tool. They can be a gateway to online communities, research, and other educational materials. Students can also use mobile apps for homework and self-study. Some of these apps include Duolingo, Kahoot!, and even media-creation apps.
When used properly, educational technology can help students learn faster. It can also help educators differentiate instruction, improve student engagement, and provide better content. An electronic whiteboard can offer quality content and increase opportunities for practice. For example, giving every learner a device is an effective way to provide access to better content and provide more opportunities for practice.
How Educational Technology Can Be Used in the Classroom
Another way educational technology can be beneficial is through the use of interventions. Interventions can improve instruction for native language learners. A simple example is a two-dimensional illustration that maps two questions on a two-dimensional grid. Then, the teacher can answer the questions and determine what level of instruction is appropriate.
In addition to utilizing cutting-edge technology, educators should also educate themselves to stay competitive in the EdTech world. Getting a master’s degree can give you the knowledge necessary to implement innovative educational technology in the classroom. Furthermore, an education can increase your leadership opportunities. For example, Concordia’s MEd EdTech program is designed for educational professionals interested in entering the field of education technology. Its curriculum is 16-month-long, and includes coursework that is aligned to the International Society for Technology in Education standards.
Technology has also begun to change the roles of teachers and learners. In the traditional classroom, such as what we see depicted in de Voltolina’s illustration, the teacher is the primary source of information, and the learners passively receive it. This model of the teacher as the “sage on the stage” has been in education for a long time, and it is still very much in evidence today.
However, because of the access to information and educational opportunity that technology has enabled, in many classrooms today we see the teacher’s role shifting to the “guide on the side” as students take more responsibility for their own learning using technology to gather relevant information. Schools and universities across the country are beginning to redesign learning spaces to enable this new model of education, foster more interaction and small group work, and use technology as an enabler.