Educational Technology

Educational technology is the practice of addressing educational needs and improving education by utilizing the most current and versatile resource-technology. By definition, education is "learning, teaching, knowledge, instruction, mental growth" and technology means a craft or art, gadgets, tools, techniques, products and practices. Therefore, educational technology can be described as addressing the needs of learning, teaching, knowledge, instruction, and mental growth by using new gadgets, tools, techniques, products and practices. There has been a drastic transition to the use of educational technology because of the transition of the world at large. The world has transitioned into the information and technology age, and that transition has required education to also make a change in order to keep up. At first, this was with the use of radio, slides, and sound recordings in classrooms-the latest, greatest technologies for enhancing education. Now there are numerous more technologies available that are used every day in education to best prepare children of the 21st century for the high-tech, ever changing 21st century. In today's world, students are learning in ways never thought possible 60,30, even 10 years ago. As the amount of information is infinitely growing, faster and more complex means of utilizing and spreading that information to students is needed. Thus, students are growing up in an educational system of technology. Computers, internet, television, video, virtual classrooms, online assignments, interactive lessons and activities, blogs, wikis, web pages, social networking sites-these are all technologies students are experiencing, learning from, and utilizing in their education. Educational technology is also being used in the military and workforce for training, instruction, and communications.

As an educational major, educational technology is going to increasingly be an aspect of my career. Teaching a classroom full of 21st century children, using technology in my classroom to improve education is basically inevitable. As a kindergarten teacher, I can use technology not only to enhance learning, but to engage young children and keep their attention and make learning fun and exciting. I can use different types of technology in different ways to best fir the needs of each child, help them visualize what is being taught through the use of video or computer graphics, and help them learn the basics of certain technologies such as computers. However, I don't want technology to become a substitute for me. I do not want my students to become so distracted by and enveloped in technology that learning in others ways (from me or by working with each other) becomes unexciting. Technology will be used only when necessary or highly beneficial. That is, assuming I work in a school where technologies, which can be expensive and challenging to keep up to date since it is ever changing and improving, are affordable and available.

A Changing World!

This video (embedding was disabled so I included a link) goes through the evolution of technology in education over the years. I chose it because it not only gives the history of technology in education, but it shows just how far technology has come and how the shifts have greatly affected the way classrooms are run and how education is administered. It also provides a look into the future and a glimpse as to where technology may take education in the future!