Educational Technologies

 

Educational technology is any concept or tool that facilitates learning by including technologies. Many technological tools such as media, machines and networking hardware can be used in effective way for the learning. Nowadays the electronic educational technology has become an important part of society. Modern educational technology includes e-learning, information and communication technology (ICT), technology enhanced learning help people learn any number of subjects and new concepts.

From the mid-1980s, digitized communication and networking began to take new medium of offering distance learning courses by many educational institutes. With the advent of World Wide Web in the 1990s, teachers embarked on the methods using emerging technologies to employ multi-object sites with the sets of simple instructions for students. Now, e-learning, video conference and open universities has risen in popularity to reach thousands of students across the world. Students growing up in the digital age have extensive exposure to a variety of media. Major high tech companies such as Google, Microsoft are funding school to provide them the ability to teach their students through technology.

E-learning is a synchronous learning where the exchange of ideas and information can be done with more than one participants during the same time. For example Skype conversations, chat rooms or virtual classrooms, live classes where teacher instruction and feedback can be given online and also working in collaboratively at the same time. Many technologies such as email, blog, wikis and discussion boards, audio, video courses and social networking helps for synchronous learning. This learning is particularly most beneficial for those students who are underprivileged and have health problems and feels difficult to leave home for attending lectures. Bernard Luskin, an educational technology pioneer advocated that the “e” of e-learning should be interpreted to mean “exciting, energetic, enthusiastic, emotional, extended, excellent and educational’ in addition to “electronic”.  

A Virtual learning environment (VLE) also known as a learning platform, simulates a virtual classroom or meetings simultaneously missing several communication technologies. For example, web conference, Zoom meeting, Google meet, Microsoft team etc. enables students and instructors to communicate with each other’s via webcam, microphone and real time chatting group. A virtual classroom provides the opportunity for students to receive direct instruction form teacher in an interactive environment. Learners can have directly access to their instructor for instant feedback and direction. In addition, the virtual classroom provides social learning environment that replicates the traditional bricks and mortar classroom. Most of the virtual classroom also provides recording features which can be extremely useful for students to review all the courses they may have missed.

The educational technology not only present information and provide drill and practice but also provide the problem space and the cognitive tools to design and guide learners to make learning opportunity. Therefore, educational technologies is most important to integrate new technologies and tools into classroom to upgrade and improve the learner-centered classroom. It enables teachers to engage with their students in unique, innovative ways. Teachers can also expand their knowledge by connecting with other teachers and educators globally.