There is an abundance of resources available on the topic of educational technology (edtech) also known as instructional technology. There are many definitions (some of them contradictory) of what educational technology is because this field has evolved throughout the years and still is. For example, one definition stated that instructional technology is “the media born of the communication revolution which can be used for instructional purposes alongside the teacher, textbook and blackboard” (Commission of Instructional Technology, 1970 as cited by Saettler, 1990, p. 6); however, the commission then later changed the definition to one which presented a different perspective on the effectiveness of instruction and based it on the process of design, implementation and evaluation of the overall learning and teaching processes which looked at using a combination of the human resources as well as the non-human resources to achieve specific goals (Commission of Instructional Technology, 1970 as cited by Saettler, 1990, p. 6). Other definitions offered by other sources and as shown above are based on either putting significance on the device itself, the process of learning itself or both.
The history of educational technology can date back to as far as when cave paintings communicated stories and events to others to learn from. It has progressed exponentially since then due to the incorporation of media such as video and audio, the introduction of learning theories and technology such as computer devices, software and applications which has made learning more mobile, flexible and interactive.
Although educational technology has grown and evolved, is it an asset or a hinderance? Edtech has been viewed by many as a “potential salvation of educational systems… in great need of improvement” (Collins & Halverson, 2009; Stallard & Cocker, 2014 as cited by Reeves & Oh, 2017) while others feel that edtech compromises “the best practices of traditional educational approaches” (Cuban, 2013; Thomas and Brown 2011 as cited by Reeves & Oh, 2017). For educational technology to be successful, there should be no barriers to implementation i.e. lack in funding for required equipment and investment in proper leadership. It is recommended that there is faculty/staff training and assistance of technology use, equipment and service accessibility and the institutional expectations that edtech will be implemented effectively by developing objectives to address needs of the learner as well as the needs of the educator.
References:
Educational Technology. (n.d.). In Edutech wiki. Retrieved Sept. 7, 2018, from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Educational_technology#Goals_of_Educational_Technology
Educational Technology. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved Sept. 7, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_technology
Kim, J. (2012). 3 Goals and 3 Challenges for our Educational Technology Leaders. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/3-goals-and-3-challenges-our-educational-technology-leaders
Murray, J. (n.d.). Technology in the Classroom: What are Good Tech Goals? Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-what-are-good-tech-goals
Neal W. Topp , Robert Mortenson & Neal Grandgenett (1996) Six Objectives for Technology Infusion into Teacher Education: a model in action, Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 5(1-2), 57-69, doi: 10.1080/0962029960050107
Reeves, T., & Oh, E. (2017). The goals and methods of educational technology research over a quarter century (1989-2014). Educational Technology Research and Development: A Bi-Monthly Publication of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology,65(2), 325-339. doi:10.1007/s11423-016-9474-1
Saettler, P. (1990). The Evolution of American Educational Technology. Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qfwnDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=history+of+educational+technology+in+canada&ots=zugsI3lhrv&sig=pBBbpqpY7o9y12yX4d-lxh7rwUM#v=onepage&q=history%20of%20educational%20technology%20in%20canada&f=false
[SMARTEduEMEA]. (2011, Oct.3). The history of technology in education [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwWWsz_X9s
Images:
DRAC Rhone Alps, Ministere de la Culture/AP Images. (n.d.). Cave painting. [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/journey-oldest-cave-paintings-world-180957685/
Irsara, F. (Photographer). (n.d.). Person using MacBook Pro. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/67l-QujB14w
Hi Joyce, You bring up an excellent point that the definition of Educational Technology appears to be a moving target. Most people when asked, think only of digital technologies, but the history of this topic is so rich. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. – Tanya
Hi Tanya,
Thank you for your comment! The faculty are finding that most of the students are proving themselves to be digital natives; therefore, as educators, we need to be current as well as relevant especially when thinking of the future graduates who will be meeting with employers who expect them to have skills and knowledge geared to technology use. Nowadays, in healthcare, they expect the graduates to know of AI and VR use. It’s a fast and ever-changing environment!
Great point on the evolving definitions of the field, Joyce. Thank you! These definitions might partially reflect our interests at particular points in time, but also our own growing understanding of the field, which itself is a moving target.
I agree there should be no barriers to implementation and yet I find in the world of corporate training it being a constant struggle. So many times technology implementations that are related to training take a lower priority to other IT projects. For example we’ve been trying to push for a new LMS that enables us to deliver learning that is easier, simpler, and user friend for our end users and leaders, which is supported by concrete evidence in our business plan of adult education theories and research and explanations of different modes and duration of training to prevent cognitive overload and enable higher retention … and yet we seem to find this an uphill battle. What’s interesting is everyone agrees, but it seems like no one wants to fork out the dollars to move forward … well for now at least that’s the case.
Hi Dorothy!
Thank you for your comment and sharing your experience. It definitely is difficult when administration is not on board when it comes to funding. When I worked at a previous employer and we were implementing a new electronic health/dental record, it was very difficult when platform experts were not hired/involved in the roll out. We, as the end user, had to try and figure things out by using manuals and trying to call software support. The roll out took much longer than anticipated/expected and we were unable to use the software as efficiently as it was designed to do. In my current position, we are looking at different methods to incorporate technology to help the learner and the educator with a lot of support.