Educational Technology Topic Guide

This guide aims to contribute to what we know about the relationship between educational technology (edtech) and educational outcomes by addressing the following overarching question: What is the evidence that the use of edtech, by teachers or students, impacts teaching and learning practices, or learning outcomes? It also offers recommendations to support advisors to strengthen the design, implementation and evaluation of programmes that use edtech. We define edtech as the use of digital or electronic technologies and materials to support teaching and learning. Recognising that technology alone does not enhance learning, evaluations must also consider how programmes are designed and implemented, how teachers are supported, how communities are developed and how outcomes are measured (see http://tel.ac.uk/about-3/, 2014). Effective edtech programmes are characterised by: a clear and specific curriculum focus the use of relevant curriculum materials a focus on teacher development and pedagogy evaluation mechanisms that go beyond outputs. These findings come from a wide range of technology use including: interactive radio instruction (IRI) classroom audio or video resources accessed via teachers’ mobile phones student tablets and eReaders computer-assisted learning (CAL) to supplement classroom teaching. However, there are also examples of large-scale investment in edtech – particularly computers for student use – that produce limited educational outcomes. We need to know more about: how to support teachers to develop appropriate, relevant practices using edtech how such practices are enacted in schools, and what factors contribute to or mitigate against successful outcomes. Recommendations: 1. Edtech programmes should focus on enabling educational change, not delivering technology. In doing so, programmes should provide adequate support for teachers and aim to capture changes in teaching practice and learning outcomes in evaluation. 2. Advisors should support proposals that further develop successful practices or that address gaps in evidence and understanding. 3. Advisors should discourage proposals that have an emphasis on technology over education, weak programmatic support or poor evaluation. 4. In design and evaluation, value-for-money metrics and cost-effectiveness analyses should be carried out

Philosophy of Technology Assumptions in Educational Technology Leadership

A qualitative study using grounded theory methods was conducted to (a) examine what philosophy of technology assumptions are present in the thinking of K-12 technology leaders, (b) investigate how the assumptions may influence technology decision making, and (c) explore whether technological determinist assumptions are present. Subjects involved technology directors and instructional technology specialists from school districts, and data collection involved interviews and a written questionnaire. Three broad philosophy of technology views were widely held by participants, including an instrumental view of technology, technological optimism, and a technological determinist perspective that sees technological change as inevitable. Technology leaders were guided by two main approaches to technology decision making in cognitive dissonance with each other, represented by the categories Educational goals and curriculum should drive technology, and Keep up with Technology (or be left behind). The researcher concluded that as leaders deal with their perceived experience of the inevitability of technological change, and their concern for preparing students for a technological future, the core category Keep up with technology (or be left behind) is given the greater weight in technology decision making. A risk is that this can on occasion mean a quickness to adopt technology for the sake of technology, without aligning the technology implementation with educational goals

Educational Technology: Beyond the Basics

This paper addresses classroom technology as a much deeper concept than many would like to believe. It is not something to be taken lightly by only looking at what is currently available, but rather examined through a brief history, in-depth tests, and the consequences as well as the benefits of new developing technology. Furthermore it is not an issue only important for educators and administrators but requires involvement from parents and more importantly Christians to ensure that students are given the greatest opportunity possible for their future. Since technology is the future of children’s education, it is imperative that it be understood by all those involved to ensure that its benefits are maximized and its problems handled efficiently

Dialectics of Educational Technology and Reposition Islamic Education (Pai) Teacher's Role in Globalization Era

Learning technology as applied disciplines grows and evolves according to the needs of learning: more effective, efficient, spacious, and quickly in the global era. It also facilitates problem solving learning on design aspects, development, utilization, assessment processes and learning resources. Perspective of learning technology in the global era is how Islamic education (PAI) teachers professionally are able to design and create innovative learning environment with reference to the process of national education standard that sets out in the framework of national education. PAI teacher's challenge in the global erais the demands of the learning process that can improve information literacy that is well supported by data and facts to deliver to the students in the era of information society and the knowledge society. So it is needed an approach and innovative method of learning strategies that address the challenges of learning needs in the globalization and information era. Dialectics of technology on learning in a globalization era are characterized by the demands of the students to have critical thinking skills, problem solving, innovative and creative, mastering ICT, fluent communication and multi languages. And also Islamic education teacher competence and interaction and learning technologies such as ICT products that push reposition the role of an advanced teacher trainer, counselor, manager, participants, leader and author of learning works asan abstraction and a high commitment as a base quality of professionalism.Teknologi pembelajaran sebagai disiplin ilmu terapan tumbuh dan berkembang sesuai kebutuhan belajar yang lebih efektif, efisien, luas dan cepat di era global. Selain itu juga memfasilitasi pemecahan masalah belajar pada aspek desain, pengembangan, pemanfaatan, penilaian proses-proses serta sumber-sumber belajar. Perspektif teknologi pembelajaran di era global adalah bagaimana guru PAI secara profesional mampu mendesain dan menciptakan lingkungan belajar yang inovatif dengan mengacu pada standar proses pendidikan nasional yang ditetapkan dalam kerangkan pendidikan nasional. Tantangan guru PAI di era global adalah tuntutan terhadap proses pembelajaran yang mampu meningkatkan information literacy yang baik didukung oleh data dan fakta untuk mengantarkan siswanya menuju pada era masyarakat informasi dan masyarakat ilmu pengetahuan. Sehingga dibutuhkan pendekatan strategi dan metode inovatif pembelajaran yang mampu menjawab tantangan kebutuhan pembelajaran pada era globalisasi dan informasi. Dialektika teknologi terhadap proses pembelajaran di era global diwarnai dengan tuntutan terhadap siswa mempunyai keterampilan dalam berpikir kritis, memecahkan masalah, inovatif dan kreatif, menguasai ICT, komunikasi lancar, multi bahasa. Serta interaksi kompetensi guru PAI dan produk teknologi pembelajaran berupa ICT yang mendorong reposisi peran guru menjadi pelatih, konselor, manajer, partisipan, pemimpin serta pengarang karya pembelajaran sebagai daya abstraksi dan komitmen yang tinggi sebagai basis kualitas profesionalisme

Educational Technology: The influence of theory

In this paper we explore the role of theories in current practice in educational technology. We review a range of writings from the past 30 years on the nature of learning technology research. We discuss influences on learning technologies from the related fields of Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). We identify two groups of theories which have been used. The first group are related to principled decisions about the design of learning materials. The second group influence the ways in which we frame our research on learning. Research in learning technologies in the future will need to draw on both groups of theories. In this paper, we draw on our own experiences as educational technologists and the purpose of the paper is to encourage other educational technologists to join with us in reflecting on their own use of theories

Educational process modelling with workflow and time Petri nets : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

The research presented in this thesis describes how to use workflow management technology to model educational processes with a time axis. As workflow management technology has been widely used in modelling business processes, it has the potential to model educational processes. Based upon the components of workflow, educational processes and business processes have many common features such that educational processes can be modelled with workflow management technology. In addition, owing to the importance of the time component in processes, time Petri nets have been chosen as the design language for the modelling of the educational processes. The notation of time Petri nets has been illustrated in this thesis for the educational process. In this thesis, three different educational processes have been presented and modelled with workflow management technology as well as with time Petri nets individually. Furthermore, the architecture of the educational process management system has been constructed by adopting the reference model from the Workflow Management Coalition. To show the validity of using workflow management technology in the education domain, a sub-process of an educational process has been modelled and developed with certain developing techniques. It provides the potential research direction for further research on the modelling of educational process with workflow technology associated with a time component

Other end of the telescope

PowerPoint presentationHaving access to online learning materials and courses would enhance education and academic learning in Africa. Publishing and Alternative Licensing Model of Africa (PALM Africa) looks at flexible licensing as a means to increase access to online learning materials in a sustainable manner. The presentation provides some provocative graphics and maps that depict the gaps between global scientific research, publishing, and developing countries’ research outputs. Contributing to online web content and electronic publishing would help put Africa on the map. Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) is a contemporary resource and publishing model; HSRC Press is South Africa’s open access publisher