What Is Educational Technology?

1. What is educational technology?
As an academic discipline, the study of educational technology prepares individuals by

helping them acquire a deeper understanding and mastery of:
learning resources: messages, people, materials, devices, techniques and settings;
processes for analyzing and devising solutions to those problems through
research, theory, design, production, evaluation, utilization;
the processes involved in organization and personnel management.
The focus is on effective processes to facilitate learning using technologies and
understanding the impacts of technology on learners and organizations.
Areas of specialization may include distance learning, human performance technology,
technology integration and management, media design and development, learning sciences,
instructional design, change management, and communications processes. It should be noted that
the field is not merely concerned with learning technical skills nor the simplistic use of
technology for technologys sake in teaching, a common misperception by non-educators.
Practitioners in the field typically hold an advanced degree, Master's or doctorate.
Official Definitions
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology, the professional
society for ET, defines it as:
Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and
improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes
and resources.
As a field, educational technology emphasizes communication skills and approaches to
teaching and learning through the judicious use and integration of diverse media. Scholars in the
field examine the uses of innovative media and technologies for education, examining all aspects
from direct student learning to management and impacts on institutions. As in all forms of
applied technology, the field studies how theoretical knowledge and scientific principles can be
applied to problems that arise in a social context. Practitioners in educational technology seek
new and effective ways of organizing the teaching and learning process through the best possible
application of technological developments. These activities rely upon a body of knowledge for
successful and ethical implementation, rather than routine tasks or isolated technical skills.
Research and Knowledge Base
The field provides the research base for effective utilization of new media in education
and by default is interdisciplinary in its approaches and theories. This may include human-
computer interaction and cognition, social and behavioral aspects of media in learning, or change
and innovation theory among social and cultural groupings as the basis for research and study.
The knowledge base for the field has been well documented by the disciplines major
professional organization, the Association for Educational Communications and
Technology (AECT). While some programs refer to the discipline as instructional technology or
instructional design, the UHM department has taken the more current terminology of
educational technology reflecting the aspects of the field that go beyond instructional
development to include the wider social and behavioral impacts of technology on education.
2.
Educational technology is the effective use of technological tools in learning. As a
concept, it concerns an array of tools, such as media, machines and networking hardware, as well
as considering theoretical perspectives for their effective application.
3.
Educational technology is an inclusive term for the tools that technologically or
electronically support learning and teaching. Educational technology is not restricted to high
technologyHowever, modern electronic educational technology has become an important part of
society today. echnology Depending on whether a particular aspect, component or delivery
method is given emphasis, a wide array of similar or overlapping terms has been used. As such,
educational technology encompasses e-learning, instructional technology, information and
communication technology (ICT) in education, EdTech, learning
technology, multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based
instruction (CBI), computer managed instruction, computer-based training (CBT), computerassisted instruction or computer-aided instruction (CAI), internet-based training (IBT), flexible
learning, web-based training (WBT), online education, digital educational collaboration,
distributed learning, computer-mediated communication, cyber-learning, and multi-modal
instruction, virtual education, personal learning environments,networked learning, virtual
learning environments (VLE) (which are also called learning platforms), m-learning, and digital
education.

What Is Educational Technology?

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1. What is educational technology?

As an academic discipline, the study of educational technology prepares individuals by

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