+ Educational Technology Understanding the context, your role and your mission SANKARSINGH,C TECH1001

+ Session 1 Define Educational Technology (What is it? Why do we use it? What purpose does it serve? How?) Classify Technological Issues in Education (What are the kinds of impact spaces associated with EdTech?) Discuss the Technological Issues in Education (What kinds of challenges arise? What is your context?) Self-evaluate with regard to the NETS/UNESCO standards (What is your role? Where do you see yourself in this big picture? What part will you play? How can you prepare?) SANKARSINGH,C TECH1001 2

+ What is Educational Technology? Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources (Januszewski and Molenda, 2008) BREAK-IT-DOWN: WHAT [ A study and ethical practice] PURPOSE [ to facilitate learning and improve learner performance] HOW [by creating, using and managing] WITH [appropriate technological processes and resources] SANKARSINGH,C TECH1001 3

+ Educational Technology is multi-faceted Educational technology is a combination of the processes and tools involved in addressing educational needs and problems, by applying the most current tools […] (Roblyer, 2006) Ed Tech Learner Needs Instructional Processes ICTs SANKARSINGH,C TECH1001 4

+ Features of successful instructional processes: Active Participation Practice Individual difference Feedback Realistic Contexts Social Interaction SANKARSINGH,C TECH1001 5

+ Educational Technology’s primary focus is on learning & performance As teachers, we are not in the business of designing or inventing the software or hardware. We create/ set up learning environments We design learning experiences to deepen our learners’ understanding. We assess learners and evaluate the quality of their performance. SANKARSINGH,C TECH Learning Performance ICTs

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+ BASIC TYPES of MEDIA Text (book, poster,..more? Audio (voice, music, sounds…more? Visuals (diagrams, drawings, comics..more? Motion (video, film, animation…more? Manipulatives (3-dimensional objects.. People (instructors, students, guest speakers…more? Discuss Mass Media [Print media, broadcast media, Outdoor media, Digital media, Internet media] A medium (plural, media) is a means of communication and source on information. Mass media are diversified media technologies intended to reach a large audience by mass commmunication. SANKARSINGH,C TECH1001 8

+ Process + Tool Tools are user-centric. Tools are only as good as their users. Teachers & Students are users. Skills & usage will vary. SANKARSINGH,C TECH A tool is not a REPLACEMENT or a CURE for the learning process. A competent & knowledgeable teacher is essential.

+ So why use Education Technology? Why? To improve learner’s motivation, attitude and interest towards the topic To enhance instruction and influence learner’s academic performance To increase productivity of the overall instructional and administrative processes To help prepare learner for the 21 st century workforce. […more?] How? Gain attention [ENGAGE] learners with visuals, interactivity and media [ILLUSTRATE] complex/abstract/unfamiliar/new concepts [SIMULATE] real-world application and significance Provide immediate feedback [Collaborate] [Share] & [Expand] with others on topics of interest […more?] SANKARSINGH,C TECH

+ How technologies foster learning (Jonassen, 2008) SANKARSINGH,C TECH As tools to support knowledge exploration & construction Representing learner’s ideas, understanding Producing organized knowledge As social medium to support learning by conversing & collaborating Discussing, arguing, building consensus, As authentic context to support learning by doing Simulating problems Defining safe, controllable problem spaces for students As an intellectual partner to support learning by reflecting Help learners articulate what they know Reflect on what they learn Mean-making

+ Instructional Process meets Technology: An Example SANKARSINGH,C TECH

+ All that glitters is not…? “Something started to go wrong with the digital revolution round the turn of the 21 st century. The WWW was flooded by a torrent of petty designs sometimes called web 2.0. This ideology promoted radical freedom on the surface of the web, but that freedom ironically is more for machines than people. Anonymous blog comments, rapid video pranks, and lightweight mash-ups may seem trivial and harmless but as a whole, this widespread practice of fragmentary, interpersonal communication has demeaned interpersonal interaction” (Lanier, J. 2010) SANKARSINGH,C TECH

+ Pitfalls: Computer/ technological literacy offers limited integration Technology-based lessons are time-consuming and sometimes complex. Just because technology makes something possible, there is no guarantee that it is desirable or feasible. Technology is constantly evolving, sometimes faster than teachers can keep up. Technology-mediated teaching and learning can be expensive. The quality of technology products varies. SANKARSINGH,C TECH

+ Understanding Challenges Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants: the generation gap?  Managing expectations  Role Reversal Ethics  Copyright  Plagiarism  Piracy  Privacy  Disinformation The Digital Divide  Social  Economic  Inclusion New literacies vs. old literacies  Surfing and Reading SANKARSINGH,C TECH

+ Managing Expectations It is the policy of the Ministry that MHECDs be used: to support the effective and efficient delivery of education in schools and at school related activities to promote knowledge and use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), providing they are used in a managed, responsible, safe and legal manner. It is the intent of the Ministry that the use of MHECDs be effectively managed, not banned, in schools and at school related activities. [Handbook on the USE of Mobile Handheld Electronic Communication Devices in Schools, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Ministry of Education] SANKARSINGH,C TECH