EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Also known variously as e-learning, instructional technology and learning technology, educational technology is the use of technology to support the learning process. Although the term can refer to all kinds of analogue technologies, eg photographs, film, video, audio recordings etc, it is usually used to talk specifically about digital computer technology.

is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating and managing appropriate technological process and resources.
allowed this to go forward and looking for ways to introduce an easy way technology throughout the world and allowing it to be essential in the life of each person.
while instructional technology covers the processes and systems of learning and instruction, educational technology includes, but is not limited to, sofware,hardware, as well as internet applications and activities.

The challenge is to design appropriate systems that will provide for and enable appropriate

teaching-learning systems that could realise the identified goals.

the  word tecnology for the sister fields of educational and Human performance technology means, "applied science". this refers to, valid and realiable process or procedure that is derived from basic research using the "scientific method" is considered a "technology". the word technology comes from the Greek "techne" which means craft or art. another word, "technique", with the same origen, also may be used when considering the field educational technology.

a Short History

Educational Technology in a way could be traced back to the emergence of very early tools:

the first was painting walls , and 1900s (educ. film), 1920s (mech,mach teach), 1945 (trainig films), 1940 (Hypertext), 1950 - 1970 (programmed instruction), 1990 (CAI/CALL/CBT). today the prevailing paradigm in the regular school system is computer-mediated communication (CMC), where the primary form of interaction is between students and instructors, mediated by the computer. It also provides tools for student and curriculum management.

Three main theoretical schools or philosophical frameworks have been present in the educational technology literature These are Behaviorism , Cognitivism and Constructivism.has been evolving every day, as psychology.

Problem Based Learning and Inquiry-based learning are active learning educational technologies used to facilitate learning. Technology which includes physical and process applied science can be incorporated into project, problem, inquiry-based learning as they all have a similar educational philosophy. All three are student centered, ideally involving real-world scenarios in which students are actively engaged in critical thinking activities. The process that students are encouraged to employ (as long as it is based on empirical research) is considered to be a technology.
This is an area where new thinkers are coming to the forefront everyday. Many of the ideas spread from theorists, researchers, and experts through their blogs.9] Web 2.0 technologies have led to a huge increase in the amount of information available on this topic and the number of educators formally and informally discussing it. Most listed below have been around for more than a decade, however, and few new thinkers mentioned above are listed here.


- Alan November.
- Seymour Papert.
-Will Richardson.
- Jonhn Sweller.

BENEFITS.

Educational technology is intended to improve education over what it would be without technology. Some of the claimed benefits are listed below:


1- Easy-to-access course materials: the teachers can send the different materials to the students and they can study at a time and location they prefer very quickly.


2-Student motivation: can give instant feedback to students and explain correct answers.students usually learn more in less time when receiving computer-based instruction and they like classes more and develop more positive attitudes toward computers in computer-based classes.


3- Wide participation. Learning material can be used for long distance learning and are accessible to a wider audience.

Improved student writing. It is convenient for students to edit their written work on word processors, which can, in turn, improve the quality of their writing. According to some studies, the students are better at critiquing and editing written work that is exchanged over a computer network with students they know

Subjects made easier to learn. Many different types of educational software are designed and developed to help children or teenagers to learn specific subjects. Examples include pre-school software, computer simulators, and graphics software.^.

Differentiated Instruction. Educational technology provides the means to focus on active student participation and to present differentiated questioning strategies. It broadens individualized instruction and promotes the development of personalized learning plans. Students are encouraged to use multimedia components and to incorporate the knowledge they gained in creative ways.

Criticism.

 Lack of proper training, limited access to sufficient quantities of a technology extra time,  technology is not the end goal of education

educators used more traditional methods. technology not a benefit to the goals of teching, resource is limited. computers or digital cameras is not enough.


In my opinion is an effective tool to improve the learning and show many topics to children to discover different technologies.
technology is very object that it can be transform in some other thing without lose the meaning, in the educacional process is useful to know about technology and how to use it in the clasrrom.