Education Technology -LP

Since technology has become part and parcel of our everyday lives, we have accepted its company as though the air we breathe. Similarly in the teaching environment, younger aged students quickly grasp the technical side of technology. They may not actually understand why technology is useful but rather it's a means by which we live. As it may come as a surprise to many, technology is not exactly the do-all and see-all. Technology as a tool remains a steadfast fact. It does not supersede man unless it's one of those horror science fiction flicks whereby robots take over the world and make man into their slaves.
In order for a teaching professional to better understand how and when to incorporate technology as part of their profession, obtaining a PhD in Educational Leadership through Educational Technology is a good avenue to look into. As part of this doctorate program, the student is made to understand how modern technology shapes the education process. It also imparts clear statements on what technology represents. Being able to identify the latest in processor chips, memory specifications, smart devices, applications and the likes is just a tip of the iceberg. A student is exposed to the role of technology in education, when to include technology as part of the process and when to abstain. When applying technology into the education process, various types of technology are up for discussion and selection. Manufacturers of hardware and software scramble over one another to convince educational leaders of their superiority and latest advancement.
As part of the coverage in a PhD in Educational Leadership through Educational Technology program, the PhD student learns the principles, aspects and importance of designing a curriculum to better apply education into daily lives. The curriculum may or may not adopt technology as an active participant as conventional pen and paper works better at times. In incorporating technology into the education, care is taken to ensure technology complements the curriculum.
Upon completion of this doctorate programs, many candidates pursue a career at academic institutions of higher level such as colleges and universities. Some opt for consulting positions by providing services to assess an institution's methods in using technology as a tool for education. Others may join governmental or educational authorities to participate in think tank projects to promote education with technology.

Dennis enjoys writing on wide range of topics such as Educational Technology PhD and PhD Educational Technology. You may visit for more details.

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It's an exciting time for education and technology. Educational technology is consistently improving and more common place in the classroom. Google "21st Century Classroom Presentation." You'll find schools moving to a different kind of environment. Is this good? Are there problems with adding interactivity and engaging materials in the classroom?
These questions won't be answered in this article. This article is going to focus on educational technology. Technology that is consistently demonstrated at conferences for teachers and administrators. This article is intended to educate you on what technology is currently available for schools. We're also going to stick with the 21st Century Classroom theme.
Document cameras, projectors and computers are becoming common place in the classroom. Document cameras are an incredible piece of technology used in education today. The ability to show a page in a text book or a worksheet up on the board without making a transparency! Many schools still use transparencies and overhead projectors. Overhead projectors limit the freedom to adapt to the class and create real-time learning experiences based on student responses.
Projectors and interactive whiteboards are a must ever since the Internet became available. Multimedia, simulations, videos, maps, research, etc... Projectors allow for whole class learning and engaging discussions that extend from a specific topic or skill. The interactive whiteboard technology allows the teacher to stay in front of the classroom notating and controlling the mouse.
Another important educational technology piece are computers. Computer labs have been common in schools for sometime. The real concern has been actual "computer access" the students have throughout the week. Having enough computers and creating a consistent schedule for the entire school has always been a challenge. An answer to this challenge has been mobile laptop carts. Imagine a large cart with 25 laptops shelved, plugged into outlets within the cart. Only the cart needs an external outlet to power all laptops. This cart is moved from classroom to classroom and students are assigned a computer number. Instead of scheduling computer time to the computer lab, teachers are reserving these laptop carts...bringing the computer lab to them!
Classroom Response Systems or Voting Response Systems or clickers are becoming a common trend as an added piece to their educational technology plan. You will be sure to find more information when you Google "21st Century Classroom Presentation". These devices allow for true interactivity and engagement within the class as a whole.
The last piece of any educational technology plan is the software. Blogs, wikis, games, curriculum software, reading and math intervention software, etc. are all things students do on the computers. Once hardware is in place, the question is, "What do the students do on the computers?" Educational software is such a broad term, schools constantly are researching software specific to a target group of students: high school credit recovery, homebound students, before/after school programs, supplement content to the school's curriculum, state test prep software, etc.
One thing is for certain, educational technology is constantly improving and classrooms are moving closer and closer to the 21st Century Classroom.

Josh was a classroom teacher for grades Kindergarten through 8th grade and used The A+nyWhere Learning System® with his 5th & 6th graders in order to differentiate the curriculum and provide appropriate content to his many students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Josh currently meets with schools, assisting in implementation, and training teachers and administrators on various software tools.
Educational Software - Differentiated Instruction & Intervention
Educational Technology - 21st Century Classrooms

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Even as a long-time proponent of the use of educational technology, I am still amazed at the rapid pace at which it has become a necessity rather than a source of enrichment activities. Today's students, and even many of the parents, having grown up with technology as a part of their daily lives, retain certain expectations and assumptions regarding the way technology is used for learning. No longer can the classroom computer be set off in the corner to be used sporadically for special activities nor can video be used as a babysitter. Technology must become an integral part of classroom life.
What Students Need
If our job, as educators, is to prepare students to become successful members of our society, then in addition to the traditional knowledge and skills, students must now be prepared to access, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize immeasurable quantities of information. They need to have exceptional listening skills, be able to use email, understand basic operating systems, use word processing and other software, and use the internet for research.
This need poses new challenges for teachers, especially those who may not feel as prepared to use technology as their students might be. It is time for educators to overcome the outdated idea that they must be experts in educational technology before the students are allowed to use it.
Some Benefits of Educational Technology
o increases interest (even in rote tasks)
o provides a purpose for learning
o promotes the perception that all knowledge is related (not isolated bits)
o allows for student individuality in learning styles
Educational Technology in the Science Classroom
The decision to apply technology in the learning environment is often not driven by the technology but by the task at hand.
Take, for example, the case of the physics teacher who needed to set up some labs for thermodynamics but had no money left for supplies or equipment. Because he was lucky enough to have 8 computers in his classroom, he was able to use them to create the labs. The students were sent to science software the school uses and a website. The site has some great simulations that this teacher feels are more interactive and that do a better job of demonstrating the physics behind the topic than traditional labs.
Because science learning requires a great deal of critical analysis, using educational technology in the science classroom is especially warranted. Learning to solve complex problems requires a different instructional approach than learning isolated skills and information required for standardized testing purposes. For example, while doing internet research, a student needs to be able to evaluate an internet source for reliability, accuracy, and bias; the same type of information required in science exploration activities.
In order to fully prepare our students for "real" life, as educators we need to not only provide them with the content knowledge they need, but also the ability to:
o accurately acquire information from visual and auditory sources (watching and listening)
o develop solutions to problems and then present these solutions to others using various forms of media
o display originality and employ problem solving skills during the creative process
o be team players and good collaborators
o demonstrate cross-cultural awareness
o communicate complex ideas effectively
I contend, as do many educational experts, that the use of technology in the classroom is, by far, the best way to accomplish these lofty goals. Educators must prepare for a future that involves much technology and they need to keep abreast of change by adopting effective strategies that use appropriate technologies.
In the science classroom, we need to do more with technology so that our students are better educated and better able to succeed in life.

If you're ready to stop making "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and want to start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom, your next step is to download a FREE copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" right now.
The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.
Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.

One of the most common gripes of teachers working to integrate technology into their classroom is that they find themselves troubleshooting technology more than instructing. 
I would be reporting from some alien nation if I didn't acknowledge and agree with you that working with technology will bring some technical issues. Add into that equation the variable of children!
The first step in dealing with this problem is accepting this so that when it happens it doesn't cause you any anxiety or stress.
One way to combat some of the stress is to always encourage students to save often for "when" the computer malfunctions, not "if" it will happen.
I also have a string of comments available for problem times:
"Bummer."
"Man, I hate when that happens!"
"Why don't you try another computer?"
"I sure hope you saved recently."
"I bet next time you'll save!"
Another way to deal with the technical issues is to use your students as the experts. As you troubleshoot an issue with a student, talk out loud and explain what you are doing. Then when the issue arises again, send that child to help the other. Remembering that the students of today have always had technology and technological issues as a part of their life, they are very understanding and patient....more than we are as adults!
By using these couple strategies you may find that you feel less stressed as you acknowledge that technological issues are just a fact of life when you use multiple computers with a class of children.

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Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers turn toys into learning tools. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes.
For years Kathy has been a "Gadget Girl." She loves technology! Tie that to her extensive teaching background and she has been able to interest, invigorate, and inspire children and teachers to use technology in a rich, exciting manner. Meet her at http://originalgadgetgirl.com

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I love talking with people of a certain age who have never taught in a classroom. The conversation generally starts with a line something like this: "You teach high school? I don't know how you do it!" Once that fact has been established, my conversation mate generally meanders through all of the ills that have befallen our public schools in the past decade, me murmuring my own opinions about my profession from time to time (which are generally countered with a "Well, back in my day... " dismissal). We come to an end of our chat with my new acquaintance sighing and then summing up the vast problems of adolescents today by saying something along the lines of "Kids just aren't the same these days."
While I smile politely through most of the conversation, secretly (or not so secretly) disagreeing with many statements, I do tend to agree with that final statement: kids just AREN'T the same these days. It is almost dizzying to think of how much our world has changed in just the past decade (use the size of a cell phone as a measuring stick if necessary). How could we expect our youths to stay the same? Theirs is a world of texting, tweeting, Googling, and Facebooking, and none of these things were common knowledge (much less common verbs!) when I was in high school, even though that was only a short ten years ago. Instead of bemoaning that the students of today aren't responding to the standard method of delivering instruction, we should meet them on their own playing field, integrating technology into our everyday practice. With this thought in mind, I structured my classroom around the use of iPods, and I quickly learned that dedicated educators have the opportunity of harnessing so much educational potential through one tiny device.
I became the shepardess of thirty iPod Touches as a sort of fluke; I was a young English teacher, and my school district had just received a grant to place these devices in English, Math, and Science classes that were preparing for our state's standardized tests. The cart resembled R2-D2 from Star Wars, and it had a slot for each numbered iPod that came complete with a cord that connected it to the cart itself; this allowed for mass charging and syncing of the iPods. Inside the cart, I found that I was also furnished with a Macbook, a digital presenter, and a wireless hotspot.
Instead of the excitement I'm sure I was meant to feel (oh the entitlement of being one of the first teachers in the district to be part of this new wave in education!), I was completely freaked out. Nothing in my limited teaching experience thus far, not to mention my education courses in college, had prepared me for managing or using iPods with my students. What in the heck was I supposed to do with these things? Weren't they just for listening to music and playing the occasional game? What was I supposed to do if a student walked out with one? For that matter, what was stopping them from coming in after hours and wheeling out the entire cart? I was besieged by thoughts of mass educational failure, followed by the inevitable termination of my teaching position, and I counted myself as very unlucky indeed to be chosen for such an "honor."
I eventually overcame my terror and created a system where each student was assigned an iPod by his or her seat in the classroom. Students and parents signed a waiver at the beginning of the school year that had them acknowledge that they would be responsible for half of the iPod's cost if theirs was to go missing or become damaged beyond normal wear and tear. Each desk was furnished with an iPod "parking space," which was simply a laminated piece of paper that had the outline of an iPod that included the iPod number assigned to that desk and the rules for using the iPods; when the iPods were not in use, students were to turn them face-down in their parking space. Students were to pick up their assigned iPods from the cart when first entering the classroom and return them during clean-up time, about three minutes prior to the bell ringing. Because I was teaching five separate sections of tenth and eleventh graders throughout the day, this system made management of the devices easy and also prevented students from simply playing with their iPods when instruction was occurring.
My first foray into using the iPods was very simplistic, but it eventually grew into an effective research project. By simply using the Safari application, I had students look up various facts about our next author and answer questions on a worksheet. This first project turned out to be a little too basic (and a little too much like looking up facts in a textbook), so we added another element to our next project. When we were beginning our unit on Zora Neale Hurston, I created a modified webquest by simply looking up informative websites and saving the links to my PortaPortal website. I then created a shortcut on the iPods to my PortaPortal site. Students were placed into groups and assigned the job of creating "Farcebook" profile pages that had to include posts, biographical information, and friends that would have been included if Zora Neale Hurston had had a social networking site like Facebook. Different variations of this project became a regular event in my classroom because my students felt like they weren't doing "real research" because of the format of the final product, and they were much more amenable to finding the information using the iPods than they had been when doing a similar project using printed materials.
After that initial success, I began to investigate more specialized apps. I soon found that some simple (and free!) games from the App Store could be used as quick and efficient bell ringers (or warm-ups). Right before our standardized tests, my remediation students began using Miss Spell's Class for the first five minutes of class every other day to review commonly misspelled words. Students would record their scores on index cards that I would collect for participation credit at the end of class. We would also often start class with Chicktionary, a game that requires letters to be rearranged to spell different words; I would ask students to write down one word from their game that they weren't familiar with and then use their dictionary app to find the definition. Depending on the amount of time we had in class, I could extend this activity so that students had to use that word in a sentence or quiz a partner on the meaning of the word. We also made use of the Grammar Up app as a way of reviewing concepts prior to an assessment.
For my more advanced students, I started a class blog that allowed us to create "silent discussions" where students could use their iPods to respond to discussion questions. I would post a question on the site before class began, and students would respond in class by commenting on the post and then responding to posts from their classmates. I molded this activity in several different ways, including having students use certain sentence structures in their comments (i.e. you must use a compound sentence in your post) and also having them post their own questions for the class to "silently" discuss. This activity became a favorite of my students because it allowed the quiet students (who wouldn't speak at all in regular discussions but often had wonderful ideas) to express themselves, and it was also fun to see just how long a class of twenty-five tenth graders could sit in a room together and be verbally silent while they were interacting with each other on their devices.
I also utilized the iPods as an easy way to differentiate instruction. My eleventh grade remediation class had students with who received special education assistance as well as students who were just shy of cutting it in the regular level course. Because of this wide array of ability levels, it was often difficult to deal with behavior management, as students would either be bored because instruction was too slow for them or begin acting out as a mask for not grasping the concepts as quickly as the others. By putting an audio copy of the books that we were reading in class on each iPod and creating reading guides that highlighted concepts that we had discussed as a class, students could work at their own pace while I circulated throughout the room and provided assistance to individuals. The reading guides eventually turned into an Easter egg hunt of sorts, with questions such as "After reading Chapter 2, look back at page 5 and copy the example of personification used there."
In addition to the techniques I described in detail above, I implemented the iPods in a myriad other ways. Google Docs helped me to create simple multiple choice (and even short answer) assessments that could be completed on the iPods; these gave me an instant picture of how students were doing with concepts that we were discussing in class. iBooks' PDF feature allowed me to upload copies of my PowerPoint presentations so students who were absent could come in and copy notes quickly. The pre-loaded camera app allowed my students to take pictures and videos of group projects. The QR Code reader allowed me to create scavenger hunts where students would scan the codes, be sent to sites or videos, and answer questions for a project. The best part was, I was only on the tip of the iceberg; I can't even begin to imagine what these devices could do in other disciplines and grade levels.
Now, with all this said, I am not saying that the iPod Touch is the final word in student engagement; in fact, by the time that this article is read, this piece of technology may be completely outdated. iPads, Android devices, and other devices have just as much potential; I have just spoken from my work with the technology that was made available to me. The point that should be drawn from my experience is that as educators, we must also be innovators; we can't stick to the same classroom strategies and expect that engagement will come naturally. The classroom must morph and change with the rest of the world.
If a reader is looking for a place to start with technology in the classroom, I hope that this article has provided some useful tips as well as a little inspiration. However, I am also hopeful that this article becomes outdated quickly as teachers continue to develop fresh approaches. Using the media that students are already comfortable with to engage those young minds in the important work of the classroom just makes sense.

I am an experienced teacher, editor, and writer. if you are in need of editing or writing services, please consider visiting my Elance profile page: https://www.elance.com/s/edit/beb5z/ Thank you for reading my article!

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Technology-based holiday gifts that are popular with children like iPods, video game systems, and laptop computers often gain a bad reputation among parents and teachers for "dumbing down kids." But the introduction of educational applications for these devices may change their minds.
Cyndee Perkins, director of curriculum and program development for Computer Explorers said that "popular technology gifts can engage children in activities that reinforce learning across core subjects and develop important problem-solving skills." Computer Explorers is an education technology franchise based in Houston, TX. The company launched in 1983 and today, serves over 25,000 students each week at its 60 locations throughout the U.S. and in five foreign countries.
Computer Explorers operates around the idea that with proper training, children can use technology to learn and better themselves. Technology encourages creativity and innovation in children and helps them to understand the world around them. Children could use technology holiday gifts to listen to music from other cultures, design their own video games, or even to write basic computer programs. Perkins said that children benefit greatly from the use of educational technology applications because they "get so excited they forget they are learning. Their ability to absorb knowledge and apply it is really amazing and inspiring."
Computer Explorers develops programs that allow children to use technology for entertainment while they learn at the same time. Local franchises hold extracurricular classes and workshops in and after school, at camps, and at other youth-based community functions. By teaching students to use technology at a young age, the company hopes to provide students with valuable skills that can be used for continued online learning or in a future career. Many primary and secondary schools are often unable to afford the newest forms of technology and can only provide students with limited access to it. Computer Explorers also works to provide technology instruction to educators, so that they may more effectively use technology in their classrooms.

University Bound is THE authority in online education and the ultimate resource for prospective online students

Visual literacy is the ability to analyze and derive meaning from information presented in image form. Under this definition, images can be "read" and through the process of "reading" these images, meaning can be derived and subsequently communicated.
One of the seven recommendations made in a report from the Office of Educational Technology (U.S. Department of Education, 2004) for continuing to improve the use of technology in schools is a distinct move toward digital content.
Moving Toward Digital Content
Anyone that has had a student in college recently knows first-hand that textbooks are becoming more expensive each semester, not to mention how quickly they become outdated. A move toward increased use of education technology and its digital content (multimedia and online information), and away from such textbooks, offers many advantages. In addition to the cost savings, it also means improved accessibility, increased efficiency, and enhancing learning opportunities in a format that engages today's internet-focused students.
Because of the unprecedented rate of recent advances in educational technology, this move toward digital content also means that educators must increasingly promote visual literacy as indispensable to day-to-day life. Educators are just beginning to recognize the importance developing students' visual literacy so they may survive, communicate, and succeed in a highly complex world.
Preparing Students for the Workplace
The DOE report makes it clear that educational technology consists of a set of strategic resources that improve a student's "ability to sense, measure, question, understand, communicate, and learn." These resources enable students to become scientists, focused on active learning, rather than passive consumers of textbook-delivered content. Students find it easier to learn core concepts because they are offered visual representations of ideas that provide more precision and clarity. Boring, passive memorization of content transforms into a dynamic, hands-on investigative process that exposes them to many of the same tools and processes that they will encounter in the workplace as adults.
Teaching visual literacy in the classroom means providing activities for students to critically analyze the images presented to them through media. It also means equipping students with the tools they need to present their work in a way that effectively communicates the content. More and more students are looking for educational technology to enhance their individual learning environments. As educators, it is our duty to provide it.

Would you like to know "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom? Then you should download a FREE copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" right now.
The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.
Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.

Teachers from school districts all over the state of Kansas attended a workshop last month to receive an education of their own in education technology. At the workshop, they learned about the Discovery Education Network, a "global community of educators passionate about teaching with digital media." New forms of education technology have made their way into classrooms across the country, and are benefiting students and teachers alike. By using technology to engage their students in the classroom environment, teachers can hold their attention better and prepare them for future use of technology, either in school or a career.
Dean Mantz works as the technology integration and network coordinator for the Sterling school district in Kansas. In his tenure, Mantz has watched school technology specialists become increasingly involved in the development of new educational tools, as well as education technology instruction. Mantz himself worked as a teacher for 14 years. He said that today, "teachers have to prepare children to eventually work in a technology-advanced world."
Younger generations of students who have grown up with Internet access learn and even think differently than their parents, who were only exposed to the traditional learning methods of textbooks and lectures in school. Research has been conducted to study the change in generation, and head scans actually show changes in brain activity from parent to technologically advanced child.
Fourth grade teacher Chelsea Whisnant teaches in a "technology rich classroom," meaning that all of her students use laptop computers. Whisnant thinks that the use of technology in education has been a positive change, because it helps to connect all children in the classroom. With increased classroom engagement, students learn more and have fewer problems, partially "because they're having fun" and are excited by the technology. For example, one online program called VoiceThread, allows elementary students to upload images and create illustrations for stories they have written.

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It is a fascinating time for schooling and technology. Educational technology is persistently enhancing and more typical spot within the classroom. Google 21st Century Classroom Presentation. You are going to come across universities moving to a various kind of surroundings. Is this great? Are there difficulties with adding interactivity and engaging materials inside the school room? These issues will not be answered in this article. This article is intended to educate you on what technologies is presently obtainable for schools. We are also going to stick using the 21st Century Class theme.
Engineering is the branch of understanding that deals with developing and utilizing technical procedures, such as resources and crafts, for interacting with existence, society, as well as the surroundings. Personal computers have certainly altered the way folks do just about anything, including how they manage private affairs, communicate; operate corporations, and how our youngsters are taught.
Document cameras, projectors and computers are turning out to be typical spot in the classroom. Document cameras are an amazing piece of technology utilized in education today. Many universities nonetheless use transparencies and overhead projectors. Projectors and interactive whiteboards are a should ever because the World Wide Web became obtainable. Multimedia, simulations, videos, maps, study, and so forth... Projectors allow for whole class understanding and engaging discussions that extend from a specific subject or skill.
Educators need to realize that student is much more secure typing up a paragraph around the computer instead of writing it over a piece of paper. These educators have to turn out to be component of the engineering revolution in order to be capable to integrate training technologies into their classrooms. Blogging, web layout, movie conferencing and joining on the web communities are just some of the methods educators can turn out to be much more familiar using the internet and technology era.
With a lot of new on the internet etiquette principles, preserving up with all the children becomes pretty a process for anyone who operates with them over an every day basis. Numerous times, college students tend to be more technologically innovative than the leader from the class. This poses a trouble in many ways. Teachers must step up for the challenge of attempting to stay a single step ahead from the game by reading trade journals and asking technology directors within their district for your newest technology news. Becoming educated about trends will keep adults prepared to approach this new studying avenue with confidence.
"Technically speaking," academic technology, at times referred to as studying technology, is the study and practice of teaching and improving capabilities by building, using, and administering ideal technological processes and resources. Whether or not the chosen medium is a G.P.S device, an academic video clip, a metal detector, or even a computer, academic engineering provides for an enormous amount of interactivity. It permits faculty and college students to participate in dynamic demonstrations, simulations, and designs that can be utilized to explore and check theories. Experience free of charge to check out the web site Education Technology.

To find out more information about this,then click view for your needs.

The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.
Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.

I remember feeling very progressive when I purchased my daughter her first educational software, Reader Rabbit, in the early 1990s. Now a 22 year-old college graduate, she and many like her have never known a world without computers. Not only does she use an internet-enabled phone to constantly communicate, but her job as an emergency room nurse requires computer skills as well. So, needless to say, I am a strong proponent of using educational technology, both in the classroom and at home. Whether we like it or not - it's a part of our daily lives now.
But that is only the first of a couple of reasons I support the use of technology with young children.
A second reason is that the use of educational technology in early education programs tends to level the educational playing field between those who have this access at home and those that do not. Being able to use computers and other technology at school can help all children develop the necessary life-skills needed in our technologically focused society.
Many experts recommend that all early childhood classrooms have an educational technology center that includes a computer, a printer, a digital camera, age-appropriate educational software, and access to the Internet. We would like to suggest that these centers also include a variety of educational DVDs and videos for those students who learn best with the added audio visual element that these mediums provide. Because children learn differently, at different rates, requiring different stimuli, when integrating technology into the lessons, it is important to plan to use all forms of technology - not just a few.
When creating such a technology center, here are some things to remember.
o Technology is not a replacement for the teacher. Technology elements, whether computers or educational DVDs and videos, are merely tools designed to help children learn. The teacher is still the guide.
o Consideration the applicable students' age, developmental levels, and individual needs when selecting software, videos, and other technology.
o Don't forget the parents. Collaborate with them and impart the importance of their involvement when their children are watching an educational television program or playing/working with computers.
o Monitor children's use of all forms of technology that use earphones. Some research suggests that the volume at which children listen to the music can be extremely harmful.
In other words, what educational technology needs, to be properly integrated into the classroom is a good old-fashioned lesson plan.

If you're interested in avoiding "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and want to start experiencing the benefits of using video effectively in your classroom, your next step is to download a FREE copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" right now.
The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.
Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.

Before purchasing and setting up the hardware and software, an educator needs to change their whole mindset about instructing using educational technology. The messages we teach our students has change throughout the centuries, however, the medium in which we present these message has not really changed. Sure paper is used instead of tablets, pencils instead of chalk and white boards instead of chalk, but these are really not revolutionary changes.
Computer technology and the internet are revolutionizing the way educators instruct students. These twentieth century advances used properly make our lives more efficient, and in turn they can help educators deliver curriculum more proficiently.
Educators need to realize that today's student is more comfortable typing up a paragraph on the computer rather than writing it on a piece of paper. These students have had technology and the internet in their lives since they can remember and they are very comfortable using it. Many educators on the other hand do remember a time when technology and the internet were not a part of everyday life.
These educators need to become part of the technology revolution in order to be able to integrate education technology into their classrooms. Blogging, web design, video conferencing and joining online communities are just some of the ways educators can become more familiar with the internet and technology era. We can learn from students who are not born knowing how to navigate through the internet or use all the technological gadgets, they simply learn by playing around with technology and by trial and error. Go ahead start playing around before you know it you'll be an education technology guru.

Lucas Kent is an experienced educator and author of 6 Steps to Success in Teaching with Technology which in now available on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com and many other online bookstores.
His website http://MrKent.Net - Teaching with Technology Made Simple is designed to help schools and educators implement technology effectively into their educational practices.
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There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning.
Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages.
The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids.
The second stage of educational technology is associated with the 'electronic revolution' with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. Accordingly, educational technology concept was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and equipments for effective presentation of instructional materials.
The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to 'communication revolution' for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era.
The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged.
The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research.
Educational technology during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age
Educational technology, despite the uncertainty of the origin of the term, can be traced back to the time of the three-age system periodization of human prehistory; namely the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
Duringthe Stone Age, ignition of fire by rubbing stones, manufacture of various handmade weapon and utensils from stones and clothing practice were some of the simple technological developments of utmost importance. A fraction of Stone Age people developed ocean-worthy outrigger canoe ship technology to migrate from one place to another across the Ocean, by which they developed their first informal education of knowledge of the ocean currents, weather conditions, sailing practice, astronavigation, and star maps. During the later Stone Age period (Neolithic period),for agricultural practice, polished stone tools were made from a variety of hard rocks largely by digging underground tunnels, which can be considered as the first steps in mining technology. The polished axes were so effective that even after appearance of bronze and iron; people used it for clearing forest and the establishment of crop farming.
Although Stone Age cultures left no written records, but archaeological evidences proved their shift from nomadic life to agricultural settlement. Ancient tools conserved in different museums, cave paintings like Altamira Cave in Spain, and other prehistoric art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, Mother Goddess from Laussel, France etc. are some of the evidences in favour of their cultures.
Neolithic Revolution of Stone Age resulted into the appearance of Bronze Age with development of agriculture, animal domestication, and the adoption of permanent settlements. For these practices Bronze Age people further developed metal smelting, with copper and later bronze, an alloy of tin and copper, being the materials of their choice.
The Iron Age people replaced bronze and developed the knowledge of iron smelting technology to lower the cost of living since iron utensils were stronger and cheaper than bronze equivalents. In many Eurasian cultures, the Iron Age was the last period before the development of written scripts.
Educational technology during the period of Ancient civilizations
According to Paul Saettler, 2004, Educational technology can be traced back to the time when tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge and ancient cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and transmit information. In every stage of human civilization, one can find an instructional technique or set of procedures intended to implement a particular culture which were also supported by number of investigations and evidences. The more advanced the culture, the more complex became the technology of instruction designed to reflect particular ways of individual and social behaviour intended to run an educated society. Over centuries, each significant shift in educational values, goals or objectives led to diverse technologies of instruction.
The greatest advances in technology and engineering came with the rise of the ancient civilizations. These advances stimulated and educated other societies in the world to adopt new ways of living and governance.
The Indus Valley Civilization was an early Bronze Age civilization which was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. The civilization was primarily flourished around the Indus River basin of the Indus and the Punjab region, extending upto the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, (most of the part is under today's Pakistan and the western states of modern-day India as well as some part of the civilization extending upto southeastern Afghanistan, and the easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran).
There is a long term controversy to be sure about the language that the Harappan people spoke. It is assumed that their writing was at least seems to be or a pictographic script. The script appears to have had about 400 basic signs, with lots of variations. People write their script with the direction generally from right to left. Most of the writing was found on seals and sealings which were probably used in trade and official & administrative work.
Harappan people had the knowledge of the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first in the world to develop a system of uniform weights and measures.
In a study carried out by P. N. Rao et al. in 2009, published in Science, computer scientists found that the Indus script's pattern is closer to that of spoken words, which supported the proposed hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language.
According to the Chinese Civilization, some of the major techno-offerings from China include paper, early seismological detectors, toilet paper, matches, iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, the wheelbarrow, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the blast furnace, the propeller, the crossbow, the South Pointing Chariot, and gun powder. With the invent of paper they have given their first step towards developments of educational technology by further culturing different handmade products of paper as means of visual aids.
Ancient Egyptian language was at one point one of the longest surviving and used languages in the world. Their script was made up of pictures of the real things like birds, animals, different tools, etc. These pictures are popularly called hieroglyph. Their language was made up of above 500 hieroglyphs which are known as hieroglyphics. On the stone monuments or tombs which were discovered and rescued latter on provides the evidence of existence of many forms of artistic hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt.
Educational technology during Medieval and Modern Period
Paper and the pulp papermaking process which was developed in China during the early 2nd century AD, was carried to the Middle East and was spread to Mediterranean by the Muslim conquests. Evidences support that a paper mill was also established in Sicily in the 12th century. The discovery of spinning wheel increased the productivity of thread making process to a great extent and when Lynn White added the spinning wheel with increasing supply of rags, this led to the production of cheap paper, which was a prime factor in the development of printing technology.
The invention of the printing press was taken place in approximately 1450 AD, by Johannes Gutenburg, a German inventor. The invention of printing press was a prime developmental factor in the history of educational technology to convey the instruction as per the need of the complex and advanced-technology cultured society.
In the pre-industrial phases, while industry was simply the handwork at artisan level, the instructional processes were relied heavily upon simple things like the slate, the horn book, the blackboard, and chalk. It was limited to a single text book with a few illustrations. Educational technology was considered synonymous to simple aids like charts and pictures.
The year 1873 may be considered a landmark in the early history of technology of education or audio-visual education. An exhibition was held in Vienna at international level in which an American school won the admiration of the educators for the exhibition of maps, charts, textbooks and other equipments.
Maria Montessori (1870-1952), internationally renowned child educator and the originator of Montessori Method exerted a dynamic impact on educational technology through her development of graded materials designed to provide for the proper sequencing of subject matter for each individual learner. Modern educational technology suggests many extension of Montessori's idea of prepared child centered environment.
In1833, Charles Babbage's design of a general purpose computing device laid the foundation of the modern computer and in 1943, the first computing machine as per hi design was constructed by International Business Machines Corporation in USA. The Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) in which the computer functions essentially as a tutor as well as the Talking Type writer was developed by O.K. Moore in 1966. Since 1974, computers are interestingly used in education in schools, colleges and universities.
In the beginning of the 19th century, there were noteworthy changes in the field of education. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), right from its start of school broadcasts in 1920 had maintained rapid pace in making sound contribution to formal education. In the USA, by 1952, 20 states had the provision for educational broadcasting. Parallel to this time about 98% of the schools in United Kingdom were equipped with radios and there were regular daily programmes.
Sidney L. Pressey, a psychologist of Ohio state university developed a self-teaching machine called 'Drum Tutor' in 1920. Professor Skinner, however, in his famous article 'Science of Learning and art of Teaching' published in 1945 pleaded for the application of the knowledge derived from behavioral psychology to classroom procedures and suggested automated teaching devices as means of doing so.
Although the first practical use of Regular television broadcasts was in Germany in 1929 and in 1936 the Olympic Games in Berlin were broadcasted through television stations in Berlin, Open circuit television began to be used primarily for broadcasting programmes for entertainment in 1950. Since 1960, television is used for educational purposes.
In 1950, Brynmor, in England, used educational technological steps for the first time. It is to be cared that in 1960, as a result of industrial revolution in America and Russia, other countries also started progressing in the filed of educational technology. In this way, the beginning of educational technology took place in 1960 from America and Russia and now it has reached England, Europe and India.
During the time of around 1950s, new technocracy was turning it attraction to educations when there was a steep shortage of teachers in America and therefore an urgent need of educational technology was felt. Dr. Alvin C. Eurich and a little later his associate, Dr. Alexander J. Stoddard introduced mass production technology in America.
Team teaching had its origin in America in the mid of 1950's and was first started in the year 1955 at Harvard University as a part of internship plan.
In the year 1956, Benjamin Bloom from USA introduced the taxonomy of educational objectives through his publication, "The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain".
In 1961, Micro teaching technique was first adopted by Dwight W. Allen and his co-workers at Stanford University in USA.
Electronics is the main technology being developed in the beginning of 21st century. Broadband Internet access became popular and occupied almost all the important offices and educational places and even in common places in developed countries with the advantage of connecting home computers with music libraries and mobile phones.
Today's classroom is more likely to be a technology lab, a room with rows of students using internet connected or Wi-Fi enabled laptops, palmtops, notepad, or perhaps students are attending a video conferencing or virtual classroom or may have been listening to a podcast or taking in a video lecture. Rapid technological changes in the field of educational have created new ways to teach and to learn. Technological changes also motivated the teachers to access a variety of information on a global scale via the Internet, to enhance their lessons as well as to make them competent professional in their area of concern. At the same time, students can utilize vast resources of the Internet to enrich their learning experience to cope up with changing trend of the society. Now a days students as well teachers are attending seminars, conferences, workshops at national and international level by using the multimedia techno-resources like PowerPoint and even they pursue a variety of important courses of their choice in distance mode via online learning ways. Online learning facility has opened infinite number of doors of opportunities for today's learner to make their life happier than ever before.

Presently Research Associate in the ICFAI University and have been pursuing PhD from Gauhati University, Assam.

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