Advancing Educational Technology: A Revolution in Learning

Technology for Teachers and Students Educational technology continues to advance making learning a different experience for students. “Educational technology includes all real, analog, and digital technologies and media that can be used to support teaching and learning (Lever-Duffy, McDonald, & Mizell, 2003, p. 2)”. When the writer was attending grade school in the 90’s educational technology was nothing compared to how it is now. The technology then was minimal; it was not until the writer got to fifth/sixth grade when students would take AR (Accelerated Reader) quizzes on the computer to move up a reading level. That was the early kind of educational technology and now the advances have been immense. The many theories of learning

Then there is a constructivist instruction and that is the theory of learning that describes how the mind can create knowledge using a more engaging alternative. Both of these approaches could help technology integration depending on how the technology is being incorporated, effective technology integration has to be done in a series of trial and error steps. Effective technology integration involves the students instead of having the teacher being the dominant focus. “Seamless integration is when students are not only using technology daily, but have access to a variety of tools that match the task at hand and provide them the opportunity to build a deeper understanding of content. But how we define technology integration can also depend on the kinds of technology available, how much access one has to technology, and who is using the technology ("What Is Successful Technology Integration? | Edutopia," n.d.)”. Therefore, whenever it comes to creating effective technology integration in a classroom you should always ask yourself who is using the technology, and does this type of technology promote active or passive student learning. Technology integration is essential and nit sidelined to the learning activity. Again, when integrating technology and making it essential some things to ask yourself as the teacher is the

Teachers should be aware of how much work goes into integrating technology. It must meet a long list of criteria and be intentional in its presentation to students. If technology was not working as an effective teaching tool then why would it be used? However, that is not the case because it works and it does make a difference. So current and future teachers, please understand that integrating technology is a lot of work, but the outcomes are positive and effective. Educational Technology is on the rise, and will continue to be a positive teaching tool and will continue to make advances in the current and near